Pigs, Chickens And The Acts 2 Church (re-post)

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47)

That's quite a picture of the Church, isn't it?

A while back, I wrote about sacrificial giving. It's a tough concept -- to actually give more than what you think you can conveniently offer. But that is, after all, what makes it a sacrifice. But in searching the Scripture (At the time, I was actually looking for the story of the widow's mite, found in Luke 21:1-4, but didn't remember exactly where it was), I stumbled across -- or was led to -- Acts 2:45. "They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need." And, in fact, we can learn similar lessons from each. The widow in Luke 21 can teach us about the spirit of our giving. 

The Widow's Mite, art by James Christensen

As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” 

For so many of us, giving is an obligation. For the widow, it was a commitment. It is this same spirit we find in the Church of Acts 2.  Today, we say we're part of a church because we show up once or twice a week and (maybe) give up 10% of our incomes. 

Meanwhile, the early church was, by necessity, committed to its cause and to its members. Each person in the church was committed to his or her brothers and sisters as fellow members of the Body of Christ. Committed, in fact, to the point where they not only shared what they had, but went out of their way to offer sacrificially to the aid of another member in need. 

What we learn in Acts 2 is that a church isn't a building -- or even merely a group of believers. A church is a family -- a single organism. A church is a body -- The Body -- who truly loves one another as Christ Himself loves them. 

A pastor once asked how church members were like a ham and egg breakfast. Some members, he said, were like the Chickens, and some like the pigs. The difference, he said, was that while the Chickens were involved in the breakfast, the pigs were committed.  

We bemoan the state of the world -- how our culture becomes more and more secularized and depraved. But Scripture itself teaches us what we can do about it. Acts 2:47 says, "the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."

Daily. 

How did they do it? Simply by being the Body of Christ.  

(Updated from a post originally found on May 8, 2013)

Acts 2, The Modern West, and Our Twisted Priorities

Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common,  and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. (Acts 2:44-45)

These couple verses toward the end of Acts 2 paint an interesting picture of the early Church. We see here a fellowship that is not only fraternal, but communal. Familial, even. We see a group of people so devoted to one another and to the Faith they pursue that even their possessions are forfeit to the needs of the Body. 

It's hard to imagine in today's society where property is so valued and interwoven with our own status or identity.  It's difficult, perhaps, for us to imagine even agreeing to split money and property with our own family! Can you imagine going to work 40 hours a week, working to put a roof over your family's head, and then agreeing to sell your possessions and split your income among your brothers and sisters?

THAT certainly doesn't seem like the American Dream, does it? Yet, the more I study the word of God, the more I'm growing to understand the attitude of Christ and His Church stands in direct opposition to Western attitudes and ideals. We say earn, Christ says serve. We say take, He says give. We say buy! Consume! Christ says sell and simplify. We say enjoy. Christ says share. 

The difference we see is that this early church understood deeply and completely something to which we modern, Western Christians only pay lip service: that what we have is not our own, and it is only temporary. That in the scope of Eternity, all the "stuff" of modern success is just dust waiting to happen. That, if we are wealthy (and, if you're reading this, there's a very good chance you're wealthier by far than 98% of the rest of the world!), it is by the grace of God alone, and that service may well mean giving it back. 

This ancient church trusted in the words of Christ, who said, 

Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (Matthew 6:31-33)

That's what it means to be a Christian. That's what it is to be a servant. It means putting your Master above yourself. It means looking to His kingdom before looking to our own needs, and trusting that we serve a Master who is faithful to provide for us as we serve. 

Shock And Awe: How the Church Was Built

Then fear (awe) came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.
(Acts 2:43)

When was the last time you were awed by God? What does it take to render you awestruck? In today's
world, we don't see many apostles doing signs and wonders -- but I wonder whether, in today's world, such things would have the same impact. We feel as though we've seen it all. Even when we witness a healing or a prophecy, we're often so jaded and skeptical that we simply don't believe it.

Yet, isn't the Spirit who dwells in each of us the same Spirit who was with Peter and the other apostles as they built the early church? So, did God change, or did we?

Today, I want to talk about awe. When we talk about the beginning of that first church, we often skip right over this verse, Acts 2:43, as though we just aren't quite sure what to do with it. Almost as though we feel like it simply doesn't apply to us anymore.

How sad.

I'm going to make a suggestion which may be uncomfortable. The Church -- the Body of Christ -- was built on awe. It was founded on amazement. From the people being amazed by the teachings and miracles of Christ (See each of the four gospels) to the amazement and awe following the words and deeds of the Apostles, it was wonder that helped build the church.

It is this wonder that's still evident in the letters of Paul when he reflects upon his own salvation:

And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:14-15).

Maybe we so often lose our wonder and awe in the Church because we don't start looking for it in the right place. Perhaps we've forgotten who we were, and where we were going. Perhaps we've made the mistake of believing we are somehow worthy of Grace and Mercy.

All I know is, when I reflect on who I could have been -- on the person it would be all to easy for me to become -- I can only be awestruck to see the change Christ has made in me. By myself, I am an arrogant, selfish man. I am a man given to casual sins. But in Christ, I am His, and my desire is now that people see Him in me.

And that thought awes me. Knowing I am unworthy of His grace, and knowing He showers me with it anyway. Knowing the God of the Universe, the Creator of all things, loves me, personally, and offers His mercy in spite of myself, fills me with wonder and gratitude.

It may not be a tongue of fire, but it's pretty amazing.

Religion is NOT a dirty word

Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. (Acts 2:41-42)

In our first introduction to the Early Church, we are given a description that sounds an awful lot like... religion. Prayers and breaking bread? Steadfast in doctrine? 

In many ways, the modern church's opposition to religiosity has been a good thing. But in eliminating the useless doctrines of men from our practice (which is appropriate), I wonder if we haven't thrown out the baby with the bathwater, so to speak. Religion, believe it or not, isn't a dirty word. Neither is doctrine. This passage in Acts shows us why.

Remember, Peter and the other Apostles are speaking to the crowd. These apostles are men who walked with Christ, learned from him, and who were His disciples. These are men who were empowered and educated by the indwelling Spirit of God. The three thousand converts, meanwhile, did not know Jesus on intimate terms. They had not really listened to His teaching, and, simply put, didn't know how to follow Him. So, they looked to those who did. 

Religion isn't the problem, you see. Religiosity is. Religion isn't an enemy, but an educator, providing insight into how we can serve and follow the Living God. Religion, done right, honors and glorifies God. This is why you don't hear James discouraging religion, but instead showing how to do it correctly:

If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. (James 1:26-27)

We'll see as we continue our study that the Church is important. It plays a vital role in your life with Christ, and in His Kingdom. Don't walk away from His people if you claim to be one of His. And don't forsake the beauty of religion based on the perversion of religiosity.

Boldness in the Spirit and Truth

And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. (Acts 2:40-41)

God honors boldness in His name. The Truth, spoken in Love, must yield good fruit. For me, this is a key lesson in Acts 2:40-41. Christians -- particularly Christians in the West -- have gotten this idea that it's our responsibility to make the Gospel more palatable. That we must offer rewards with the Gospel: a life of abundance instead of an abundant life. We downplay the cost of relationship with Christ, just as we downplay the cost of a life lived in slavery to sin. 

Is it any wonder that so many new Christians lack depth in their faith, when the faith they learned has such an unsteady foundation? Can it be any wonder when we fail, in our hemming and hawing and constant concession, to win strong, new disciples?

Peter spoke the truth. He spoke it with authority (he had a good Teacher, after all). He spoke it in love, but he spoke it forcefully and unequivocally. And, through him, the Spirit moved through the crowd and people believed. 

Romans 1:6 says, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek."

The very Power of God. And yet, so many of us act as though we must be ashamed. Why else would we tweak it to be less offensive, or try to make it somehow more attractive to the temporally-minded? Do we not understand that Eternity is at stake?

Embrace the truth of Christ. If you claim to follow Him, don't be ashamed of the True Gospel. Celebrate being called out of a life of sin, into a life of Service to God. Understand that He wants to offer the very same -- through YOU -- to others.

What shall we do?

Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”

Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” (Acts 2:37-39)

What shall we do? Those who listened to Peter's words -- that Jesus Christ had been killed and rose again, that His spirit, the spirit of the Living God, is dwelling in those who believe -- recognize they have a choice to make. Now that they've heard the Gospel, they could accept it or deny it. So they asked perhaps the most logical question that can be asked upon being confronted with the Truth: now what? What shall we do? 

Peter's response must have seemed, for those who heeded his words, too good to be true. That's it? It sounds so easy! Repent and be baptized and voila... we're right with God? Without even sacrificing a lamb or a young goat?

Now, we know, as did those who heard Peter's words, that repentance isn't as easy as it sounds. It's a daily -- even an hourly -- decision. But even then, as Peter tells them (and us), we don't need to rely on our own strength. Repent and be baptized, he says, and we will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. What a promise! Through Christ we can not only be forgiven our sins, but have the strength, in His power, to resist temptation!

That's the Gospel in a nutshell. And now the question remains: What shall we do with it?

Both Lord and Christ

 Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.
“For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself:

‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,

Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”’

“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” (Acts 2:33-36)

As Peter prepares to wrap up his first sermon, he again looks to David to confirm the identity of Jesus. Sitting at the right hand of God, Jesus is both Lord and Christ - the Anointed One. This passage from the Psalms (Psalm 110) is a recognition of the Messiah's sovereignty. It stands out as a reminder -- both to the Jews of Peter's day and the Christians of ours -- that God's chosen does things as He sees fit, whether those actions conform to our own ideas or not. 

Remember, Israelites longed for a political Savior to free them from the tyranny of Rome. In bringing up Psalm 110, Peter was letting them know -- perhaps reminding them -- that God is at work on a much grander scale. 

The passage serves to remind us, too, that though He is our personal savior, Jesus is so much more. He is a friend that sticks closer than a brother... but He is also King. He is the Christ, but He is also Lord. We who say we serve Christ would do well to remember that. This isn't simply a happy-go-lucky, skipping hand-in-hand friendship with Jesus. This Christianity is nothing less than service to the King of Kings.

Jesus and David: A Tale of Two Tombs

For David says concerning Him:

‘I foresaw the Lord always before my face,
For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken.

Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad;
Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope.

For You will not leave my soul in Hades,
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.

You have made known to me the ways of life;
You will make me full of joy in Your presence.’

“Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. (Acts 2:25-32)

In his message to the people on the day of Pentecost, Peter quotes from Psalm 16. He then uses these words to do a little teaching. In Peter's statement, we learn that, in some of David's psalms, the poet wasn't always speaking of himself, but was in fact prophesying. Such is the case here, in which David declares, "You will not leave my soul in Hades, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption." As Peter points out, David is dead, and his body long since rotted away. 

God liked David a whole lot, even calling him a man after his own heart. Yet even David was not above corruption and sin. Even David was subject to sickness and, ultimately, death. 

But Jesus is the Lord over life and death. His resurrection is the sign of that Lordship. Unlike us, who are beholden to death, our Messiah is death's master. It answers to Him. And because our Savior is Lord over even death, He is able to free us from its bonds as well. 

This, indeed, is our hope: that in Christ, we are not subject to death forever, but can be given new life. Our hope is for nothing so paltry as life in this temporary world, but an Eternity in the sight of a loving, living God.

Jesus, in 100 Words or Less

“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death;  whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it." (Acts 2:22-24)

On the day of Pentecost, Peter began his message by reminding his listeners of the words of the prophet Joel. His next step was to put the events of the past three years in perspective. As he stood in front of this crowd -- many of whom had reveled in the death of the rabble-rouser Jesus -- he reminded them of those things they had happily ignored. Things like the signs, wonders and miracles He performed in front of them. Clear, obvious proofs they had wanted, for political reasons, to pretend didn't exist. He reminded them of their own actions, just over a month before, to have this miracle-worker executed -- and then hit them with the Truth: that even in their wickedness they had performed God's will. And then, as further proof of what they had done, to whom they had done it, to the ultimate identity of Jesus, he presented the Resurrection. 

Many of those listening knew full well about the resurrection, whether or not they wanted to admit it to themselves. Indeed, the Jewish elders had taken part in bribing the guards at Jesus' tomb to conceal the truth. In bringing this to light, Peter was presenting a prelude to the Good News he was about to share. A summary of what he was going to tell them, by explaining exactly who Jesus was in just a few words.

But these words weren't meant only for the ears of those who were present; they're for us, too. In Peter's brief statement, we are given a clear vision of Jesus' identity; of who He is to us. He is a man, attested by God, a performer of miracles and wonders. A man who was killed by our lawlessness, but who had -- and has -- the power to defeat death, not only for Himself, but for all of us. And that, in 100 words or less, is the Gospel. We were dead and lawless. But by His death and resurrection, we are freed from both death and sin.

 

Visions and Dreams

But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,
That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your young men shall see visions,
Your old men shall dream dreams.

And on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days;
And they shall prophesy.

I will show wonders in heaven above
And signs in the earth beneath:
Blood and fire and vapor of smoke.

The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.

And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the Lord
Shall be saved. (Acts 2:14-21)

When he and the other disciples are accused of drunkenness because of their behavior on Pentecost, Peter looks to the words of Joel as a way of explaining the workings of God in their lives. I believe this served several purposes for the newly Spirit-filled preacher. 

First, it showed the unbound power of God. It was as though Peter was saying, "You think this is something? Just wait." Many of those in the crowd -- the religious Jews -- knew by heart the words Peter was saying. They knew that, when the day of the Lord came, their young men would see visions, and their old dream dreams. They knew the servants of the Lord would prophesy.

And this is the second thing Peter hoped to accomplish: identifying himself and the Disciples as servants of the Lord. And finally, Peter was letting those who heard him know they had entered a new age; that the Lord, Christ, the Messiah, had indeed been on earth. That His Kingdom is coming. That His work is being accomplished.

This can serve as a reminder to all of us that He is returning. We don't know when, but we know He is, and that He is coming in victory. And we know that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Accused of Drunkenness

And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.” So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could this mean?”

Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.” (Acts 2:5-13)

A friend of mine recently observed, "maybe the problem with Christians is that nobody accuses us of being drunk anymore."

When I was younger, I believed the mockers thought these believers were drunk because they were speaking in other languages. Now that I'm older, I know that couldn't have been the case, because we are told everyone heard it in his own language. My conclusion, then, is that this criticism was more directly related to the message these disciples were speaking, and the boldness with which they proclaimed it. Indeed, Peter's message to the crowd in the verses that follow bear this out.

It simply wasn't normal for a bunch of people to start proclaiming Good News to everyone who would listen. To begin talking about a Messiah as though He had already been among them (most Jews, after all, were still waiting for Him). It wasn't normal for people to be so fervent, so passionate, that all who heard them should be saved. 

Come to think of it, it's not normal now. Even among the Church. But back then, it was unprecedented. So much so that the boldness of these few people caused this new religion to spread like wildfire. Here we are, 2000 years later, and nearly everyone on the planet has at least heard the name "Jesus." 

Imagine the possibilities if His church now were to carry His message with the same boldness as they did back then. If each of us were to follow the example of Peter and speak the truth with confidence, uncaring of any consequences!

God, that we might be blessed with the boldness and spirit of the early church!

A Rushing Mighty Wind

When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:1-4)

I've noticed something about the Holy Spirit in Scripture. Whenever you read in the Word that "The Holy Spirit" comes upon somebody, you know something big is about to happen. Often, something world-changing.  

In Numbers 11, Moses needed to make a point. 

So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord, and he gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tabernacle. Then the Lord came down in the cloud, and spoke to him, and took of the Spirit that was upon him, and placed the same upon the seventy elders; and it happened, when the Spirit rested upon them, that they prophesied, although they never did so again. (vs 24-26)

In Judges 3, the Spirit of the Lord comes to the judge Othniel to deliver Israel again. In fact, the entire book of Judges is filled with references to the Spirit empowering men to deliver God's chosen people. 

In Judges 15, we read about Samson:

Then the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him; and the ropes that were on his arms became like flax that is burned with fire, and his bonds broke loose from his hands.  He found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, reached out his hand and took it, and killed a thousand men with it. (vs 14-15)

Samson already had great strength already, but it took the Spirit to put him into action.

In 1 Samuel 10, Saul is annointed with these words (in verse 6): "Then the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man."

Time and again, throughout Scripture, we read about the Spirit of God -- the Holy Spirit -- empowering man to do God's will. Indeed, it was by the power of the Spirit (Luke 1:35) that Mary conceived the Savior of mankind, Jesus Christ, in the flesh.  

So, we come to Acts 2, and the Spirit coming upon the Disciples in the upper room. For what purpose? As we shall see, for the purpose of accomplishing God's will. The Holy Spirit has a specific mission. This is the testimony of Scripture, in passage after passage: that the work of the Holy Spirit, in each of us, is that we might be empowered to accomplish God's will.

Run It Up The Flagpole

There's a good chance you've heard the expression, "run it up the flagpole and see who salutes." It means to float a thought or idea and see whether it gains any traction. It's an expression used often in media, which is more or less built on doing exactly that.

As a broadcaster, it's part of my job to come up with ideas for promotions and gimmicks, not only for my show, but for the station as a whole. It's actually an important part of a lot of jobs.

When I was first back working in radio, I remember asking a co-worker about an idea I had. "I like it," she said, "you should bring it up to [the General Manager]."

"What if he hates it," I countered.

She shrugged. "Worst he can say is 'no.'"

And from that point, I was bold in presenting ideas, good and bad. Because, after all, the worst anyone could say was, "no."

So the question is, where is that boldness when it comes to telling others what Christ did for me? What is it, exactly, that I'm afraid of?

2 Timothy 1:7 says, "For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline." 

Remember when the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples hiding in the Upper Room? They were emboldened. They came out of hiding and preached the Gospel of Christ and, yeah, some people said no. Some people even said they were drunk. But three thousand said Yes! That's three thousand people who came to know Jesus Christ in a personal way, who were saved from sin, and death, and Hell, whose lives were changed, all because of a group of men who were unafraid to speak up. 

So, why not run the Gospel up the flagpole and see who salutes? You may discover a brother or sister you never knew you had. Or, more importantly, you may even be the one who plants that seed in the life of another, and introduces him or her to the Love and Grace of Jesus Christ. The worst they can say is "no." 

But, if you pray for them, and ask God to grant you boldness and clarity, maybe they'll say "yes." 


This is the second in a year-long series, "Celebrate Today." A collection of devotions based on celebrations, serious and silly, throughout the year.