THE GLORY IN THE EARLY CHURCH
Suddenly when the Holy
Spirit came;
when heaven went on a holiday;
when the fall of God rectified the fall of man;
when the effusion from God enabled:
120 in the upper room were
totally immersed into the glory of God. Saturated saints swam into a spiritual
summer! They took heaven’s treasure in bodies, which Paul likened to jars
of clay, into the world – by God’s method of evangelism.
The three co-ordinates were
involved in the process of the progress of the early church. Acts 2 was
much more than speaking in tongues and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The
deeper purpose of Pentecost was to write the word of God on the softest
thing: the regenerate human heart. How is this true? We have to go back
to Jewish history and Mount Sinai, when God wrote commandments on hard
stone. The significance was that this awesome time of fire, glory, and
lightning was 50 days after the lamb was slain and eaten. Pentecost is
50 days after Golgotha. The new covenant in 2 Corinthians 3 implies the
parallel and Paul asks in verse 8, “… how will the ministry of the Spirit
not be more glorious?”
The ministry of the Spirit
gives divine life to the word of God - by quickening and implanting the
sacred seed to the souls of men. Have you noticed how extensive the preaching
and teaching of God’s word was in Acts? Not an intellectual head knowledge,
but the using of the Word as a SPIRITUAL SWORD:
-
that severs the soul from spirit,
-
that encourages death to sin,
-
that separates us from the world,
-
that proclaims victory over
Satan.
Glory in the church rests on
these four foundations. The Spirit and the Word in faithful balance will
lead us to the Cross. The Acts 2 baptism of the Holy Spirit experience,
whether to Jew or Gentile, “purified their hearts by faith”. The pure heart
of Acts 15: 9 was only possible as the deeper work of the Cross was unveiled.
They sank down into His death and made it their own. Check 2 Corinthians
4: 10 – 12.
THE FOUR PHASES OF THE
WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (in Acts).
Acts, chapters 1 to 28, span
35 years: the early church generation. They ate, drank and swam in the
glory of God. They dreamed the visions and acted on them, all for His name’s
sake. Have we seen the four phases of the work of the Holy Spirit? How
the Spirit of God highlighted certain ways God was working in a distinct
emphasis.
In Chapter one the disciples
are bound spiritually, but geographically free. In Acts 1: 6 they ask a
natural question, forgetting the urgent reality at hand: the mighty baptism
in the Holy Spirit in fire. Natural thinking easily diverts us away from
the vital essential. Thomas in John 11: 15, 16 and Peter in Matthew
16: 21 – 23, are good examples of carnal thinking cancelling out the spiritual
realities of the resurrection and the cross. In chapter 28, Paul is spiritually
free but under house arrest. The phases of the Holy Spirit link the beginning
and end of this early church history. A table will help us:
|
Phase |
Chapters |
Keys |
| Phase 1 |
COMMUNITY |
1 – 5 |
UNITY,
POWER |
| Phase 2 |
INDIVIDUAL |
6 – 12 |
GIFT, GUIDANCE |
| Phase 3 |
TEAMWORK |
13 – 20 |
CHURCH-PLANTING |
| Phase 4 |
ALONE |
21 – 28 |
FOR THE DEFENCE OF THE GOSPEL |
| |
|
|
|
PHASE 1: COMMUNITY
After the 10 day prayer meeting
(Acts 1: 14) the power of the Holy Spirit descended, clothing 120 in the
upper room. On resurrection day Jesus HAD breathed into them… a breath.
Now a mighty rushing wind flowed UPON them with a tongue of fire upon each
head. Ten thousand breaths came suddenly, and accomplished the baptism
of fire Jesus predicted in Luke 12: 49 and 50,
“I came to
send FIRE on the earth and how I wish it were already kindled! I
have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed (or hindered)
I am, till it is accomplished.”
True revival is a wind and a
fire – not merely a little blow breath and goose-bumps! Three things had
to happen to make the 120 a community of radical believers.
(a) Initiation into
the power of God. Dynamite power for blowing up the works of the devil,
as one evangelist puts it! Power to get through your 40’s, 50’s, 60’s,
and 70’s -
without doubts
and worry,
without bitterness,
without fears and
regrets!
Power to feel at home in His
presence, and linger there without tormenting accusations.
Power to know the Father
and the Son better than your own family.
Power to wait and listen
to His instructions, so you are not driven mad by trying this and that
in the ministry.
Power to know His voice,
without a trace of doubt or hesitation in responding to His call.
Power to live as He is in
the world; as He is pure and as He is righteous.
(b) Impregnation of
divine life within your spirit so CHRIST IS IN YOU, the hope of glory.
This happens in the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The early church lived
in a culture of strange baptisms and initiation ceremonies. In ancient
rituals, people lay under a cow which was disembowelled and the entrails
covered them! Christians know an inward operation of faith, where Christ
comes to indwell and rule as Lord. As we receive with meekness the implanted
word (or seed), Christ is increasing in us spiritually, as Jesus grew in
Mary’s womb physically. The indweller Christ has become a forgotten reality.
Read Nee, Guyon, Chambers, Norman Grubb, A. W. Tozer, and a host of missionaries
who lived from the blessed reality.
(c) Inauguration of
church life by a public setting forth of a separated people through Pentecost,
the birthday of the true church. The called-out ones would turn the world
upside down. The promise of the Father alone accomplishes and births true
church life. So many denominations were born minus this unique characteristic,
and so become dry and eventually a playground for the demonic. The demons
seek dry places. Many charismatic house fellowships by replacing the Acts
2 baptism with the John 20 experience, have a little life, but do not see
the supernatural realities of normal church life, in terms of the Acts.
One reason is that men still love to dominate over the flock. Sadly many,
who think they are free from manipulation, are still holding to the doctrine
of the Nicolaitians, who loved to rule over the laity.
Four Essentials
A community caught up in
revival has the STAYING POWER of Acts 2: 42. Four ingredients:
1. APOSTOLIC DOCTRINE
2. FELLOWSHIP
3. BREAKING OF BREAD
4. PRAYERS
1. Apostolic doctrine
begins with God as Creator. In Africa you don’t have to start here – they
all know it. In Western Europe it’s a different story, due to evolutionism
and Darwin. Romans 1: 20 is the foundational twin truth: His eternal power
and Godhead. The universe is the product of Word spoken and glory sealed,
as the angels rejoiced at the shock and awe of creation (see Job 38: 6).
In Genesis 3 we read the second great truth of the fall of man. Total depravity
means that Adam, federal head of the human race, took the entire species
with him, into the disposition of sin. Every department of our being has
been contaminated, there is no divine spark, the image has been eradicated.
Adam fathered his own children into sin, “… in his own likeness, in his
own image.” (Genesis 5: 3). The glory had departed, and can only return
in our spirits, when we repent and receive eternal life, and are in-filled
with the Holy Spirit. The third doctrine is Jesus as redeemer. Then follows
the necessity of repentance, the work of the Holy Spirit, and Church life.
A good thing to do:
look at the apostolic sermons in Acts and categorize the main features.
Apostolic doctrine will become clear to you. Is preaching today truly apostolic?
2. Fellowship is a
vastly undervalued word. The early church because of their amazing experience
of the Holy Spirit, were enabled to share His crucified, risen, and ascended
life with one another. Fellowship with God being translated to fellowship
with one another; which is the heartbeat of church life. Without it, we
follow religion, dead tradition and humanism. Fellowship is out-worked
by Acts 9: 31, “… walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of
the Holy Spirit.” The apostle of love who placed his head on the breast
of Jesus in the context of the exposure of betrayal, knew that fellowship
with the Father and the Son was the only source of our fellowship as believers,
see 1 John 1: 3. Oh for a small group of believers to know what God is
doing and saying and to walk in that!
The text of a deeply fellowshipping
church comes in 1 Corinthians 14: 26 – 30. Note the last verse – someone
who is sharing must shut up if another has a revelation! Our meetings usually
don’t get there because they are usually controlled by a leader. Conversely,
body ministry can often be ruined by an over-functioning brother or sister.
Sadly, many meetings inhibit a strong flow of revelation from the body
of Christ, where keen believers share fresh oil, latest testimony, and
new adventures. We cannot turn on this reality like the flick of a switch.
We need prayerful preparation, a spirit of gentleness and submission to
one another, and a listening ear. I remember how Rowland Evans, of Horizons,
would listen for hours to fellow and younger workers, before he would venture
his God-guided opinion. A leader who truly listens is a rarity today.
3. Breaking of bread:
community maintains its unity through the Holy Communion. Our remembrance
of His passion becomes anointed and richly meaningful as we lay down our
lives for one another. The broken body of Jesus and His poured out blood
becomes the focus of worship, the heart of righteousness, and the center
of wisdom, as we love the brethren. Too often breaking of bread is tacked
onto our services, and rushed, without reverence. We are judged in taking
communion unworthily: some die prematurely and are sick because sin in
the life of a believer, or between brothers and sisters has not been dealt
with. Sin is either judged by us: by coming to the Cross in repentance;
or by the Lord when we stand before Him. The two major reasons why believers
backslide is unresolved sin and unresolved relationships. The breaking
of bread is the place of restoration of unity, so vital in Church life.
4. Prayers: in Acts
4: 24f we can get a snapshot of the power of collectively pouring words
out of a burdened heart. They proclaimed who God was and knew the protocol
of approaching the Holy One of Israel. They used O. T. scripture in a biblical
argument in order to receive new boldness (verses 25 – 29). Prayers came
to a crescendo and then the Holy Spirit fell in power, shaking the room.
From verses 31 – 33 they went forth in power. Three actions occur: prayer
of the saints, power of the Spirit, purpose of the Son of God continuing.
PHASE 2: INDIVIDUAL
In chapter
six the Holy Spirit changes His emphasis from community to an individual
spotlight. We see cameos of Stephen, Peter, Philip, Ananias, Cornelius,
Dorcas, Rhoda, and the conversion of Saul, and Barnabas eventually bringing
him to the church at Antioch. The massive persecution of the church at
Jerusalem in AD 37 brought about a lay-led movement of men and women going
out from the city they cherished. From Jew to Gentile, from Jerusalem to
Antioch, we see the gospel beginning to go to the uttermost parts of the
earth.
In Acts 6 we glimpse church
government and see how individuals can find their place in the body of
Christ.
(a) The secret of efficiency
is diversity (Acts 6: 3, 4).
Some are deacons. Some are
apostles and prophets, who must not be entangled with tasks that others
can do. Every part doing their share, “… causes growth of the body for
the edifying of itself in love.” (Ephesians 4: 16). We need to know if
we are hand or foot, an ear or eye, see 1 Corinthians 12: 14 – 20. The
ear of the teacher, the eye of the prophet, the hand of the pastor, and
the foot of the evangelist are four precious brethren. Rejoice in the gifting
God has placed in you. Too many try to do too much! Too many don’t really
know what to do! Glory comes to the church when we all know our calling
and anointing. The prophetic eye may need the artistic hand. The head of
good theology needs the feet of action: ideas need legs (see 1 Corinthians
12: 21).
(b) The secret of spirituality
is priority (Acts 6: 4)
Not everyone is an Ephesians
4 five fold ministry. We may teach or evangelize on one level, but not
in the apostolic team, constantly travelling, birthing churches. We need
to rejoice in mega-ministries without envy or covetousness. We all run
in a race designed by Father, each on his or her own track. We are not
running against each other, but seizing aggressively the prize of an imperishable
crown. We are, whatever our calling, like professional athletes striving
for the mastery, refusing aimless drifting, and disciplining our body.
We are not shadow boxers but hitting the target, whether administrator,
healer, helps, deacon or apostle, showing mercy or one used in discernment.
Glory comes to the church when there is a respect for priority in ministry.
The trouble has been we are slow to recognize what has been given to each
other. Also, we need to learn how to respect those above us, who operate
in the intensification of the apostolic team.
(c) The secret of equality
is the Holy Spirit (Acts 6: 6 – 8)
Peter won 3000 souls. Stephen
received 3000 stones! Both men had yielded unreservedly to the Holy Spirit.
Whether you have a ministry of helps or an apostle, the essential is the
indwelling Spirit. Whatever our function in the body of Christ, do we exhibit
the disposition of Jesus Christ? In terms of kingdom realities there is
little distinction between Dorcas and Cornelius, or Philip and Rhoda, or
Ananias and Saul. They all obeyed God and lived out of their regenerate
spirits.
In this section we see Stephen
going through three stages of the Cross as Devern Fromke reveals in “Ultimate
Intention”.
a)The Principle
of the Cross. Stephen knew the price of power and faith when he preached
in Acts 7. He knew the consequences! (6: 8)
b)The Place of the Cross.
Stephen had to face the council (6: 12 – 15). The elevation of the Holy
Spirit through his spirit caused his face to shine as an angel. Glory!
c)The Power of the Cross.
The power of the martyrdom was the great sequel causing Paul to find it
hard to kick against the pricks of conscience.
1 Corinthians 1: 18 says in
expansion:
“This divine cross
– principle, when expressed in mere
words, is utter foolishness
to the man of this world who
embraces a selfish way of
life; but where these two ways
of living come into conflict,
an exposure is produced.
This is the place where
God released His divine energy
in explosive power to utterly
rectify man.”
Devern Fromke:
free translation.
That’s what happened
between Stephen and Paul – that is the missing ingredient in today’s church.
Also in this section we see
Philip, God’s paratrooper entering Samaria with the supernatural gospel
that is both seen and heard. Casting out demons produced the joy of the
Lord, as Philip preached Christ, revival came. Then God asked him a difficult
command: to go into the desert, leaving the popularity, and speak to ONE
MAN! Philip obeyed and reaped a remarkable blessing – many revivals till
he came to Caesarea (see Acts 8: 40).
A good thing to do:
trace all the verses which apply to gift and to guidance in Acts 6 – 12.
The overwhelming evidence of this section is that the empowered individual
must GO into all the world. Easy armchair Christianity must be spurned,
especially when we are young. God comes in the glory of revival power to
the young at heart. The greatest pivotal guidance is probably Acts 10:
9 when Peter went to pray on the housetop, falling bodily into a trance.
His time with Cornelius changed the church forever. Let’s pray:
“O heavenly
Father who authors our contacts and connections, lead me by the Holy Spirit
to find deep
heart fellowship with those
key people you permit me to meet. For the sake of Jesus name and Your
kingdom. Amen.”
PHASE 3: TEAMWORK
Acts 13 is a great turning
point where the glory of missions begins, birthed by the Holy Spirit. Here
we find the itinerant church planter or apostle, the wide-eyed zealous
anointed one, fully focussed on his Lord Jesus! There are 28 in the New
Testament according to Derek Prince, but alas they are rare in the UK in
the 21st century. 2 Corinthians 12: 12 speak of their main characteristics:
“… with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds…”. The
deeds primarily were church planting and church building.
The disciples had been designated
apostles after they had been sent out in Matthew 10 - they preached and
demonstrated the kingdom by healing and deliverance. They were part of
a team, with Jesus as first and head Apostle. The General will speak with
the officers and a chain of command will be established. It is like this
in the body of Christ, there is a hierarchy in the kingdom and the Holy
Spirit established it in Acts 13: 2, “Now separate to ME, Barnabas and
Saul for the work to which I called them.” (Emphasis mine).
Fasting and prayer by prophets
and teachers sealed the commission. The key concept was “GO” and “BIRTH”
church life in regions beyond.
However, the two apostles
separated by the Holy Spirit, were separated by strong differences over
John Mark (Acts 15: 36 – 41). Contention became sharp as Paul remained
the disciplinarian, and Barnabas exhibited a forgiving attitude – but it
was Paul who was commended by the brethren, taking another prophet, Silas,
to Syria. Teams can change; it may be hurtful but often necessary. Paul
became the master-builder of the church because he could see the Lord’s
purpose with greatest clarity of mind and purity of heart. He did not count
his life dear to himself (Acts 20: 24), counting the losses of his old
life as excrement (Philippians 3: 8)! The diaries written by Gene Edwards
are helpful to see this phase of teamwork. His book “Revolution” is an
excellent overview on Acts.
A good thing to do: will
we venture into mission? Will we take the time to pursue God in another
culture? This education remains priceless to the submitted, obedient heart.
World is a New Testament word. “God so loved the world He gave…”. “Go into
all the world and preach the gospel to every creature… making disciples
of all the nations….” Missions abound today. Honour God in agreeing with
His heartbeat. The commission of the church is mission. Experiencing this
is more important than finding your life partner.
PHASE 4: ALONE
After unveiling mysteries
to young believers in the adventure of God’s itinerary, the apostle Paul
now has to stand for the defence and purity of the gospel of God at Rome.
The Holy Spirit is not mentioned hardly in this last section (the exception
being Agabus), but HE is still SOVEREIGNLY at work.
| Paul gives four testimonies: |
before the Jerusalem mob,
before the council and,
before Felix,
before Agrippa. |
This is the grip of God’s
grace in these dangerous situations. Acts 22: 3 states:
“I am a Jew, born
in Tarsus but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according
to the strictness
of our father’s law, and
I was zealous towards God as you all are today.”
The uproar in Acts 22: 22 was
related to the word that commanded him to go to the Gentiles. We need to
be supernaturally strengthened by the Spirit to preach boldly the truth
and to give testimony (see Luke 21: 12 – 19). Also Luke 12: 12 brings the
dimension of the Holy Spirit who will teach in that very hour what you
ought to say. At the apostle Paul’s conversion we see the truths of suffering,
and the priority of going to the Gentiles. The Lord spoke to Ananias in
Acts 9: 15 and 16,
“Go, for he
is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and
the children of Israel. For I
will show him how many things
he must suffer for My Name’s sake.”
Note: Gentiles first.
It took some years before Paul did it! The glory of God is upon us when
we act on God’s orders. Unusual miracles accompanied Paul when he preached
to the heathen. But now he was alone, and Acts 26: 22 sums up this section:
“Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day,
I STAND….”. In the hour
of trial he stood, by the Holy Spirit strengthening. In Acts 23: 6 he was
given a mouth of wisdom in detecting the differences in his audience and
exploiting them! The supernatural help came because of his holy character.
In Acts 23: 1 he opens his defence by declaring, “… he lived in all good
conscience before God until this day.”
A good thing to do:
Check out Acts 27, the shipwreck in the winter season. Winter is a time
when no one will listen to you (27: 10, 11), when deceitfulness happens
(27: 13), when all hope is gone (27: 20), when confusion reigns (27: 41,
“where two seas met”), and when you jettison things (27: 32, 38). Has there
been a winter in your experience? Describe your time of difficulty and
loss and the sense of being alone. How did God deliver you?
Many today have to withstand
persecution unto death, but there is comfort in this phase. All of us will
experience being alone. God called Abraham alone. This is not loneliness
that breeds isolation and demonic oppression, but such a focusing on God
that people are of secondary concern. Elijah had Cherith, Moses had Midian,
Paul his Arabia, and David knew the wilderness for 8 years, being hunted
by Saul. God wants us to go to Him alone, abandoned, surrendered, to the
place where we are yielded to Him. He uses persecution to take away human
co-dependency.
What has this to do with
glory? We only know God by intensifying our desires to be with Him. Out
of that being in His presence, comes the harvest glory that gives God glory.
True “doing” issues out of deep “being”. The works that give God glory
come out of worship in the sanctuary. Paul had two “alone” periods: the
Arabian years of preparation, and the Roman years of proclamation under
house arrest. During the latter phase he preached the kingdom of God, and
taught the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. When people forsake
us, remember there is a place in Heaven – our home of glory we can experience
NOW IN JESUS NAME.
The Four Phases.
Which ones have we known
to some degree? Can we come before God and ask Him to deepen our lives:
in community relationships, in seeking God for individual giftings and
guidance, in joining teamwork in mission, and knowing God even in the seasons
of being alone?
There has been a huge desire
to see revival glory in the United Kingdom. Prophecies of imminent blessing
have eventually disappointed and confused the Church. Is it because we
have not had the same mighty baptism of Acts 2 as the early Church? Is
it because we have not understood these four essential phases that comprise
glory in the Church? Or is it that we have not fully met the conditions
of the cross in our lives?
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