Wednesday: The Early Church and Comfort Zones
Daily Lesson for Wednesday 18th of October 2023
Read Acts 8:1-4. In the early church, what brought about the scattering of believers beyond their comfort zone?
Until this time, the early church was mainly in Jerusalem (or within the Jewish territory and among the Jewish people). When persecution began—in which Saul, a devout Jew and a Pharisee, was actively involved—the church in Jerusalem was then dispersed all over Judea and Samaria.
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Jesus had predicted in Acts 1:8 that “ ‘you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria’ ” (NIV). This statement was fulfilled, as noted in Acts 8:4, that “those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went” (NIV).
Even after the church began to move out beyond Jerusalem, the believers were still preaching in the regions of the Jews or in the neighborhoods of the Jewish people in other cities. Acts 11:19 indicates that the believers were dispersed all the way to Phoenicia (Lebanon) and Cyprus, but they did not at this stage preach the message to anyone other than the Jews alone. The disciples of Jesus and the early church did not intend to see the Gentiles, but only Jews, come to the Lord. They still had very narrow views on what the mission of the church was to be.
Peter, a disciple of Jesus and one of the leading figures of the early church, was averse to taking the gospel message to the Gentiles, even after Paul had begun to do so. Peter was known as an apostle to the circumcised (meaning the Jews), and Paul an apostle to the Gentiles (Galatians 2:8). Early on, Peter did not even want to be seen with the Gentiles (Galatians 2:11-12). However, God moved Peter out of his comfort zone and changed his heart. He was starting to learn about what the gospel commission really entailed and what Jesus’ death was meant to accomplish for the whole world.
Read Acts 10:9-15,28-29. What was the message that the Lord was giving to Peter, and how must we, in our day and age, apply this principle to the work of mission?
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The Jewish-Gentile interaction in the early Christian Church is not surprising considering Jewish attitudes at the time. For centuries the Jews had considered themselves the chosen people who were ultimately going to be the ruling class in an earthly kingdom. Then Christianity comes along and turns that idea on its head.
The vision given to Peter about the unclean animals prior to his meeting with Cornelius and his family (Acts 10) gave a clear message that the Gentiles were included in this salvation thing. But old attitudes don't just go away and Peter was caught out by Paul, practicing Christian "apartheid". It might be all right for Gentiles to become Christians but who wants to eat with them?
This is not just a casual, "Oh, I did not realise; I am sorry" event. One needs to understand that a lot of early church gatherings were based on shared meals. And if the Jews were in one room and the Gentiles in another, the only thing being shared was the meal, when it should have been a time for sharing ideas and experiences.
Peter was outside his comfort zone in spite of the fact that he had a direction vision from God about sharing the Gospel with the Gentiles.
One of the lessons we need to draw from this episode is that mission is often about changing our own attitudes and actions, and not just reaching out to others. We need to see ourselves as others see us. Peter probably thought he was doing rather well until he was brought up short by Paul.
In this study about mission, if anything needs changing we should probably start with ourselves. Without the leading of the Holy Spirit, that is impossible.
"One of the lessons we need to draw from this episode is that mission is often about changing our own attitudes and actions, and not just reaching out to others... if anything needs changing we should probably start with ourselves." Many thanks for this insightful statement. We so often are deluded into thinking that mission is all about others changing their attitude and behaviours towards GOD. Rarely do we think it’s first and foremost about changing our attitude in cooperation with GOD. Indeed the our first mission field is our own deceitful hearts. GOD bless this you and all on this platform.
Sometimes, to see what's ahead of us, it is necessary to have a "time of processing." We are not always conscious of our reality. Imagination also can be deceiving. Thus, for us to accept some things, God puts us in a spot where the observed means different. Why would God want us confused? He does not wish us to be mistaken; he wants us to see the apparent essence; all we need is an unblocked vision. May we all see clearly what's evident in our mission today.
How did Peter get so confused about who was to hear the gospel, the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ when he was there when Jesus told the disciples to go into all of the world, preaching the gospel to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, that he needed a direct revelation from God that the Gentiles were not unclean?
The apostle Paul also received a direct awakening from Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus to persecute Christians. Jesus told him that he was chosen to present the Gospel to the Gentiles, and that he would suffer for Him. Paul was blinded, but soon he could see.
What do these inspired lessons from the Word of God mean to you and me today? The Holy Spirit called us out of darkness into His marvelous light! We were blind, but now we see. While we were dead in our sins, Christ died for us!
Now is the time to share this Good News to those who haven't heard!
Ephesians 2:8-10
Matthew 28:18-20
Revelation 14:6-7,12.
John 3:16
etc. etc.
Changing our own attitudes is indeed an enormous task, and it's part of our personal growth in Christ. Philippians 2:7 comes to mind, as Jesus himself started out with NO sin in his perspective but yet needed drastic adjustment, to become one of us to save us from sin. His humbling himself was more extreme than any we can do.
The Christian walk is all about humbling ourselves, learning to cast off the me we knew and to take on the me that Christ is developing. I John 3:2
Spiritual complacency is dangerous. It is a deadly enemy to our Christian growth. This leaves us vulnerable to spiritual dangers. Complacency does not allow us to live out the mission and this will negatively impact our witness. God wants us to do far more than to passively preserve what He has entrusted to us with our talent, time, and treasure and He wants us to use all to His glory. We should rejoice in the fact that God has no territorial line, no castes, no aristocracy, or creed. May we not be complacent Revelation 3:16-: So then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue you out of my mouth." These lessons are relevant to us today as we are closer to the second coming of Christ more than ever before.
Thank you for the lesson i need to first change myself then go out
I apologise if I have misunderstood your comment and there is truth in what you are saying but I would also encourage you to continue look for the Holy Spirits leading and follow.
It has been my experience that sometimes God has us wait while He works on us and other times He has us go out and get "on the job" training. The Spirit can guide you in the way you should go... We are all learning and students of our great God and Savior. May God bless you and keep you and cause His glory to shine upon you and through you.