Back to Church Sunday: It's Still Moving.

The Church was born as a movement...It’s still moving.

No Bibles, bands, or banners.

church = ekklisía – an assembly or gathering. 

kirche – Lord’s house.
>bad translation creates bad theology.

The church became a place, rather than a movement

“. . . if God spare my life, ere many years, I will cause a boy that driveth the plow to know more of the Scriptures than thou dost.” ~ William Tyndale

ekklisía =“congregation” rather than “church”

Jesus asked his disciples who people were saying that he was. What was the word on the street? Some said he was the reincarnated John the Baptist or Elijah the prophet. Then he said, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter answered: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church (ekklisía) , and the gates of death will not overcome it.” Matthew 16:15-18

Two months after the resurrection (57 days), His gathering officially launched.

So when they met together, they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:6–8

Luke lists 14 different groups that heard their own language. 

This was not a Jewish movement or message.
“What does this mean?” 


“People of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him… God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear….“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” … When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off— for all whom the Lord our God will call.”Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. Acts 2:22-24, 32-33, 36-41

3,000 people from 14 different language groups believed! 


Just as Jesus predicted:

it was a gathering that rallied around one idea—Jesus is the resurrected Christ, the Son of the living God.

You couldn’t go to church; you were the church.

The church wasn’t…
-for church people…there weren’t any.
-about location… there wasn’t one.
-about style, liturgy, or ritual…there weren’t any. 


The mission of the church was to do one thing: create followers of Jesus Christ.

Discipleship
Relationship/Fellowship
Evangelism
Adoration/Worship
Ministry

“a multiplying, multicultural gathering of people who believe that Jesus is the Savior and whose lives reflect his teaching.” ~ Andy Stanley


The church began as a movement. It’s still moving. And by God’s grace, we will be part of that movement—the church for our generation.