Acts 2:   MSG
42  They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life together, the common meal, and the prayers.
43  Everyone around was in awe—all those wonders and signs done through the apostles!
44  And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common.
45  They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person’s need was met.
46  They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful,
47  as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved.

Something new was happening, the air was filled with excitement, awe, and wonder.  No one really knew what to do next, but they knew within their hearts that the prophecy of Joel has just been fulfilled before their very eyes.  Also, everyone spoke in a new tongue, everyone listening heard someone speaking in their language.

I am quite confident in saying that the understanding of Christ’s words became clear, that what He promised would happen about sending another comforter was the event they were now experiencing.

A new dispensation had begun, God was doing a new thing and it started with the resurrection of Christ.  This new thing would send men and women into all nations around the world spreading the good news of the gospel, with God receiving all the praise and glory.  God was now going to show His glory through the creation of the church.  God now would begin to focus on other nations for His beloved nation of Israel had rejected its messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.  This dispensation is now known as the dispensation of grace.  One would no longer have to bring a sacrifice yearly for their repentance for the sacrifice of Christ on the cross would put an end.  Man now has just believe on the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved from sins.

Now this new group called “the church” would not have it easy.  The Romans were threatened about the news of the resurrection of Christ.  Their goal would be to persecute, and put to death those claiming to be followers of Christ.  They believed if they killed these followers that it would put to death the story about Christ being resurrected. (Acts 4)

There was others who also were disturbed by what they were hearing and seeing, the Saducess, the religious elites from the temple.  They go to the disciples trying to forbid them from spreading the gospel.  Now it would be a three sided fight, religious elite, Roman government, and the fledgling church.  Later a friction between whether the gospel should be preached to the gentiles, or just the Jewish nation.

Those in the church would soon experience, stoning, jail, beheading, crucifixion, and also deportation in the case of John the Revelator.

It is my hope the reader will have an appetite to being to study, research and learn about the small beginnings of the church, an expression of God’s glory for all to witness.

I have only just skimmed the surface on the history of the church.  There is so much more that one could write, study, and learn about something that would eventually encompass the entire known world, then every nation on the earth.

In the next article I want to take a journey of the present day church, where it is at.