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Episodes
Wednesday Apr 19, 2023
Wednesday Apr 19, 2023
7. Church Begins - Problems Arise
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Acts 15:1-4 "Some men came down from Judea and taught the brothers, "Unless you are circumcised after the custom of Moses, you can't be saved." Therefore when Paul and Barnabas had no small discord and discussion with them, they appointed Paul and Barnabas, and some others of them, to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question. They, being sent on their way by the assembly, passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles. They caused great joy to all the brothers. When they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the assembly and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all things that God had done with them.
At its beginning, the apostolic church was one church under the unitary leadership of the apostles. It had an expanding eldership, often called presbyters, bishops or overseers.' From earliest days, the church had a simple but well-defined order. Elders and deacons were set apart to their particular tasks, as we saw earlier in Acts 6. Members were received upon profession of faith and the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Supper were administered. Discipline was exercised, in which members who had fallen into sin and remained unrepentant were excluded from the church.
The church was never individualistic: that is to say, people did not suddenly decide to 'join' or 'leave' the church, as is too often the case in modern churches. The church was a corporate entity, in which pastoral oversight and spiritual authority were exercised by the leadership. A leadership raised up by the Lord and set apart according to a church policy mediated by the divinely inspired guidance of the apostles. This did not mean that there was neither controversy nor the threat of disunity. From the beginning, problems arose which needed to be resolved with pastoral, spiritual and judicial authority.
It is therefore no surprise to find, early on in Church history, a question arising about the nature of membership in the church and to see the matter being dealt with through the collective leadership of the church, the apostles and elders, who met together in a deliberative assembly (Acts 15v6). The problem arose because some men from Judea came to Antioch and promoted the view that circumcision, according to the law of Moses, was necessary for salvation. 'They were opposed by Paul and Barnabas. The church must have been seriously upset by the dispute. There was no final resolution and so help was sought from the church in Jerusalem, still at this point the heartland of the Christian church, from which the problem had come in the first place. Paul, Barnabas and some other believers were reputed to take the case to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem.
It is impressive to see the orderliness and seemingly good spirit in which they sought to deal with the dispute. This is reflected in the way the news of the conversion of Gentiles was received along their path. The church was one church, united in a glorious obsession with the gospel and the conviction that there is one truth by which the people of God are to be guided and ordered in one, undivided body. Every theological and practical controversy potentially threatens the unity of the church.
In this case, the issue was fundamental to the meaning and application of the gospel itself. The intense conservatism of some of the Christian Jews was expressed in an insistence that certain regulations of the Old Testament law be required of non-Jewish converts as prerequisites for their recognition as members of the church of Jesus Christ. This is, of course, the so-called ‘Judaizing controversy', which, notwithstanding the action of the Jerusalem Council, continued to dog the progress of the apostolic church and was to be he target of Paul's epistle to the Galatians.
The heart of the matter is the tendency to add to the Word of God in defining who is, or is not, a Christian and thus expand the scope of what makes for a credible profession of faith to take in all sorts of unbiblical rules and requirements. The 'Judaizing' Christians in Antioch did not want to add some new man-made tradition of innovation, but desired to keep certain elements which had been God's will for the Old Testament church. How could that which was good and holy until Jesus came again, become an improper imposition afterwards?
The answer had already been given explicitly and also implicitly in the pouring out of the Holy Spirit upon Samaritan and Gentile believers (Acts 8v7; Acts 10v45-48). The maintenance of an Old Testament regulation (in this case, circumcision), when it had been replaced by a distinctively New Testament ordinance (baptism), was equivalent to imposing a man-made tradition even though God had originally given it to his people. Why? Because God had made it clear, through the teaching of Jesus and the apostles, that baptism was to be the ordinance of incorporation with his people for the whole New Testament era, until its culmination in the Second Coming of Christ (Matt. 28v19; Acts 2v38).
The transition period of the first-generation church of the apostles, however, made sensitive and difficult matter with which to deal. Jewish Christians still attended services in the synagogues and observed the ceremonies at the temple (see Acts 21v26 for an instance of the involving the apostle Paul). Only with the destruction of the Temple in AD70 would the ceremonial aspects of the Old pattern for godliness decisively recede from the practice of church. On arriving at Jerusalem, the delegates from Antioch were welcomed by 'the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them', This gathering evidently consisted of the leadership (apostles and elders) and many of the membership, including those convened were putting forward the requirement that Gentiles 'must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses' (Acts 15v5-6). This was the context for discussion of the issue.
The Jerusalem Council, as it has been named, was a group of ordained elders together with the apostles, The significance of this council, beyond the immediate decision which was made, lies in the fact that the apostles did not make the decision for the church, as could well have been expected of men of their unique position and gifts, but participated, for the purposes of this decision, as elders with the other elders, albeit as the 'first among equals', It is for this reason that the Jerusalem Council is the great prototype of 'synods and councils', whether congregational or Presbyterian, ever since.
Having convened for that purpose, the apostles and elders' engaged in a deliberative discussion of the issue referred to them by the church in Antioch, namely, whether the Judaistic proposition that circumcision and a commitment to keeping Mosaic law were to be required of Gentiles (Acts 15v7). There was free debate and no papering over differences. The apostles let the elders speak before they joined in, thus showing the way for the future, when their uniquely revelatory gifts would be gone.
Furthermore, it is clear, from what is said later, that their goal was to know the mind of the Holy Spirit in the matter (Acts 15v28). The Jerusalem Council is a reminder to the church of Jesus Christ to go back to God's way of seeking the mind of the Spirit on the issues confronting the doctrinal purity and the practical peace of the body of Christ - namely, by God-appointed elders in deliberative assemblies. The way the discussion unfolded in Jerusalem is the most vivid recommendation for God's way to solve the church's challenges.
Peter arose after much discussion, and proceeded to demolish the Judaistic viewpoint with arguments drawn from his own experience of ministry to Gentiles. He first described the conversion of the Gentiles as the work of God (Acts 15v 7-9). It had been God, not himself, who had determined that, through his lips the Gentiles might hear the message of the gospel and believe. It was certain that God had accepted them, because He had given the Holy Spirit to them, just as He had to Jewish believers; and this was proved by the Gentile Christians' faith, which was no different from their own (Acts 15v9). He then rebuked those Jewish Christians who would insist on human works - in this instance, circumcision and the law - as necessary for salvation (Acts 15v10).
They should have known better! Their fathers could not bear the 'yoke' of the law. It could not save them. They could not keep it. To suggest that this same yoke is necessary to being recognised as a true believer in Christ was, in effect, to deny their own profession of Christ as their Saviour! Worse still, it was to trying to test God - that is, to challenge God's ability to save lost people by grace through faith in Christ alone! To make any action, however righteous in itself, an instrument of the justification of a sinner before God, when God has made it plain by precept and actual experience that it is by grace alone through saving faith in Jesus Christ, is to contradict the very essence of the gospel! Faith is in a category all of its own. Faith is not a 'work'. It is, to be sure, the act of the human heart casting itself upon the Lord, but it is pre-eminently the gift of God as Paul later says so that no one can boast (Ephesians. 2v9).
Rising to a glorious crescendo, Peter declared emphatically the very heart of the gospel (Acts 15v11). Salvation is by grace alone, both for Jews and Gentiles. Jesus' yoke is easy and his burden is light (Matthew 11v30). There is no place for the yoke of a law, which could only condemn us! The two missionaries, whose labours had largely occasioned the controversy, supported Peter with testimony to the miracles attending the ministry to the Gentiles. These showed that God was working among them, as he had among the Jews. Then, as we shall discover next time, James speaks and the church goes forward in unity!
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Tuesday Apr 18, 2023
Tuesday Apr 18, 2023
6. Church Begins - Paul is sent
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Acts 9:10-31 “Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias!” He said, “Behold, it’s me, Lord.” 9:11 The Lord said to him, “Arise, and go to the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judah for one named Saul, a man of Tarsus. For behold, he is praying, 9:12 and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in, and laying his hands on him, that he might receive his sight.”
9:13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he did to your saints at Jerusalem. 9:14 Here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.”
9:15 But the Lord said to him, “Go your way, for he is my chosen vessel to bear my name before the nations and kings, and the children of Israel. 9:16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name’s sake.”
9:17 Ananias departed, and entered into the house. Laying his hands on him, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord, who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me, that you may receive your sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 9:18 Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he received his sight. He arose and was baptized. 9:19 He took food and was strengthened. Saul stayed several days with the disciples who were at Damascus. 9:20 Immediately in the synagogues he proclaimed the Christ, that he is the Son of God. 9:21 All who heard him were amazed, and said, “Isn’t this he who in Jerusalem made havoc of those who called on this name? And he had come here intending to bring them bound before the chief priests!”
9:22 But Saul increased more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived at Damascus, proving that this is the Christ. 9:23 When many days were fulfilled, the Jews conspired together to kill him, 9:24 but their plot became known to Saul. They watched the gates both day and night that they might kill him, 9:25 but his disciples took him by night, and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a basket. 9:26 When Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join himself to the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.
9:27 But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. 9:28 He was with them entering into Jerusalem, 9:29 preaching boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus. He spoke and disputed against the Hellenists, but they were seeking to kill him. 9:30 When the brothers knew it, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him off to Tarsus. 9:31 So the assemblies throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, and were built up. They were multiplied, walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.”
Transformed: From the conversion of Paul, we go to the consequences of his conversion. The first consequence we maybe aware of is that he changed his name: changed from Saul of Tarsus to Paul of Tarsus – we read that in Acts 13! Paul's conversion was a total transformation. His attitudes, character & relationships with God, fellow believers and the unbelieving world were utterly transformed.
A changed life is the ultimate proof, that conversion is real and the Holy Spirit is working. Now that through Jesus and his cross, Paul had been put right with God, Paul, as with all believers, enjoyed direct access to the Father, as the Spirit witnessed with his spirit that he was the Father's child (Romans 8:16). Perhaps his prayers were for forgiveness of sins of self-righteousness & cruel persecution of Jesus & the church. And no doubt they contained worship. The mouth that breathed murderous threats against Jesus like a roaring lion, was now breathing prayers & praises to God like bleating lamb. Paul's life was changed from self-righteousness to righteousness through Jesus. The evidence of this was a change in the way he lived his life.
Ananias went to meet Paul, after having been sent by God. No doubt, he had heard of Paul and his persecuting the Church. At the beginning he was hesitant to do this, but in the end he went to Straight Street as told and ministered to Paul. Upon laying hands upon him and identifying with him(v17), calling him brother, and ministering the love of Jesus to this his former enemy, the Holy Spirit entered Paul (v17), and Paul could see again (v18). Paul then ate some food, and spent time with the Damascene disciples. It is amazing really that Paul was accepted.
The Jews were confused and astonished by him. For wasn't this the man who was going to kill followers of Jesus. What has happened so dramatically that he has joined them? Whenever he preached to the Jews, they were confused. Paul however did not settle down in Damascus, and according to Galatians 1:17-18 spent 3 years in Arabia. Some people seem to think, that he spent the time with Jesus, to learn from him by revelation his distinctive truths, just as the disciples had spent about 3 years with him while Jesus was on earth. Paul then returned to Damascus and while there, the Jews leaders plotted to kill him. So he escaped with the help of the other believers to Jerusalem.
Sent: Jesus had appointed Paul to be 3 things. A servant of God; a witness for God to the world, and also an apostle engaged in pioneer work to the Gentiles (26:16ff). Jesus confirmed this to Ananias that Paul was a 'chosen instrument', and Ananias passed this onto Paul (v15). There were also four things about this witness that Paul would do, that can help us as we live to witness for Jesus Christ.
- His witness was centred on Christ. (v20, 22). His arguments focused on Jesus, and spoke boldly about Him.
- His witness was powered by the Holy Spirit (17,22)
- His witness was courageous in Damascus (v27), the synagogues (2,20) and in Jerusalem (28) where the Sanhedrin met. He also debated with the Hellenists (v29)
- His witness was costly. His life was threatened (v23-24, 29). And we learn even more things from the rest of this book of Acts, and in his letters. His parents possibly disinherited him, was persecuted consistently by fierce opponents & imprisoned, shipwrecked in Cyprus.
Paul and Barnabas: Paul's experience in Damascus repeated itself in Jerusalem. When he tried to join the Apostles and community of Christian believers, since he knew he was one of them, they were afraid and doubted he really was a believer. But this time Barnabas came to the rescue and testified to the others about him and his changed life. The only apostles Paul met were Peter & James (Gal 1: 18-20), and told them how he had seen Jesus, the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had fearlessly preached the name of Jesus. Because of this testimony, he was accepted by them into the community of believers. And in yet another of Luke's summaries, we see the church has now five characteristics –
- peace (free from outside interference)
- strength (confirming its position)
- encouragement (comforted by the Holy Spirit)
- growth (multiplying numerically)
- godliness (living in the fear of the Lord.
This was noticed by the Apostle Peter when he wrote in 2 Peter 3v15-16: “Regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to you; as also in all of his letters, speaking in them of these things. In those, there are some things that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unsettled twist, as they also do to the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.”
We have much to be thankful to God for the life of Paul and the witness he was for Jesus Christ at the beginnings of the Church. Most of the book of Acts follows him, on what we call the three missionary journeys and the events that unfold as the Church grows and spreads to the glory of its head, the Lord Jesus Christ.
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Monday Apr 17, 2023
Monday Apr 17, 2023
5. Church Begins - Paul's Conversion
Acts 9:1-6 But Saul, still breathing threats and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, and asked for letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. As he travelled, it happened that he got close to Damascus, and suddenly a light from the sky shone around him. He fell on the earth, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" He said, "Who are you, Lord?" The Lord said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise up, and enter into the city, and you will be told what you must do." The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the sound, but seeing no one. Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened, he saw no one. They led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. He was without sight for three days, and neither ate nor drank.
The conversion of Paul is perhaps the most famous throughout the history of the Church. Luke tells us the story three times. But was Paul's conversion special? Many people say "I have not had a Damascus Road experience". There were, it is true, special events on that day, which make Paul's conversion unique. Let us look together at his conversion experience.
Conversion Experience The only possible cause for his conversion is the beautiful sovereign grace of God. It was Jesus Christ who decided for him. Each of the 3 previous times Paul is mentioned, Luke mentions him as opposing the church & persecuting the body of believers, most fittingly having witnessed the death of Stephen (Acts 7:58; 8:1,3). Now Luke resumes his story of Paul by saying that he was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples (9:1).
Paul had tried to contain the church to Jerusalem, but some had escaped to Damascus. Paul then devised a plan to capture the believers in Damascus. Armed with letters from the High Priest in Jerusalem, he set out for Damascus in a bid to stop the spreading of the Good News. He would arrive in Damascus, a proud and pompous man, bent on ridding the city of its followers of Jesus. Why did Paul hate the believers so much? Because, To his mind at the time, to him a dead Messiah was no Messiah at all and how could the Saviour of the Jews, the Messiah, die on a cross and be cursed by God. No, no. Paul considered it his duty as a man zealous for the law, to eradicate all those who were followers of this man.
Luke's description of Paul seems to be like that of a wild animal trying to destroy a flock of sheep, creating havoc & destruction which ever way he turned. And yet, he had not considered the sovereign grace of God. To a man like this there could only be one reason why he changed his mind, and became the most ardent follower of Jesus. He turned from a wolf who destroyed sheep, to become a sheep with the character of a shepherd. It can only be through the sovereign grace of God.
So let us look together at Paul's conversion. Paul and his companions were nearing the end of a weeks' travelling of the 150 mile journey to Damascus from Jerusalem Then suddenly, a light from heaven flashed around him (v3), brighter than the sun (26:13). It was so overwhelming that it both blinded him and knocked him over (v8-9), flat on his face before his conqueror. Then a voice cried out "Paul, Paul, why do you persecute me?"
And in answer to Paul's subsequent question as to his identity, the voice continues "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting." Paul must have at once, hooked on to how closely Jesus identifies with His followers, so to persecute them was to persecute Him, that he suddenly realised that Jesus was no longer dead as he supposed, but was alive and all His claims were true. Paul's companions, while hearing the voice, did not see the resurrected Jesus.
They took Paul into the city. Instead of arriving there full of pride & bravery, a self confident enemy of Jesus, Paul entered Damascus, humbled and blinded, a prisoner of Jesus. The light he saw was the glory of Jesus, and the voice he heard was the voice of Jesus. In his letters we discover how Paul views this event: how God arrested him (Philippians 3:12), shone his light upon him (2 Corinthians 4:6), and the mercy of God overflowed upon him (1 Timothy 1:14).
And yet, while it was entirely due to the grace of God, that Paul was converted from enemy of the Christ to follower of the Christ, it was not sudden. Yes, the light was sudden, and Christ appeared suddenly, but Jesus had talked to Paul before. The goads, likened Paul to a wild horse needing to broken in, ready to be ridden. The implication is that Jesus was pursuing Paul, prodding and pricking him, and Paul was resisting painfully. But what were the goads that Jesus used to prick Paul of Tarsus? While we are not told specifically what they were, by reading his letters we can gain an insight into what they were.
The Goads
Here are three of the goads used by Jesus on Paul:
a. His sub-conscious doubts. With his conscious mind, he proclaimed Jesus as an impostor, who had been rejected as the Messiah by his own people, and died under the curse of God on a cross. Yet, Paul would have heard reports about Jesus' teaching & miracles, claims & character, together with the talk that Jesus had been raised from the dead.
b. The testimony of Stephen. Paul had been present at the trial of Stephen and had seen his execution, both the non-resistance while being stoned to death and his face shining like an angel. He had heard Stephen's speech at his trial, his prayer for forgiveness of his executioners and his astonishing claim to have seen Jesus at the right hand of God. There was something about these Christians, that could not be explained to Paul- the divine living power of Jesus in the lives of His followers.
c. The inadequacy of the law to save. Paul claimed to be faultless i e that is his public life. In private however, he knew that his thoughts & attitudes were not clean for example his sin of covetousness. Therefore he had no inner power or peace, and it was the goads of Jesus.
Paul's conversion was a sudden climax, to a long drawn out process with Jesus having pursued him. And yet while his conversion was not sudden, it was not forced upon him. Indeed, forcing him to the ground blind, he did not change his character and turn him into a robot. And when Jesus asked the questions, Paul did not have to answer the questions of Jesus.
Paul's conversion, while not sudden or compulsive, was due entirely to the gracious pursuit of Jesus. Not everybody has sudden flashes of light and voices that say his name. No-one else has seen the historical fact of the Jesus' resurrected body and a call to be an apostle.
Yet there are similarities with us. To be converted, we did not & do not need those things to happen, anymore than we have to travel to the same spot Paul was at on the road to Damascus. We must experience a personal encounter with Jesus, surrendering to Him our will in faith, and receive his order to serve Him.
Just as Jesus Christ has pursued all people everywhere, over the past 2000 years, to return into a dynamic relationship with Him. Just as He did me and I handed my life over to Him. Millions of other people have also done that down through the centuries. My final question to you is - have you?
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Sunday Apr 16, 2023
Sunday Apr 16, 2023
4. Church Begins - Let's Get Organized
Today we go back to the beginning of Acts 6. So far in the book of Acts, we can see that the Church has come under attack by the world (through persecution) and satan (through deceit & moral compromise). A new crisis has appeared. Unable to destroy the church by way of persecution and deceit, satan now tries to create a split in the church by getting believers to argue and fight with each other. If satan had succeeded in creating an implosion within this church, the only church in existence at the time, then the effects could have been devastating.
I have had people tell me they want a church without any form of organizational structure. If a church has no organizational and leadership structure then it will soon have chaos instead of harmony, and will collapse rather than grow. Of course, some leaders are corrupt or make wrong decisions as we have seen already, but Godly leaders will not be corrupt and as we shall see, make decisions that are wise and based on prayer and spiritual insights. So, what was the problem, what was the solution and what happened after it was resolved?
The Problem! (Actsv1) Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, a complaint arose from the Hellenists against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily service.
- Good news - they were growing, but this had caused a problem!
- Bad news - Some widows were not being cared for!
Hebraic Jews had always lived in the then nation of Israel, spoke mainly Aramaic and some Hebraic. They would have been well used to life in a Jewish society, the Temple and avoiding those who were not Jews: the Gentiles.. Grecian or Hellenestic Jews were part of the Jewish Diaspora, born elsewhere within the known world and had returned to Jerusalem. These mainly spoke Greek, and were well used to working with Gentiles. We know that widows were and are important to God, because justice is important to God. God is a God of justice and mercy.
In the Old Testament, under the Law of Moses, God commanded provision for those who were widows, oppressed or uncared for. The Apostles would have known about God caring for the widows and in Jesus teaching about justice for the poor and the oppressed. We know this because earlier in Acts 2 and 4, people were selling and sharing possessions and ensuring that people within the Christian community were being looked after and cared for. This included making sure that everyone got fed, particularly those who had no family to care for them. Somehow, unintentional or not, this group of widows were missing out. What then happened?
The Solution! (Actsv2-6) The twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, "It is not appropriate for us to forsake the word of God and serve tables. Therefore select from among you, brothers, seven men of good report, full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will continue steadfastly in prayer and in the ministry of the word." These words pleased the whole multitude. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch; whom they set before the apostles. When they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
Three things about the solution
a. Transformation of the Apostles - James, Peter & John particularly (v2) Its not stated here, but a transformation had taken place! Only a few short time ago, the disciples of Jesus had refused to wash feet as an act of service (Peter); some had wanted positions of power and greatness (James & John). Their old nature must have started asking questions and prompting them to react negatively. The world has attacked the church, satan has attacked the church, and now satan would have been using the Apostles old nature to attack the church. But - as they are transformed by the indwelling Holy Spirit and now have a new nature, the nature of Jesus Christ, they react much more righteously and judiciously.
b. All together now! (v2-5) Notice they gathered all the believers together for a church meeting. The gave their opinion or judgment if you like, that their ministry or time would be better spent doing what God had called them to do - to be leaders of the Church, praying, preaching, evangelizing and discerning how best to apply the 3 years of teaching that they had had when travelling with Jesus Christ before His ascension. Their time, rightly so, was best spent doing that, for that was their ministry of service. But other people in the church gathering, who had a ministry of service and overseeing the food distribution, could spend their time doing that! So what of these seven men with Greek names? They were elected by the whole church, both Grecian and Hebraic, to perform this duty. They may already have been doing it, but now were being set apart especially for this role. These men were controlled by the Holy Spirit and were wise. They were chosen to give relief to the leadership so that the Word of God and prayer would not be hindered.
c. Commissioning (v6) Interestingly enough, the word diakonia is translated here as ministry. Another way to translate it is as deacons. But, they were not deacons in the way the Paul uses the word as part of a church government in 1 Timothy 3. Rather they were deacons, set apart for this specific task - it was their ministry. It may well have been from here, that Paul developed what some parts of the universal church understands of the role of deacons. So these seven men, were prototypes as it were, for the Paul-ine idea of deacons. Note also that the Apostles didn't say their work was more important than serving. They were just following what God had called them to do, just as God had called these seven men to take responsibility for providing food for the widows. So they were commissioned by God, by the laying on of hands and set apart to perform it. We know only of Steven and Phillip and that they continued doing other ministries as well as this.
The Result! (v7) The word of God increased and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem exceedingly. A great company of the priests were obedient to the faith. The result was growth! Growth and witness may well see the conversion of former enemies. Growth and witness may well see reasoning and transformation. Now that the Apostles had time for their dedicated and unique ministry, all the widows could be fed, and all believers able to participate within the life of the church.
Not only that, Stephen was instrumental in reaching the Apostle Paul (Acts 7v58). Philip was instrumental in reaching the city of Samaria and won over for Jesus Christ (Acts 8v4-25 ), the Ethiopian Eunuch who would have then taken the gospel to Africa. (Acts 8v26-40 ) This growth was where the word of God increased in its effectiveness in the lives of those unbelievers who would listen to the gospel. This growth was not merely addition but multiplication! It was explosive!
So explosive that even former enemies were becoming converts! Sadducees were Jewish believers who didn't believe in a bodily resurrection - yet they came to faith and started to believe in the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. It's not hard to imagine that some of those Priests coming to faith in Jesus Christ were former persecutors of the Church! They were watching the church to see how best to attack and debate them. Yet found that they were joining the church, rather than continuing to oppose it. The church was preaching one thing and acting upon it. There was no hypocrisy within the church. The church was transparent - it lived as it believed. The church was seen as transformative and servant-like.
While the Church continued to reason with others about the validity of Jesus Christ's claims to be the Messiah, it would have not been effective if lives were not being transformed. If lives were not being changed, then no amount of reasoning alone would have seen the growth in numbers being added to the Church. Just as transformation and change alone would not have been the catalyst for growth, without the reasoning behind it.
Transformation The early Church was a radical community of believers, growing quickly. At Pentecost, the church community began when the Holy Spirit filled the Disciples (Acts 2v4). The hallmarks of this community were commitment and transformation. This community was radical. It was where people's lives were being changed as the Holy Spirit filled them. Instead of being a withdrawn people filled with fear of retribution from the Roman government and Jewish leaders, they became a people filled with boldness and joy. This church in Jerusalem grew by being a radical community imbued with radical individuals engaging with others and serving. It was a church where every member was asked and expected to play some role, in the life of the church.
The Christian life is to be dynamic and active. As we have seen the word "deacon" here denotes ministry. Ministry is any service for Jesus Christ. When you serve as God's deacon in this way, God's honour is released. That's why the embryonic Church in Jerusalem grew and flourished. This is done because service shows the beauty and glory of Jesus Christ to those being served and to those watching. That is to be our motive for service. Serving and ministry should never to be about what you and I can get out of it. When that is the motive, God is not glorified. God's glory and supremacy is our goal as Christians.
Spiritual growth comes from serving rather than being served. This is because what ever is given in service of God and others, faith grows and Jesus Christ gives back even more. Jesus speaking in Matthew 25v15-30 tells of the rewards for faithful service and the penalties for being faithless. Serving others is a sign that you are trusting God and having faith in God. Serving God and others is the mark of a spiritually maturity and through service, the greatest servant of all, is reflected: Jesus Christ, who came to serve and give his very life for others (Mark 10v45). As Christians, we are to be as Jesus Christ (Romans 8v28; Philippians 2v5) and to serve. Yet if we are honest, we sometimes feel incapable, just as Moses did (Exodus 3). An excellent example to follow is that of the deacon Stephen.
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Saturday Apr 15, 2023
Saturday Apr 15, 2023
3. Church Begins - Persecution
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The world was changing, particularly for the Jewish people. They were still under the rule of the odious Romans, in the land God had given them. For centuries they had been expectant of a Messiah, a King, to rise up and rid them of the Roman oppressors. When the Messiah, Jesus Christ, did come - they missed Him. They had misunderstood what the Messiah was to do. The Messiah was not to lead a political revolution as they thought, but rather lead a spiritual revolution, bring people back into relationship with God. The worldview of the Jewish people needed to be changed. When worldviews need wholesale change of focus, problems arise. The embryonic church, followers of Jesus Christ the Messiah, was soon to feel pressure to change back.
Its not long into the book of Acts, and therefore the history of the church, that persecution arises. We see the first stages of this persecution in Acts 4v1-4. "As they spoke to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came to them, being upset because they taught the people and proclaimed in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. They laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was now evening. "
However somewhat surprisingly we then read that "But many of those who heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to be about five thousand." Then later on in chapter 5v17-18, 27-33, we read"But the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy, and laid hands on the apostles, and put them in public custody." "Then the captain went with the officers, and brought them without violence, for they were afraid that the people might stone them. When they had brought them, they set them before the council. The high priest questioned them, saying, "Didn't we strictly command you not to teach in this name? Behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man's blood on us." But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you killed, hanging him on a tree. God exalted him with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins. We are His witnesses of these things; and so also is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him." But they, when they heard this, were cut to the heart, and determined to kill them." Later on in that chapter we read "They agreed with him. Summoning the apostles, they beat them and commanded them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. They therefore departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for Jesus' name. Every day, in the temple and at home, they never stopped teaching and preaching Jesus, the Christ."
Then at the beginning of chapter 6 we read about the first Christian martyr, Stephen. Stephen we read in Acts 6v8 was "full of faith and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. But some of those who were of the synagogue called "The Libertines," and of the Cyrenians, of the Alexandrians, and of those of Cilicia and Asia arose, disputing with Stephen. They weren't able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke. Then they secretly induced men to say, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God." They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes, and came against him and seized him, and brought him in to the council, and set up false witnesses who said, "This man never stops speaking blasphemous words against this holy place and the law. For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place, and will change the customs which Moses delivered to us." All who sat in the council, fastening their eyes on him, saw his face like it was the face of an angel."
Then after reminding them of some of what the Old Testament says, Stephen concludes "You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit! As your fathers did, so you do. Which of the prophets didn't your fathers persecute? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, of whom you have now become betrayers and murderers. You received the law as it was ordained by angels, and didn't keep it!" Now when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!" But they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and rushed at him with one accord. They threw him out of the city, and stoned him. The witnesses placed their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. They stoned Stephen as he called out, saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" He kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, "Lord, don't hold this sin against them!" When he had said this, he fell asleep.
So there was Stephen, filled and controlled by the Holy Spirit, with an angelic look on his face. We see his love and faith put into practise when he exclaimed "don't hold this sin against them!" Stephen had reminded them that God did not dwell in buildings made from stone, as in the Temple. For had not God also been with his servants in various places, such as Mesopotamia, Palestine and Egypt? He reminded them also of how the Jews had always rejected God's messengers and now finally, they had killed God's Son, the Messiah, Jesus Christ. He also reminded them that what made somebody a person after God's own heart was not the physical circumcision but a circumcision of the heart and soul. It was a spiritual revolution that occurred when a people were in relationship with the Living God, not just the outward appearance.
We see in Stephen's final words, the reaction of a man full of faith and filled with the Spirit undergoing pressure. Stoning is an awful and excruciating way to die. While Jesus had prayed to the Father in his dying moments, Stephen prayed to - Jesus! It was not so long ago, that Jesus was walking the earth, indeed on these very stones. Yet, we already find prayers being made to Him. Stephen, sees Jesus in all his magnificent, glorious and heavenly majesty, and can only cry out to Him in such a way! Then finally he asks Jesus to forgive those who have killed him. Amazing isn't it?
I wonder how you and I would act under the same conditions. Would we ask why and whinge and grumble and complain? Finally, I wonder if you notice one other name in that Bible passage. The name of Saul. He led systematic persecution of these Christians, and yet as we shall find out, will play a major role in the development of the church and of Christian thinking.
For as the church father, Augustine comments "If Stephen had not prayed, the Church would not have had Paul!" Despite this persecution, the church continues to grow. When ever and where ever the church has endured persecution for their belief in Jesus Christ, growth has always occurred. There are places in this world, where it is illegal to be a Christian. Let us pray for our brothers and sisters that have to endure all kinds of hardships for the sake of Jesus Christ.
Yet amazingly, these churches are growing numerically, just as we have seen occur in the New Testament. If the New Testament church had known that Jesus did not rise from the dead physically, would the church have grown like it has over 2000 years? Would people like Stephen, have knowingly died, or undergone systematic persecution, for a known lie or mistruth? The existence of the church, is the greatest physical proof of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. The church - nothing will stop its growth and nothing will stop that glorious day when Jesus Christ comes again to collect his followers, his bride - the church. But for our study next time, it will be how the church needed to be organized, in order to facilitate this growth, and that means going back to Chapter 6. Thank you.
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Friday Apr 14, 2023
Friday Apr 14, 2023
2. Church Begins - Power & passion
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1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth."
1:12-14 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. When they had come in, they went up into the upper room, where they were staying; that is Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord continued steadfastly in prayer and supplication, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
Acts 2:1-2 Now when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all with one accord in one place. Suddenly there came from the sky a sound like the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
As we saw last time, Jesus has ascended back to the right hand of the Father. The 12 apostles are now back in Jerusalem and waiting. Waiting for the Holy Spirit to come. The Holy Spirit who indwells members of the early church. The Holy Spirit who empowers and transforms them! Remember Peter? Remember how just a few days earlier he had rejected Jesus Christ and openly defied Him by trying to stop Jesus going to the cross. This Peter who was dejected and defeated. In the early chapters of Acts, we see the disciples transformed. Lets concentrate on Peter for a good example of this. This is now a new Peter, transformed by the indwelling Holy Spirit, who speaks with the authority Jesus gave the disciples.
This Peter, given impetus by the Holy Spirit, who preaches a sermon and 3000 people are added to the church in one day (Acts 2v41). This Peter, who when passing by a man who couldn't walk, told him to get up and walk - and he did (Acts 3v1-11)! Peter was allowing himself to be controlled by the Holy Spirit and doing some of the things that were synonymous with Jesus' earthly ministry.
What is the difference between this Peter and the Peter before Jesus' resurrection? It was only the Holy Spirit and the difference He makes to Peter. Peter, by submitting himself to the authority and power of the Holy Spirit, was allowing the Holy Spirit to control him and guide him. This Peter, who we know from the Gospel accounts, had no self-control, yet now had self-control because he submitted to the Holy Spirit. The greatest evidence of the Holy Spirit living inside any of us, is the transformation of the individual into the image of Jesus - as demonstrated here in Peter. This Peter who not only allowed the Holy Spirit's power to heal people but also administered church discipline as in the case of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5v10). But it wasn't just Peter who was empowered.
As Acts 5v12-16 shows us, all the disciples, not just the twelve apostles, filled and controlled by the Holy Spirit, were able to do healings and other signs and wonders. The Holy Spirit, living inside and empowering all believers for service of Jesus Christ, not just the 12 apostles. All of this power delivers their passion for Jesus Christ and making Him, and Him alone, known. The early church was dynamic and seen to be exercising the authority of Jesus Christ. This was done by preaching the good news about him being the long waited for Messiah. Exercising His authority, by submitting themselves to Him and relying totally on the Holy Spirit alone. This power and passion however, had a cost.
The early church endured persecution from the Jewish authorities, keen to exercise authoritarian rule. The early church persecuted for being Christian and preaching Jesus as the Messiah. What was the result of this persecution? Did persecution stop the church growing? That is for next time!
In preparation for that, you might like to read Acts 7 & 8. So finally, remember this. The greatest evidence for the power of the Holy Spirit is not by way of signs and wonders and healings or tongues or other miracles. The greatest evidence that you have the Holy Spirit living inside you, controlling you and of you being submitted to Him is your being continually transformed into the very image of Jesus Christ. Transformed by allowing yourself to be so intimate with Jesus Christ that people will notice you have changed and will ask you why!
Being filled with the Spirit, is allowing yourself to be continually controlled by Him and exercising His will, power and authority. That is one of the reasons the early church grew phenomenally and why the church is still here 2000 years later. The Pharisees and Sadducees are long gone. The Roman Empire collapsed. But... But... But... Jesus' church still stands, is still growing, and will one day be joined with Jesus in eternity, to the praise, honour and glory of Him who will return! Thank you.
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Thursday Apr 13, 2023
Thursday Apr 13, 2023
1. Church begins - Catalyst
Jesus' resurrection is the catalyst for the mission of the church, beginning with the disciples and throughout history. Indeed, the growth and spread of the church, is a proof of the historical fact of Jesus' physical resurrection or rising from the dead. Having been raised from the dead, Jesus' mission to earth is coming to an end and shortly He will be returning to the right hand of the Father. Before He does so though, He has some more words to say to His disciples. Lets read Acts 1v1-12 for what happened between His resurrection and ascension.
The first book I wrote, Theophilus, concerned all that Jesus began both to do and to teach, until the day in which he was received up, after he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. To these he also showed himself alive after he suffered, by many proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days, and speaking about God's Kingdom. Being assembled together with them, he commanded them, "Don't depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which you heard from me. For John indeed baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days from now." Therefore when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, are you now restoring the kingdom to Israel?" He said to them, "It isn't for you to know times or seasons which the Father has set within his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth." When he had said these things, as they were looking, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight. While they were looking steadfastly into the sky as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white clothing, who also said, "You men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who was received up from you into the sky will come back in the same way as you saw him going into the sky." Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away.
Jesus' Authority
Throughout the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus' authority is a major theme. Where Matthew records Jesus doing miracles, this is to highlight Jesus authority in action and not just merely in words. Matthew records Jesus' authority to forgive sins (Matthew 9v6) and He imparted authority to His disciples for a short time when they went on a mission in Matthew 10. Jesus has authority (Matthew 28v18) over all things, all people, all circumstances and happenings. Jesus has authority over all spiritual beings, whether angels or demons. Jesus has authority over all nations, governments and rulers. Jesus has authority over all earthly and spiritual authorities. Jesus has the authority. This means regardless of what ever the Christian Disciple faces, Jesus is in control.
Therefore, as Christian Disciples, we can obey him without fear of retribution from those who would seek to harm us. We can obey Him regardless of the circumstances we find ourselves in. It is a great comfort to know, that He is in control of everything!! Through His death on the cross and His rising from the dead, Jesus has conquered all enemies. Now people sometimes confuse authority with authoritarian. Authoritarian means severe, rigidity and a dictator. None of these apply to Jesus. We have been given a free will, but as His disciples, we should choose to exercise our free will to obey Him and live a life worthy of Him. As the Christian depends on Jesus' authority, the Christian Disciple gains wisdom, guidance, and power.
You Go
If Jesus had not risen from the dead, then the disciples would not have had a story to tell. But Jesus had indeed risen from the dead, and the early church exploded numerically as the twelve disciples exercised Jesus' authority and His power. We read about the growth of the early church in the Book of Acts. Christianity is a faith whereby all Christian Disciples are to tell others of the goodness of God. Indeed God Himself is a missionary God. Ever since Genesis 3 and the fall of man, God has been on a mission to bring and call people back to Himself.
That was the purpose of the nation of Israel, to be a light to all nations of the goodness and glory of God! That was purpose when God, who is outside of time and space, entered human history taking on human flesh and restricted Himself in a human body as the man we know as Jesus Christ. Jesus whole mission was one of calling people back to life in God. As followers of Jesus Christ, all Christian Disciples are to evangelize. Evangelism is showing and telling others of God's message of reconciliation to all people of all time. It is not forcing people to adopt Church standards (1 Corinthians 5v12) and nor is it simply a message of join the church as a symbol of good works (Ephesians 2vv8-10).
Why evangelize?
The prime motivation for evangelism is out of gratitude for what God has done, in that we love because He loved us first. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5v14, "For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died." As His servants we are to tell and live of God's reconciling message As I said before, we are all to do the work of an evangelist (2 Timothy 4v5).
In these last words of Matthew's Gospel, all Christian Disciples are to make disciples throughout the whole earth! Making disciples is not just evangelism but ensuring that guidance and care is given to new Christian disciples. How is this achieved? How can the Christian Disciple exhibit Jesus' authority and power in evangelism? Who gives the impetus for Christian Disciples? That is part of the role of the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus said would come once He had ascended back to the right hand of God the Father.
Jesus Ascends
Mark 16:14-19, Luke 24:50-51 and Acts 1v1-12, we read about Jesus physically ascending into the heavens. He is returning, as He said he would do, to the right hand of the Father. During their last discussion with Jesus, the disciples were still expecting him to lead a revolution against the Romans (Acts 1v6). Despite all Jesus had said to them in the previous 3 years, they still did not understand that Jesus had come to lead a spiritual kingdom and not a political kingdom. Hence He tells them to go back to Jerusalem, with for the Holy Spirit and then go tell others the Good News about Him!
Even after Jesus had vanished into the clouds, the disciples still gathered around looking into the sky for Him to return! So two angels came and said "You men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who was received up from you into the sky will come back in the same way as you saw him going into the sky." (Acts 1v11) From there the disciples returned to Jerusalem and waited. They didn't have to wait long, 10 days, until the Holy Spirit came, filled them and started living with them.
The Holy Spirit is coming
This is in fulfilment of Ezekiel 36v27 "And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws." where Almighty and All-powerful God will indwell those who follow Him. Throughout His ministry Jesus had talked about how after He was to depart, and that the Holy Spirit would come (John 15v26).
We know from the other writings in the New Testament who the Holy Spirit is and what His ministry is. The Holy Spirit is spoken of as God (1 Corinthians 3v16). The attributes of God are ascribed to the Holy Spirit life (Romans 8v2), truth (John 16v13) and love (Romans 15v30). The Holy Spirit is also a Person and is always referred to as ‘He' in the New Testament (John 16v14). He relates to us as a person for He is comforter, guide and teacher (John 14). He can be blasphemed against and be grieved (Ephesians 4v30), and wherever the Holy Spirit is, the Father and Son are also present because they are one. (John 14v18-23).
Throughout the Book of Acts and in the other New Testament writings we discover more about the Holy Spirit. We see that His prime role to to glorify Jesus Christ the Son of God is praised and glorified (John 16v13-14). He will testify for Jesus Christ (John 15v26). He will witness for Jesus Christ (Acts 1v8). The Holy Spirit is involved with ministering to members of the church, as Jesus would be to us if He were here. The Holy Spirit declares God's Word, interpreting and illuminating it. He convicts of sin, transforms, indwells, fills, baptizes and seals the believer.
With all this, the Holy Spirit also equips for service. God is at work in His body the church, to will and to act accordingly to his purpose (Phil. 2v13), to be my witnesses (Acts 1v8). This is evident in the book of Acts and the other New Testament writings. How is the Spirit seen? The Spirit's work is in evidence, where people's lives become more holy and more like Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 12v3; 2 Corinthians 13v7). Sometimes the Holy Spirit works also in powerful ways, with miracles. But He also equips Christian Disciples for service, through the giving of spiritual gifts. Not just the so called more spectacular gifts of healing, miracles etc but also gifts such as mercy, generosity, helps and service. We see in the rest of the Book of Acts, how the Holy Spirit empowered the early church and because of the impetus He gave them, the church is still growing and expanding throughout the world 2000 years later.
In this series of studies in Acts, we will look at some of the key events in the life of the New Testament church, as recorded by Luke in the Book of Acts.
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Wednesday Apr 12, 2023
Wednesday Apr 12, 2023
Easter Part 7
Jesus meets people today
Jesus walks with us, where ever we go and in particular in the darkest periods of our life. Just as he did with the two people on the road to Emmaus, he walks with those who proclaim to follow Him (Mark 16:12-13, Luke 24:13-32). Jesus speaks whenever the Bible is faithfully preached and read from, just as He opened the eyes of those on the Emmaus road when He explained the Scriptures (Luke 24:27). Jesus meets us in the Communion or Lord’s Supper, with the bread and wine, which symbolise His flesh and blood as an act of remembrance of what He did for humanity.
But that is not the end, because Jesus has promised that He is coming again. Not as a baby next time, but as an all conquering Son of God in judgment to gather those who follow Him. Are you ready? If you want to follow this Jesus, come on over Here is how… You won’t regret it if you do!
Becoming a Christian
If you want to turn to God there is no need for delay. He is ready and willing to take you as his own – right now. You only have to ask him to forgive you and he will! Being a Christian is a partnership between God and yourself. Deciding to change course in mid-life, is what is called conversion, being born again, or deciding to be a Christian. When you place your faith in Jesus, becoming utterly dependent upon Him, you turn to God.
Once you have made that decision, you leave behind your rebellion against Him. As you live each day, becoming more involved with Jesus day by day, you will find yourself changing. You stop doing things which separated you from him and find yourself doing things that develop your relationship with him.
How do you develop this relationship?
Until you enter into that relationship, sin, or that which alienates you from God, controls your rebellion against him in your attitudes and your activities. You develop this relationship by allowing God to take control of your life, as He asks you to accept His management and guidance of your life.
God’s point of view and His strength will become your point of view and your source of strength. You turn your mind, will and heart to Him for all you do.
If you want to make that decisive step and become a Christian there are three simple steps to take.
- Firstly, admit that you have done wrong against God and his ways and turn away from those attitudes.
- Secondly, believe and trust in Jesus as your Saviour from the consequences of the anger of God towards you and your tendency to sin. Call on Him, receive, trust, obey and worship Him, recognizing him for who he is and what he has done.
- Lastly, accept the Holy Spirit of God into your life as the major motivating force for what you do. Once sin has been confessed, Jesus is believed in and trusted as Saviour and the Holy Spirit has entered your life, then you are a Christian.
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Tuesday Apr 11, 2023
Tuesday Apr 11, 2023
Easter Part 6
Significance and consequences of Jesus' Resurrection
Significance 1
The resurrection of Jesus Christ provided the central theme for the sermons and teaching in the early church (Acts 1:22; Acts 4:33, Acts 17:18) and certainly within Paul-ine theology. But what significance is there in Jesus’ resurrection?
Now I declare to you, brothers, the Good News which I preached to you, which also you received, in which you also stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold firmly the word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers at once, most of whom remain until now, but some have also fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all, as to the child born at the wrong time, he appeared to me also. (1 Corinthians 15:1-8)
That was the Apostle Paul, writing to the Corinthian church about the Jesus having been raised from the dead – physically!
Significance 2
The resurrection proved and vindicated all Jesus’ teaching and claims as the suffering Servant and attested to His being fully God and the last Judge of all mankind (Isaiah 53:10-12; Acts 2:36; Acts 3:13-15; Romans 1:4). The resurrection, declared God’s approval of Jesus obedient service and the fulfilment of all the Old Testament promises, resulting in forgiveness of sins and salvation being only found in and through Jesus Christ, which was the prime motive for evangelism in the early church (Acts 2:32, Romans 4:24-25). Jesus’ resurrection is a sign of the bodily resurrection for all believers in Him, giving a new attitude to death and transforming hopes (1 Corinthians 15:12-58, Romans 8:10, 2 Corinthians 4:14; 1 Peter 1:3 & 21). As the resurrected King, Jesus now intercedes for us and has perfected the redemption of all those who choose to follow Him (Romans 5:10; Hebrews 6:20; 1 Peter 1:21).
Significance 3
Finally, the resurrection of Jesus’ physical body is a sure victory over satan, sin and death. All three are conquered and squashed. Satan is a defeated creature and will do anything to drag people into defeat with him. The power of sin is conquered, and sin’s grip is overcome if you are a believer in Jesus Christ. Finally, as I said earlier, death has been beaten, because those who believe and trust in Jesus Christ will live forever with him – death is not the end but a beginning.
If Jesus Christ did not physically rise from the dead then as Paul states in
“Now if Christ is preached, that he has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, neither has Christ been raised. If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, and your faith also is in vain. Yes, we are found false witnesses of God, because we testified about God that he raised up Christ, whom he didn’t raise up, if it is so that the dead are not raised. For if the dead aren’t raised, neither has Christ been raised. If Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins. Then they also who are fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have only hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all people most pitiable.” (1 Corinthians 15:12-19)
Or let me put it in my own words - if Jesus Christ did not physically rise from the dead, we as Christians are the product of the greatest delusional lie and are the most foolish of all people.
Come back tomorrow to hear another consequence of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ - Jesus meets people today! Download the Podcast to learn some details of these Scriptures concerning Jesus.
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Monday Apr 10, 2023
Monday Apr 10, 2023
Easter Part 5
Dealing with doubts concerning the resurrection
Yet people still doubt. Let us say Jesus didn’t rise from the dead. Surely the authorities, both Jewish and Roman, would have produced his dead body in order to quench this new movement! But they didn’t, and the reason they didn’t is because there was no body to produce! Would the disciples have really risked death for telling and maintaining a lie about the risen Jesus? They were beaten, confused, defeated and dispersed men until they saw Jesus truly did rise from the dead. After seeing Him, they were transformed and victorious people.
I have had people say to me that somebody (even the disciples) stole the body. Hardly likely, and if that had occurred, for what reason? How would they have got past the Roman Guard and moved the stone a great distance from the tomb? This very reason is what the Jewish authorities tried to perpetuate by way of a bribe:
“Now while the disciples of Jesus were going, behold, some of the guards came into the city, and told the chief priests all the things that had happened. When they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave a large amount of silver to the soldiers, saying, “Say that his disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept. If this comes to the governor’s ears, we will persuade him and make you free of worry.” So they took the money and did as they were told. This saying was spread abroad among the Jews, and continues until this day.” (Matthew 28:11-15)
Then we have the swoon theory. Jesus didn’t die but merely fainted and recovered consciousness in the tomb. Even the sceptics disagree with this theory, one of whom said “It is impossible that a being who had stolen half-dead out of the sepulchre, who crept about weak and ill, wanting medical treatment, who required bandaging, strengthening and indulgence, and who still at last yielded to His sufferings, could have given to the disciples the impression that He was a Conqueror over death and the grave, the Prince of Life”.
Or perhaps, they all went to the wrong tomb. That’s it – they went to the wrong tomb. Whilst one person may have gone to a wrong tomb, not everyone would have done. Besides, the gospel accounts tell us that people were waiting outside the tomb where Jesus was buried! Surely Joseph would know which tomb Jesus was buried in, seeing as Joseph owned it!
Lastly, Jesus didn’t die on the cross but somebody was substituted for him. This is certainly untenable, given the rigidity and strict record keeping of Roman rule and with the eyes of the Jewish hierarchy watching. This conjecture is a lie of satan because he knows the significance of Jesus having risen physically from the dead.
Come back tomorrow to hear more about the significance of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
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