Christians throughout the centuries, Christians have always carried themselves with a certain level of audacity--of boldness, of courage, of “SENT-ness.” There isn’t anywhere on this great earth too far, too remote, nor too dangerous the Christian hasn’t endeavored to go. There isn’t any price too great to pay, not any sacrifice too profound to offer, that a person might find God, believe on Jesus, and follow him. There is no greater news than that of Jesus Christ’s resurrection and the life that can be found in him. There is no greater movement in the world (past, present, or future) that has ever arisen as great as that of Kingdom of God, the Church. Anyone with a modicum of curiosity would certainly want to ask, “Why.” Why has Christianity, the gospel, had the kind of sticking power it’s had?
If you have your study guide handy, turn to week #2. I want to share seven characteristics of the gospel—of the Christian faith—upon which we’ve staked our salvation. Each characteristic builds upon the previous, and serves to bolster the plausibility of our common faith.
First, Our Faith (the Gospel) is Unique. Every other religion puts man in the center, and gives him the enormous burden of working his way toward God. But in Christianity Christ is center, and God assumes the burden of working his way toward us. The Father sends the Son. Indeed, the Christ of God descends. He sets aside his privileges, he’s born as a man, and becomes fully human. He seeks the lost, he comes to heal the unhealthy, he restores the sinner. He becomes the servant, even the slave, becoming obedient to God even to the extent of death. On the cross he dies, offering himself as an atoning sacrifice for the sins of all who might believe. Therefore, God raised him from the grave, and exalted Jesus to his right hand. In Jesus (and through the Church) God is presently reestablishing his reign over every living creature in heaven and on earth.
As John Stott writes. . . The long-promised reign of God—which Jesus inaugurated and proclaimed, has begun to spread. . . The Kingdom of God would be spiritual in character (transforming lives, hearts, and minds). It would be international in membership (in Christ there is no Jew versus Gentile, Male versus Female, Slave versus Free… all are one). The Kingdom would be both gradual in growth (like a mustard seed), but also geographical in growth (beginning in Jerusalem spreading to Judea, Samaria, and end of the earth).
And one day… Jesus will return, and every knee on earth will bow, and every tongue confess, that Jesus is Lord to the glory of the Father. Until that day, by his Holy Spirit, Jesus is actively directing his church, sending her to brave his mission. There is no story on earth like that of the Christian faith. But is it just a story?
Second, Our Faith (the Gospel) is Historical. Consider how Luke introduces the gospel. Luke 1:1, the gospel is a “narrative about the events that have been fulfilled among us.” Luke 1:3, the gospel is an “orderly sequence…” The gospel is not a conglomeration of random, unexpected events. The gospel consists of events that were divinely ordained (from all eternity), prophetically forecast and foreshadowed (from ancient times), and explicitly fulfilled in the fullness of God’s perfect timing.
*Acts 1:1-4 says the gospel of Luke contains, “all that Jesus began to do and teach 2 until the day he was taken up, after he had given instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After he had suffered, he also presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.” It’s all history. And the book of Acts is history—it’s about all Jesus continued to do, ministry through his apostles, and church, by his Spirit… after he ascended into heaven. Christianity’s empirical foundations rest solidly on rock-solid history… otherwise our whole faith would collapse.
Third, Our Faith (the Gospel) is Apostolic. In all the gospel accounts, Jesus’ immediate, earliest priority was the “choosing” of Twelve disciples. After a time, Jesus would appoint the Twelve to be Apostles... and this is very important… he appointed them to “be with Him.” The Apostles were more than just disciples, they were more than would-be disciple-makers. Each and every one of them were “witnesses.” What were they witnesses of?
In Acts 1:1-2, they were witnesses of all Jesus “began” to do and teach, and all Jesus continued to do and teach until he was taken up into heaven. Acts 1:4-5 they knew John’s baptism and knew Jesus’ baptism. Acts 1:3, they received Jesus’ teaching and instruction about waiting for the Holy Spirit. They saw his sufferings and death. Over 40 days they saw Jesus present himself alive multiple times, they saw many convincing proofs, Acts 1:6-11 they heard Jesus’ complete and final teaching regarding the Kingdom of God and promised return. In Acts 1:12-14 Luke lists their names (minus Judas) “Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James” and makes the particular point that they were altogether as one, in complete unity, praying together including Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. Acts 1:15-20 they had a particular knowledge of how the historical events happening (i.e. even betrayal of Judas, his suicide) were fulfilled prophecy.
Now after Judas dies, the Apostles need to replace him. Who is qualified to be an Apostle? In *Acts 1:21-26 we get our answer. “Therefore, from among the men who have accompanied us during the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us—beginning from the baptism of John until the day he was taken up from us—from among these, it is necessary that one become a witness with us of his resurrection.” So, they proposed two: Joseph, called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. Then they prayed, “You, Lord, know everyone’s hearts; show which of these two you have chosen to take the place in this apostolic ministry that Judas left to go where he belongs.” Then they cast lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias and he was added to the eleven apostles.”
The very same Greek word that is used to describe Jesus “choosing” the Twelve is found here in Acts 1:25. Who is God’s man to replace Apostle Judas? This man was not self-appointed. There are so many self-appointed apostles today—you should disregard them entirely. No apostle is ever self-appointed. Nor is an apostle human-appointed, committee, synod, church, or denominationally chosen. A disciple is only appointed (chosen) of Christ. It’s said even of the Apostle Paul in Acts 9:15 that he is God’s chosen instrument to the Gentiles! Yep, same Greek word! I know this feels like a cumbersome point to make—but the Twelve Apostles had to be first-hand witness not just of resurrection but of Jesus’ whole ministry from baptism to ascension. The Apostle Paul refers to himself in 1 Corinthians 15 as an apostle “abnormally born.” He was different than the Twelve in that he didn’t accompany Jesus through his ministry. But he was like the Twelve, and a qualified Apostle because the resurrected Christ appeared to him in Acts.
Why does it matter than we have an apostolic gospel? It’s because Jesus always had an entourage of people around him who would later be able to recount all Jesus did, said, spoke about, instructed, taught. If I understand Acts 1 properly, Jesus didn’t just have the Twelve he had the Twelve plus alternates! Justus and Matthias are never mentioned in the gospel of Luke, but they are hanging around the whole time! Plus, the women. Plus, Jesus’ family. They all had the objective first-hand experience. They experienced Jesus with their own eyes, ears, hands, and senses. But then of course Jesus (in the ascension) was taken beyond their senses and hidden from their eyes.
Our whole Christian “tradition” was passed down by Twelve God-appointed, Christ-chosen, fully legit, Apostolic witnesses. *1 John 1:1-3 the Apostle John, “What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have observed and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 that life was revealed, and we have seen it and we testify and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us— 3 what we have seen and heard we also declare to you…”
*2 Peter 1:16-18, “For we did not follow cleverly contrived myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; instead, we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased!” We ourselves heard this voice when it came from heaven while we were with him on the holy mountain.”
Now the word apostle means to be sent. But Luke makes its clear—these Twelve Apostles, and what they witness, and the testimony they gave, and the tradition they passed down, were the pillars of the Christian movement. Others would be sent too… but there was only one generation of capital A-Apostles. Nothing else in all Christendom need be added to the testimony of the Twelve Apostles. The witness of the Apostles as reflected in Gospels and New Testament is sufficient for all faith and practice. We need not add the creeds of men. We need not add anything in all of Catholicism, nor or any denomination. EVERYTHING Jesus needed to convey… the full counsel of God… would be conveyed through his Apostles…and through the Apostle Paul. We will talk more about Paul later.
Why is Lakeside Christian Church—and the Christian Churches unique? We’re not catholic. We’re not denominational. We’re not a bunch of things. But affirmatively—we’re Apostolic. In Acts 2 the early church took the Apostles teaching…which was sufficient for all faith and practice… and shared it. There is no other body of doctrine taught in the Christian Church but the testimony of the law and prophets, the testimony of Christ himself (gospels), and testimony of Apostles (Acts).
Fourth, Our Faith (the Gospel) is Verifiable. Luke tells in Luke 1:3 how he personally investigated and researched everything from the beginning. Just because Luke received the Christian tradition from the Twelve Apostles… doesn’t mean he accepted it uncritically! In fact, all the gospel writers tell us that not even the Apostles accepted the things of Jesus uncritically. On countless occasions, even after they see the resurrected Jesus, verses tell us the Apostles had doubt.
We can take a bit of comfort knowing Luke was an educated doctor, a first-rate historian. He was traveling companion of Paul, he knew the Twelve personally, he knew Palestine, he had a deep knowledge of Jewish culture. He knew the history, customs, festivals, sacred places. His vocabulary in Luke and Acts demonstrate a keen intellect, keen powers of observation. He is not sensationalistic. He is specific, he plainly describes things. Luke was a contemporary of Jesus and the Twelve—he tracked down all the people and stories to get verification. He was like an investigative journalist and historian. A trusted intellect. Luke was “satisfied” and reached and enjoyed great certainty of this gospel! We would all do well, like Luke, to hold the apostolic testimony to the highest of standards.
Fifth, Our Faith (the Gospel) is Scrutinizable. Luke took what was fulfilled (what was witnessed, the traditions passed down by the Twelve…), he investigated and verified it as much for himself as for Theophilus… but the Luke WROTE it all out for Theophilus. Think of it this way—Luke published his findings, and his faith. Luke wrote a logical, orderly, sober, simple account and shared it with the world. Why does this matter? Because what gets written down gets scrutinized. Luke verified it for himself, but by publishing or writing, he commended it to the world for their examination and scrutiny as well. It should encourage us to know that the world has had the full gospel, full accounts of Jesus life, death, resurrection, ascension, teaching, commandments… it’s all been in the public domain from beginning! It wasn’t a legend later set to pen (after everyone who witnessed was long gone and dead). The gospel (Luke and Acts) was published while details, claims, accounts, and Apostolic witness could be substantially scrutinized—and by golly it has been!
Sixth, Our Faith (the Gospel) is Powerful. So, what is the Gospel? John Stott says… A salvation has been prepared by God, bestowed by Christ, offered to all peoples, confirmed by Spirit internally and externally. God has poured out his Spirit (all his fullness and power) on human flesh—on the church. Jesus is actively directing the mission, first sending the Spirit, then then the Apostles, then the Church. Is there any evidence of the supernatural power, the working of God in his people past and present? But if there isn’t any power to our gospel there isn’t any credibility. The answer is YES there is power… but I’ll save back this discussion to next week!
Seventh, Our Faith (and the Gospel) is Unstoppable. *Colossians 1:3-6, What is the gospel doing, what is its legacy, where is its fruitfulness? “We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints because of the hope reserved for you in heaven. You have already heard about this hope in the word of truth, the gospel that has come to you. It is bearing fruit and growing all over the world, just as it has among you since the day you heard it and came to truly appreciate God’s grace.”