Shalom Aleichem...
Reflections is a weekly Christian Teaching Ministry. Each week we will talk about the Bible and lessons we can put to use in our daily life. We will try to, on a weekly basis, provide to you stories, thoughts, and just easy ways to live your life on a straight path.
THIS WEEK'S TEACHING....June 21, 2021
As we move forward in our look at the New Testament, this week we focus on.....The Origin of the Church
Last week we looked at the historical pattern church has experienced over the 2,000 years of its existence.
(1) Early drifting away from the practices and teachings during the apostles’ lives, and later
(2) an accelerated deterioration of the church’s resemblance to the church we see in the New Testament, to the point that it had no similarity at all to anything Jesus or the apostles set up.
(3) This was followed during the last 800 years by a succession of reforms, all of which were intended, each in its own way, to do one thing—bring the church back to its New Testament roots. The idea has been there for hundreds of years that the church, to be what it ought to be, should be like “the church of the New Testament.” The idea of identifying with the earliest Christians by following their lead is not new.
We found, however, that there are great difficulties in accomplishing this. For one thing, the reformers were persecuted viciously by those who preferred that the church remain what it had become. For another, there were serious differences among the reformers about what factors mattered and which didn’t in reforming the church more nearly to its original state.
These reforms have gotten us back to where the church has some closer resemblance to the church of the first century, but at the price of a splintered presentation of the Christian faith to the unbelieving world, for the reformers did not attack the same defects in the church of their day, and some who followed the reformers had different ideas of what the reform was--or should be--about. Some did not follow the reformers at all, leaving “isms” and “doxies” all over the religious landscape. That is where the church is today.
This week we rewind the tape to the beginning, and talk about the church’s origin.
Everyone here knows how that the events on the day of Pentecost fulfilled Joel’s prophecy and that the church was established on that day. But I would like to examine some aspects of that event that may not be as well known, but I believe are worth considering in understanding the church of the New Testament.
We start at Caesarea Philippi, where Jesus said to Peter:
…Who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (Mat 16:15-19)
Still at Caesarea Philippi, Jesus said to the crowd that had joined him and his disciples And he said to them,
Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power." (Mar 9:1)
A few days--seven I believe--after Jesus ascended to heaven, it seems that all that remained of the multitudes that followed Jesus were 120 disciples—at least of those who were waiting for what came next. They knew there was more. Jesus had died, risen from the tomb, and appeared over 40 days to many of his disciples and brethren, then ascended to heaven in the presence of witnesses.
For others, the show was over, and it was time to go home and get on with their lives.
But those 120 were waiting for what came next, because that’s what Jesus told them to do.
These 120 disciples knew they would never forget Jesus and go back to life as it was before they knew him, for now, they knew him.
They knew it wasn’t over...They were waiting.
There were three great pilgrimage festivals of the Jews, so called because on each of these occasions every male Israelite was commanded “to appear before the Lord” (Deu_27:7; Neh_8:9-12):
(a) The Passover, or Paschal feast (Paschal (Latin) referring to the Passover lamb that was eaten). It was followed immediately by the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The Passover recalled the last plague brought upon Egypt and the Hebrews’ exodus from bondage (Exo_12:6; Lev_23:5, Lev_23:8; Num_28:16-25; Deu_16:1-8).
(b) The feast of Pentecost, or of weeks, or the “day of the first fruits.”
It was the celebration of the wheat harvest, observed by the offering of the first fruits from the produce of the land. They did so by presenting loaves of bread made from the first and best grain from the newly harvested crop. These loaves were called the “first fruits.”
Passages relating to it are Exo 23:15-16; Lev 23; 15-22; Num 28:26-31; Deut 16:9-12.
By the time of Christ, Pentecost was associated by its date on the calendar with the giving of the law at Mt. Sinai, but the scriptures do not make that connection, at least directly.
(c) The Feast of Tabernacles, Booths, or Ingathering. It celebrated the completion of the harvest of barley and perhaps other late crops, and is sometimes called the “harvest home.” It was on the anniversary of the sojourn in the wilderness.
The attendance of women was at these festivals was voluntary. (Compare Luke_2:41; 1Sam_1:7; 1 Sam_2:19.)
God promised that would protect their homes (Exo_34:23, Exo_34:24) while all the males were absent in Jerusalem at these feasts was always fulfilled. “During the whole period between Moses and Christ we never read of an enemy invading the land at the time of the three festivals.
Each feast meant something (explain each a little).
And now we find the 120 disciples waiting in Jerusalem as Jesus directed them, “for the promise of the Father,” and to be “clothed with power from on high.
Waiting - for what, they had little idea but they knew that they were waiting to be clothed with power from on high, as Jesus told the disciples in one of his appearances in Jerusalem:
• And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high." Luke 24:49
• In Acts 1:4 Luke says Jesus told them specifically to remain in Jerusalem and “wait for the promise of the Father.”
What promise? What power from on high?
Remember what Jesus told them that last night before he prayed in Gethsemane:
• "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; Joh 14:16
• "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.
• John 14:26 "And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; John 16:8
Waiting. What was in their minds as they waited for something to happen?
The wait was not long. By my calculation, one week (3 days in the tomb, 40 days of appearances to the disciples, there were 7 days to Pentecost).
While they waited, the sun came up on the day of Pentecost.
In Acts 2:1-4...Why were the disciples together in one place on the first day of the week?
Fifty days after the Passover fell on Sunday. But they were still under the law, and the law gave them no reason to assemble on Sunday. Pentecost was an occasion of offering at the temple, but that was done as individuals, done by men only because the women could not go beyond the “court of the women,” so Pentecost was not a gathering of people. Certainly all Israelite men were to go to Jerusalem which would be very crowded on such an occasion, but they were not called on to all assemble for any purpose while there.
I think it was because they were together most of the time while they waited for something to happen that they realized would exceed any geologic cataclysm. A new age was about to erupt on the world stage that would change God’s and man’s relationship forever.
They knew they were all about to be part of something HUGE.
It was fitting that the first fruits of the gospel harvest would occur on Pentecost, the “day of first fruits,” when the first fruits of the completed gospel were brought in.
Someone - we know not who - was the first person baptized.
By nightfall, the new church had 3000 members, that day’s harvest of souls...The first fruits.
The Lord added daily (Acts 2:47). “And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.”
Jesus was “building his church,” just as he said in Caesarea Philippi.
Acts 2:47 in the KJV, NKJV, and some earlier translations says the Lord added to the church daily. The word ekklesia, meaning “assembly” but often translated “church” does not appear in the original, but it is clear from the context that the number was growing and it was all about the church.
In a later part of this series we will examine the actions of those first Christians who were part of the phenomenal spread of the gospel, and with it, the church of the New Testament.
QUESTIONS CHRISTIANS WANT ANSWERED...
Terry and I were discussing this question while watching "The Voice" and I asked he, "why do so many people disfigure their bodies with tattoos?" So that would bring me to this natural question...
What does the Bible say about Tattoos? Is it a sin to have one?
This is a "question of this day and time" and has many various opinions, both pro and con. In Hawaii tattoos are a form of tradition carrying on a lineage. In todays world, tattoos seem to be cropping up daily on the young people.
For those of you who know me, you know that i study the Old Testament and believe it is the Word of God and has not changed. I also am an old fuddy-duddy, according to my daughter. I will not give my answer to you so you may make up your own mind. Here are some Spiritual thoughts on the subject.
The New Testament does not say anything about whether or not a believer in Jesus Christ should get a tattoo. Therefore, we cannot say that getting a tattoo is a sin. Because of Scripture’s silence, getting inked falls under the category of a “gray area,” and believers should follow their convictions in the matter, respecting those who may have different convictions.
Here are some general biblical principles that may apply to getting a tattoo:
Children are to honor and obey their parents (Ephesians 6:1–2). For a minor to get a tattoo in violation of his or her parents’ wishes is biblically unsupportable. Tattoos born of rebellion are sinful.
“Outward adornment” is not as important as the development of the “inner self” and should not be the focus of a Christian (1 Peter 3:3–4). A person who desires a tattoo to garner attention or draw admiration has a vain, sinful focus on self.
God sees the heart, and our motivation for anything we do should be to glorify God (1 Corinthians 10:31). Motivations for getting a tattoo such as “to fit in,” “to stand out,” etc., fall short of the glory of God. The tattoo itself may not be a sin, but the motivation in getting it might be.
Our bodies, as well as our souls, have been redeemed and belong to God. The believer’s body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19–20). How much modification of that temple is appropriate? Is there a line that should not be crossed? Is there a point at which the proliferation of tattoos on one body ceases to be art and starts becoming sinful mutilation? This should be a matter of individual reflection and honest prayer.
We are Christ’s ambassadors, delivering God’s message to the world (2 Corinthians 5:20). What message does the tattoo send, and will it aid or detract from representing Christ and sharing the gospel?
Whatever does not come from faith is sin (Romans 14:23), so the person getting the tattoo should be fully convinced that it is God’s will for him or her.
We cannot leave the discussion of tattoos without looking at the Old Testament law that prohibited tattoos: “Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD” (Leviticus 19:28).
The reason for the prohibition of tattoos in this passage is not stated, but it is likely that tattooing was a pagan practice connected with idolatry and superstition. It was probably common for the pagans to mark their skin with the name of a false god or with a symbol honoring some idol. God demanded that His children be different. As He reminded them in the same verse, “I am the LORD.”
The Israelites belonged to Him; they were His workmanship, and they should not bear the name of a false god on their bodies. While New Testament believers are not under the Mosaic Law, we can take from this command the principle that, if a Christian chooses to get a tattoo, it should never be for superstitious reasons or to promote worldly philosophy. The bottom line is that getting a tattoo is not a sin, per se. It is a matter of Christian freedom and should be guided by biblical principles and rooted in love.
BOOKS OF THE BIBLE...A TEACHING
We continue our weekly look into the entire Bible and this week we look at ......
What Will I Find in the Prophets?
The primary role of the prophet was to represent God before the people of God by proclaiming the message of God. The main Hebrew word translated prophet literally means “speaker” or “messenger.” We have already seen that the authors of the Old Testament historical books were considered prophets since that history was also God’s message for his people. Moses was also a prophet (Deuteronomy 34:10). The books we are considering now, however, were written later in Old Testament history, from about the eighth century to the fifth century bc, when God’s people, Israel, were spiraling further and further away from him into sin. God’s gracious response was to send more and more prophets as his messengers to address that dangerous situation.
The Old Testament books of prophecy are grouped into two categories: Major Prophets and Minor Prophets. This has to do with size alone, not significance. The Major Prophets are Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations (technically a poetic book, but placed here due to Jeremiah being its author), Ezekiel, and Daniel. The Minor Prophets are Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.
Even though the terms prophet or prophecy tend to make us think about predictions regarding the future, this was actually a minor part of their message. The whole of the prophets’ message is sometimes categorized as forth-telling or proclamation prophecy. They told forth or proclaimed God’s message. More often than not, this was about things that were happening in the present, not the future. Within that category is a much smaller sub-category that is sometimes called foretelling, or predictive prophecy. It, too, was proclaiming God’s message, but now specifically regarding what God intended to do in the future.
The books of prophecy are a big chunk of the Old Testament and contain a lot of details. It is easy to get overwhelmed and a bit lost along the way, so it may help to keep in mind four broad themes into which nearly all of what the prophets had to say would fit. The first theme is confrontation of sin. Sometimes this was in broad and general terms: “You are a rebellious and wicked people.” Sometimes it was more specific: “You are guilty of idolatry, injustice, and greed.” An example would be Isaiah 1:4.
The second theme is a call for repentance. This was implied in the confrontation so sometimes was not even stated, but expected to be understood. Other times it was explicit (see, for example, Ezekiel 14:6 and 18:30). These two themes had to do with what was presently going on among God’s people.
The third theme is warning of judgment. If the people refused to repent of their sin, God would judge them sooner or later, as he had told them he would all the way back in the Mosaic law (e.g., Deuteronomy 28:15–68). Ultimately this judgment would take the form of evicting them from the Promised Land (e.g., Deuteronomy 28:41, 63–65). In most prophetic books, there are also warnings of divine judgment against Gentile nations (e.g., Isaiah 13–23; Jeremiah 46–51; Ezekiel 25–32). This was due to their own sinfulness, such as idolatry (e.g., Jeremiah 48:7, 13, 46—Chemosh was the primary god of Moab; 50:2) and pride (e.g., Isaiah 16:6; Jeremiah 50:31–32; Obadiah 3), but also due to their mistreatment of God’s chosen people, Israel (e.g., Isaiah 26:12–14; Obadiah 10). The point is, you don’t mess with God’s people; God will make things right! God wants his people to know that and be comforted (“Nahum” means comfort, and that is the purpose of the book by that title). This theme has to do with the very near future so it is considered predictive prophecy.
The fourth and final theme is assurance of hope. Whereas the first three themes are negative, dark, and heavy, this one is positive and upbeat. Furthermore, because the vast majority of the prophets’ messages were made up of the first three themes, especially sin and judgment, this fourth theme is like a breath of fresh air! It is a vital part of God’s message, though, because God is faithful to his unconditional covenant promises—promises that had nothing to do with his people’s faithfulness or obedience. Two of those unconditional promises were that Israel would always be his people and that the land would always be their possession.
So even if God had to deal with their sinfulness and lack of repentance, there was always hope on the other side. He would restore them as his people and return them to their land (e.g., Deuteronomy 30:1–5). One important aspect of this assurance of hope was messianic prophecy. Ultimately, the hope of God’s people was in the anointed one—the Messiah—who would be sent by God to once and for all completely fulfill God’s covenant promises to them. This, of course, anticipated Jesus Christ. One of the best examples here is Isaiah 53. Parts of this chapter are so specific they sound like they came right out of the New Testament:
“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.… My righteous servant will justify the many, and he will bear their iniquities” (vv. 5, 11). This theme is purely predictive prophecy, announcing what God would indeed do in the future, including both the first and second comings of Jesus Christ.
Since the ultimate judgment of God happened when the Israelites were thrown out of the Land into exile, the books of prophecy are often classified according to that event. Most of them are preexilic. These are the ones that warned that God’s judgment was looming. In general chronological order, they are Joel (although the dating of this book is difficult), Jonah, Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, Micah, Nahum, Zephaniah, Habakkuk, Jeremiah, and Obadiah (this book is also hard to date). The exilic books are Daniel and Ezekiel. The entire prophetic ministry of these two men took place in the Babylonian exile. The postexilic books of prophecy are Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. These prophets ministered at the end of Old Testament history after God had brought many of his people back to the land from exile, as he promised he would.
Ezekiel was a very skilled and creative communicator. Not only was he a preacher and poet, as were most of the prophets, he was also an actor (e.g., 4:1–8; 12:1–16), storyteller (e.g., 15:1–8; 24:1–14), and seer of visions (e.g., chapters 1–3).
HAVE A SAFE AND BLESSED WEEK:)
Ho'omaikaʻi ka Pua iā kākou