Many people try to fit the church into a mold they think is best suited.
In other words, they try to force the church in to a function they think will fit within the framework they have established.
The one size fit all pattern does not work for the church. The church is not rules regulations and policies. The church is not just an organization, but an organism.
The church met in homes, in the temple and the work and worship of the church was not confined to a structured service.
Philip preached in the desert,
Paul preached to the Jews in the synagogue and in the market
Neither intimidation nor persecution was able to destroy this church. The church did not weld itself to political views or powers, not kings nor were governors able to stop the growth or hinder the influence the church has.
Bible says in Matthew 16:18 not even the gates of hell can stop the church.
And leading the way of these brand new groups of believers was a small group of men called Apostles.
From a new converts class: commissioner of Christ endued with miraculous powers
The 12 disciples of Jesus fit this definition of apostle.
So as we study about the apostolic church, lets look at the office of Apostle.
Matthew 10 we see the commissioning of the 12 apostles.
MT 10:1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
MT 10:2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;
MT 10:3 Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;
MT 10:4 Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.
As Jesus prepared to send them out he gave them clear instructions regarding the message and the people for whom the message is for.
MT 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
MT 10:6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
MT 10:7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
These were true apostles. They were called out , sent forth with specific orders.
Not only did Jesus commissioned them to deliver this message of hope to the nation of Israel, but used them to establish the foundation on which Jesus would build his church.
EPH 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
EPH 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
EPH 2:21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
God continues to use men and women today to go forth and declare this message of salvation and hope, that was first delivered to us by the apostles. The method may change but the message is forever settled. And if we change the message, then we endanger ourselves,
GAL 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
GAL 1:9 As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
You can change the method, don’t change the message.
With the church being established and the word of God being delivered, the work of the apostles was complete. However, our work has not finished. God had a plan for his church to reach every person with this gospel.
Jesus made it clear that he was sending all his disciples with a message.
Jesus said before he ascended in to heaven, He said in
ACTS 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
ACTS 1:9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
The task must be completed
When Jesus starts a work in you, he is able to finish it. What he starts, he will complete it. Jesus believes in completeness.
God does not expect us to establish His church for the purpose of showing what we have in our power, cause in our power we couldn’t build the church.
Nor does he expect us to establish it solely by the use of our own intelligence because again, man could not have thought of such a thing.
We are vessels and conduits for the building of the church through Jesus Christ, for he said he will build His church. Song writer said, it’s the church triumphant and its built by the hand of the lord. It is built by the power of God.
The apostles laid the foundation, but now we are to continue to construct the framework.
Building the church is a spiritual work whose progress cannot be measured by natural means. But we are to be faithful to what ever work God has assigned us to do.
Only God can calculate the real significance of our faithfulness to perform his work on earth. He has placed the great commission in our hands and is depending on us to complete the task.
Then afterwards, give an account of our work.
While God does not measure the success of his church by how much money it has
Or by what type of people we have in the congregation,
Or the square footage of the building we call the church,
God bases his success of the church by a yard stick of his own called obedience and faithfulness
1COR 4:2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
2COR 2:9 For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.
God does not expect each of us to produce the same amount, but he does expect us to produce.
He knows what we will be and can be, but we must first be found faithful in the work of the church.
Abraham sending Eliezer his servant to find a bride for Isaac (Rebekah)
The servant in actually became the apostle for the household of Abraham.
The work of the apostolic church is centered on the bride that Christ will claim in that day-his church. You and I.
So then Abraham sent his servant out, the apostles were sent out by Jesus Christ, we too must be ready to be sent out as individual apostles.
JN 17:25 O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.
Jesus work was not to build a kingdom all to himself, but to speak and do those things the father taught him.
Just as Jesus was willing to surrender his own will to do the will of the one who sent him, each and every baptized, holy ghost filled believer must lose himself in the message and mission of Jesus.
COL 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Jesus taught his disciples that they could not accomplish his work without his spirit.
Jesus told them to expect power when they received the Holy Ghost and not to attempt to do this work with out it.
This apostolic ministry is only possible when we are endued with power from on high- by the Holy Ghost.
We too like the apostles of old have a mission and a message
And that is to go, preach, teach and baptize
We have our own scheduled accountability
We have been charged with a mission
