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?

Parable of the Hidden Treasure & the Pearl

Jesus said, "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it" (Matthew 13:44-46).

The parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl are linked together as were the parables of the mustard seed and the yeast. These two short parables were told by Jesus to illustrate two different points about the Kingdom of Heaven. There are some similarities and differences in the two parables. In the parable of the hidden treasure, the scene described is a man laboring in a field, maybe plowing, when he discovered buried treasure. Perhaps when he first made contact with the chest or whatever the treasure was in, he thought he had hit a rock. Digging around it in order to remove the object he discovered to his amazement hidden treasure. How long it had been there and who buried it was not known. People often bury treasure in order to safeguard it from thieves or enemy soldiers. The treasure could have been there for many years and the owner long since deceased. Note: To this date people in the Middle East, and other places for that matter, still bury valuables in the ground. I had Palestinians tell me that during the Intifada they were living off "buried money." The man covered over the treasure and then in his excitement "sold all he had and bought the field." Once he was in ownership of the field, everything in it belonged to him.

The scene in the second parable involves a merchant who dealt in pearls. This man was not a "discounter" but rather traded in better merchandise. Instead of making a little profit on many sales, he was more interested in making a lot off a few transactions. Like Stanley Marcus of the Neiman Marcus Stores, this man was on a "quest for the best." Marcus actually authored a book by that title. One day the merchant found an outstanding pearl. It's large size and perfect shape was unlike anything he had ever seen. He too "sold everything to buy it."

Keep in mind that these parables were meant to teach us about the Kingdom of Heaven. The first parable describes those who discover the Kingdom quite by "accident." One day in a course of daily life, they happen upon the message of the Kingdom and in great joy realize that they have found something very valuable. These people do not get up that morning or begin that week looking for God and or spiritual things. But in his providence they found it and responded with excitement and joy. The second parable portrays individuals who are actively seeking God and looking for spiritual truth and fulfillment. When they encounter the Gospel of the Kingdom, because of their previous experiences, they see how unique and wonderful it is. They also in excitement and joy buy into it by making a total commitment. Saul of Tarsus is an example of someone who "happened" upon the Kingdom on his way to Damascus and the Ethiopian official who traveled to Jerusalem looking for God was searching for truth. As you read these parables ask yourself which one is more descriptive of you Did you find God after years of searching or just happen to discover salvation one day. If neither is the case, then perhaps this message will cause you to stop and think and then respond.