Origins and Proclamations of Israel Restored

People like myself commonly understand that the "christian" church as we know it today originated back in the first century when the Jews rejected Christ. We act as if the church began from scratch by a bunch of pork eaters like us. But what really happened was that Christ restored the kingdom of God to Israel. Thankfully, it was done in a way that opened a wide door to both the related, but hated, Samaritans and the unrelated and hated Gentiles. Praise God for his faithfulness to Israel and his mission to us Gentiles! The church didn't originate as something new, but a people restored and expanded. It was expanded from East to West.

The book of Acts is also commonly read with the assumption that Christianity ought to have a place in the empire, kingdom, or nation. We also assume that any good Roman official or American politician would support such a harmless religion as the way of Christ. We assume the message of Christians wouldn't offend well-meaning people in power.

Well, I'm here today to tell you that I believe these assumptions are false. I'll admit, though, that I might be taking Luke's letter too personally, especially in chapter 17. Acts 17:5b-9, "While they were searching for Paul and Silas to bring them out to the assembly, they attacked Jason's house. When they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some brothers before the city authorities (politarchs), shouting, "THESE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN TURNING THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN HAVE COME HERE ALSO, AND JASON HAS ENTERTAINED THEM AS GUESTS. THEY ARE ALL ACTING CONTRARY TO THE DECREES OF THE EMPEROR, SAYING THAT THERE IS ANOTHER KING NAMED JESUS." The people and the city officials were disturbed when they heard this, and after they had taken bail from Jason and the others, they let them go."

I don't think the way of Christ is supposed to sound favorable to people in power, whether religious or political leaders. But, ironically, it is a way revealed first to the religious/political nation of Israel through the law and prophets and the psalms (Luke 24:44), and then, in the last days, fulfilled in Jesus (Luke 24:45ff), who is the heir to David's throne. My new assumption is that Acts should remind us of at least four things:

1) This is no "new" religion; it is continuous from the faith of Abraham and David, but the promises from the Hebrew Scriptures are now being fulfilled in Christ and in the people who have, just like always, the Holy Spirit.

2) This "way" doesn't fit easily into even the best of human empires. The Way disturbs people who love their empire and its emperor, their religion and its controllers.

3) The apostles' purpose was to proclaim and testify to the Kingdom of God and

4) to teach about the Lord Jesus Christ in the face of impending persecution.

I haven't gotten these four things from any particular list. It's just from a memory of the book of Acts and a recent observation of how kingdoms collide--God's kingdom with the kingdoms of men.

I'm planning to write a paper on what the early witnesses of Christ proclaimed according to Acts: 1) the Kingdom of God and 2) Jesus Christ, the davidic king raised from the dead.

I'm excited about working on this paper (though overwhelmed), because I want to be able to empower other people to be proclaimers of the Kingdom and of Jesus Christ. I want them to be able to use Scripture responsibly so that even when I'm gone they will continue to proclaim the Kingdom of God and teach about the testimony regarding Jesus whom God has raised from the dead. If this message is true (and I believe it is) then I am convinced that those who proclaim and teach it are in danger of persecution from religious authorities and imprisonment from well-meaning governments.