James – Dancing In The Kingdom

New Testament Missions

[Bible references: Acts 8-28; Romans 9-10]

In the Bible, the most extensive effort to bring the Gospel to the world was carried out by Paul. Paul’s efforts are recorded in the book of Acts and in the letters Paul wrote. Paul undertook four missionary journeys. The first journey covered parts of what is now Turkey. The second and third journeys expanded the mission in that area and then also expanded into the area we now call Greece. Paul’s fourth journey was to Rome. [The Bible hints about the possibility that Paul went to the are we now call Spain, but there is no corroborative evidence of that.]

The Bible doesn’t talk much about what journeys the other apostles went on, but there is evidence that the other apostles did their own missionary journeys. According to the information we have, Peter went to Rome, Andrew to the Greek city of Patras, James stayed in Jerusalem, John to Ephesus, Philip to the Greek city of Hierapolis, Bartholomew and Thomas to India, Matthew to Ethiopia, James of Alphaeus to Egypt.

Observe

Read Romans 9:1-19; 10:1-7. The early church was mainly Jews and did not seek out non-Jews on their own initiative but eventually God directed the church to do so. What would God need to do to convince you to serve in a place where you were not comfortable?

Dancing in the Kingdom- Table of Contents

Dancing In the Kingdom – Part 1 – Shadows of the Kingdom – Chapter 1 – Prelude

New Testament Church

[Bible references: Acts 1-7]

Jesus’ ministry was primarily to the Jews. After Jesus resurrection and return to heaven, the disciples, following Jesus’ instructions, waited for the Holy Spirit to come upon them. That did not happen until ten days after Jesus’ ascension to heaven during the feast of Pentecost.

With the power of the Holy Spirit, the church expanded. For nearly 14 years the focus was on expanding the church through the Jewish community, so the church primarily consisted of Jews who became followers of Christ. The church then was filled with practicing Jews who were also Christians.

But then God intervened twice to refocus the church expansion to include the Gentiles. In the first case, through visions, God arranged a meeting between the apostle Peter and a centurion named Cornelius. In the second case, God called someone who was a persecutor of the church, Saul, to be an apostle to the Gentiles.

As Gentiles came into a church filled with practicing Jews, some people in the church thought that the Gentiles should also become Jewish in order to then become Christians. But in a church council, the church confirmed that Gentiles did not have to become Jews in order to follow Christ. James, acting as the leader of the council, quoted Amos 9:11-14, to confirm the ministry to the Gentiles.

Observe

Read Acts 2:42-47; 6:1-7. What would you be willing to do in order to be in a church like the one described here?