Thursday, December 20, 2012

Unity In The Book Of Acts


We have begun to look at unity and the indwelling Spirit of God. The early was confronted with this problem almost immediately.  We are still basking in the glory of the church’s earl experiences in Jerusalem in Acts chapters 2 through 5. The arrival of the Holy Spirit, the lightning like growth of the church, the miraculous healings, the apostles standing up to councils and imprisonments. 

This is heady, intoxicating stuff!

Suddenly, we are brought back down to earth. There is a petty disagreement between believing factions. They call on the apostles to mediate. The apostles had been present when Jesus prayed for unity. They, no doubt, remembered His solution. They gave the solution to the church:

Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business;”  

                                                                                     Acts 6:2-3

Full of the Holy Spirit

The apostles of the Lord believed that unity would be restored and maintained by leaders who were full of the Holy Spirit. They immediately turned to what the Lord had prayed the night before He was crucified – the indwelling presence of God.

In Acts chapter 7, Stephen preaches to a crowd. This is the pinnacle of his message:

“However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says:
            ‘Heaven is My throne,
            And earth in My footstool.
            What house will you build for Me?
                   Says the LORD,
            Or what is the place of My rest?
            Has My hand not made all these
               things?’

                                                Acts 7:48-50

And as Stephen is being martyred, he has this testimony:

“But he (Stephen), being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of the God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,”
                                                                        Acts 7:55



Finally, as he is about to go be with the Lord, Stephen prays for his murderers:

“Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not charge them with this sin.’ And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”
                                                                        Acts 7:60

Being filled with the Holy Spirit, Stephen is able to continue to pursue unity in the face of death.

May each of us be given this grace.

Peter and Gentile Believers

In Acts chapter 10, Peter is instructed by God to go to Caesarea and share the Good News of Jesus with a gentile named Cornelius. As Peter is preaching, the Holy Spirit falls in Cornelius’ house and fills every gentile there. They speak in tongues just like all the believers in the Upper Room on the day of Pentecost, years earlier.

“For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, ‘Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?’”

                                                                                    Acts 10:46-47

Once back in Jerusalem, Peter gets called on the carpet for his actions. Peter gives a detailed account to the church in Jerusalem. He ends with this appeal:

“And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning. Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’

If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?

When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, ‘Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.’”

                                                                                    Acts 11:15-18

First, in Caesarea, Peter appeals to the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit, to maintain unity with the Jewish believers who were with him. Then, back in Jerusalem, he makes the same appeal, although a little more forcefully, to maintain unity in the entire church.

The Jerusalem Council

Finally, Paul and Barnabas are confronted by some men from the church in Jerusalem. Paul and Barnabas are leading many gentiles to faith in Christ but, they are not teaching these new believers to obey the Law of Moses. These men took it upon themselves to preach,

“Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”

                                                                                    Acts 15:1

When Paul and Barnabas returned to Jerusalem they reported “to the church and the apostles and the elders” (notice the order).

“But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, ‘It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the Law of Moses.’”
                                                                                    Acts 15:5

The apostle and elders of the church in Jerusalem decide they need to call a council.

“And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: ‘Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the world of the gospel and believe. So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy spirit, just as He did to us, and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they.’”
                                                                                    Acts 15:7-11

What was the result?

“Then all the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles.”

 Acts 15: 12

 Here is an excerpt from the letter the church in Jerusalem sent to the Gentile church:

“it seemed good to us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who will also report the same things by word of mouth. For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things…”

                                                                                    Acts 15:25-28

Again and again, the early church, the apostles and the elders turned to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to secure and maintain unity.

Shouldn't we do the same?

Lord, by Your Holy Spirit who lives within us, I ask You to bring us back to unity in Your church!

No comments:

Post a Comment