Living Truth

Proclaiming a Message of Good News and Hope to our generation!

Page 2 of 89

What can we learn from the First Century Church? Part 7

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!

What can we learn from the First Century Church? Part 6 – The New Wineskin

The First Century Church was not without it’s own problems and difficulties. It is important that we learn from it’s weaknesses as well. At the same time the proof that God was at work then has stood the test of time. I am personally convinced that the only power the early Christians had was their total dependency upon Jesus Christ. The time the apostles and disciples of Jesus spent with Him was used to purge every sense of self-reliance they possessed. Finally the shock of the Cross brought them to their lowest point.

It would be difficult to comprehend what they must have felt when hearing that He had risen from the dead! Some did not believe at first. When He fully revealed Himself to them their lives would never be the same. Jesus was preparing in them a New Wineskin which would not split open and waste the wine which symbolized the Holy Spirit. The foundation, the Rock upon which the early church was built was this realization of Who Jesus was! He is the Creator and Lord of all! They would continue to learn and grow in their dependence upon Him, and the power of the Holy Spirit would affirm their faith again and again. (Luke 5:34-39, Matthew 16:17-18)

Millions of believers in Christ are fully blessed and satisfied in their church experience today. Some, however, are beginning to hunger for what they have read about in the book of the Acts of the Apostles. They have seen God bless His people again and again, only to see the interference of prideful humans. Now they are looking for a New Wineskin, one that will preserve both the wine (Spiritual vitality) and the wineskin (believing community).

Is this wishful thinking, or unbridled idealism? You decide for yourself. I for one have caught a glimpse of His glorious Church, with the saints equipped for serving, building up the Body of Christ, until we all come to the unity of the faith, unto the Knowledge of the Son of God, unto a maturity, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ! (Ephesians 4:11-13)

What can we learn for the First Century Church? Part 5

The church in the book of Acts did not have telephones or the printing press, let alone radio, tv and the internet. Yet after Jesus ascended their numbers grew from the 120 that gathered in Jerusalem to 5,000 in a short time. Within 3 centuries Christianity became a dominant force in the Roman Empire. God has often chosen to use the few and the weak according to this world. He has also chosen to use you in a special capacity that belongs to you alone!

Do not believe the lie that you are insignificant! The Creator of the entire universe is calling you to turn from serving your will and the will of others to serving Him and His glorious purpose in the Kingdom of God! Trust Him today! You have a part in building a better world as He prepares you and molds you into His image. You can be a part in His Church, His body, that is crashing down the gates of hell!

Lately I have been looking to the New Testament and particularly the book of Acts and comparing the practices and methods of the early church with those of today. I would challenge you to do the same. Is it possible that our traditions and patterns of thinking have placed a heavy load on us that God never intended? Could these traditions and patterns of thinking actually hinder us from enjoying life in the fullness of God’s wonderful plan?

Jesus challenges us to deny ourselves, take up our crosses and follow Him. Maybe not an easy path, but definitely one that will liberate us from the self-centered version of the Gospel that we often hear today. It is only in losing our lives that we truly find our lives fully in Him!

« Older posts Newer posts »

© 2025 Living Truth

Theme by Anders NorenUp ↑