“The No-name Universal Church of Jesus Christ”

Welcome to the No-name Universal Church of Jesus Christ- my name for the Antioch church in Acts- considered by many to be the greatest NT church.

“Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus.” Acts 11:19-20

A couple of things to notice here; no church leaders are mentioned, no apostles, no pastors, actually no names at all. Apparently ordinary everyday folks were spreading the Word and moving God’s story forward within their communities, neighborhoods, among their “oikos” (household). The church at Antioch was started by no names. That’s God’s pattern- everyday people proclaiming the gospel and starting churches. God uses the church and it’s imperfect members (us) for His perfect plan. In his book The Case for Antioch Jeff Iorg writes-“Local churches, warts and all, are God’s strategy for advancing His Kingdom.”

 Unknowns, no-names, started the greatest New Testament church. God uses everyday people, led and empowered by the Holy Spirit who spread the good news from person to person. It was natural for new Christ followers to share with others their new-found joy; strengthened and empowered by the Spirit everyday people were compelled to tell His Story to their “oikos”- household; their family, servants, friends; wherever they had relationship and influence.

As people moved about their everyday worlds, the Church was established and expanded person to person, neighborhood to neighborhood. People were salt and light right where God scattered them and God grew His church.

If you’re a Christ follower then you’re a member of the “No-name, Universal Church of Jesus Christ.” No-names; everyday, ordinary people; universal-all kinds of people. No names- so, No one can say, “I don’t know enough, I don’t have the experience, or resources; no one would listen to me”.

If God’s pattern is everyday people led and empowered by His Spirit telling His story person to person- then we need to be aware of where He’s placed us and where He has given us relationship and influence; neighbors (chimney to chimney); co-workers (cubicle to cubicle); and classmates- (class to class). That’s what the No-name Universal Church of Jesus Christ does.

Big step- Giant leap

"One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." Neil Armstrong’s famous quote as he stepped from the Apollo 11 spacecraft to the lunar surface. And it was a giant leap for space exploration. But it pales in comparison to the decisive step Peter takes in Acts 10; a monumental step in the expansion of Christianity from a small Jewish sect to a global Gentile dominant  movement. Up to this point the gospel had only been preached to Jews, converts to Judaism (proselytes), and Samaritans (semi-Jews who practiced the Jewish laws of Moses). This was about to change- drastically.

In Acts 10, God speaks to Peter with a crazy vision of a sheet and every kind of animal, clean and unclean, acceptable and unacceptable, according to Jewish law. God tells Peter to eat. Peter says “no”; I won’t go against my traditions to obey you. “No, Lord,” Peter declared. “I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure and unclean.”But the voice spoke again: “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.” (Acts 10:14-15)

God was preparing Peter to take a big step out of his religious comfort zone and take the Jesus story to non-Jews, Gentiles. So Peter goes to Cornelius’s house. Cornelius was a Roman centurion, a Gentile, who loved God, but didn’t know Jesus. Here’s the big step, Peter enters his home, and says, “You all realize that it is forbidden for a Jew to associate or visit with outsiders. However, God has shown me that I should never call a person impure or unclean.” (Acts 10:28)

Peter realizes the barriers must be removed; the walls of religious traditions, manmade barriers of pride and personal prejudice must come down. The gospel is for everyone. “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.” (Acts 10:34)This is a radical reversal of all Peter had been taught, believed and practiced as an orthodox Jew. This opens up the gospel to everyone. Peter affirms the universality of the gospel- all nations, all people groups, everyone and anyone, can receive forgiveness of sins and have a forever relationship with God.

Don’t miss this, the giant leap is not simply that outsiders are in, but that there are no outsiders in God’s Kingdom- no religious laws or hoops to jump through to earn God’s forgiveness. No one is outside God’s love and grace. We must not set up manmade rules, traditions, or prejudices that keep people from God and His gospel. “God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.” (Acts 10:34-35) God is inclusive not exclusive. He did everything necessary to include anyone who would believe in Him.

His church must tear down any barriers between people and the cross, and we dare not construct barriers that would exclude others from God or His Truth. God’s love and grace are available to everyone. We must break down any human or religious distinctions that separate people from God, His truth and His church.

“In Christ’s family there can be no division into Jew and non-Jew, slave and free, male and female. Among us you are all equal. That is, we are all in a common relationship with Jesus Christ.” (Galatians 3:28) In God’s Kingdom we are not to divide people into categories and treat them like outsiders.