Origins (of the Churches)
Three Thousand Believe
'When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise belongs to you and your children and to all who are far off—to all whom the Lord our God will call to Himself.”
With many other words he
testified, and he urged them, “Be saved from this corrupt generation.” Those who embraced his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to the believers that day."'
Written by Luke, 1st century
Acts 2:37-41
[This is the 17th message of this series]
Today we are going to look at the origins of the churches.
Peter
In another series of messages, we spoke about that day (Pentecost Sunday) when "the church" was born.
[New Believers Series - Pentecost Sunday]
From that message we discussed about how the church was established. And how the mission of the church is to be fulfilled.
In this message we will continue where that message left off. And we just read above how the Jerusalem church was born.
Peter, John and James (the brother of Jesus) along with the other closest disciples of Jesus, became the leaders of this church and they continued the work of the Lord in the same region where Jesus started His earthly ministry (with all of them tagging along with Jesus on apprenticeship for three years).
The Mission
When Jesus left for heaven, He didn't tell them to stay forever in Jersusalem, nor Judea or Galilee where they already brought the message of God's Kingdom for sone three years. And He didn't meant them to.
He only told them to "wait until they were clothed with power from on high". And they were.
In fact, before Jesus left for heaven, He told them this (in the Message Paraphrase):
“God authorized and commanded me to commission you:
Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.”
[The Great Commision]
To The Ends of the Earth
Jesus charged them to bring the gospel to the whole world and then the end will come.
They started their mission in Jerusalem in a big way, and eventually they left and started churches farther and farther away, doing what they saw Jesus did and saying what they heard Jesus said. And because the Holy Spirit is now with them, He also counseled them on what to say and do.
As Scriptures say 'not by might nor by power but by the Spirit of the Lord'.
Paul
Paul led the charge in bringing the gospel to the non Jews but eventually Peter, John and the other disciples also went out, as Jerusalem fell just as Jesus wept about and prophesied when He was still with them in the flesh.
Destruction of Jerusalem
The Believers Dispersed
They have the mandate, the authority, the ability and the power to bring the gospel to the whole world.
They used Roman peace which were prevailing in most of the known world. Peace and order means they can freely move on from one place to another.
They used Roman roads and infastrcture to travel farther faster and preach better.
They used the Greek language to share the gospel as it was widely known and such a well rounded language that it is able to explain words and concepts that were needed to deliver God's message.
They wrote God's messages down and throughout the centuries the Word of God has been translated to hundreds of languages.
To All The World
Today, Christians are using technology, the internet and social media to fulfill their mandate -- to bring the gospel to all the world.
It is not their job to make people believe them. They just need to tell people about the Kingdom of God.
If you are reading this, then I have done my part. And now it's the Holy Spirit's job to convict you of what you have read (or heard).
And when you share these messages, then you too are fulfilling your mandate to bring the good news to all the world (the online world included).
God bless you!
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