Greetings to you friend! I’m Mack Lyon. The program’s “In Search of the Lord's Way.” Oh say! It’s so good to have you join our study. The topic for today has been requested. We’re calling it, “First Century Christianity In the 21st Century.” Your first response to that might very well be “Is it really possible? Is it even desirable?” Stay tuned; we’ll see.
Welcome, friend, to our Bible study. A few weeks ago our newspaper carried a story about a new church being started in Oklahoma City. “Well,” you might be thinking, “That’s nothing new; it happens almost daily.” Yes, from what I’m reading, it is happening, perhaps several times a day. In the mid-20th century there were about 250 denominations listed in America. We are told now there are some 33,000. But this is, well, this one is begun for the express purpose of “Restoring New Testament Christianity” right here in our city, in the middle of the year 2009 AD. What do you think of that, friend? The very idea! How primitive can you get? And, is somebody actually saying that mid all the churches who are saying, “We preach Christ,” there’s no one really doing it? Well, it put me to thinking! We pray we’ll both be blessed by this study.
If you think you might want to study these questions and comments further, you may have a free printed copy, an audio cassette tape, or a CD simply by mailing your request to “In Search of the Lord's Way;” P.O. Box 371; Edmond, OK 73083 or by e-mail to searchtv@searchtv.org. Or you may access it at www.searchtv.org. And, our toll-free telephone number is 1-800-321-8633. Did you get that? If not, get your pen and paper ready, and we’ll give it again at the end of the program.
We’re presented here, free of any appeals for money, by some friends of yours, and our friends, too, who live in the area served by this radio or television station. They would simply love to have you attend a church of Christ with them; and say, that would please us so much, too. I hope you’ll do that right soon! Will you? Ken Helterbrand’s going to lead us now as we sing; and then I’ll be back and we’ll read Matthew 16, verses 13 through 20.
We are reading from Matthew chapter 16, beginning at verse 13. “When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, ‘Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?’ So they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.’ Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ.” Let us go to God in prayer. Holy Father, we are so thankful to You for the gift of Your Son on the cross and for the salvation that He procured for us there; and for the purchase of the church and the beginning of Christianity; and the living of Christianity even to this day in the 21st Century. We are thankful, Father, for the aspirations that people have for being Christians, as Christians were in the New Testament; and restoring Christianity as it was in the New Testament to our present age. We are thankful for all of that and pray Your blessings upon every effort to do so. In the name of Jesus we pray You, Amen!
We’re being told that we are now living in the third or perhaps early in the fourth decade of what’s being called the “post-modern era.” A “post-modern era” necessarily implies a preceding image of modernism; doesn’t it? So? What’s the difference as it relates to religious faith? Very briefly, in the “modern age” a person was respected when he was absolutely sure about what he believed, or didn’t believe, as the truth. In the “post-modern” culture, there is no absolute truth. What’s truth for one person is not considered truth for another. It’s said, there are no “rights” and no “wrongs.” “Truth” and “right” are determined, each person for himself by his or her perspective; and his or her perspective is determined by his or her situation.
In the arena of public discussion, then, all such opinions are respected as truth. And they’re to be equally honored, in spite of the fact that they may even be opposites or totally conflicting or contradictory. That explains why we have rapid multiplication of religious ideas and denominations. From what I’ve been reading the opinion prevails that this idea has powerfully influenced American religion. However, I’m not so sure but what the influence may have been the reverse. Perhaps the denominational teaching in the modern era that “one is as good as another;” “believe whatever you want to believe;” “do whatever you like;” but whatever you believe or do, you must respect the other fellow’s belief as truth. Well, that may have influenced world thought more than we would like to admit.
Anyway, it remains absolutely and steadfastly true what Jesus said in His prayer to God: “Thy word is truth.” That is John 17:17. Other’s words will not, but the word of God lives and abides forever. “All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls away, but the word of the Lord endures forever. Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.” That is in 1 Peter chapter 23, chapter 1, verses 23 and 25. Postmodern thinking explains why when the person who preaches what the Bible says out in the marketplace of ideas, where it can be heard, as the apostle Paul did in Athens and Corinth and other places, and as Phil Sanders and I are doing around the world on radio and television, and he preaches it as though he believes it is the absolute truth in matters of faith or morals; well, that person is said to be too exclusive or too judgmental.
Anyway, right in the midst of all that comes what is defined as a “new church,” a New Testament kind of church. The newspaper article went on to say, though, that it is a “new” division split off from one of the oldest denominations whose origin dates way back to the early days of the “Reformation,” the 16th and 17th centuries. Well of course, we must appreciate the ideal of “New Testament Christianity,” especially in a modern society. That is precisely what we’ve been preaching and pleading for in these programs for almost 30 years now.
Near the end of His earthly ministry (first century AD) Jesus retreated with His apostles to a quiet place in northeastern extremity of the land of Palestine near a small town by the name of Dan. Dan was opposite Beersheba in the extreme southwest part of the land, so that we have from that we have the expression “from Dan to Beersheba,” meaning from one end of the land to the other.” Since Mount Hermon rose to the highest elevation in or even near Palestine, it became the object of worship for the Baal worshipers of Canaan, even before the arrival of the Israelites there. It was sometimes called “Mount Baal” as you’ll find it in the Bible book of Judges chapter 3 and verse 3, and other Old Testament passages. About three miles east of Dan, at the foot of Mount Hermon was the ancient village of Paneas. Now Paneas was built by the worshipers of Pan, the god of shepherds, whose image was half-brute and half-man. Long before the birth of the Savior in Bethlehem, Paneas was destroyed and rebuilt by Philip, the son of Herod the Great and was given the name Caesarea Philippi, combining his own name with that of the Emperor, Tibereas Caesar. Then the city was inhabited by Emperor worshipers which characterized virtually all of the Roman Empire in New Testament days and for awhile afterwards.
Well, it was here near this small town that was steeped in false religion, idolatry and emperor worship that Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am? So they said, some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” In our postmodern age, that would be enough said, wouldn’t it? Who could say any one of them, or all of them, even all of them, might be wrong about that? (After all, there is no such thing as wrong. Remember? But, what was then is then, and now is now.) And Jesus pressed the question. You see! His true identity was important to Him. “But who do you say that I am? Simon Peter answered and said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed it to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock (meaning, on this fundamental truth that you have just spoken, that I am the Son of God) I will build My church, and the gates of Hades (meaning, even death on the cross) shall not prevail against it (or my building it)’” (Matthew 16, verses 13 through 20). I know that’s the true understanding of that Savior’s statement because of the construction of the sentence, and because the other Scriptures that confirm it. Well, one of such verses is 1 Corinthians chapter 3, verse 11 which says, “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
What a great thought that is! My friend, despite the fact that they crucified Him, Jesus rose from the dead, and He did build His church! He loves it. He gave Himself for His church (Ephesians 5:25). His church began in Jerusalem. Read about it in Acts chapter 2. It spread rapidly throughout Judea, Samaria and to the uttermost parts of the world just as He said it would in Acts chapter 1, verse 8. It consisted of all people, everybody saved by His blood, as He added them to the church and as we teach our children to sing: “Red and Yellow, Black and White; they are precious in His sight.” He purchased the church with His own blood” (Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 1:17-21). He Himself has broken down the difference between the Jews and the Gentiles that He might reconcile both of them in one body or one church (Ephesians 2, verses 14 through 18), that He might present it to Himself on the judgment day without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, a glorious church (Ephesians 5:27).
The word “Christianity” is not in the Bible. The Encyclopedia of Religion and Religions defines “Christianity” as “the Christian faith; the religion introduced into the world by and founded by Jesus Christ.” Well, that’s what the word “church” means, friend. One hundred twenty-two times in the King James Version of the Scriptures the word “church” and “churches” are used to reference “the saved.” Now in all honesty, although I’m in a hurry to say everything I need to say, I must take the time and the care to explain that when the word is used in the plural form (churches) it does not mean denominations or faith. It means rather congregations of people of the “one faith” as in Ephesians 4 and 5, in a given locality or area. An example of that is in Galatians 1:22 where the apostle Paul says, “I was unknown by face in the churches of Judea which were in Christ.” Or it could reference the people in the congregations such as “the churches of the Gentiles” in Romans 16 and 4.
Members of churches of Christ in the 21st century are identified with the members of the churches of Christ in the 1st century. Why should it be thought otherwise, friend? Or why should it be unbelievable, or undesirable, or impossible, may I ask? If we’re not identified with the churches of the first century, why aren’t we? We should be! The teachings of the Holy Spirit for the church in the first century are not mere expediencies for the immediate occasion that necessitated their writing. They are inspired teachings of the church or for the church of Jesus Christ in all generations. For example: the apostle Paul wrote a young preacher at Ephesus saying, “These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly; but if I be delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and the ground of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:14 and 15).
Thus, with the Bible as our only guide in our faith and our practice, our behavior, we in churches of Christ in the 21st century are trying to learn from churches of Christ in the 1st century just how people were saved, how they became members of that church that is mentioned so often in the Scripture, and what they were taught about living the Christian life, and how and when and why they worshiped, and how the churches were governed, and their love and their care for one another, their blessed hope of heaven; well, whatever else the Bible says about them that made them what they were! It’s all written in the New Testament. And in spite of all that is being said, about what we can not know for sure in our “postmodern” world, we are sure, my friend, that “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that (and that word “that” indicates that what we’re reading is a statement of purpose) that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly furnished unto every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16 and 17). That’s what God revealed it for– “that the man of God (in whatever age, even our postmodern age) may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
Yes! Oh yes! The New Testament kind of Christianity is possible; it’s even practical; it’s desirable even in this “post-modern” age. Yes! It is a noble idea that men have of being part of a church after the New Testament order! We may get so excited about New Testament Christianity in our present and post-modern era that we become too pugnacious about it. Please friend, forgive us, if and when we do that; but I’m sure your spirit can be stirred in you with the thought of being Christians like they were in the New Testament times. Let’s pray about it. Holy Father, we are so thankful to You that you have enabled us, empowered us with Your written word to be Christians like You want us to be and like You have said in your word You want us to be. In Jesus’ name we pray that we may do so. Amen!
Thank you, my friend, thank you for being with us today. I could sincerely bid the new church of which we read in the newspaper recently, which I mentioned in the introduction of today’s study, “God-speed” in their efforts to be a “church of Christ.” I sincerely hope they will be. No, no, no now, not just because that’s what we are! You see, in spite of what the sign says on the building, a church is a church of Christ as far as but no farther than it possesses the qualities and characteristics of the church that you read about in your New Testament. Wouldn’t it be great news? It would surely be a tremendous accomplishment! Let’s worship Him in spirit and in truth as Jesus taught; and then baptize penitent believers only, and that for the remission of sins as taught in the Scriptures. Well, just simple and plain Christianity as lived and taught by Jesus Christ, and His Holy Spirit inspired apostles. That’s what we are striving to be. We’re glad someone else has sensed the need and the desirability of New Testament Christianity in this present age!
We are here every week with no appeals for your money and with nothing to sell, because some members of churches of Christ who have the earnest desire to be just Christians as they are described in the New Testament. And oh me, the greatest need of the “postmodern” world is your greatest need, too, my friend, and we pray that God will bless you. I do hope that you will today confess your faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God just as you read about in Romans 10, and with that faith in your heart you will turn away from whatever sins of which you are guilty and be baptized for the forgiveness of those sins as you read in your New Testament in Acts 2:38. If we may assist you in doing that, let us hear from you promptly. Will you?
If you would like a free printed copy, or a free CD or a free audio cassette tape of today’s program, all you have to do is mail your request for it to In Search of the Lord's Way; P.O. Box 371; Edmond, OK 73083. Or if you’re into e-mail, our address is searchtv@searchtv.org. Or, we’ll pay for your telephone call if you will use our toll-free telephone number, 1-800-321-8633. We have more than one thousand visits everyday to our website, too. That’s www.searchtv.org; and you may access our program there. God bless you now. We plan to be back next week. We hope you will, too. We love you.
|