Most Christians (like myself) know they are supposed to share the gospel with unbelievers, but most Christians rarely—if ever—actually do. Have you ever thought about that?
Ever since the church was born shortly after the ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ, the mandate has been to both evangelize non-believers and disciple believers. But why do we focus most of our attention on the second part (discipleship) and leave the first part (evangelism) almost altogether neglected?
Answer: Fear.
We have a practical fear of man and not a high enough view of God. We cower before unconverted sinners rather than tremble before a holy God. Or am I the only one?
I’ve written a series of posts about God introducing persecution to the early church because they were not being obedient in sharing the gospel with anyone outside the city of Jerusalem. (You can read those posts starting here and here and here.)
This article has a bit to do with why the early church may not have left Jerusalem for Judea and Samaria…and particularly why they didn’t go back to their homes after getting saved in Jerusalem during Pentecost. Enjoy!
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The New Testament church was born “When the Day of Pentecost had come” (Acts 2:1).
Pentecost is one of three national feasts in which all Jews were required to leave their homes and travel to Jerusalem to celebrate. Pentecost (which means “fiftieth”) refers to the Feast of Harvest or Feast of Weeks, and was celebrated in Jerusalem fifty days after Passover (c.f. Leviticus 23:16 and Exodus 34:22-23). Seeing as it was a Feast of Harvest, Leviticus 23:20 commanded an offering of first fruits to be presented.
So when the Holy Spirit descended that day, it signified that those disciples were the first fruits of the Lord’s harvest of all believers to come.
It was under these amazing, festive circumstances that God unrolled His revealed blueprint for Great Commission Discipleship.
Pentecost takes place fifty days after Passover. Upon the Lord’s resurrection, Scripture tells us that Jesus provided “many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days” (Acts 1:3). Jesus commanded the disciples “to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). Therefore, when the disciples were gathered in the upper room during Pentecost, they had been waiting ten days before being miraculously clothed with heavenly raiment.
God has impeccable timing. He is never delinquent in fulfilling His promises.
Do you believe that?
As just mentioned in Luke 24:49, Jesus told the disciples “to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high” (italics mine). Notice the word “until.”
Obviously, once the Holy Spirit had appeared in Jerusalem (“the city”) they were free—literally commanded—to then begin moving on to phase two of the Great Commission’s geographic progression. The next step for the early church was to begin taking the gospel into Judea and Samaria.
But for whatever reason, they just wouldn’t leave Jerusalem. It was way too comfortable.
There was at least a two-year period of time between Jesus being raised from the dead and Stephen being martyred at the end of Acts chapter seven. Therefore, the Lord had been quite patient with the church there in the city of Jerusalem.
Once the disciples had received the Holy Spirit, Peter preached a mighty sermon in which the Lord saved “about three thousand souls” (Acts 2:41). The believers then obediently spread the gospel around the city, living godly lives that both honored and glorified the Lord. As the church committed themselves to radical obedience and the apostles were faithful to their preaching ministries, “the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47).
Take a fresh look at all that was happening during that time and maybe you will understand some of the reasons why those Hellenistic Jews weren’t so eager to leave Jerusalem and go back home, many hundreds of miles away, where there were no other churches or fellow believers.
“They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved” (Acts 2:42-47).
So, do you blame the early church for not being more excited (obedient) about wanting to leave Jerusalem after all the awesome miracles that were taking place? I don’t. But that’s only becuase I’m a sinner like you who enjoys the comforts of sweet fellowship and heart-warming discipleship rather than the lonly trail of evangelistic endeavor.
True or not true?
Image credit: 7ulio Design (Creation Swap)
QUESTION: In what ways does the contemporary American church mimic the early church from Acts 2-7?