Jesus Built His Church

• Remember when Jesus challenged his disciples with the question, “Who do people say I am?” He received a variety of responses until he came to Peter, who said that he was the Christ, the Son of the living God. At that point, Jesus said something very profound to Peter.
• Matt 16:15–18 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”
• Now, contrary to Catholic doctrine, which teaches that Peter is the first pope and that the church is built upon him, the “rock” actually refers to what Peter said: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God! In other words, Jesus himself is the foundation of the church.
• But while Peter is not the foundation, Jesus still used him and others to build his church. Jesus declared that he was going to build his church, and the way he did it was through people. That is exactly what we see as we work our way through the book of Acts.
• The first wave gave birth to the church, and the second wave spread throughout Jerusalem. As we have already seen, wherever God’s purposes unfold on the earth, resistance and obstacles begin to rise.
• Persecution began to arise. Internal deceit tried to take root among God’s people. Internal strife, fueled by racism, began to break out—yet all to no avail. In each case, everything the enemy threw at the church in hopes of derailing what God was doing, God used to further his purposes on the earth.
• Now comes the third wave of God’s Spirit as the kingdom of God begins spreading out of Jerusalem into Judea and Samaria. Throughout this wave, we witness God using those whom Scripture refers to as pillars of the church, along with other key people.
• Galatians 2:9 says, “James, Peter and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me.”
• In this one verse, we see five significant vessels God used to build his church. To this list, we must also add Stephen, one of the first deacons, who became the first martyr. Philip, another deacon, was also used mightily in bringing about revival in another city.
• In addition, we see Jesus’ half-brothers James and Jude, as well as the writer of Hebrews, being used in meaningful ways.

The Third Wave: Acts 6:8–9:31

• Beginning in Acts 6:8, we see the start of the third wave of God’s kingdom as it begins to spread into Judea and Samaria. But as we will see, the enemy once again attempts to stop God’s purpose from advancing by raising the stakes. Persecution is about to reach a whole new level as we are introduced to the first martyr of the church: Stephen.
• Acts 6:8–9 Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people. Opposition arose.
• I love the thought that someone looking at this from the world’s point of view would be incredulous at this moment. In their eyes, Stephen had been appointed as a lowly servant, tasked with the humble duty of feeding widows.
• This raises the question: how is it possible that this seemingly insignificant servant is now being used by God to perform great wonders and miracles? Surely that kind of ministry should be reserved for those who spent three years with Jesus and had earned the right to be among the twelve apostles.
• Yet here we find someone who was just appointed to serve tables now moving in tremendous spiritual power. What gives? As we have been saying throughout this series, it was always God’s plan to work through the entire church.
• Men and women, young and old, gifted and ungifted, people with status and those without—all are called to participate. Everyone has the same opportunity to be an instrument of God’s supernatural power.
• But once again, opposition arises—yet to no avail. According to Acts 6:10, they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.
• You see, the secret to being an instrument of God’s kingdom and power is allowing the Holy Spirit to fill our lives with his power and wisdom in such a way that it becomes undeniable.
• Case in point: Stephen then goes on to deliver an incredibly powerful message that doesn’t pull any punches. In fact, he boldly speaks God’s confronting truth.
• Acts 7:51–53 “You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit! Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him—you who have received the law that was put into effect through angels but have not obeyed it.”
• So, of course, the reaction you would expect followed. They became so furious that Scripture says they gnashed their teeth at Stephen.
• Acts 7:55–56 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
• This made them even angrier, so they stoned him to death. But Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit and would not go quietly. Exhibiting the same heart as his Lord and Master, Jesus, he declared the unthinkable.
• Acts 7:59–60 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.
• Don’t you just love how Scripture portrays death for the believer? He simply fell asleep. It is at this point that we are introduced to someone who would become the most influential figure in the New Testament apart from Christ—none other than the apostle Paul. At this stage, he was known as Saul, and Scripture says in Acts 8:1, “Saul was there, giving approval to his death.”
• It’s important to point out that even though Saul approved of Stephen’s execution, I don’t believe he witnessed what he did and remained unaffected. I believe a seed was planted in Saul’s heart that day. Stephen’s extraordinary faith and powerful testimony left a lasting impression on this young man named Saul.
• Of course, you wouldn’t know it based on what happened in his life immediately afterward. Saul quickly became the chief persecutor of Jesus’ church.
• Acts 8:1–3 On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.
• He would soon become known throughout the region for his ruthless pursuit of Jesus’ followers. As we are going to see in the next chapter, Saul was fueled by religious hatred against what he perceived as a direct attack on his holy religion.
• Another thing we must point out in this passage is who scattered. Most people think it was the apostles who scattered at this point, when in reality the apostles stayed in Jerusalem and the church scattered.
• Therefore, the question arises: with the threat of death hanging over a person’s head for becoming a believer, will this quell the gospel? Absolutely not. In fact, just the opposite happens. God raises up other people who were seen only as lowly servants into powerful ministers of the gospel.
• For example, another deacon named Philip goes to the Samaritans and has incredible success as he preaches the word with signs and wonders, causing many to believe.
• When the apostles in Jerusalem heard this, they sent Peter and John to encourage the work. When they arrived, they laid hands on the believers, and the Holy Spirit came upon them.
• This is significant because, up to this point, Christianity was seen as an offshoot of the Jewish religion. But here they clearly receive the gift of the Spirit without becoming Jewish—that is, without being circumcised. This marked a clear departure from the thinking of many Jews of that day.
• In the next section of Acts, the power of the gospel confronts magic. A man named Simon the magician was amazed at the supernatural power of God flowing through Peter and John. He was so impressed that he tried to buy this ability from them and was severely rebuked.
• We do not know how he attempted it, but it is interesting that church tradition taught that Simon was the father of Gnosticism. Gnosticism became an entire belief system contrary to the gospel, grew in popularity, and began to influence the church in very negative ways.
• It was this negative influence that led John, Peter, and Paul to address the lies behind the false teaching of Gnosticism. They did so effectively, but sadly, Gnosticism is still alive and well today and still tries to influence the church.
• We have all heard about them in the news media: the books of Thomas, Judas, Mary, Enoch, and many other writings that never made it into the Bible and are therefore used by critics to point out what they claim are faults in Scripture. But these Gnostic books should not be included. They were rejected by the early church fathers, and they should be rejected by us as well.
• And the reason the early church rejected them is that they promoted a different gospel. This is why the apostle Paul said… Galatians 1:8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse!
• When you actually look at Gnostic literature, you quickly discover that it teaches something very different from the gospel presented to us in Scripture.
• In addition, scholars have established that Gnostic literature was written much later by people other than those whose names the books claim as authors. In other words, Thomas, Judas, and Mary did not write those books.
• Nonetheless, during this time Satan spread many other false teachings and false gospels that distorted God’s truth for the purpose of leading God’s people astray. This is why we find both Paul and Peter, inspired by the Holy Spirit, warning people against these false doctrines.
• 1 Timothy 1:3–4 As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. Such things promote controversial speculations rather than advancing God’s work—which is by faith.
• 2 Peter 1:16 For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
• It is also the reason the Holy Spirit both led and inspired other disciples to write letters so that God’s truth could be preserved accurately.
• When it comes to the New Testament, the Holy Spirit used six individuals to write inspired letters to be added alongside the four Gospels and Acts: James, the writer of Hebrews, Jude, Peter, John, and Paul.
• Paul, the most famous and prolific of the group, wrote 13 letters, which represent one-third of the New Testament. We will cover his letters in the coming days.
• But for now, I want to give you a brief summary and synopsis of the five other authors whom God used to give us an accurate understanding of his truth and to help build his house.
• And I am going to cover them in the order in which they were written, starting with the earliest letter, written by James.

1. The Letter of James: written sometime between AD 45–50

• James 1:1 “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations:”
• James, Jesus’ brother, was initially an unbeliever during Jesus’ ministry but became an ardent follower after the resurrection, marking a major transformation in his life. He became so passionate that he emerged as the most prominent leader in the Jerusalem church.
• Historically, we are told that James had a unique reputation. He was dubbed “the Just One” and “Old Camel Knees” by the Lord’s people. This was due to his deep godliness and his profound intercessory ministry, which continued throughout his life.
• According to an ancient report, James’s steadfast faith cost him his life. He refused to deny Jesus as Lord when Jewish authorities demanded that he publicly do so around AD 62. Instead, he gave a poignant plea for people to believe in Jesus, which caused the crowd to erupt in anger and stone and beat James to death.
• From a literary point of view, James was the earliest of the New Testament writers, composing his letter roughly a dozen to two dozen years after Pentecost (AD 45–50).
• James wrote to Jewish believers who had been scattered because of persecution, especially after the stoning of Stephen. He was a very practical person, and his writing style reflects two major types of Old Testament literature: prophecy and wisdom.
• On the one hand, James speaks like a prophet, passionately calling out unfaithfulness with bold and direct language. On the other hand, he has a tender heart, similar to the prophet Jeremiah, who wept for the people he warned.
• You can really feel James’s compassion when he repeatedly refers to his readers as “brothers” or “my dear brothers.” And just as a quick note, the Greek word for “brothers” actually includes both men and women.
• So, James has this beautiful balance: he is deeply caring, yet also brutally honest. He reminds me of the prophet Nathan, who confronted King David head-on. James doesn’t hold back when urging people to obey God. In fact, some of the strongest rebukes in the New Testament come from him. Just listen to these:
• “Do you want to be shown, you senseless person, that faith apart from works is barren?” (2:20)
• “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God?” (4:4)
• “Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn, and wail.” (4:8–9)
• Out of the 108 verses in his letter, more than 50 are direct commands. That tells you something about how action-oriented James is. His writing is highly practical because he believes that following Jesus means actually living out God’s word—not just agreeing with it mentally. In that way, his letter feels a lot like the book of Proverbs, which is also packed with wisdom for everyday life.
• James also echoes Jesus’ teachings, especially from the Sermon on the Mount. For example, Jesus says in Matthew 7:26 that a foolish person hears his words but does not put them into practice. James picks up on that same idea throughout his letter.
• In James 3:12, he asks, “Can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs?” This mirrors Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:16: “Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?”
• Again, in James 4:13, he challenges people who make big plans without considering God’s will—a theme that lines up with Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 6:34 about not worrying about tomorrow.
• One of the most talked-about parts of the book of James is his emphasis on faith and works. Martin Luther once called it the “epistle of straw” because he thought it contradicted Paul’s teaching in Romans.
• At first glance, it might seem like a contradiction. James says, “A person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone” (James 2:24), while Paul says, “A man is justified by faith apart from observing the law” (Romans 3:28).
• But when you look at the context, it becomes clear that they are addressing two different issues. Paul is pushing back against the idea that we can earn salvation through good deeds—he insists it is a gift we receive by faith.
• James, meanwhile, is challenging the idea that faith is merely believing in God’s existence. He points out that even demons believe that—and they tremble (James 2:19).
• Real faith, James says, involves the whole person—heart, mind, and actions. Paul and James actually agree that true faith will naturally lead to good works. As Paul writes in Ephesians 2:10, “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
• In many ways, James comes across as a powerful ambassador of faith. Maybe that is because he knows firsthand what it is like to struggle with belief. But now that he does believe, he is all in—and he wants others to be as well.
• His heart is clear: he wants the church to live out its faith in humility and service. Only then, he says, will the church truly be the salt and light that Jesus called it to be (Matthew 5:13–16).

In Summary:

• The book of James is a practical, down-to-earth letter that focuses on how to live out your faith in everyday life. It serves as a spiritual wake-up call, reminding us that what we believe should be reflected in how we treat others, how we speak, and how we make decisions. James talks often about patience, controlling the tongue, caring for those in need, and not merely hearing God’s word but actually doing what it says. It is short, direct, and full of wisdom that still speaks powerfully today.

Here is a basic outline of the Book of James:

1.     Greeting (1:1) James introduces himself as a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, writing to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations.

2. Trials and Maturity in Faith (1:2–18) Encouragement to find joy in trials, because they produce perseverance and spiritual maturity. James also emphasizes God's generosity in giving wisdom and the importance of trusting Him.

3.     Hearing and Doing the Word (1:19–27) James stresses the need to not only listen to God's word but to act on it. He talks about controlling anger, caring for the vulnerable, and living a pure life.

4.     Warning Against Favoritism (2:1–13) James warns against showing favoritism, especially toward the rich, and reminds readers that love and mercy should guide their actions.

5.     Faith and Works (2:14–26) This section highlights that genuine faith is proven by good deeds. James uses examples like Abraham and Rahab to show that faith and action go hand-in-hand.

6.     Taming the Tongue (3:1–12) James talks about the power of words and how the tongue, though small, can-do great harm or good. He urges believers to use their speech wisely.

7.     Wisdom from Above (3:13–18) James contrasts earthly wisdom with godly wisdom, showing that true wisdom leads to peace, humility, and good deeds.

8.     Warnings Against Worldliness (4:1–12) James challenges believers to turn away from selfish desires and pride, calling them to submit to God and resist the devil.

9.     Warnings to the Rich and Encouragement to the Oppressed (5:1–11) A strong warning is given to the wealthy who exploit others, followed by encouragement for believers to be patient in suffering, like the prophets and Job.

10. The Power of Prayer and Restoring Others (5:12–20) James ends with instructions about honest speech, the importance of prayer in all situations, and the value of helping someone turn back to the truth.