I want to talk about one particular word – kerygma. Then we’ll look at Paul’s method of evangelism, and then end up with the nature of the early church.
Kerygma is the Greek word for proclamation, announcement, preaching. There are eleven sermons in the Acts of the Apostles.
All this goes back to the time before the New Testament, where we have a herald making proclamations.
2 Chronicles 20:3
There was an urgency here.
Then there were proclamations by foreign kings – e.g. Daniel. There were proclamations through the kings of Israel, through the prophets :-
Joel 1:14
There was a proclamation, a crying out, to grab people’s attention. When Jesus stood up proclaiming the fulfilment of the prophecy from Isaiah 61, this is what He was doing.
Lk 4:16-22
What happens with the kerygma in Acts – because Acts is the Acts of the Holy Spirit who in turn was the power to bring Christ to the people ... so when Jesus stood up and said those words, He became the proclamation. It wasn’t like 2 Chronicles where Jehoshaphat called for an action of the people. When Jesus stood up, He was the embodiment of the proclamation He was making. He was the word. So when it comes to the kerygma of Jesus and what happens in Acts, you have that coming together. You are the message. There is a power, an authority with the work of the Holy Spirit in an individual.
What does this mean in the early church?
One definition says kerygma has come to denote the irreducible essence of Christian preaching – irreducible because the preacher is the message.
In Acts there is a movement away from proclaiming the kingdom of God, and in its place is the preaching of Christ.
1 Corinthians 1:23
1 Corinthians 15:12
2 Corinthians 1:19
He is the exalted one. Because of His death Jesus is the kingdom. This is the revolutionary message of John 15 – I am the vine.
Acts 1:8
This is the main verse of Acts. There was the ripple effect from Jerusalem to Judea to Samaria. The kerygma is “ye shall be witnesses unto me.” So when you’re at work and you witness to a friend, you’re not talking about a philosophy or a manner of life – it’s Jesus Christ, the exalted king, Christ crucified.
It’s a huge transition from something which would happen to the whole nation and to being witnesses of Jesus Christ and who He is. You and I are involved with that.
The content was Jesus Himself. As for the manner ...
1. The preaching to mainly Jewish audiences had a particularly political quality.
Mere announcement wasn’t enough. There was argument, testimony, pleading, proving.
Acts 9:22
He didn’t prove an idea. He proved that Jesus Christ was who He claimed.
Acts 9:29
He was standing for what he believed. There was a way of getting involved with the argument.
Acts 17:2-3
Three weeks he was reasoning with them. It was all to do with Jesus and His being Christ.
Acts 18:4-5
Acts 19:8-9
Acts 28:23
You might say that was just Paul. That was his particular ability. But I’ve been very conscious of late of how we need to be prepared to stand for the truth – that Jesus came into this world to save sinners, and He rose from the dead for a reason. We’re not here to outline a philosophy of life which simply differs from other religions. We’re talking about God and Jesus Christ. What are the arguments for saying that Jesus Christ rose from the dead? What is the truth about Him? In Acts, everything revolves around Jesus Christ and his crucifixion and resurrection. The transition to Jesus Christ has happened, and our witness has to revolve around that. It’s something we can proclaim boldly because the Holy Spirit brings that boldness.
2. It was the divine commission.
Rom 10:15
One commentator says that without a commission, the preaching of Christ is only propaganda. In Luke 4, they were astonished at Jesus’s teaching when He spoke. He was anointed to preach. There’s something about Acts. It pulsates with life. There’s a surge going forward – Jerusalem to Judea to Samaria to the uttermost parts of the world. What’s your witness like? Are you ready to give an answer for the faith which is in you?
The Apostles were aware of their divine commission.
Acts 10:42 Peter
Acts 9:15 Paul
1 Corinthians 9:16-17
Was this commission just for the Apostles, or is it for you and me? Are we meant to witness, to share our faith, to open our mouths? Yes, yes, yes. Spurgeon said, “Share the Gospel, and if you have to, open your mouth.”
They spoke with authority. The Jewish leaders recognised that they had been with Jesus. At Antioch, a great many were added, because of the authority of Barnabas.
Acts 11:24
“The demonstration of the spirit is when as the minister of the word so behaves himself that all – even ignorant persons and unbelievers – may judge that it is not so much he that speaketh but the spirit of God.” Puritan quote.
Because it was full of life, there was opposition. There was no neutral zone where the kerygma landed with no reaction. Where there is life, there’s reaction. You either hate it or you’re drawn towards it. The opposition was often expressed in terms of opposition to the messenger.
3. The transparency of the message and its motive.
1 Corinthians 1:17-18
Clarity is the keynote. And the one who gives the message aims to please God, not man. When you witness, the aim is not to make a friend, but to share the truth of Jesus Christ. We’re not trying to make ourselves popular, but to be true to the one who has commissioned us.
Acts 9:23-25 Damascus
Acts 17:5-6 Thessalonica
You couldn’t be middle of the road. You either rejoiced or sought to suppress it. Let’s see a favourable reaction :-
Acts 8:5-8
See the work of the Holy Spirit, bringing truth to those listening. He’s a person and speaks to people and acts, not as a blind force but as the spirit of truth.
Thomas Charles: “It’s easy and delightful to preach the Gospel in these days. Beams of divine light accompany every truth delivered ...”
That’s what the Holy Spirit does. If the Holy Spirit anoints a preacher, if the preacher is in the centre of God’s truth, if the Holy Spirit is the force behind the proclamation of who Jesus Christ is, it is an irresistible combination.
What I want here, whoever is preaching here is the truth proclaimed, being an open vessel for the Holy Spirit to speak the living word.
Some people have analysed the kerygma of the apostolic church into six elements. They have said this is the traditional format of how you would proclaim the Gospel.
1. There’s an age of fulfilment.
2. This has taken place through the ministry of Jesus.
3. In view of the resurrection, He has been exalted.
4. The Holy Spirit in the church is the sign of His power and glory.
5. This age will reach its consummation when Jesus Christ returns.
6. An appeal is made for repentance.
Alternatively it can be expressed in three parts:
1. The proclamation of the death, resurrection and exaltation of Jesus Christ seen as the fulfilment of prophecy.
2. The resultant evaluation of Jesus as Lord and Christ.
3. A summons to repent and receive forgiveness of sins.
If you look at the majority of sermons in Acts, there is that format. The kerygma isn’t a template, but it results in the power of the Holy Spirit transmitting the power of Jesus Christ.
1. The proclamation of the death, resurrection and exaltation of Jesus Christ seen as the fulfilment of prophecy.
His death was not accidental, but according to a plan.
Acts 2:23
The Jews denied the holy and righteous one and chose a murderer.
Acts 3:13-14
They set at nought the stone which became the head of the corner.
Acts 4:11
Acts 5:30
As for the resurrection, it’s found in every one of the early speeches in Acts – they had spoken to people who had witnessed that resurrection.
Acts 2:24
Since the resurrection was foretold it was impossible for death to hold Jesus Christ.
It was duly witnessed.
Acts 10:41
There is something about the human heart which can set itself against God. But here there is a life in the one saying the message – Jesus Christ inside. When you share with someone by the Holy Spirit, what will be communicated, with authority, is that life of Christ. We have to have the guts to speak the truth, and God by His Holy Spirit will outwork His purpose with that word. What we mustn’t do is be shy of speaking out for the truth.
I’m collecting articles about freedoms being removed from our society. I constantly thank God for the freedom we have. We need to be vigilant and speak up to preserve that freedom to be able to share the Gospel. Tonight, I don’t have to worry about state police coming in to close us down as we meet. But we need to be vigilant, and in sharing our faith, we need to lift up Jesus Christ and be open and sensitive to the work of the Holy Spirit. We can’t just presume things will always be as they are. It’s becoming more and more significant.
2. The resultant evaluation of Jesus as Lord and Christ.
Acts 2:3
There’s personal relationship. There’s a wonderful array of titles which reflect the firm grasp of the early church community on this basic truth that Jesus Christ is the holy one – the righteousness one, the author of life, the stone, the judge of the living and the dead. His messiahship is recognised in titles such as prophet, servant, saviour. The resurrection vindicated Him.
2. The summons to repent
The kerygma was not a dispassionate recital of historical facts. It was the confrontation of man with the dilemma of having rejected the one God had exalted. Repentance was the only way, and the strongest incentive was the gracious offer of the forgiveness of sins.
It was said of Spurgeon that there was no more solemn place than the pulpit. In every sermon he stood toe to toe with the devil. Every convert was a jewel snatched from satan and presented to the Saviour. Spurgeon said we needed to be open to the power of the Holy Spirit. Without that there is nothing.
There is something topical now. If there is a right way to structure a church, we need to do it the right way. But equally we need to apply those principles to our situation. There is no set template. There are all sorts of variations to what should or should not be done. But there are principles.
Paul began talking about Jesus Christ in the synagogue. When it was rejected by the Jews, he turned to the Gentiles. He vocalised this approach.
He was very well versed in Jewish culture. So he started there and preached faithfully, but when they rejected him he moved on to the Gentiles. How long he remained in a location, was determined by opposition, by the meagre response of the Gentiles, or by a combination; and on one occasion, no reason is given why he went.
Generally he didn’t stay more than a few weeks or months. Ephesus was an exception, when he stayed for three years. He went where God wanted him to go. If the Holy Spirit, told him to go to a particular place, that was where he went.
When Paul moved on from these new churches (and there was no church building as we know it ... things were happening around the neighbourhood, around homes) ... when he left these churches, he had no person to leave with them. The Jews knew the Old Testament scriptures, and often the Gentiles knew God only from nature. So Paul left having chosen leaders. Often the basis of the choice isn’t clear. Sometimes it was self-evident. Sometimes is was by lot. Sometimes it may have been by vote. Paul appointed leaders to shepherd the flock in his absence. Often they were known as elders.
Acts 14:23
The ordaining of people as elders was probably by the laying on of hands and prayer. In 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy and Titus, you get the qualifications. You know the type of person, but not how they are appointed. But when Paul moved on the elders were left to shepherd the flock. And as time passed, others were appointed.
Titus 1:5
Acts 20:17
Luke doesn’t try to give a comprehensive account of Paul’s ministry. On each journey, he selects the events which best show the Gentiles’ acceptance and the Jews’ rejection of the message. Luke never gives details of a second visit to a church. The whole message is to do with the message going out.
The Jews rejected the message, but the Gentiles accepted it. This is confirmed by the Jews’ reaction in Rome.
Acts 28:25-31
It’s sad. Paul knew exactly about the Jewish tradition. He would have been pinpoint accurate in what he said. But the Jews rejected it.
The nature of the church
The church wasn’t a building. We’re talking about people. The word ecclesia is often used, which refers to the gathering of the citizens. The background to the New Testament use of the word is Jewish rather than Greek – the people of God in assembly.
Acts 5:11
The word became used for believers gathered in any given community.
Acts 13:1, Acts 18:22, Acts 20:17. Acts 9:31 uses the same word for the entire church.
Acts 9:31
The new people who made up the church were no longer equivalent to the nation of Israel. They were a new people, and the church was born on the day of Pentecost.
Transfer this to us. Something happens in Harwich, something else in Colchester. And slowly people are forming into groups with the one common denominator – faith in Jesus Christ. Their vertical relationship brought about the triangle, God, me and you. It was those fellowships were developing. Until the edict of Milan (313 AD), a church was not officially recognised and could own property.
The church grew without church buildings. Often they met in houses.
Acts 18:7
The house was next door to the synagogue. People met in a house. And we see the same elsewhere – e.g. Philippians 2, Colossians 4:15. Often there were conversions of a “man and all his house.” There was family, and there were homes where people met. As you look through these things, you can see that it was the fellowship which kept people together.
Acts 2:41-42
We will grow more and more into prayer.
The Apostles doctrine is not defined, but it probably consisted of a summary of His life,
Fellowship was the root idea of the early church.
“They were drawn to one another because they had together been drawn to Christ. Because they were partakers of Christ, they were partakes of one another. The term receives its distinctive colour because of the vertical dimension of fellowship with God ...”
If you look around this hall, are these people you would normally associate with? We’re all different social backgrounds. And yet I can link up with you as my brother completely. I’m 100% with you, and you with me.
It is the divine linking up with the divine in each of us and it overrides everything else. If we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another.
They often had meals together, because that was the way of fellowship in Greco-Roman society. Disfellowship meant not eating together. For a Jew and Gentile to sit at a common table indicated genuine acceptance.
We are all one.
Acts 2:44
Acts 2:46
Acts 4:24
Acts 4:32
That’s why this church will grow – because we are of one heart and one soul, and as we love one another and lift up Jesus Christ together, He will draw people to Himself.
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