The Church (4)
Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith. Acts 6.7
The first Church
It is unlikely that believers, even really sincere and growing believers, practicing their faith as individuals only, could have had the kind of impact in the first century that we see in the Book of Acts.
Part of what convinced so many people that the message of the Gospel was true was that they saw so many people participating in so many surprising expressions of a reality they had never seen before. Let’s consider just a few of these.
On the first Christian Pentecost, 120 people suddenly poured into the streets from an upper room, joyously and boldly declaring the “mighty works of God.” Before the morning was over, 3,000 people had become convinced of their testimony, received the word of Christ’s resurrection, and united with this first expression of the Church, the Body of Christ.
So hungry were these people for the spiritual life of Christ that they began gathering day by day in one another’s homes, to hear the apostles teach, take meals and worship together, and care for one another’s immediate needs. Day by day, Luke tells us, as they gathered with joy and shared with gusto, the power of Christ, risen from the dead, began to give them favor with all the people of Jerusalem, and to add to their numbers daily such as were being saved (Acts 2.42-46).
Thousands more came to believe in the power of Christ’s resurrection as they witnessed an act of never-before-seen grace upon a man lame from birth (Acts 3 and 4). Not even a threat from the local religious authorities could contain the witness of these early believers. Filled with the Spirit they continued to speak the word of God with boldness and to share generously of their possessions with one another and any who had need (Acts 4.31-37).
Unstoppable
Threats and persecution could not stop them, as the ranks of Christians continued to grow and “believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women” (Acts 5.14).
But in Acts 6 a crisis emerged which threatened to divide the Body of Christ and betray the power of the Gospel. Inequity had arisen in the care of widows, and the thousands of believers were becoming divided as to what should be done.
But, in a patient, forbearing, and thoughtful manner, they brought the concern to the apostles, who resolved it to the delight and satisfaction of all.
Then comes the text which opens today’s installment.
Consider: That great company of priests had perhaps all heard Jesus Himself. They certainly had heard the apostles, and doubtless many of their friends had become believers and were eagerly seeking to persuade them of the power of the resurrection. Not the witness of Jesus, not the preaching of a few followers, and not the testimony of an occasional believer could persuade them. But when, on top of thousands converting and bearing witness, and the whole community of believers sharing freely with one another and worshiping, the entire Body of Christ peacefully, joyfully, and generously overcame a potentially major obstacle of faith and life—well, that was the straw that broke the resistance of the camel’s back: “a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.”
Not even the most determined enemies of the Lord could stand against the power of the Church, living out the resurrection life and love of Jesus Christ.
Far more power
There is power in each individual church member’s witness to the resurrection of Christ, both our lives and our words. It is the power of the Holy Spirit, making us witnesses for Jesus in the everyday situations of our lives. It is real power, and power which every believer should know and wield.
But there is more power, far more power, when an entire community of the saints, a whole household, neighborhood, city, county, or nation of believers, all these together show the reality of Jesus alive in His Body, making known His truth and filling the world with His glory.
There is real, life-changing power in the Church’s witness for Christ. The writer of Hebrews instructs us to consider how we may encourage one another to love and good works (Heb. 10.24). What better work could we do than to help lost sinners find their way to newness of life? As we learn together, grow together, and encourage one another in our walk with and ministry for the Lord, the witness of the Body of Christ will become powerful and persuasive throughout a community.
And that’s why we need the Church!
For reflection or discussion
1. In what ways is your church serving as a witness to Christ’s resurrection in your community?
2. How does the witness of the Church in Acts guide you to think about how a local church should fulfill its calling as the Body of Christ in its community?
3. How can Christians help one another, and their churches, to be more faithful in this important aspect of our calling as the Body of Christ?
Next steps—Transformation: Have you mapped out your Personal Mission Field? This is the place to begin in cultivating an ongoing and effective witness in your community.
T. M. Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Other columns of interest: This week: The Read Moore podcast continues readings from If Men Will Pray. Our Crosfigell teaching letter has begun a new series on the state of the Church in Europe at the time of the Celtic Revival. Check out our other excellent writers. In Scriptorium we are working through the gospel of Matthew. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.
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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
