The Radical Faith of the First Christians

In 30 years, the church in the book of Acts changed the world. They did this by continually following the example of Jesus, who reached out to and did good for everyone around him, regardless of whether or not they chose to follow him. We are meant to do the same. In this episode, we learn how to live a life of constant renewal and love so we can change the world by inspiring those who don’t yet follow Jesus to get to know him.

This is what the Scriptures said: that the promised Anointed One should suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, [47] that in His name a radical change of thought and life should be preached, and that in His name the forgiveness of sins should be preached, beginning in Jerusalem and extending to all nations. [48] You have witnessed the fulfillment of these things.

Luke 24:46-48 Voice

The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, [2] until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen,

Acts 1:1-2 NKJV

Discussion Questions:

1. What inspires you about the faith of the early Christians?
2. How can you live by faith in your own life this week to follow the first Christians’ example?
3. Who can you decide to love like Jesus did this week?

References:

1. “The book contains a tapestry of themes: the church, the ministry, the apostolic preaching, the Spirit, the charismata, church planting, Christian lifestyle, sacrifice, prayer, social concern and many more. The Acts has so much to say to our half-hearted and cold-blooded Christianity in the western world.”
2. Thirty Years That Changed the World: The Book Acts for Today, Michael Green
3. Shub — turn back, return (OT word)
4. Nacham — to be sorry, regret, comfort, be comforted (OT word)
5. Metanoia — a change of mind (NT word)
6. Teshuvah — repentance, return (NT word)
7. NCV def of repentance
8. “I have tried to learn principles of Christian life and ministry from this book for many years. They are so radical, so different, from much that is taught and practised in the modern church.”
9. Thirty Years That Changed the World: The Book Acts for Today, Michael Green
10. “Three crucial decades in world history. That is all it took. In the years between AD 33 and 64 a new movement was born. In those thirty years it got sufficient growth and credibility to become the largest religion the world has ever seen and to change the lives of hundreds of millions of people. It has spread into every corner of the globe and has more than two billion putative adherents. It has had an indelible impact on civilization, on culture, on education, on medicine, on freedom, and of course on the lives of countless people worldwide. And the seedbed for all this, the time when it took decisive root, was in these three decades. It all began with a dozen men and a handful of women: and then the Spirit came.”
11. Thirty Years That Changed the World: The Book Acts for Today, Michael Green