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Maybe the beginning of Christianity happens further into the
life of Christ perhaps at its end. Keep
in mind it was Judas (an apostle or disciple of Christ) who betrayed Jesus into
the hands of the religious leadership of the day in order that they might kill
Jesus. One could argue that the words
those jealous church leaders shrieked at the top of their lungs before Pilate,
“His blood be on us and our children and our children’s children” might have
been where Judaism was separated from Christianity in finality. But this was not quite so either. For the church begins with an entirely Jewish
crowd, both apostle, believer, and member alike. So that must not have been it either. In point of fact it was nothing done before
His crucifixion at all that could parse one from the other. It was only afterwards where our choices
began to emerge alongside our belief in one central tenant where Christianity
separated itself from Judaism. Perhaps
it was this final doctrine that proved to be the genesis of one, and the
declination of the other.
Everyone knew Jesus died.
That news did not need spreading.
It was His resurrection that made all the difference. It is therefore ironic to me that those
Christians who take pleasure in symbols so often select a cross to represent
Jesus, rather than a large round stone rolled away at His gravesite where the cause
of our good news was to begin. After all
a dead Jesus is something the entire world could get behind. But a living Lord is entirely another matter. Indeed the first church was not just those
faithful followers both men and women, not just the 12 (now eleven with the
loss of Judas), it was more like 120 in all.
They all experienced Him alive after the grave. For 40 days they interacted with Him from a
road to Emmaus, to the upper room. From
meals in that upper room to meals on the Galilean shore, Jesus was real to
these followers AFTER His death. “That”
was the news that needed to be spread.
His status as living Lord would cement our salvation, our resurrection,
and our eternal destiny of walking with Him one-on-one again throughout a
Heavenly home He was building for us.
For those wondering how Jesus can be personal in Heaven with so many
saved, keep in mind God is not limited by physics and can be in many places at
once, interacting with many people at once.
But that is study for another time.
I believe Dr. Luke gives us the origin of the Christian
church right there in the first part of his book of the Acts of the Apostles in
chapter one. It begins with the seminal
doctrine or teaching or truth of Christianity that separates us from Judaism
and perhaps forms the genesis of our church as a church. Beginning in verse 9-15 many of the close
followers of Jesus (noted later as at least 120) have gathered with Him for
last time here on planet earth on mount of Olivet (only a Sabbath day’s journey
from the upper room at Jerusalem). To
note it is a Sabbath day’s journey might perhaps mean this gathering was done
on Sabbath itself. It also denotes that
keeping the Sabbath would remain important to the true Christian church not
just to the declining Jewish faith. Even
if distances would become less important over time.
Picking up in verse 9 it begins … “And when he had spoken these things,
while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their
sight. [verse 10] And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went
up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; [verse 11] Which also
said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing
up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall
so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” The first doctrine or truth of Christianity
would be His ascension into Heaven alive and well. The angels sent to guide us would help us
remember He would come back as He left in like manner for every eye to see Him. But now is not time to gaze into the clouds,
now is the time for church to begin to get started, for there is a great work
to do.
Luke continues in verse 12 saying … “Then returned they unto
Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's
journey. [verse 13] And when they were come in, they went up into an upper
room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and
Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes,
and Judas the brother of James. [verse 14] These all continued with one accord
in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and
with his brethren. [verse 15] And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of
the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred
and twenty,)” Here Luke lays out
all the facts; they were on Mount Olivet at the ascension. It was a Sabbath day’s journey from the upper
room (hardly important if it was not on the Sabbath day itself). The main core of the disciples began by
praying and that core included also the family of Jesus, and the female
followers like Mary who also gathered there.
And when they numbered all the true followers of Jesus it came up to
about 120 both men and women.
Then the first order of business of the church, to replace
that which had been lost. This was a
tough duty. You have a unique place in
the work of God, and in the kingdom of God.
It is something you alone were made to do, and gifted to do. The loss of you is keenly felt when you leave
it. But though wounded, the work of God
must go on. When Judas chose to end his
own life rather than seek redemption and forgiveness, he put a hole in the
ministry of God. This is no judgment
about the salvation of Judas for eternity it is only a real assessment of his
loss to the ministry. His loss was
keenly felt. But the work needed to go
on. It would now do so with a
replacement, never the same as Judas, but different and to be used differently
by our Lord and Savior. Luke continues
in verse 16 saying … “Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been
fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning
Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus. [verse 17] For he was
numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry. [verse 18] Now this man
purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst
asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. [verse 19] And it was
known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in
their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood. [verse
20] For
it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no
man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.”
Scripture had long ago predicted the betrayal by a bishop or
apostle of Christ. The field of blood
that would result from the suicide of Judas would make that land desolate as no
one wanted it with that stain. And the
work of Judas as a bishop of Jesus would need for another to take up. The early church may employ the entire 120
followers in one capacity or another, but the special role of one-of-the-twelve
needed to be refilled. Luke continues in
verse 21 saying … “Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the
time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, [verse 22] Beginning
from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must
one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection. [verse 23] And they
appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. [verse
24] And
they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew
whether of these two thou hast chosen, [verse 25] That he may take part of
this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he
might go to his own place. [verse 26] And they gave forth their lots; and
the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.”
Matthias was not the same as Matthew, just similar
names. And the apostles did not let
Peter pick him, as some folks believe Peter was left in charge of the first
Christian church, he was not. He was merely
one of its leaders. All the apostles
prayed, and selected lots, and cast them to allow the Holy Spirit to decide
which person to join. This was NOT a
condemnation of Joseph Barsabas who was not selected. He did not quit the church or stop
serving. He simply did other work. Because it was not documented here we do not
know what that work was. But at this
stage we hardly know what the work of Matthias was yet to be either. This is a beginning, not a finale. These men have seen and known Jesus from the
baptism with John until the ascension just viewed the other Sabbath day. A belief they both held, a belief they all
held and all were witnesses to.
So where does Christianity begin for you? Does it begin when you start to read the
Bible, or study it? Does it begin when
find yourself walking side-by-side with Jesus even though He is invisible to
you? Do you sense His presence? Or perhaps, since Jesus is both the author
and finisher of your faith, perhaps only Jesus knows the true beginning of
Christianity in you, a question you may have to ask Him when once you meet Him
at the end of all things here. Perhaps
more important than when it begins in you, is what you hold true that separates
you from the world. You believe in
Jesus. You believe that Jesus lives. You believe that Jesus is coming back to put
an end to the evil in this world once and for all. And on that day Jesus will be looking to take
you home with Him forever. Those
beliefs, that shared surrender to the savior of your soul, is what separate you
from the world of lies.
This message of Christianity was spread exclusively in the
beginning by people of Jewish descent.
It was intended for other Jews, for all Jews. It came to us only later when the Jewish
fields had dried up. And that is
OK. For we see Christianity is not about
coming from any race, sex, creed, or nation, or class. It is about believing in a doctrine of a
living Lord, not just the crucifixion, but the resurrection, ascension, and
coming return. The goal of salvation is to
return us to a state of walking with Him face-to-face, in a home He built for
us to last forever more. Has
Christianity begun in you, it can right now, all you need do is seek Jesus and
you will find Him; for His promises are the guarantees of God.
