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MESSAGE FOR THE MONTH
  
It’s time to get our “Act” together

Let me begin with what’s buzzing in the media now a days or to be more precise what’s buzzing in the Indian car market. A media report says that the Nano car bookings (now it’s ultra-competitive price of just Rs1.00 lakh is sensational by all accounts) have crossed the 2 lakh mark, what with its manufacturers-Tata motors- already netting 500 million dollars account bookings. The bookings are still bound to go up  courtesy  the  burgeoning number of
eager prospective car owners hopelessly hooked to its price tag. Is Nano car the best thing to happen to the middle-income group? Difficult to say NO really, considering that car ownership adds to one’s standard of living besides augmenting the feel-good factor all around, principally in a nation’s economy.

With nervous competition looking over its shoulder, predictably Tata motors (whose stakes are very high in this venture) is leaving no stone unturned going for flashy full-page ads in the print media highlighting the features of its “wonder car”. Now let’s “change tracks” and “motor down the road” of yet another related subject… “Product-advertisement”. Again quite predictably, as every manufacturer is expected to blow his trumpet about his own product, Tata motors raving about its own Nano is not a strange phenomenon at all. But consider hypothetically the occurrence of the most unlikely phenomenon…Maruthi Suzuki the chief competitor of Tata Motors unwittingly paying a compliment (to its business rival) such as “ Oh Nano has turned the World of Car market UPSIDE DOWN”. If it really does, everyone would sit-up and take notice and most importantly Nano’s stock would further soar-up, as receiving an endorsement from the most unlikely source… its arch rival is the BIGGEST ADVERTISEMENT any player in a market, can hope to get. For this to happen (getting a compliment from a competitor wittingly or unwittingly) it goes without saying, Nano ought to have caused an earthquake measuring at least 8 in the Richter scale of the Car Industry!

Now lets switch tracks hitting the “spiritual road”, as it were, and “zoom” back in time to 1st century AD and what do we see? The early Christians are getting the highest compliment ever paid “ These men have turned THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN” (Acts 17:6-KJV) not from its friends or well-wishers but from its MOST BITTER ENEMIES. Oh boy, oh boy, what a compliment, which is not so much inked as engraved in World history! Now consider the fact that disciples were not “selling” Gospel of down-to-earth, cheap, Nano-like price but one which required shelling out a “high price” of “cross-bearing” (suffering and even martyrdom - Luke 9:23/ Acts 14:22) albeit with Holy Spirit empowerment (John 15:5-6) and the magnitude of their achievement looms large before our eyes like a towering landscape. Add to this fact the point that disciples were not from the well-educated, higher, spiritual echelons of society boasting of impressive, lengthy CVs’ and the truth that God delights in showing His strength through weak folk (II Cor 12:9) blares out loud and clear.So this brings us to a paramount subject, with the ever-present God’s power available to them WHAT DID the early Church (both its leaders and laity) DO to tick despite odds stacked against it so much so, its most bitter enemies unwittingly paid it the highest compliment of having turned the World topsy-turvy (honestly the Church turned the world which was upside down spiritually, right side-up)? The answer is as profound as it is simple. Even as were empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit (the upper room ethereal experience was the turning point – Acts 2:1-4) we see them, most importantly in the Book of Acts, GETTING THEIR ACT TOGETHER. Not only they had clear-cut priorities but they also went about it in right earnest (oh, how many have fallen in recent times despite being given various gifts). In this essay, let’s focus on

    a) Priorities that defined the Ministry of the Early Church leadership and

    b) What constituted building blocks for success of the laity in their victorious Christian living.
Firstly the Leadership…
    1. Capture: Were not disciples called to be “Fishers of men” (Matt 4:19), their mission further fuelled by the Great commission (Matt 28:16-20)? Now the Peter and co. in their “spiritual capture business” were unlike normal fishermen. If the professional fishermen of the worldly realm in order to make a living, spread their nets to capture and kill the fish eventually to fry them in the hot oven, then the spiritual fishermen of the First century in stark contrast even gave-up their lives in the process of “fishing” in order their “captured fish” ended up in cool heaven. Strengthened by the joy of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Christian living or service is impossible without Holy Spirit empowerment from within), they set faces their faces like a flint to achieve their God-ordained goals, come what may!

    When the heart is set on a right goal, would not the good Lord give all the strength and support that is required? Consider even the time of Holy Spirit outpouring (have we ever praised God for his perfect sense of timing – Gal 4:4- He does everything at the RIGHT TIME) on the disciples. The Lord “baptized” them with fire not a day before or after the Pentecostal day but only on the Pentecostal day -the day “plenty of live fish” would be available in Jerusalem (mind you, only on the day of important Jewish festival of Pentecost would the Jews from all over the world flock the temple in Jerusalem). How powerful was the Holy Spirit baptism that day! When Peter completed his soul-stirring sermon, he did not even give an altar call, for people “cut to their heart” by his message came of their own accord asking, “What shall we do” (Acts 2:37). That epoch –making moment frozen in history, set the tone for the rapid growth of the Church, for from then on, it grew not in mere arithmetic progression but in geometric sequence (Acts 2:41,47, 4:4, 9:31)!

    2. Nurture: The Early Church leaders’ were well aware of the fact that at “capture”, their work only began. Spiritual transformation of an individual is very much akin to physical birth. A babe once born, needs to be nurtured. Hence, we see the apostles in line with their call (John 21:15-17) diligently going about nurturing the new Christians (Acts 2:42) strengthening them in the Word of God using the available scriptures of those days (the leaders of the present generation with the full revealed Word of God from Genesis to Revelation doubtless have a greater responsibility- Luke 12:48).
Hampered by physical constraints (they couldn’t be at all places at all times) we also see the Apostles appointing overseers (read Pastors) in the Churches, they had established, in order the nurture process goes on unabated, even in their absence (Acts 14:23).

Correspondingly, nurture was on by way of “Distant teaching method” also courtesy the Epistles, through which amongst other instructions there was always a constant call from the leadership for the laity to grow spiritually (2 Cor 3:11 TLB/ Hebrews 5:12-14/ 1 Peter 2:2-3, II Peter 1:5-9). The Apostles aimed at their flock becoming thriving Christians useful in the hands of the Lord rather than being merely surviving Christians, the genre of which there is no shortage in modern times.

The Church representing the body of Christ (a group of believers) met mostly in homes (Romans 16:23, Philemon 1:2) which besides guaranteeing close and warm fellowship ensured that they shared their problems and burdens cheerfully. While hoping for a return to the era of house churches may be an idealistic pipedream in an age of mega-churches where the Shepherd (read pastor) may not have personal rapport with his flock, all is not lost yet! Within the Church, development of smaller fellowships on geographical basis needs to be encouraged, with the main pastor down-delegating some of his authority to the trained leadership under him to lead these fellowships. This is where, true nurture would occur.
    3. Suture: This was a socio-spiritual activity perfected by leaders such as Dorcas of Joppa (Acts 9:36-41) who would take care of the poor and needy, “suturing” up their emotional wounds (of being left alone to fend for themselves in this cruel world) besides sewing clothes for them (the needle factor is common)! Paul also exhorts the Church leadership in the matter of taking care of old, helpless widows (1 Tim 5:5). Nothing quite like communicating the Gospel through Christ-like agape love! Brother, tell me when were your Church funds last diverted for this purpose? Remember a certain Mother Teresa…

    Do not the Christian hospitals and schools in our country stand as a silent testimony to the untiring efforts of our forefathers in “suturing up” the “wounds” of our society caused sadly by social cancers such as casteism? Needless to say, the Church’s social efforts (to be done with pure agape love) at any point of time shouldn’t compete with its main spiritual goals but only complement them.

    4. Rapture: In all, there are only three doctrines in Christianity. The doctrine of Justification (where a sinner welcomes the Saviour into his life), the one of sanctification (where the saved sinner starts growing into Christ-likeness) and Glorification (when Christ would come to take believers home coinciding with the rapture moment).

Weaving together these three foundational doctrines into the tapestry of a one-liner, it has been remarked, that “if Justification makes us light, Sanctification bright, then that of Glorification should make us sprite.” How true! But is imminent rapture (in addition to so many epidemics like Anthrax, Sars, Chikungunya, Bird flu…now Swine Flu has also burst on the World scene- fulfillment of end-time prophecy amongst others in Matt 24:7 KJV) really making us sprite meaning vivacious or passionate or we still in the cozy cocoons of passivity borne out of earthly near-sightedness?

The word Sprite, also the brand name of a popular Indian soft drink brings to our mind the catchy slogan (its manufacturer’s use) that has caught the fancy of many a trendy youngster “ Seedhi baat, no bakwas” (meaning plain speaking, with no beating about the bush business).

The Early Church leadership concentrated as much on the doctrine of Glorification (Church rapture – I Cor 15:51-52/ I Thess 4:15-18) as they did on the other 2 doctrines of Justification and Sanctification, so much so that the Early Christians greeted one another with the words “MARANATHA” (I Cor 16:22) meaning “Come soon, Lord Jesus”! For all practical purposes, the “sprightly” Early Church was heralding… “Seedhi baat, no bakwas….JESUS IS COMING BACK” Time, the salutation “MARANATHA” returned to the Church fold?

Coming back to Early Church leadership, oh what a challenge to the contemporary leadership. It has been said jocularly that Christian leaders of the modern era spend most of the time in Church functions involving hatching (birthdays), matching (marriage) and dispatching (funeral) activities, at a time they should be canalizing all their resources in capture, nurture, suture and (teaching) Rapture business.

As I pointed out earlier in my essay, both the Early Church clergy and laity together worked for building up the Kingdom. Now what were the reasons for effectiveness of the laity? Let’s have a look at that also
  1. Admit: First of all, in response to Peter’s instructions following his thunderous message, they admitted their sinfulness, received the Saviour into their hearts and took immersion baptism in full acknowledgment of the transformation the Redeemer had wrought in their lives (Acts 2:38-41).

    Admittedly, Christians come in all shapes and sizes (there are so many physical, mental and emotional differences’ amongst them) but if there is a CONSTANT amongst them then it is their universal acknowledgment of the fact that they are sinners in NEED OF A SAVIOUR (Philippians 3:3 TLB). Let it be said that ONLY those who have tasted Christ’s redemptive love would VOUCH FOR ITS TRANSFORMING POWER! Oh how many drug addicts, alchoholics, people given to so many other vices’ have become Saints post their own personal encounter with the Lord!

    By the same token, even the respected “good” people of the Society need to have a Saviour, for all are sinners by virtue of our births and connection to the original Adamic sin (Romans 3:23). That would explain why “respectable men of the society” such as the Treasurer of Ethiopia (Acts 8:26-39) and Cornelius, the Roman Centurion given to charity received the Saviour into their lives (Acts 10). In this context a Biblical Scholar remarked, “Good people DO NOT go to Heaven, only the PERFECT PEOPLE DO!”. Only those perfected by the conclusive atoning sacrifice of Christ on Calvary (Heb 10:14)!


  2. Submit: Now coming back to the Early Church laity, even as they were received into the fold of the Church, they submitted themselves wholly to the teaching and instructions of their leaders wholeheartedly (Acts 2:42). This paved the way for their wondrous spiritual growth, which led to their other profitable “Kingdom” activities.


  3. Commit: So wondrous was their spiritual growth, they saw the world for what it was (Colossians 3:1-3), just a temporary abode what with a better, permanent, celestial home awaiting them. No wonder they were loosely attached to their materialistic wealth, with many selling their properties in order to help their poor brethren with the said proceeds. Virtually they committed their wealth into the hands of the Lord, who would pay them wonderful, heavenly dividends (Luke 12:33).


  4. Transmit: They did not leave the task of transmitting the Gospel, only to their leaders. As they had grown in their spiritual lives, they could speak with authority about Saving grace of Christ. As such, we see them “transmitting” the Good News not only with their words (Acts 8:4) but also actions (Acts 19:18-20).

    How true is the maxim that “actions speak louder than words”, for when the Christians who were hitherto magicians, sorcerers burned their costly incantation books in a public bonfire at Ephesus, the whole region was profoundly impacted for the Lord. That is why a wise saint remarked underscoring the significance of life-style evangelism “Preach the Gospel at all times, use words only when necessary”!
Billy Graham that great and uncompromising preacher once in a Revival meeting held at Los Angeles, shared a passionate message on the Early Church, outlining what needs to be done for the Churches of modern era to become more effective. While many were moved by it, some “cannibal” Christians (apparently a misnomer, however refer Gal 5:15) criticized him of taking Christianity back by 100 years to which he is said to have replied with wisdom borne out of long, enduring relationship with Christ "I did indeed want to set religion back, not just by 100 years but 1,900 years, to the Book of Acts when first century followers of Christ were accused of turning the Roman Empire upside down."

Oh for the First century fire and passion in Christians! In conclusion, I would like to ask the Christian leadership (Evangelists and Pastors) and the Laity- are we imitating the Early Church by being World shakers or is the World shaking us up?

It is said that the Book of Acts is the only Book in the Bible with no formal conclusion. Even today, are we not witnessing the stunning works of servants of Christ, propelled by the Spirit? If I may add, even the work of yours truly (a sinner saved by His grace), however significant or insignificant (the good Lord alone is the best judge- I Cor 4:3,4) would figure under the Divine aegis of this Book. Now shouldn’t this fact that our works for the Lord are STILL FIGURING IN THE BOOK OF ACTS inspire all of us (ordained full-timers or laity) to GET OUR ACT TOGETHER FOR HIS GLORY!

MARANATHA!


(Suresh Manoharan)