Last week we saw a little more in how the early church operated, and we saw the generosity of the early congregations. We also looked at the crime and punishment of Ananias and Sapphira. As we rejoin the early church this week we see the Apostles preaching the Gospel and many more healings happening.
Before we move in to this week section, it would be good to ask ourselves a question and that is “What is the purpose of the church?” Is the purpose of the church to grow big buildings and big budgets? Obviously it is not, but if we ask that a different way the answer might not be so obvious. Is the purpose of the church to help the needy? Is the purpose of the church to be a political action committee? Is the purpose of the church to grow disciples?
I would expect that most people would say, yes the church’s job is to help the needy, push for what is right in the government, and to grow disciples. I would also have to say that most people would be missing the point of church. While these points are things the church should be doing, they are supporting ministries to the primary job of the church. Matthew 28:19-20 and Luke 19:10 are two great places to see the primary mission of the church, and that is to seek and to save the lost. All other ministries need to be understood as a means to accomplish that goal.
For example, growing disciples of Christ is a great thing by itself, but what are we growing them into? If the primary goal of the church is to seek and save the lost, then the answer is easy, we are growing them into disciples that will go out in to the world to reach the lost. In the same way, helping the needy is a great cause in and of itself. James even calls it pure religion, but it to must be brought in line with the primary focus of the church. One way to see this is that helping the needy gives the church a forum to share the gospel that would not normally be open. Once a church has a good understanding of its primary focus, it can easily then restructure all its programs to support that focus.
The early church understood this and we can see that from the actions of the believers recorded here for us. Acts 5:16 tells us the needy were brought to them for healing from all over region. That same section also tells us that the early Christians were esteemed highly. (Acts 5:13) We also read of them doing “many signs and wonders” (Acts 5:12) and exorcism. This ministry of the early church opened a door to allow them to share the Gospel. This focus is apparent even in Peter’s defense before the courts. Peter’s focus could not be shaken of the primary job of the church, not even by flogging. We can also see the results of this focus, exponential growth even under severe persecution. This should speak to those of us leading ministries today. We need to stop and ask, “how does this help our primary objective?” If it does not help, then no matter how good of a ministry it may be, we should consider abandoning it for one that keeps our focus on the job given to us by Jesus.
This is not an easy task by any means, and if a church really gets serious about doing the work God has put before it, it is far from a safe task. Jesus promised that if you follow this path you will be persecuted. In Matthew 5:10-12 He goes on to tell us that we should count this persecution as joy. Paul warns Timothy that, “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” (2 Tim 3:12). The Apostles in our passage this week will see this truth played out directly and immediately.
Peter and others of the Apostles, we do not know which ones, were arrested once again for preaching the Gospel in the temple. Just like last time they were tossed in jail for an overnight stay until the court could convene to hear their case. Unlike last time an angel comes and rescues them from prison. Now, if you were just arrested for doing some crime that carried the death penalty, and you knew you were guilty as charged, what would you do in this situation? Most of us, if we were honest, would have to say, “Run! Hide!” That would be the wisest course of action, if your goal was self preservation. Peter and the others did not follow the wisest path; instead they went right back in to the public square and continued to preach. God sent His angel to free them so that they could continue working on their primary mission, to seek and save the lost.
This move cost them dearly. They were arrested again, and brought before the court. Let us not forget this is the same court that convicted Jesus to death even though no one could find any crime he committed other then claiming to be who He was. This is the same court that has arrested them three times now, and the same court whose prison they just escaped from. That simple list of facts would be enough for wise consol to say, “Run! Hide!” Peter and the others did nothing of the sort, and once again followed a path that would seem very unwise, because they knew their purpose.
They willingly submitted to arrest, and the first chance Peter got to speak, he once again shared the message that Jesus was Lord, and that the court was guilty. This would seem to be the height of foolishness to the wise of the world, but Peter understood his purpose here. He knew that his ministry of teaching and healing was only to give him a forum to reach the lost, and keeping that laser like focus he always knew what to do, no matter what his enemies threw at him.
This angered the leaders greatly, and they planed to kill him when Gamaliel stepped forward to speak. Gamaliel was a very respected and much loved Pharisee of that time, this gave him a forum to speak and influence the court, even though a blood lust had come upon them. He presents a cool logical sounding agreement as to why they should let Peter and the others go free. Gamaliel’s argument is fatally flawed and should have been tossed out, but the instead court accepts it and rules to have Peter and the others beaten and released.
Here we see the result of them not following the “wise” path of running and hiding. They were nearly killed, and got away only after being beaten. Now one would expect that at this point Peter and his team would wise up and get the heck out of there, but instead we read that they were “daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.” (Acts 5: 42) Once again they understood their primary purpose that is to seek and save the lost so everything they did was measured against that. If they ran and hid, who would reach the lost in the temple? Others would not likely stand and preach if the leaders of the religion were setting the example of running and hiding. This would leave the Jews of the city without a church to reach them, and ultimately would trickle down through history and it is very possible we would not have a church to reach people today.
This is a grand example for us today. While here in America it is not likely I will ever be beaten for preaching the Gospel, there are plenty of places today where this and much worse still happens. Here in America persecution is much more subtle, and in its own way much more destructive. To put it bluntly, we are losing America; the church is shrinking in power and influence. There are parts of America that are as dark as the darkest of the third world countries that we send missionaries to. We must ask ourselves, why is that? Perhaps the answer is that we have forgotten our primary goal, and allowed ourselves to be distracted? Does your church, and by extension, do you have the laser like focus that early church did? Maybe it is time for us, the body of Christ, to reexamine all that we do in light of our mission, and start pruning our vines of ministry.
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