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Uneducated men There is one interesting comparison I have found when observing the modern Western churches with those of the First Century. College and seminary degrees are much more important today than they were in the First Century. The apostle Paul, a highly educated man in his time, used his education to a great advantage in the Gospel. However, Jesus and His apostles got on quite well without this advantage. (John 7:15, Acts 4:13). This is not to say that there was no preparation or no requirements for the work they were called to do. Jesus had been in training His entire life. After a life of submission to Joseph and Mary and listening to His Heavenly Father (John 7:16), He was anointed by the Holy Spirit, tested in the wilderness and sent forth with everything He needed to accomplish His mission. (Matthew 3:16-4:17). The 12 apostles underwent several years of rigorous ministry on the road with Jesus throughout His trials and triumphs. Not only that, but from Him they received the keys to understanding the scriptures by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit! (Luke 24:45). Later when the religious leaders saw the boldness of His apostles, they realized that they had spent time with Jesus! What an education! (Acts 4:13) Other leaders in the the Early Church submitted to certain requirements for leadership. These requirements centered less on the amount of education they possessed. More important was the quality of their character. (1 Timothy 3:1-13, Titus 1:5-9). Even today, in certain parts of the world, believers are finding that they need not be burdened by years of studying under the influence of intellectuals. They are spending time with Jesus and learning from Him. Then they are passing down what they have learned to others that are touched by God. (2 Timothy 2:2). But we are not talking about fulfilling the roles of pastor or church leader as they are understood normally today. This role does require courses in history, psychology, politics, sociology, Greek, Latin, Hebrew and church governance. By the way, where is this role, this job description of the modern day church pastor or leader even found in the New Testament? While I am not saying that educated men and women do not have value or are not important today, I am questioning whether they are as important as we have made them. In view of the problems and complexity inherent in the system of educating and placing them over God’s people, I think it is reasonable to ask these questions. A college degree does usually indicate a level of effort, dedication and hard work that a person was willing to put forth. That can tell something about a person’s character. If that is what God is calling you to do, by all means pursue it. This is my hope for all of us, that we hear His Voice and follow Him.

The Prayer of Faith There was a foundation in the followers of Christ that was firmly established in the beginning. After His resurrection Jesus instructed His disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they were filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. After He ascended to heaven from the Mount of Olives, they obeyed this word faithfully and intently. They returned to Jerusalem and the eleven apostles gathered together in the upper room of the house where they were staying. Acts 1:14 tells us that: “These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.” NASB Note two things. They were in unity and in prayer continually. When the time came for the Holy Spirit to come, they were ready. Through the Spirit they were given the boldness to powerfully bear witness to the what they saw — the resurrection of Jesus. When later they were threatened by the religious leaders, they again came together in unity and prayed for the Hand of the Lord to again heal and demonstrate His grace to others. Acts 4:31-33: 31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. 32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. NIV In another instance, Herod had executed James, and arrested Peter. The church earnestly prayed for him and he was miraculously released before his trial by an angel of the Lord! (Acts 12:6-11) Throughout the history of the church prayer has always been the greatest source of her power. That time spent with Him in His presence, seeking Him, opening our hearts to Him, listening to Him, receiving both His encouragement and His correction can accomplish so much more than any of our human plans and schemes. For these early Christians, prayer was not a last resort. Maybe in our day and in our part of the world we are not desperate enough to develop this kind of prayer life. But we should be! Maybe we should be reminded of what Jesus said in the book of Revelation to the church at Laodicea. They thought that they were fine because of their material prosperity. However, in the eyes of Jesus they were “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” (Revelation 3:17). KJV Maybe it is easier for believers in countries where they are persecuted or suffering in poverty to earnestly seek the Lord in prayer. On the other hand, maybe we need a real wake up call from Jesus to see how desperate we really are. Drug abuse, divorce, homelessness, abortion, racism, war, greed, immorality, self-centeredness, crime, cultural decay have all become conditions that we have learned to live with in our modern society. Sure we can come to our nice church services and enjoy a measure of peace and comfort, but even that is often interrupted by scandal, corruption and division in our midst. Beyond that, we will always have a reason to pray. He is our reason to desire time with Him! He alone is all the reward we need for responding to His desire for a relationship with us! In His Presence is fullness of joy! James wrote of a specific kind of prayer. James 5:16: 16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results. NLT In other translations of this passage the words, fervent and effective are used. I get the picture from this and other stories in the bible that these are not simply bland and formal prayers, but prayers filled with passion and heart. Most of all they are expressions of faith in the God Whom we know and trust. He is our Father Who will not give us a snake instead of a fish, or a rock instead of bread! (Matthew 7:8-11). The church in Acts does not reflect a cold complacency but it inspires us to believe God for bigger things, things which bring glory to our wonderful Savior and Lord! He wants us to learn to pray in the Holy Spirit, so that we can confidently pray for those things which He in His wisdom knows is best for all. (1 Corinthians 14:15, Romans 8:26-27, Ephesians 6:18, Jude 20). Yes, He came into their lives as they prayed, but He also prayed through them with an energy and passion that turned the world upside down!  

Unquenchable Optimism In Ray Stedman’s classic book, “Authentic Christianity,” he describes the ministry of Paul the apostle as an example of genuine faith in Christ. He believed that Paul’s ministry bears five unmistakable qualities of Christianity that cannot be successfully counterfeited. They are 1: Unquenchable Optimism, 2: Unvarying Success, 3: Unforgettable Impact, 4: Unimpeachable Integrity, 5: Undeniable Reality. Lately I have given a lot of thought about the First Century Church, and have been seeking God for understanding of how we in our time and in our Western culture have sometimes departed from the foundation that has been laid for us by Christ. Many others have thought and written along these lines of course, and this book by Stedman is one that I have found helpful in many ways. The qualities he has listed here are certainly qualities to be desired. The first on the list is especially one that I greatly desire for myself in a time when pessimism seems to reign in our world and often even in Christianity. The book points out that this optimism can only come out from a genuine connection with the One True God. It cannot be faked. If my hope is grounded in favorable circumstances or the favorable opinions of others it can eventually be lost. If it is based upon One Who cannot fail, and I trust only in Him, it will be unquenchable. The opposite of this kind of optimism is a yielding to all circumstances and to fate. One becomes merely a passive spectator who has surrendered to the idea that nothing can or should be done to change the direction of events. While Jesus did subject Himself to humiliation and death, it was for the joy that was yet to come! (Hebrews 12:1-2). His return from the grave in an amazing supernatural and yet physical body appeared in the real, tangible and physical world. The knowledge of that truth empowered the first believers to possess a forward looking and optimistic faith. In fact those who opposed them testified that they had indeed, “turned the world upside down!” (In a good way, from our perspective!) (Acts 17:6) Could this irrepressible joy have also come from the realization that they had been made new from the inside out? It seems to be a very pious and humble statement to confess that “I am just a sinner who has been saved by grace.” However, that was not the message that Paul taught. After naming a list of various kinds of sinners, he tells the Corinthians, “such WERE some of you! But you are washed, your are sanctified, you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God!” He also wrote these words: “Therefore if any one is in Christ, He is a new creation. Old things have disappeared, and—look—all things have become new!” (1 Corinthians 6:11 KJV, 2 Corinthians 5:17 ISV) This is not a claim to have achieved sinlessness, but it is a bold declaration of what our joyful God has done in us! We who have received Jesus have obtained the power, the privilege of becoming the true children of God! (John 1:12) We have been born of the Holy Spirit, born again, born of God, by the incorruptible Seed, the Word of God, which lives and abides forever! (John 3:5, 1 Peter 1:23) Because of who were are in Christ today, we can follow His example of service to others. We can let His mind, His perspective, His attitude be in us for we too do not have think of the divine nature as a thing to be forcibly grasped. Through the Gospel and trusting in Christ we are being restored to God’s original plan for humanity (Genesis 1:26). At the same, even in our immaturity we are free as His children to lay our lives down in service to others. Yes, that is our true freedom! That is the source of our joy as well! (Philippians 2:1-11, Galatians 5:13). People who have an inferiority complex are afraid to lift up others. They are often driven to put others down in an effort to feel better about themselves. Jesus and his followers are not like that. Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He was from the Father and returning to Him; got down on His hands and knees to wash the feet of His disciples. He knew He could lose nothing by becoming a servant, even a slave. (John 13:3-5, 14-15). If you belong to Jesus, you have access to His joy. You are a new creation in Him, called to a life of true adventure and service to the greatest purpose of all! 1 John 3:1-3 3:1 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure. NIV

If. Such a very small word. Just two letters. But the meaning contained in these two letters could lead to either life or death. They could become an open door to endless possibilities, or perhaps spell perpetual gloom and darkness. I wonder, could we take the time to explore the power of the word, “if,” by studying God’s use of it in the scriptures? What exactly are the possibilities that the Creator of the universe holds out to us, as we seriously and humbly handle His Living and inspired Word? In a day when depressing news travels at the speed of light, and the vanities of the rich and famous are common knowledge, apathy has become a popular commodity. So much time is taken up talking about the world’s problems, but so little action is taken. The common attitude is that nothing can really be done, and many Christians are certain that nothing should be done, for this world is soon coming to an end. When that happens, we Christians will not be here anyway. Therefor all that remains is to lead as many as we can to a safe zone for retreat, and wait for our Lord’s return. But what IF? What if we were to plunge deep into His Word and discover the latent power of this word, IF? Perhaps there are some hidden treasures therein by which we can recover from our apathetic comfort zones, and rise up to the occasion for the greater glory of God! This small word might have a great significance indeed, as we allow the wonderful Spirit of God to breathe life into it! Israel of old was confronted by the Lord with this little word on many occasions. In the 7th Chapter of 2 Chronicles, the Lord was holding out to Solomon the King, some of the possible futures that the people might choose. He showed him how Israel might find herself in situations very similar to those which we are experiencing in our modern times. Wars, pestilence and famines could occur to those in disobedience, but there was a way out. This way out begins with an IF. “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14) By now I can hear various dissenting voices. “That was the Old Testament, they were under a different covenant, so long ago.” “God has a predetermined plan today, and there is nothing we can do to alter it.” Or how about, “We are good people, without sin, for Christ has abolished sin on the cross. For what should we repent?” There is only one answer I can give. What IF? What if those who long to see the glory of God upon His people again would take a chance and PRAY? What if enough of us realized that we have all been living far beneath our privileges, and possessed the courage to ask God “Why?” and “What would you have us to do?” What if we were to take the initiative presented by James, to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, and to draw nigh unto Him that He might draw nigh unto us? What if we were to accept the challenge of Jesus to ask that we might receive, seek that we might find, to knock that the door would be opened unto us? Is there even the slightest possibility that we might prove the Lord, and He could open the windows of heaven unto us? Do you think? What if, we might have long failed to realize that the Lord is eagerly waiting to rain down upon us with showers of life, healing and blessing? Perhaps the only delay was our ignorance or willingness to acknowledge our desperate need! Please, my brother, my sister, consider the possibilities! Consider what our wonderful Savior and Lord can do and desires to do on our behalf! After all, it was He who said, ” IF YOU CAN BELIEVE, all things are possible! Our Lord is so gracious and kind towards us! He is quick to acknowledge our virtues and accomplishments. He is also patient to wait for our steady spiritual growth in Him, but His patience does not negate His wonderful and glorious purpose which His wisdom has designed for us. Neither does He take pleasure in our powerlessness to deal with many of the challenges of life. His vision for us is one of abundant and victorious living! In the third chapter of Revelations, Jesus was addressing the church at Ephesus. He spoke more than a few words about the good works they had done. They had been diligent and faithful unto Him and in many ways. They had been very careful to dot their i’s and cross their t’s. For this He commended them. But…. He did have one complaint to make to them. He told them that they had left their first love. His solution was for them to repent and do the works they had done at the first. This was not to condemn them, but to lift them up into a higher level of love, life and joy in Him! The following words may not apply to you. If so, then maybe you could pray for the rest of us! For you are definitely not in need yourself. But if you do sense a hunger within and a need for more of God, then please read on. How long has it been s

In Spirit And In Truth In previous messages I have noted that the book known as the Acts of the Apostles is often neglected in our studies of the scriptures. There is another side, however of which many of you might be aware. It is also a fact that some churches and individuals might tend to over emphasize the importance of the book of Acts in general. I am talking of course of Pentecostal and Charismatic churches. I can speak fairly confidently on these movements as my mother was part of a family whose parents and siblings were predominantly Pentecostal in their doctrine. While our family was among those who took all of the bible seriously, I know that many have properly earned their reputation of being fanatical and overly emotional. To this day I continue to meet and have discussions with those who place their personal experiences over the written Word of God. In some cases their views have been harmless and in other cases they can cause great confusion in the church. It is the extreme cases that often cause extreme reactions from leaders and those who trust in them. It is often difficult to have a rational conversation on this topic because of the harm that has come from both sides of the controversy. At one point even I became so discouraged by some of the strange teachings and practices of Pentecostal and Charismatic churches that I distanced myself from them for over 10 years. On the other hand, in the more conservative congregations I have seen an unhealthy reaction to these excesses. The spontaneity and enthusiasm found in the early church is often lost in the desire to maintain full control and “respectability” in our gatherings. The freedom to openly share our testimonies, experiences and to enjoy the supernatural gifts together is severely restricted. A bias against the supernatural aspects of life in Christ cannot help but cloud some minds from understanding the Scriptures in their proper context. There is a solution to this dilemma. In Acts we see great emotion, enthusiasm, demonstrations of the power of the Holy Spirit, AND a tremendous interest and devotion to wholesome, profitable and instructional teaching from the Word of God. In the first chapter of Acts Jesus spent a considerable amount of time continuing to teach His disciples about the Kingdom of God. As you might remember from the four gospels, Jesus laid heavy emphasis on heart issues: humility, love, faith and faithfulness, holiness, righteousness and the absolute sovereignty of God. These and other important principles were communicated in His parables of the Kingdom of God. Later, when the power of the Holy Spirit came down from heaven and into them, His followers were filled with Kingdom Life! The Word instructed them and the Spirit empowered them! They never left the foundation that was laid for them by the inspired words of their scriptures which were clarified to them by Jesus Himself. When people were drawn to them by the supernatural signs and wonders, they always used the signs to point to the Scriptures. In these Scriptures they revealed that Jesus had come as the real purpose of all things. The Holy Spirit in fact led them back to the Scriptures every time! The Scriptures themselves are of supernatural origin. Concerning the Old Testament, the Hebrew Scriptures, the apostle Paul who wrote: 2 Timothy 3:16-17: 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. NASU Peter also wrote these words: 2 Peter 1:20-2:1: 20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. NIV Many times Jesus Himself affirmed the divine origin of the ancient Hebrew Scriptures. Prophecy after prophecy was fulfilled in Him, and He made this bold statement: Matthew 5:18: 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. NIV Christians from all ages have believed in the divine inspiration of both the Old and New Testament Scriptures. The Scriptures themselves testify of the strange and unsettling circumstances under which some of the writings came into being. And yet, many modern Christians want no part in anything that cannot be explained in terms of human logic. In fact, some of the groups most committed to the supernatural origin of the Scriptures are the most dogmatic in declaring that God no longer works in His people through signs, miracles and gifts of the Spirit today! I find that contradiction strangely unreasonable. The believers in the First Century were not perfect, but they were not so foolish as to abandon the very power that they received from both believ

Overcoming Power/Victorious Faith Just recently I have become more aware of the burden I have for both the leaders and the members of many of churches in my country. If there ever was a time when we needed the power of God in our lives, I strongly believe it is now. Certainly many communities of believers are thriving and growing in Christ around the world. For this we praise God! Yet here are great concerns as well. This past year a number of Christian leaders have been in the news concerning moral failures that bring shame to the name of Christ and discourage many believers. At the same time, far too many ordinary believers continue to be enslaved by the power of addictions and numerous temptations. There is no doubt that there are number of direct or indirect causes for these failures. Having grown up in church and after being involved in leadership for 45 years, I have seen much and have made many mistakes myself. I have sat in numerous leadership meetings and observed how situations are addressed and how answers are sought after. It has often been difficult for me to offer suggestions for the very reason that I do not often understand the perspective from which other leaders today are coming. My main area of knowledge and experience for all these years has been from the study of the scriptures, rather than from modern day administrative techniques. One day a fantastic thought occurred to me! How could we apply biblical understanding to these issues? Could not the Holy Spirit lead us in the same way as He did back then? Sometimes though, I wonder how people in the First Century church could even understand our 21st Century problems! In these messages we have been considering what we in our time and culture might learn from the First Century Church. Of course there are the differences in cultural and historical situations that must be taken into account. At the same time there are principles that can still be applied for our benefit. However, some of these principles will not even work while we are building on a different foundation. When we build on a foundation of how modern business or political organizations are formed, our successes will only mirror the successes of business and political organizations. Is that what we want? Is that want God wants? The church of Jesus Christ is built upon a supernatural foundation, on a totally different set of principles. Many today are returning to that foundation. Praise God! For some this can even mean starting over completely! From the beginning of Luke’s account of the Acts of the Apostles, we learn that Jesus made a promise to His followers: Acts 1:3-8 He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” 6 So when they met together, they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (NIV) So the Early Church started out with total dependence on God and obedience to His command to wait in Jerusalem. Guess what! This principle, if you want to call it, worked! The church did receive the power to bear witness to the resurrection of Jesus and to live holy lives in His presence! There were obstacles, pressures, and persecutions, but there was also phenomenal growth. During this time there was an explosion of joy in them and in the communities they formed! Many are concerned today that Christians are beginning to trust more in political and economical power to further the Good News of the Kingdom of God. This is the temptation of our time and in many countries of the world. Yet, the church has often shown the greatest power when it was devoid of these things. Consider the words of James, the Lord’s brother: James 2:5-6: 5 Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6 But you have insulted the poor. (NIV) Then we must consider the times in history when Christian institutions actually used their political power to persecute unbelievers and even fellow believers! Of course, wealth and political influence can be used for good, but how much better it is to see God’s supernatural work in the world in a situation where no one could deny His superiority in love, wisdom, grace and power. The first thing some people think about concerning power is the power to heal the sick and to work miracles. Thi

Let’s talk about Parachurch First of all, what is “parachurch?” The Greek word “para” means “alongside.” So the idea is that there are services by groups who are not specifically The Church, but exist to support the work of The Church. These are categorized as parachurch. They come alongside to help The Church. A good example would be organizations like Campus Crusade For Christ, or Food For the Hungry. These are not churches, but the efforts of Christians who are part of The Church, the Body of Christ. They believe they are called to focus on things like sharing the Gospel on college campuses, or feeding people in poorer countries in the love of Christ. Other known parachurch ministries would include Celebrate Recovery, which focusses on the needs of people who are recovering from “hangups, habits and hurts,” and even the more recent efforts to share the Gospel through the making of high quality movies like “The Chosen,” and “The House of David.” From the beginning there were practical concerns that required some organization. In Jerusalem the church grew rapidly to about 5,000. In Acts chapter 6, the need arose for seven men to be chosen to oversee the care of the widows. It should not surprise us that over the centuries the need for other practical services would arise. From the New Testament we also see that men like Barnabas and Saul (Paul) had to leave the comfort of their local church when the Holy Spirit sent them out to the greater Mediterranean world to preach the Gospel of Christ. While they did receive support originally from Antioch, it is evident that they were on their own much of the time. Paul actually had his own trade which provided for his needs and those of his companions (Acts 18:3, 20:33-35, 1 Thessalonians 2:9, 2 Thessalonians 3:8-10). While missionaries like Barnabas, Paul, and Silas are not known as “parachurch” ministries, it is helpful to view them as “workers” whose extended reach is distinct from that of the local church setting. Two thousand years later and around the world, the concept of parachurch ministries has proliferated. Ideally these should not compete with The Church of Jesus Christ. However, some church leaders are concerned that this competition might exist at times. At this point I am going to suggest something that might be even outrageous to many. One of the greatest hindrances to the vitality of the real Church of Jesus Christ, the community of born-again believers in the world today, can often be our understanding of the many institutions we call churches! Please understand that I am not challenging the need for organizations and even denominations. Many of these have a purpose in God’s plan that I do not need to understand. They have served the needs of people for hundreds of years. However, the bible is very clear in describing the Church of Jesus Christ and how it functions. The word that is translated “church” in most of our English bibles is from the Greek word “ecclesia,” or “assembly.” In New Testament times this word often applied to regular official gatherings (Acts 19:39), and at times agitated crowds that have gathered for different reasons (Acts 19:41). The first mention of the church in the New Testament is in the Gospel according to Matthew: When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” 14 So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. NKJV (Matthew 16:13-18) The building that Jesus is referring to is not composed of brick, mortar, or wood. It is composed of individuals who are supernaturally joined together in Him! (Ephesians 2:18-22) It is founded upon the revelation that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God! Only individuals who have repented and are born again by faith in Jesus are members of this living organism called the Body of Christ! (Acts 2:38, 47, Ephesians 1:20-23) By One Spirit they are baptized into this One Body of Christ! (1 Corinthians 12:12-14) Only Jesus Himself is the Head of His body and He lives His life within each individual for His Eternal Purpose. He has placed servants in His assembly whom He has prepared to lead by the example of their godly lives. Their devotion to Him and His people qualify them far more than their education and human abilities. They are more like fathers and mothers than CEO’s of corporations. The Church is their family, addressing one another as brothers and sisters, equally important in the eyes of God their Heavenly Father. This is

The Servant’s Heart Why should it be important for us today to consider the First Century Church? My primary reason for this consideration is that I care about the church of Jesus Christ. Some wonderful things are happening today but I also see some dangerous trends these days. After 50 years of observation I have come to the strong conclusion that many of our problems stem from our lack of attention to the original plan of Christ Himself. The men who were personally trained by Jesus had an advantage over us. And yet, God has wonderfully preserved in the bible the results of their experience for our learning! Hence my enthusiasm for this discussion. On the other side I would ask this question: Why would we not want to learn from the First Century Church? Each time I have read through the book we call the Acts of the Apostles, I have been challenged and inspired by the passion, the courage and the power I see in the lives of these followers of Christ. Each messenger of the Gospel had a personal encounter with Jesus that they were able to communicate to others, and to pass along to them. Their enthusiasm was contagious. I want that for myself and all of my fellow believers. I believe we can possess it because God has communicated to us in the New Testament that it is for us as well. For approximately 3 1/2 years, Jesus took special time with 12 men who were called to be His ambassadors, His apostles. He taught them lessons in private that were not a part of His public discourses. This special attention might have gone to their heads. Feeling privileged and important they began to contend with one another as to who among them would be the greatest. But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. 44 And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” NKJV (Mark 10:42-45, see also Matthew 20:25 & Luke 22:24-27) Here and in other passages Jesus establishes Himself as the prime example of a humble servant and even a slave to others (John 13:13-15, 1 Peter 2:21-22). Likewise leaders in the Christian community were also to lead in this example themselves. (1 Timothy 4:12, 1 Peter 5:1-6). This is in stark contrast to many leaders in the world, and even in the church throughout history! How much of true intimacy with Christ are we missing when we fail to experience the joy of serving others as He did? Jesus knew that his disciples would not become servants of all overnight. This is seen in a conversation He had with John’s disciples. Matthew 9:14-17: 14 Then John’s disciples came and asked him, “How is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” 15 Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast. 16 “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. 17 Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” NIV Many Old Testament prophecies were about to be fulfilled. Great changes were to take place involving the people of God. John the Baptist and Jesus had both been tearing up the roots of idolatry, pride, rebellion, and unbelief in their hearts. His 12 apostles were not excepted from this process. At this time they were riding high in the success of His mission. The Bridegroom, their Prince was among them, but not for long. He warned them in advance, but they could not hear it. When He was eventually taken from them they were shocked, humiliated, disillusioned, and broken up by the death of their Messiah on a cross. An old covenant system of worship was on its way out, but the old attitudes and habits of the followers of Jesus also needed to go. These confident young men were about to be used of God to lead this new revolution of faith. They must first learn to transfer all of their confidence from themselves to God. Jesus told them that without Him they could do nothing! How many of us can identify with this experience? Have you also been brought low by your failures, or the disappointments of life? Have you by God’s grace persevered through it all until the light at the end of the tunnel was seen? Then, when it was all over and a new day became clear, were you also in a better place than ever before? Can we possibly walk with these First Century believers through the time when their dreams were utterly destroyed? Then, can we embrace with them the unspeakable joy and wonder at His gloriou

The Simplicity of Christ Jesus once asked His disciples, “Who do YOU think I am?” It was Peter who answered, “You are the Christ (Messiah, Anointed One), Son of the Living God!” Jesus then acknowledged that no human could have made this fact known unto Peter. While many realized that Jesus was at least one of God’s prophets, this ability to see beyond the surface of this humble human being was a gift from God. It was a divine revelation! This was an important moment for Peter. He was beginning to understand heavenly things and this understanding would grow over time. This impetuous fisherman would eventually become an important ambassador for the Kingdom of God. His testimony inspires millions to this day. To Peter and many others, it was all about Jesus. Peter had been raised on the stories of his ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David and others. Now this faith was personally His. He had an encounter with the One around whom all these stories were centered. From the beginning, the people of God have tended to forget this truth. Life often became centered around rules and rituals that were designed to remind them of Him. They would often forget the reason for which He made them and called them unto Himself, so God would raise up individuals to remind them and call them back to genuine faith. In a few generations this happened to the followers of Christ as well. As their numbers grew, the complexity of the Christian faith grew as well. The simplicity of gathering in His Name for fellowship, prayer and sharing His life together began to fade, and with it the glory of His manifest presence. This in turned weakened their influence in the outside world. Forms and rituals began to take center place. Again, these forms and rituals were designed to remind them of Him (Luke 22:19), but without that personal revelation of the Living Christ, they became an end in themselves. He would not abandon His people. From time to time God would again raise up individuals that were filled with the fire of the Holy Spirit to challenge the status quo. It is these periods of what some call “revival” that have kept this faith alive over the centuries. Sadly, some communities of believers today have become so cold that anyone so touched by the power and presence of God is viewed as a fanatic. They have become so comfortable in their predictable forms that any challenge to them is to be resisted. Does that sound familiar? Has anyone read the four Gospels and Acts lately? On the other side, some have become so experience oriented that they forget about their relationship with Jesus Himself, as they seek more for signs and wonders. Paul saw the danger of these distractions. He knew that Satan would continue his distracting work. He called everyone back to the simplicity of Christ. He insisted that the greatest of all gifts and virtues is love. It must be the love that God has placed in our hearts for Him and one another that motivates everything we do. Yes, we need to learn from the bible and grow in the truth, but if we miss the point of the bible, Who is Jesus Christ, we miss eternal life as well. (2 Corinthians 11:1-3, 1 Corinthians 13, John 17:3). Before the First Century was complete, Jesus called the formidable church at Ephesus back to her First Love. (Revelations 2:1-5) These people were working hard to stand against evil and to preserve the orthodox faith. Jesus commended them for this, and yet He had this complaint against them. Only repentance and a return to that first pure love would preserve their testimony on the earth. Lord, set us all free from our own little kingdoms that we struggle to preserve. Help us to seek first Your Kingdom and Your righteousness. Call us back to simple faith and devotion to You! Help us to genuinely love one another as You love us!