The Early Church’s Message

On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came and filled all the believers who were present in the Upper Room. The group then went to the temple courts where Peter stood up with the Eleven. He raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say” (Acts 2:14). He declared that what was happening was the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy regarding the outpouring of the Spirit in the last days. Then he said, “Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him” (Acts 2:22-24).

After he made several references to the patriarch David’s statements about Messiah, Peter concluded with this pointed application, “’Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.’ When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’ Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.’ With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, ‘Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.’ Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day” (Acts 2:36-41).

This passage is a very important one because it sets forth what the early church’s message was and what people needed to do to be saved and become part of the church. Let’s go back and look at the points that Peter made to them. First of all, there was the call to repent. People needed to repent of their sins and for their part in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. While they had been part of the conspiracy of the Jewish leadership to have him crucified, Scripture makes it clear that his death on the cross was all part of God’s plan of salvation. Our sins, the New Testament states, were part of the reason that Jesus died on the cross (see 1 John 4:10). Since everyone has sinned, everyone needs to repent.

Secondly, through his address he affirmed who Jesus was—the Christ or Messiah and what he did—die on the cross. He also emphasized the fact of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. These things were all part of what his followers believed and they shared their faith to others in witness. Christians believe this and much more about the person of Jesus Christ. We are saved by believing in our hearts and confessing with our mouths (see Romans 10:9-10).

Thirdly, Peter called upon them to be baptized. John the Baptist, the forerunner to Messiah, had begun his ministry by challenging the people of Israel to repent of their sins and be baptized (see Mark 1:4). To this message the Church would add faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection. Baptism is the outward sign of what has spiritually occurred in our hearts. We also identify with him and with all others who have accepted him as Saviour and Lord. This is the bottom line, so to speak, of what you need to do in order to be saved and join the church. Repent of sins, believe the Gospel, and be baptized. Have you done this?

A Complete Communication

Matthew records and comments upon Jesus' early ministry in this way. "Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them. Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him" (Matthew 4:23-25).

The disciple John uses the term "logos" which means "the word" or "revelation." Jesus Christ was "the Word" -- God's revelation to mankind. Matthew's description of Jesus' ministry reveals the complete communication that Jesus' ministry was. It consisted of teaching the Scriptures, preaching the Gospel, and the healing of diseases. Luke in his introduction writes about "all that Jesus began to do and teach until the day he was taken up to Heaven" (Acts 1:1-2) Let us consider the various aspects of Jesus' ministry to see what he did and how he wants to use us, his Church and body, in the world today.

First of all, Jesus was known as a teacher. Even other world religions who do not accept him as the divine Son of God who came back to life recognize him as one of the great religious teachers of all time. Jesus taught and expounded upon the Word of God. What he taught about the Scriptures often stood in variance to what other rabbis had said. Jesus gave the original and correct interpretation and often had to contradict popular thought. An example of this would be Jesus' teaching on the Sabbath. As a Jew, Jesus went to synagogues which were places where people in a given locality gathered for prayer, worship, instruction and fellowship. The synagogue was and is to Jews what church services are to Christians. Bible study and teaching must be a cornerstone of the Church today.

Secondly, Jesus was a preacher of the Good News or Gospel of the Kingdom. Repentance of sin and faith in Christ are the ways that people enter the Kingdom of God. Jesus told people how they could become part of God's rule or reign. An analysis of Jesus' sermons reveals that he was principally a preacher of the way to know God and live under his authority. The idea of God's Kingdom was central to Jesus' teaching and is mentioned 50 times in the gospel of Matthew alone. People today need to hear how they can become part of the spiritual kingdom that Christ rules and reigns over which is the Church.

The third aspect of Jesus' ministry involved healing that included "every disease and sickness among the people." Jesus' success as a healer caused many people to be brought to him who were suffering from various illnesses. Matthew itemizes these things: a) people "suffering from severe pain." In other words not just a mere headache but a debilitating condition; b) the demon possessed. A cursory reading of the Gospels shows numerous individuals who were under demonic influence. One of the ways that people open themselves up to this today is through the use of drugs; c) people having seizures. A medical diagnosis today indicates that a cause is often epilepsy or tumors. d) the paralyzed. Some were in this condition due to birth and others due to accidents. It is important to note that Jesus had the power to heal all of these conditions. While these matters may be beyond our ability to help or even that of the medical community, we can still do what people did then and that is to bring these individuals to Christ through prayer. Jesus continues to heal and help those in need.