The Gospel on the Move: Formed
Acts 2
May 26, 2013
1. Introduction
a. We are examining how the gospel moves the church and sends us out to be in mission
i. Missions are not just for going abroad to the remote places—we already are at the ends of the earth
ii. You are in mission right now because, according to Matthew 28, Jesus has already sent you
b. We are studying the early church because they show us what the nature of Christianity was when it started
versus what we’ve turned it into
i. Andy Stanley: from a movement to a location, from the gospel to an organization
ii. Difference between static and dynamic
1. Static: We think of the “church” as Sunday mornings, maybe small groups, where we go to
worship, perhaps where some of our friends are. Church tends to be where we feel most
comfortable—with people like us, who are similar.
2. Dynamic: Acts 2 shows a dynamic, multicultural, multi-socioeconomic church on the move—
breathing and pulsing with life, reflecting the diversity of the surrounding culture and yet not
reflecting the norms and ideals of the surrounding culture.
2. How the Community is Different
a. The early church was growing faster, relative to size, than at any other time in history (3,000 in one day). Why?
Because it represented something distinctively attractive to those outside. There was something distinct about
them. They were living counter-culturally.
b. This is hard for us to see because we live in a world that inherently values human rights, social justice, relational
wholeness, etc. But these weren’t common values in the 1st century. Christians brought these values to the
forefront and it either amazed or scared people.
i. The Epistle to Diognetes, c. AD 130
1. “For the Christians are distinguished from other men neither by country, nor language, nor the
customs which they observe. For they neither inhabit cities of their own, nor employ a peculiar
form of speech, nor lead a life which is marked out by any singularity. The course of conduct
which they follow has not been devised by any speculation or deliberation of inquisitive men;
nor do they, like some, proclaim themselves the advocates of any merely human doctrines. But,
inhabiting Greek as well as barbarian cities, according as the lot of each of them has determined
and following the customs of the natives in respect to clothing, food, and the rest of their
ordinary conduct, they display to us their wonderful and confessedly striking method of life.They
dwell in their own countries, but simply as sojourners. As citizens, they share in all things with
others and yet endure all things as if foreigners. Every foreign land is to them as their native
country, and every land of their birth as a land of strangers. They marry, as do all others; they
beget children; but they do not destroy their offspring. They have a common table, but not a
common bed. They are in the flesh, but they do not live after the flesh. They pass their days on
earth, but they are citizens of heaven. They obey the prescribed laws, and at the same time
surpass the laws by their lives. They love all men and are persecuted by all. They are unknown
and condemned; they are put to death and restored to life. They are poor yet make many rich;
they are in lack of all things and yet abound in all; they are dishonored and yet in their very
dishonor are glorified. They are evil spoken of and yet are justified; they are reviled and bless;
they are insulted and repay the insult with honor; they do good yet are punished as evildoers.
When punished, they rejoice as if quickened into life; they are assailed by the Jews as foreigners
and are persecuted by the Greeks; yet those who hate them are unable to assign any reason for
their hatred. To sum it all up in one word -- what the soul is to the body, that are Christians in
the world.”
ii. ". . . Christianity served as a revitalization movement that arose in response to the misery, chaos, fear,
and brutality of life in the urban Greco-Roman world. . . . Christianity revitalized life in Greco-Roman
cities by providing new norms and new kinds of social relationships able to cope with many urgent
problems. To cities filled with the homeless and impoverished, Christianity offered charity as well as hope.
To cities filled with newcomers and strangers, Christianity offered an immediate basis for attachment. To
cities filled with orphans and widows, Christianity provided a new and expanded sense of family. To
cities torn by violent ethnic strife, Christianity offered a new basis for social solidarity. And to cities faced
with epidemics, fire, and earthquakes, Christianity offered effective nursing services. . . . For what they
brought was not simply an urban movement, but a new culture capable of making life in Greco-Roman
cities more tolerable." Rodney Stark, The Rise of Christianity, Princeton University Press, 1996, page 161.
c. The early church was showing a radical distinction in its values and they did so across a variety of ways
i. They didn’t just focus on one area of life—it wasn’t an organization, it was a movement. They were “sent”
in every aspect of their life
d. The church was like a bunch of newlyweds—they couldn’t stay away from each other. Are we like that? “This is
not just “togetherness;” this is unity. This is not just human affection; this is genuine love.”
3. Why the Community is Different
a. The description of Acts 2 here comes immediately after Peter exposits the gospel message. This is vitally
important. He doesn’t ask them to care for the poor—but the gospel prompts them to. He doesn’t ask them to
study theology—but the gospel prompts them to. He doesn’t ask them to eat together and share their lives with
one another—but the gospel prompts them to. He simply explains the truth of the gospel: that Jesus came to save
us, we chose to reject him, but though he was rejected he defeated death to save us and therefore we all are
precious in his sight.
b. The gospel reverts the social order of the time. Almost all philosophies of the time were mono-cultural and yet
this new faith was bringing in poor, rich, men, women, masters, slaves, Africans, Romans, Greeks as well as Jews.
c. The gospel, if we believe it, should push us into movement outward beyond just personal self-reflection and selfrepair
i. We give away our money because the gospel says our Lord gave away his riches (this was not forced
(Acts 5:4) but voluntary
ii. We help others because Christ helped us when we were sickest
iii. We have deep fellowship (breaking bread) with everyone regardless of their background because it was
Jesus who first decided to do “cross-cultural missions” for us!!
4. Conclusion
a. Without the gospel, you’ll either attend a church because the people are like you or because the general thrust of
the church aligns with your philosophical ideals and norms.
b. With the gospel, you’re challenged to think of how you can begin to empty of yourself because your God emptied
of himself for you. There are always two reactions to the gospel message: a radical change in values and priorities
by those who believe it and a radical shock by those who witness those who believe it.
c. The gospel pushes out into mission, into serving, into feeling sent to the place we are currently at:
Hark, the voice of Jesus calling,
Who will go and work today?
Fields are ripe and harvests waiting,
Who will bear the sheaves away?
Long and loud the Master calls us,
Rich reward He offers free;
Who will answer, gladly saying,
Here am I, send me, send me?
If you cannot cross the ocean,
And the distant lands explore,
You can find the lost around you,
You can help them at your door;
If you cannot give your thousands,
You can give the widow’s mite;
What you truly give for Jesus,
Will be precious in His sight.
If you cannot speak like angels,
If you cannot preach like Paul,
You can tell the love of Jesus,
You can say He died for all.