getting there.
As I was reading the book of Acts recently, I was moved in such profound ways.
The Early Church has always been a wonderful example of living on mission; I want to live in such a way that the body of Christ is unified, bearing one another’s burdens, meeting one another’s needs, praying and seeking and SEEING the power of God.
There was NO NEED among them:
“All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.”
One thing the Lord has been speaking to my spirit is the phrase, “Unity in Community”.
The great outpouring of the Gospel began because of the unified body of Believers through His Holy Spirit.
But, I feel the Church-at-large today has strayed so far from the beauty of community.
We don’t want to be inconvenienced, we treasure our pleasantries and hoard our time and resources. (I am speaking just as much to myself as anyone.)
While reading, I was focusing on the beautiful truth that because the early church lived in such a communal, self-sacrificing way, the Gospel of Jesus began to spread in the most radical ways.
If you’ve spent any time in the evangelical realm, you’ve most likely heard the following passage of Scripture:
“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.”
I’ve read this verse countless times in my walk with Jesus, but this time it spoke to my heart in a deeper way.
See, Jesus was foretelling what was to come for his followers. He knew what GETTING THERE would look like for the early church.
I imagine they were thinking and wondering many things, for this meant not only would the Gospel be spreading geographically, but that it would be taken to various ethnic groups.
The beautiful message of the Gospel, that it is “for the Jew AND the Gentile”, was about to unfold in real time.
But it came with a price.
And while God would supply their EVERY need, whether it was spiritual or physical, the cost of discipleship was high.
There would be great joy, but there would also be great sorrow.
The disciples of Christ would endure great pressing and persecution, and it would begin in Jerusalem.
The Jewish leaders would become so enraged with this Gospel that eventually, those following Christ and spreading His message would be driven out.
And where did they go?
Judea.
and Samaria.
and cities like Joppa and Lydda.
and the entire Roman Empire.
THE WORLD as they knew it.
From the faithfulness of the apostles and Paul and all who came along for the journey, the Gospel of Jesus didn’t stop spreading, but continued to transform the world.
We worship today because of that great outpouring of His spirit so many years ago.
But again, it was costly and it called for unity in community.
It has always been costly.
And it has always called for sacrifice.
After all, the followers took the Gospel of Jesus Christ from Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria BECAUSE THEY WERE DRIVEN OUT.
“Getting there” didn’t look like an expensive bag packed with all of the popular, trendy, expensive “essentials” for the trip of a lifetime.
It didn’t look like a set itinerary.
It didn’t look like fun money.
It didn’t look like fame and fortune.
No, it looked like praise packed with pushback.
It looked like like full-fledged faith in moments that could have been forfeited because of fear.
It looked like practicing patience, praying for provision, and rejoicing in rejection.
Take Stephen for example. After he began to share the Gospel, the Jewish leaders were filled with envy and hatred in their hearts:
“Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia—who began to argue with Stephen.”
But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.
Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, ‘We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.’
So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. They produced false witnesses, who testified, ‘This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.’”
After Stephen’s confession and eventual execution (approved by Saul who became Paul, who became one of the greatest Gospel-bringers of all time…talk about only God!), the disciples scattered.
And though they mourned the loss, God restored and redeemed through the scattering of His people.
Thousands came to believe in Jesus through the power of the Spirit and the testimony of the believers.
As the Gospel was preached, the Holy Spirit brought healing, understanding, deliverance, and salvation.
As questions were circulating and while persecution abounded at times, the Lord was at work through it all:
“Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. So there was great joy in that city.” (Acts 8:4-8)
The followers of Jesus considered it all joy.
“They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.
Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.”
So what does the example of the early Church mean for us?
Following Jesus calls us to sacrifice.
It will require us to surrender.
It will require us to deny ourselves.
It may even lead us to be mocked or abandoned by those who find us too consumed with Kingdom things.
But I want to remind you: EVERY “THING” IS A KINGDOM THING because you are building your own kingdom which will one day crumble, or you are partaking in buidling the Kingdom that will have no end.
You may not realize it, but every thought you have, every word you speak, and every action you take serves a spiritual purpose.
Because one day, Heaven will come to earth.
That “place” that Jesus told His disciples he goes to prepare for us?
It will come to earth.
And the followers of Christ will be joined with Him.
And they will reign with him.
And they will commune forever with Him.
And unity in community will never feel holier or more satisfying.
So that “thing” God is calling you to sacrifice for the sake of His glory?
Surrender it.
The Holy Spirit of the early church is the same today.
And He resides in the heart of the believers so that we may be unified under one purpose: To glorify God through the Truth of His son Jesus.
So embrace the joy amidst the sorrow.
And keep spreading the Good News of Jesus to the ends of the world.
