THE EXPANSION OF CHRISTIANITY

The Christian church traces its origin to the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ, who in calling men to follow Him, began building a "church against which the gates of hell would not prevail". His success, in numerical terms, was remarkably small. For even though multitudes flocked to Him and thousands professedly "believed on Him", only a handful were genuinely loyal to the Savior.

Fifty days after His death only 120 could be found in all of Jerusalem who dared own His cause. They were meeting in an upper room for prayer, when the Holy Spirit descended upon them in power. His work was transforming it in its effects. For Peter, who but eight weeks eariler had denied the Lord for fear of a girl, now appears before an enormous crowd of men which included those who had conspired for Jesus' execution, and proclaims this crucified criminal "Both Lord and Christ". Overpowered by guilt, his hearers shouted "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" To which Peter answered "Repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit". Relieved that there was forgiveness in the murdered Christ, about 3,000 that day were added to the church. From that time on, the church would be a force to be reckoned with...first in Jerusalem, then in Judea, in Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the earth.

The Gospel was next carried to Samaria by Philip the Evangelist, who was also a deacon in the church of Jerusalem. He preached Christ to the degraded Samaritans, who with near unanimity "gave heed to the things which he spoke, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did". Learning of the good news from Jerusalem, Peter and John traveled north to inspect the work of their friend. Being satisfied with the faith of the Samaritans, they laid hands of the new converts, who thereby "received the gift of the Holy Spirit". Thus, from its earliest age, the church's international character became evident.

Then, one of the strangest things in history occurred. A devout Italian soldier by the name of Cornelius was praying one day when an angel appeared to him telling him to send for a man named Simon Peter who was then residing in the home of Simon the tanner at Joppa. Being obedient to the heavenly vision, Peter was duly called. While all this was happening, Peter was having an extraordinary dream in which Christ was commanding him to "eat unclean food", an idea repugnant to any self-respecting Jew. Some closing advice was given in the dream which he would mull over for four days, "What God has cleansed, let no man call unclean". As he was thinking over what this dream could mean, Cornelius' servants appeared at the door, asking for Peter and inviting him to the home of their master. Agreeing to their request, Peter, for the first time in his life, stepped into the home of a Gentile. There he was invited to preach, and while he was in the middle of his sermon, the Holy Spirit fell on Cornelius and all who were in his home. Needless to say, Peter and the Jewish friends who came with him, were astounded that "God had granted to the Gentiles repentance unto life".

From that day forward, Christianity would no longer be but a sect of Judaism, but chiefly found among the Gentiles. Although others would carry the Word abroad, the bulk of the work would fall upon the broad shoulders of Paul, who would become, in Isaiah's words,

"A light to the Gentiles,

That he should be for salvation

To the ends of the earth".

Paul's work is amply documented in the Book of Acts as well as his various Epistles. Suffice it to say, that he (along with Barnabas, Mark, Silas, Timothy, Titus, Luke, and others too many to name) carried the Gospel and founded churches throughout the Mediterranean Basin, which includes:

Thus by the death of Paul (c. 64 A.D.), the Gospel had spread, in his own words, "to the ends of the earth". The religion, therefore, "Crucified in weakness, lived by the power of God".

"The Acts of the Apostles" are now over. But the "Work of the Glorified Lord" has just begun. And it is to His post-Scriptural work that I now turn your attention.

The amazing growth of the church as recorded in the New Testament was--believe it or not--sustained for the next 250 years, with but one exception, among the Jews, whose "House was left desolate to them" in fulfilment of the prophecy of the weeping Savior. Alas!

At the death of Paul, Christianity was but on the periphery of public attention. Most Romans had either never heard of it or dismissed it as a sect of Judaism. But soon it would be on everyone's mind as a new, revolutionary faith advancing with irresistible power.

Between the years 64 (Paul's death) and 311 (when it was legalized) the church sustained phenomenal growth, both in its extent and its popularity. This Galilean sect soon spread over the whole known world, going as far east as India, as far west as Britain, penetrating into Germany to the north, and deep into the bowels of Africa. But you should not think that just a handful met at each location, for in fact, multitudes flocked to the churches everywhere. Tertullian (d. 220) taunted the Pagans thusly, "We are a people of yesterday and yet we have filled every place belonging to you--cities, islands, castles, towns, assemblies, your very camp, your tribes, companies, palace, senate, forum. We leave you your temples only. We can count your armies; our numbers in a single province will be greater." Tertullisn may have been using hyperbole, but his point was undeniable: Chritians were multiplying like the Hebrews in Egypt.

How do you suppose this incredible expansion was being carried on? Interestingly, here we find a break with the New Testament pattern. There most of the missionary work was performed by specially-appointed missionaries, especially Paul. But in this subsequent age, professional missionaries are unknown. The good word was spread abroad by ordinary people (housewives, soldiers, school children, etc.) who like the Jerusalem saints before them "went everywhere preaching the word". Christ therefore again "Brought to nothing the things that are by the things that are not". Astonishing thought! Rome, with its deified Emperor, venerable Senate, battery of philosophers, and invincible army brought to its knees by farmers, carpenters, ditch-diggers, and slaves!

And so, this first epoch of church history fulfilled the ancient prophecy, "The LORD gave the Word, great was the company of them who published it".

THE CHARACTER OF THE EARLY CHURCH

They were marked, in the first place, by a genuine holiness of life, The Ancient Empire, like the modern West, was a sinking ship on which everyone aboard was grabbing one last pleasure before drowning. Everyone that is, but the Christians. They eschewed, not only the obvious sins of idolatry, fornication, murder, and so on, but prevailing fashions of the day as well. A man would be excommunicated if he attended the gladiatorial contests. Luxury was sternly condemned. One man put it this way, "The Lord Jesus did not come down from heaven with a silver foot bath to wash the disciples' feet". Another, criticizing excess in dress wrote, "If God had wished purple clothes, he would have made purple sheep". Tertullian said "a neck adorned with a necklace would never submit to the axe of an executioner". In short, they lived simply so that they "might have to give to those in need".

They were deeply concerned for the welfare of their children and so withdrew them from the public schools where the idolatrous Vergil and Homer were taught, and formed their own academies where a world-and-life view could be taught consistent with the Gospel.

But their holiness was more than a negation. They demanded a positive righteousness as well. "Love your enemies" was rigorously enforced. One anecdote will illustrate the compassion these folk possessed. Abortion was very common in the Empire. But, of course, technology was quite primitive, and therefore, many women were unsuccessful in aborting their children and often bore mutilated babies. Not having quite the heart to murder the child, she would go to a designated field and abandon the baby to die of exposure or be eaten by wild animals. Christians would often hide in these fields, and when the infants were left, would quickly seize them and bring them up as their own.

They were also zealous. As previously mentioned, Christianity was spread throughout the Empire by ordinary believers, without the use of professional missionaries, organized campaigns, or anything else.

They were sincere in their faith. At that time, like now, most people were nominally religious. Maybe they went to meetings, said prayers, and so on, but really didn't believe anything. The Christians did. In a letter to the Emperor, Pliny a Roman governor wrote, "Christians are incapable of cursing Christ".

They were fearless. During some periods, martyrdom was the rule not the exception! Until 311 A.D., no Christian was ever entirely safe in the Roman Empire.

These believers, of course, were not perfect. A few denied Christ under duress. Others became self-righteous. Husbands and wives didn't get along perfectly then either. But, as a rule, they were marked by a high regard for real, vigorous, and consistent holiness.

Why were they so exemplary in their behavior? Obviously, because God sanctified them by His Spirit. But other factors must be considered as well. Persecution kept hypocrites out of the church. It set God's people to "watching and praying". Because one traitor could expose the church, careful ovresight was practiced. But most importantly, they believed that that Gospel which had rescued them from idolatry, immorality, and damnation, ought to be "adorned".

THE PERSECUTION OF THE EARLY CHURCH

Although Christians were--in many ways--model citizens, they were frequently and severely persecuted until the year 311.

The charges laid against them were many, some of which obviously absurd. Nero blamed them for setting Rome on fire (while he fiddled). Hearing "Take eat, this is my body. This is the blood of the New Covenant which is shed for many for the remission of sins", some took them to be cannibals.

They became scapegoats for every ill. Tertullian wrote, "If the River Tiber rises as high as the city walls of Rome, if the River Nile does not send its waters over the fields, if there is an earthquake, or famine, or pestilence, immediately the cry is, `The Christians, to the lions'".

But even the more thoughtful Roman was troubled by the existence of Christianity. If he were religious, he counted them Athiests, who, in denying the Roman gods, brought down their judgments upon the Empire. If he were secular-minded, he took them to be subversives to the state, undermining its stability. Here is why: The Empire had to be held together by some trait, common among all its inhabitants. But which one? Customs, languages, laws, and religions differed radically between the provinces. So an easy one was chosen, which was simple to perform, could be done hypocritically, yet was necessary to Imperial cohesion. Say two words, "Kurious Kaiser" (Caesar is Lord). You didn't even have to believe it, just say it! But the Christians wouldn't! They kept saying, "Kurious Christos" (Jesus is Lord). Therefore, even though they paid their taxes to Caesar, prayed for him, and honored his position, they were considered traitors to the state. And traitors, of course, have to go!

And so ten persecutions were levelled against the church. Some were limited and random, such as Nero's and Caligula's. At least two, however, were extensive and systematic; under the reigns of Marcus Aurelius and Septimus Severus.

No atrocity was too cruel for the Christians. The most common were burning, being thrown to the lions, put in a ring with a gladiator, beheading, and of course, crucifixion.

Of dozens of recorded martydoms, only two will be presently mentioned.

But the cruel persecution did not retard the progress of the church. Indeed, in the words of the Father, "The blood of the martyrs was the seed of the church". And so, after 250 years of brutal repression, Rome found more Christians on its hands than ever before. For such a faith naturally attracts the attention and admiration of every thinking man, which brings me to my last point,

THE ATTRACTION OF THE EARLY CHURCH

Despite what their critics alleged, early Christianity was not confined to one class of people. It cut across every ethnic, social, and economic line. Slaves and masters broke bread together. The races, leaving their inherited prejudices, received one another into a common church. That the lowest classes were brought into the church is admitted by all. But so were men of wealth and education. No illiterate ever wrote with the subtlty and grace of a Justin Martyr, Origin, or Tertullian.

To descend to particulars, Christianity was most attractive to various peoples, only a few of which I can mention:

CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS

1a. We are in an age remarkably similar to the early church. Under the guise of religious toleration, the State is usurping to itself more and more power over religion (discipline of children, homeschooling, for example). If unchecked by Divine grace, this will eventually (and perhaps sooner than we think) lead to the intensified persecution of God's people. Such tyranny, amazingly, will be condoned by your very thoughtful, moderate neighbors.

b. Nominal Christians will submit to it, and like the apostates of old say publicly "Caesar is Lord", then go back and privately worship Christ.

c. Genuine Christians, however, will retain their God-given rights to worship the LORD as their consciences dictate. They will, therefore, become objects of ridicule, legal harrassment, and perhaps more.

d. But if they remain "faithful to the end, Christ will give them a crown of life". And the powers of today that resist the Lord will eventually find themselves where Rome is now, on the scrap heap of history. For at his death, Julian the Aposate, who hoped to exterminate Christianity cried, "Thou hast triumphed, O Galilean". For the Christ who smashed the greatest empire in history, will "Grind to powder all upon whom He falls".

2a. Our opportunities are also similar to our ancient brethren. Modern man is burned out with what this world has to offer. Science, which 100 years ago promised "heaven on earth" has delivered to man the hydrogen bomb, which theatens to burn up the globe. Reason, which would soon remake the world has foundered on the rocks of undeniable history. The "Enlightenment" would soon bring France to the head of the nations; instead it ushered in "The Reign of Terror". Politics will "make a new man". But its utopian dreams is shattered in Eastern Europe. Wealth allows for the leisurely appropriation of pleasure. But now we discover that anything, everything will kill you; drinking, drugs, smoking, sex, suntans, even radiation from t.v. sets. And so modern man is crying out for help. Which only a full, consistent Gospel can answer.

3. You can, by God's grace, make a difference in the world. The remarkable expansion of Christian was carried out, remember, not by missionaries, but by farmers and housewives. "Let the Redeemed of the LORD say so".

4. Holiness of life is the best witness to the reality of your religion. To acquire it, "Watch and Pray".

5. Purifying the church is the key to church growth. "It is not want of numbers--wrote the Puritan--but want of holiness that hinders the church".

6. Never fear persecution. It will only make you a better Christian. "God will establish you--all right--"but only after you have suffered awhile".

7. Never be ashamed of the Gospel. For in a world like ours (or Rome's) it remains "the power of God unto salvation".