Embracing Openness: Lessons from the Early Church

 

Summary

In reflecting on the early church, we are reminded of the profound challenges and opportunities that the first followers of Jesus faced. They navigated a world without a canonized Bible, relying instead on the Hebrew Scriptures, circulating letters, and personal testimonies of Jesus Christ. The Spirit's power, as seen at Pentecost, energized the early church leaders, granting them authority and ability to spread the message of Jesus. This was a time of great uncertainty and questioning, especially for those within the Jewish community who were grappling with the idea of Jesus as the Messiah, and for Gentiles who were being invited into this new movement. The early church was a melting pot of diverse perspectives, with some Jewish leaders resisting the spread of the message beyond their community.

Paul and Barnabas shared incredible stories from their missionary journeys, while Peter and James, key leaders in Jerusalem, confirmed the expansive vision God had given them. This vision was far greater than they could have imagined, and it required them to embrace a broader understanding of God's work in the world. Despite the lack of a formalized Bible, the church grew rapidly in its first two centuries, fueled by stories, letters, and miraculous experiences.

Today, we are called to let conversations, debates, and disagreements be part of our church life. It is through these discussions, guided by God's grace and the Spirit, that we can listen, consider, and understand different perspectives. We must strive to arrive at a sense of truth, grounded in core principles that unite us. The mission of being followers of Jesus who live their faith in the world is non-negotiable. Our role is not to judge who can receive Christ but to witness and facilitate that encounter. By embracing openness, as the early church did, we honor God's work through Christ and live out our faith in transformative ways.

Key Takeaways:

1. The early church thrived without a formalized Bible, relying on the Hebrew Scriptures, letters, and testimonies. This reminds us that faith is not solely dependent on written texts but also on the living experiences and stories of believers. The Spirit's power is essential in guiding and energizing the church's mission. [04:04]

2. The early church faced significant challenges, including cultural and religious tensions. These challenges were opportunities for growth and understanding, as they required believers to engage with diverse perspectives and seek a broader vision of God's work. [06:27]

3. Conversations, debates, and disagreements are vital to church life. They allow us to listen, consider, and understand different viewpoints, ultimately leading us to a deeper sense of truth. This process is guided by God's grace and the Spirit's movement among us. [07:44]

4. Core principles, such as being followers of Jesus, are non-negotiable and must unite us. These principles guide our actions and help us live out our faith in the world, honoring God's work through Christ. [09:07]

5. Our role is to witness and facilitate encounters with Christ, not to judge who can receive Him. By embracing openness and inclusivity, we continue the mission of the early church, allowing God's transformative work to unfold in our lives and communities. [10:02]

Youtube Chapters:

[00:00] - Welcome
[04:04] - The Early Church's Challenges
[05:42] - Cultural and Religious Tensions
[06:27] - Paul's Missionary Journeys
[07:44] - Embracing Debate and Disagreement
[09:07] - Core Principles of Faith
[10:02] - Openness and Inclusivity in Faith

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Acts 2:1-4 - The Day of Pentecost and the coming of the Holy Spirit.
2. Acts 15:1-21 - The Council at Jerusalem and the inclusion of Gentiles.
3. Galatians 3:28 - Unity in Christ beyond cultural and religious boundaries.

Observation Questions:
1. What were the key sources of guidance for the early church in the absence of a canonized Bible? [04:04]
2. How did the early church leaders like Paul and Barnabas contribute to the spread of the Gospel? [06:27]
3. What were some of the cultural and religious tensions faced by the early church? [05:42]
4. How did the early church handle disagreements and debates within their community? [07:44]

Interpretation Questions:
1. How did the power of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost influence the early church's mission and growth? [04:04]
2. In what ways did the early church's openness to diverse perspectives contribute to its rapid growth? [06:27]
3. What can we learn from the early church's approach to handling disagreements and debates? [07:44]
4. How does the concept of unity in Christ, as mentioned in Galatians 3:28, challenge our current understanding of inclusivity in the church?

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you relied on personal testimonies or experiences to strengthen your faith. How did it impact your spiritual journey? [04:04]
2. How can you contribute to spreading the message of Jesus in your community, similar to the missionary efforts of Paul and Barnabas? [06:27]
3. What are some practical ways you can engage with diverse perspectives within your church community to foster growth and understanding? [05:42]
4. How do you handle disagreements and debates in your church or small group? What steps can you take to ensure these discussions are constructive and guided by grace? [07:44]
5. Identify a core principle of your faith that is non-negotiable for you. How does this principle guide your actions and interactions with others? [09:07]
6. In what ways can you embrace openness and inclusivity in your faith journey, following the example of the early church? [10:02]
7. Think of someone in your life who may feel excluded from the church community. How can you facilitate an encounter with Christ for them this week? [10:02]

Devotional

Day 1: Faith Beyond Texts
The early church thrived without a formalized Bible, relying on the Hebrew Scriptures, letters, and testimonies. This reminds us that faith is not solely dependent on written texts but also on the living experiences and stories of believers. The Spirit's power is essential in guiding and energizing the church's mission. The early followers of Jesus navigated a world where the New Testament as we know it did not exist. Instead, they leaned on the Hebrew Scriptures, shared letters, and personal testimonies to understand and spread the message of Jesus. This reliance on diverse sources of wisdom and inspiration highlights the dynamic nature of faith, which is not confined to written texts alone. The Spirit's presence, as demonstrated at Pentecost, was a vital force that empowered the early church to grow and thrive. This same Spirit continues to guide and energize believers today, reminding us that our faith is alive and active, shaped by both ancient texts and contemporary experiences. [04:04]

Acts 2:17-18 (ESV): "‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy."

Reflection: How can you open yourself to the Spirit's guidance today, beyond what is written, to experience a living and active faith?


Day 2: Embracing Diversity in Faith
The early church faced significant challenges, including cultural and religious tensions. These challenges were opportunities for growth and understanding, as they required believers to engage with diverse perspectives and seek a broader vision of God's work. The early church was a melting pot of diverse perspectives, with Jewish and Gentile believers coming together to form a new community. This diversity brought about cultural and religious tensions, as different groups grappled with the implications of Jesus' message. However, these challenges also presented opportunities for growth and understanding. By engaging with diverse perspectives, the early church was able to expand its vision of God's work in the world. This broader understanding allowed them to embrace a more inclusive and expansive view of faith, one that transcended cultural and religious boundaries. [06:27]

Galatians 3:28 (ESV): "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

Reflection: What steps can you take today to engage with and learn from someone whose perspective on faith differs from your own?


Day 3: The Value of Dialogue
Conversations, debates, and disagreements are vital to church life. They allow us to listen, consider, and understand different viewpoints, ultimately leading us to a deeper sense of truth. This process is guided by God's grace and the Spirit's movement among us. In the early church, dialogue was a crucial component of community life. Through conversations, debates, and disagreements, believers were able to listen to and consider different viewpoints, leading to a deeper understanding of truth. This process was not always easy, but it was essential for growth and unity. Guided by God's grace and the Spirit's movement, these discussions allowed the early church to navigate complex issues and arrive at a shared sense of purpose. Today, we are called to embrace this same spirit of dialogue, recognizing that it is through open and honest conversations that we can grow in our faith and understanding. [07:44]

Proverbs 27:17 (ESV): "Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another."

Reflection: Is there a conversation or disagreement you've been avoiding? How can you approach it with grace and openness to deepen your understanding and relationships?


Day 4: Uniting in Core Principles
Core principles, such as being followers of Jesus, are non-negotiable and must unite us. These principles guide our actions and help us live out our faith in the world, honoring God's work through Christ. The early church was united by core principles that transcended cultural and religious differences. At the heart of their community was the commitment to follow Jesus and live out His teachings in the world. These non-negotiable principles provided a foundation for unity and guided their actions as they navigated the challenges of their time. By focusing on what truly mattered, the early church was able to honor God's work through Christ and live out their faith in transformative ways. Today, we are called to hold fast to these same core principles, allowing them to guide our actions and unite us as a community of believers. [09:07]

Ephesians 4:3-6 (ESV): "Eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."

Reflection: What core principles of your faith do you need to focus on today to guide your actions and foster unity within your community?


Day 5: Openness to God's Transformative Work
Our role is to witness and facilitate encounters with Christ, not to judge who can receive Him. By embracing openness and inclusivity, we continue the mission of the early church, allowing God's transformative work to unfold in our lives and communities. The early church was marked by a spirit of openness and inclusivity, welcoming both Jews and Gentiles into the fold. Their mission was not to judge who could receive Christ but to witness and facilitate encounters with Him. This openness allowed God's transformative work to unfold in their lives and communities, leading to rapid growth and expansion. Today, we are called to continue this mission by embracing a spirit of inclusivity and openness. By doing so, we honor God's work through Christ and allow His transformative power to shape our lives and communities in profound ways. [10:02]

Acts 10:34-35 (ESV): "So Peter opened his mouth and said: 'Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.'"

Reflection: How can you actively create opportunities today for others to encounter Christ, without judgment or exclusion?

Quotes

"And then we'll move into, actually we have a music meditation to follow. And then a time of communion together. Can you imagine what it must have been like? I can't really. What that first church experience would have been like. You had no canon of the Bible at that point. You had, of course, the... of what we would refer to as the Tanakh, the Hebrew Bible, and letters circulating around, people talking, sharing stories of what their experience, their testimony is of the experience of Jesus the Christ, Jesus the Messiah. What does this all mean?" [00:03:10] (55 seconds)


"And we kind of gloss over that. You know, those types of very pedestrian concerns of people. When we talk about faith, when we talk about who is Jesus in you and how is Jesus, people look at it. through just the day -to -day reality of their lives. They're intrigued by what they're hearing about who this person Jesus was, what he did. Look at these first followers of him, the amazing things they're doing. And there's confusion, and there's dissension, and there's different points of view. And there are leaders within the Jewish community who are saying, no, we will not take this message beyond our community." [00:05:42] (45 seconds)


"and in our in our text today paul and and barnabas are are sharing wonderful story amazing stories of all the things they've been able to achieve and they at this point that had traveled into what we would consider today sort of turkey but sort of then it's kind of asia minor that first mission journey of paul incredible stories and then we have peter and james the the real substantive leadership of the of the church in jerusalem confirming that the vision they've been given by God, and we talked about it last Sunday, that incredible experience, that that vision is so much bigger than we could ever imagine." [00:06:30] (47 seconds)


"this not all gentiles accepted this but it's a message that spread pretty rapidly the church the church grew in the first two centuries without any substantive no canonized bible that they could draw from quite yet just stories letters language and incredible experiences of healing my point this morning is we got to let these conversations happen We have to let dissension and debate and disagreement be part of our church life. I'm not suggesting we are riven by that right now." [00:07:46] (42 seconds)


"But we need to acknowledge that together, with God's grace and the Spirit moving through us, we can hear each other. We can listen, we can consider, we can wonder about different points of view, different perspectives. We need to arrive at a sense of truth. I believe that's fundamental. There's got to be some things that truly do core principles that unite us. And the first and foremost of all those, just as the mission of this Dominion Chalmers says, to be followers of Jesus who live their faith in the world." [00:08:19] (39 seconds)


"But I think if we operate on that openness, just as the first church, we embraced all who came into our fold. We didn't impose a test or a kind of judgment about who can and cannot receive Christ. That's not our. That's not our job, folks. That's God's work. Our job is to be that witness and to make that happen." [00:09:43] (29 seconds)


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Transcript
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