Imagine going on an Eras Tour of Scripture. What would it have been like to walk alongside God, in the Garden of Eden? To live in the days of Noah, when the inclination of everyone’s heart was only evil all the time? How about the nomadic days of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? The 40 years wandering in the wilderness, under Moses and the Law? What would it have been like to stare down the giants in the Promised Land during the days of Joshua and Caleb?
There is a lot of history covered in Scripture. You have the Era of the Judges, when one rotten leader after another failed God and Israel. The Era of the Former Prophets, like Samuel, when things seemed more hopeful. The Era of King David, and Solomon. But then came the Era of Later Prophets, the Eras of Exile and Eras of Foreign Occupation, when every evil nation and king on earth seemed to prevail against God’s chosen people. First came the Assyrians. Then the Babylonians. Then the Persians and Medes. Then the Greeks. Eventually the Romans. God’s people took on very different modes of survival during each of these eras.
And then came the “earthly” Era of Jesus of Nazareth, and the Disciples. Peter describes Jesus in Acts 3:15 as the author, (the source) of life! John says, “In him was life, and that life was the light of men.” What would it have been like to sit at the feet of Jesus? The gospels seem like a whole other Era, and they were.
Yet the earthly gave way to the “Heavenly” Era of Christ and the Era of the Apostles. Having been crucified and buried Jesus was raised by the power of God on the 3rd day, and ascended to the right hand of God, to assume his throne. How quickly the “earthly” Era of Jesus of Nazareth gave way to the “heavenly” Era of Christ, our reigning King, and to the Era of the Apostles.
In Mark 16:19-20 describes the Era of the Apostles this way: “So the Lord Jesus, after speaking to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word by the accompanying signs.” Jesus is physically absent, yet Jesus continues to work signs, confirming his word through Apostles. Acts 2:43, “Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles.” Acts 4:33, “With great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on all of them.” Acts 5:12-13, “Many signs and wonders were being done among the people through the hands of the apostles. They were all together in Solomon’s Colonnade. No one else dared to join them, but the people spoke well of them.”
We live in an altogether different Era than even what is described even in the beginning of the Acts. Jesus has indeed taken his throne, and reigns from heaven. His Kingdom has indeed been inaugurated. God has poured out his Holy Spirit on all who believe. Though there are some who still claim to be Apostles, there is scant evidence anyone’s preaching has ever been accompanied by the kinds of signs and wonders that accompanied Peter & John (and to lesser extent Paul).
What we’re concerned with is what kind of Church emerged from the Post-Pentecost, Post Apostolic Era? As early as Acts 2:42-46, Acts 4, Acts 5… the Church of Jesus Christ begins to emerge in a rather distinctive form. In fact, let me mention four distinguishing characteristics of the Early Church.
First, the Church is a Christ-Centered Community. One’s relationship with Jesus is the central priority always, for every person. Repent. Believe. Confess. Be baptized “into the name” of Jesus for the forgiveness of sin. Be saved from this corrupt generation. Those who accepted the message of Christ were baptized and “added” to the church. In baptism, a convert would physically re-enact the gospel facts—that Jesus died, was buried, and was raised. In communion, a believer would weekly (even daily) commemorate Christ’s death by breaking bread together and sharing one drink. In their gatherings, one of the earliest recorded “creeds or traditions” the early Church recited is found 1 Corinthians 15:1-5a, “Now I want to make clear for you, brothers and sisters, the gospel I preached to you, which you received, on which you have taken your stand and by which you are being saved, if you hold to the message I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I passed on to you as most important what 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…”
You’re only being saved “if” “you” “believe” “the message”, and “stand” in it. Acts 2:42, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread…” What did the apostles teach? That God made this Jesus they crucified both Lord and Christ. That the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our ancestors, has glorified his servant Jesus. That Jesus is the Holy and Righteous one of God. Though we killed Jesus, the source of life, God raised from the dead. Jesus was appointed by God as Messiah, and he’s coming again to restore all things. God spoke about Jesus through his holy prophets from the beginning. Through Moses. Samuel. David. Acts 4:33, “With great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on all of them.” There is no more urgent priority than believing on Jesus! Acts 4:12, “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved.”
Second, the Church is a Spirit-Led Community. We should reflect long and hard on Peter’s command, Acts 2:38-39, “Repent and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” We don’t just need God’s forgiveness—we are utterly dependent, profoundly so, upon God’s power to make us into what we’ve cannot become on our own. Acts 2:42, “They devoted themselves to. . . prayer.” The only time we really sincerely pray is when we’ve come to end of our own power, ability, godliness, and efforts. Acts 3:12, Peter’s question to the crowd, “Fellow Israelites, why are you amazed at this? Why do you stare at us, as though we had made him walk by our own power or godliness?” If Church were about realizing human power, godliness, potential we’d disbanded along ago. But Church is about power of God’s Spirit transform us in a holy people. I love the invitation of Acts 3:19-20, “Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped out, 20 that seasons of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” Or how about Acts 4:31 , 31 When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God boldly.”
If you don’t have a tangible relationship with Jesus Christ, you aren’t being saved, you’re still dead in your sins. If you don’t have a tangible relationship with the Holy Spirit, you may very well know how to “play” church—but there is no joy, no sense of refreshing, no sense of God’s presence or power, no sense of transformation
Third, the Church is a Cross-Shaped Community. The primary marker of a truly saved soul is tangible, obedient, Christ-like, Christ-shaped, shockingly generous, need-responsive, possession-sharing, sacrificial love. Acts 2:42, “They devoted themselves… to the fellowship…” Acts 2:44-46, “Now all the believers were together and held all things in common. 45 They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts” Acts 4:32, “Now the entire group of those who believed were of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but instead they held everything in common.” Acts 4:34-35, “34 For there was not a needy person among them because all those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the proceeds of what was sold, 35 and laid them at the apostles’ feet. This was then distributed to each person as any had need.”
Church consumers are consumed with “possession.” But for the sake of Jesus, God’s people dispossess all things. In Philippians 2:1-8 Paul recites yet another one of the earliest recorded traditions or creeds about Jesus. But more than just reciting, Paul appeals that we actually let Christ’s love shape us… “If, then, there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 make my joy complete by thinking the same way, having the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. 4 Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others. 5 Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, 6 who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. 7 Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, 8 he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death— even to death on a cross.”
If we’re not a church that believes on Jesus… if we’re not a church becoming like Jesus through the presence and power of the Spirit… If we’re not a cross-shaped church, a self-emptying, dispossessing church that build’s itself up in love… then we’re not any kind of church of Jesus.
Fourth, the Church is a Fearlessly-Sent Community. If something has become real to you, you talk about it. If you know the power of Jesus name to save you, if the power of God’s Spirit to change your life, if you have sincere love, why aren’t you talking about it? Acts 2:41, “41 So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added to them.” Acts 2:47, “[they were] enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.” Acts 4:13, “When they observed the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed and recognized that they had been with Jesus.”
Acts 4:16-21 the Sanhedrin confers about what to do with Peter and John, “… What should we do with these men? For an obvious sign has been done through them, clear to everyone living in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 But so that this does not spread any further among the people, let’s threaten them against speaking to anyone in this name again.” 18 So they called for them and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 Peter and John answered them, “Whether it’s right in the sight of God for us to listen to you rather than to God, you decide; 20 for we are unable to stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” 21 After threatening them further, they released them. They found no way to punish them because the people were all giving glory to God over what had been done.
Acts 4:29-31 The threatened Apostles and Church gather and pray. “29 And now, Lord, consider their threats, and grant that your servants may speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand for healing, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God boldly.” Acts 4:33, “33 With great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on all of them.”
What is God’s vision for Lakeside?
A Christ-Centered Church the Believes on Jesus.
A Spirit-Filled Church that Becomes like Jesus.
A Cross-Shaped Church that Builds Itself in Love, everyone doing their part.
A Fearlessly-Sent Church that Braves the Mission of Jesus… A church that cannot be shut up, nor silenced, nor bullied, nor intimidated. A church that cannot stop proclaiming (bearing witness) to the world the mighty deed God has done in Christ Jesus. This is the Church God wants to fashion us into by his Holy Spirit!
A local church can exist in one of two different states. Either it’s “surviving”, or it’s “is thriving.”