Apostolic Ministry in the Kingdom of God - Part 3
Filed under The Kingdom of God on July 1st, 2009 by Andrew Yeoman3. The New Testament Dynamics of the Apostolic Ministry.
We have seen the first use of the term ‘apostle’, and we have considered the OT and NT prophetic significance of this ministry, that of missions, pioneering, foundational building for the new temple of God. But what does it look like practically? To answer this question we need to evaluate some key lives, which manifest such a calling and ministry.
A: Jesus – the Chief Apostle.
Hebrews 3 says:
1Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. 2He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house. 3Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. 4For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. 5Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house, testifying to what would be said in the future. 6But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.
Firstly, in this scripture Jesus is compared to Moses. It is evident in this scripture that Moses carried an OT type of apostolic ministry, as well as priestly. However, Moses was a faithful servant in God’s house, but Christ was the builder and the Son over it! Moses rescued God’s people, but also led them, formed the structure of their national identity in obedience to God’s commands, and he was supposed to lead them into the land of promise, and see them planted by God in that place, after disarming the nations and their powers. He was a ‘Kingdom missionary’ in an OT type of way. His calling was very apostolic!
So too do we see Jesus in a greater way. We must look at the example of He who appoints, sends, gives and perfectly manifests the apostolic ministry – Jesus Christ. If he is the apostle, then there must be something in His life here on earth that demonstrates that in His life & mission. I’d like to suggest the following:
i. He was chosen & sent by God to this world on a Divine mission. (John 3: 16; 8: 16 – 18, plus many more)
ii. His actual physical presence on earth carried the authority of God’s Kingdom as an apostolic representative. The ancient Jewish law says. ‘The one sent, is as the one who sent him…’ We will see that this carries through to present ministry, though Jesus is more than that, as He is the ‘word made flesh, dwelling among us’.
iii. His apostolic ministry has at its heart, mission. Just as Moses not only delivered God’s people but also was commissioned to take them in to promise, so was the apostolic ministry in Jesus one of a ‘NT Exodus’. That was Christ’s mission! It has been said that an evangelist takes people out from bondage, but an apostle takes out, in order to take people into something. Jesus not only manifested a ‘rescue ministry’ but also a purposeful ministry of the Kingdom. He disarmed the powers over the peoples, to bring them into His inheritance, planted in a place of fulfilment, that they may become an apostolic Kingdom people. That was His apostolic mission!
iv. The parables of Mark 4 and the account of Jesus’ ministry in Mark 5, really beautifully demonstrate how the Kingdom of God works. It is my belief that this account carries tones of the apostolic about it, and how Jesus brings Kingdom advancement into new regions. Here the Lord goes on a mission to the ‘other side’ of the lake to deliver a man possessed by demons. In chapter four he has taught on the work of the Kingdom, especially how in seed form it becomes large and spreads. He then goes on to illustrate practically what that looks like in the 5th chapter. Yes, there was a tormented man needing deliverance, but as we study this account we find the region was oppressed also, and that Christ had gone to reach a people, through a man. We see initially, that Christ and the disciples encounter a violent storm en route to the other side. The Lord rebukes the storm in a manner only attributed to demonic powers. I believe the Lord was going to touch a region, as well as a man. On encountering the tormented man, the Word says that they (the demons) begged to stay in the region, hence why they desired to be allowed to enter the pigs. Jesus actually permits them but only for casting them into the sea! Upon his deliverance the man begs to follow Jesus, and the people beg Jesus to leave the region! (Interesting!) The man is not permitted to leave with Christ but to stay and tell all of God’s goodness. The region must be transformed. As the parable of the mustard seed had illustrated, from seed form the Kingdom would grow into something grand and glorious! So it was the case in this region. Kingdom advancement, and planting of Kingdom seed is apostolic ministry.
v. Consider another account in Mark 1. Jesus heals masses out of His great mercy and compassion. He delivers a man from demons with authority. Many from the region of Galilee see, hear & follow, as they have never seen this authority before. After resting in the home of Simon and Andrew, and healing the mother in law, He goes to pray alone the next morning. Again the crowds are waiting at the house, and Simon summons Jesus to come and minister to the crowds. Surely this is the beginning of a ‘great’ ministry. National fame could lead to global magnitude! The world’s first great healing evangelist! (Not that there is anything wrong with that kind of ministry.) Yet the Lord is mindful of the Father’s apostolic purposes, and must visit other towns and villages also. He says in another Gospel account of this story, that this is why He has been ‘sent’. It is one thing to minister to great crowds, and see God move and bring release, but it is quite another to see the mission beyond evangelism. It is apostolic to bring a penetration of God’s rule into physical locations. God wants a representation of His Kingdom, through peoples, in locations. A divine deposit in each location visited. Christ’s apostolic ministry was one of Kingdom advancement, through mission pioneering, penetration of the powers of darkness, and forming a people / disciples to bear witness to that in every location.
vi. The text earlier quoted in Mark 3, where Jesus chooses the 12 to be apostles, is also a key part of His apostolic ministry. He knows that He alone cannot fully perform this ministry, and so designates the same authority of the Kingdom upon them, that they may multiply the apostolic work of the Kingdom. The one ‘sent’ also must be a ‘sender’. This too is apostolic. W.A.C Rowe , a man greatly used of God in the apostolic church UK, which was birthed in the Welsh Revival once said, ‘the apostolic ministry is not a flash of brilliant individualism. It is always glorious team work.’ It is apostolic to raise up others with the same DNA and send them out. This leads us into the next example of 12 apostle’s ministry.
B: The 12 Apostles of the lamb, in particular Peter.
Having chosen the 12, it is not sufficient to place a title upon them alone. It has been rightly said that the ministry gifts are not prescriptive but descriptive of ministry in lives. Therefore, Jesus gives the 12 clear apostolic instructions, which He has embodied and demonstrated for them to carry forth. We must heed to these instructions, because they surely must have played a foundational role in the thinking & activities of the 12, 70 and Church in Acts in their mission to the nations.
We will look at Matthew 10 and examine the elements of this ministry.
i. Verse 5. Here specifics of geographical locations are given. Jesus is the sender. George Ladd says: ‘The Kingdom creates the Church, not vice versa. The Church bears witness to the Kingdom’s activities.’ Therefore, those sent are obeying a call and commission to something / somewhere. Oswald Sanders says: “Missions are to be based on the passion of obedience, not the pathos of pity” So we can see the absolute centrality of the Lord Jesus in the apostolic ministry from the outset, in that He as the Head of the Church is the One from whom all apostolic specifics come. One Scripture says, He sent them (the disciples) where He Himself was about to go. He knows the spiritual dynamics of the nations, and therefore where we would not choose to go, He would often choose, knowing what the key to unlocking a place would be! This takes a unique apostolic dependency by the vessel upon God.
ii. Verse 7. Secondly, their first act in their mission is to proclaim the presence of the Kingdom as good news. They are to announce the Lord’s redemption, power and free grace, based upon repentant lives and faith. What we see in this is God’s ambassadors announcing the ‘invasion’ of God’s rule into the house of the enemy. This is evidenced also in Paul & Barnabus’ ministry in the cities they visited (and the subsequent upheaval!)
iii. Verse 1 & 8. Authority is given for the driving out of powers of the Kingdom of darkness. This is essential in apostolic mission, as one cannot progress to rescue and build something of Kingdom value until the ground is free, so to speak. The spiritual governs the earthly (as with Mark 5 and Luke 11: 14 – 28) and therefore the 12 had to be instructed in this. This ministry of deliverance and healing was evidence that what they proclaimed was fact!
iv. Verse 11 – 16. Apostolic ministry is not only to rescue but also to appropriate God’s rule on earth for a location and people. Therefore, Jesus instructs the apostles to find a house for the ‘shalom of God’ to rest there. Apostolic ministry as demonstrated in Christ, leaves something behind, which produces the fruits of righteousness, peace and joy, in lives and in homes. It is a ministry of reconciliation and restoration of God’s order. What was once previously owned by the powers of the air is now a place of dominion for God and His people. If a house receives this, it knows of grace and peace in the Holy Spirit. From there, the Kingdom, like leaven can spread to the other houses in that place. From this a community of the King is formed that constitutes the congregation / Church of Jesus Christ. A house is the foundation of a community. When a house received the Good news, the men are instructed to stay and make it a base for operations in their mission.
Also, Matthew 16 gives us further insight into the apostolic ministry of the 12, and particularly Peter.
16Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
17Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. 18And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.
Here we see the type of authority expressed in the apostolic church. Upon her revelation of the Son of God, given by the Father, she is built by Jesus, as a stronghold of the Kingdom against the powers of hell. Peter, as a foundational part and representative of this apostolic body of God’s people, is symbolically given the keys of the Kingdom, to bind and loose. Again, the heavenly realities are connected to the earthly manifestations. Acts tells clearly of Peter’s administration of this in chapter 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 & 10.
In Acts 8, we see a good demonstration of the apostolic ministry in Peter. Upon Phillip’s evangelistic success in Samaria, Peter with John goes to affirm what is happening and bring authority and order to that revival. It is not two governmental Apostles bringing things ‘under their control’ but rather it is a distinct function at work. Evangelistic success is great, but without something remaining in that region it is wasted. New wine needs a new wineskin. Apostolic insight also brings out any satanic infection in the new work quickly (as we see with Peter and Simon the sorcerer). This is important so that the new house is built without foundational weakness and is fitting dwelling place for the Spirit. It is worth comment also that they upon their return visit other places in Samaria to preach the Gospel. Both Gospel proclamation, and setting things in place for continuation of God’s work are key parts of the apostolic ministry.
So then we see, that apostolic ministry is not a hierarchal governmental office that sits around presiding over everything. No! Rather it is a functioning ministry in harmony with the work of God, yet distinct from the other ministries. It is a powerful ministry, which brings Kingdom authority with it in evangelism and administering God’s work in mission, for the building of His Church. ‘Going’ is a vital part of the ministry, that’s what ‘sent’ means. Nowhere is presiding mentioned or seen. Rather, as WAC Rowe says, apostles should be those who ‘breakthrough’ & ‘blaze a trail’ for the Kingdom, and should be the most progressive of ministries in the Church.
Apostolic ministry in Peter was foundational. No builder can lay a foundation unless he ‘goes’ to the place of choosing. (We cannot build from out of an office, right?) That’s part of the mission – to go!
It is worth here mentioning, James’ role in Acts 15. He is also mentioned in apostolic terms in Galatians 1 & 2. It is apparent here that His apostolic ministry was more to Jews in Jerusalem, rather than the Gentile nations. So was this a ‘presiding kind’ of apostolic ministry? I do not believe so. I believe one can be ‘sent’ to a city, as well as a people or nation / nations. I know of such ministries today, such as Colin Dye in London, or Jackie Pullinger in Hong Kong. These ministries are far from presiding bishops (in our understanding); rather they are God’s pioneers and builders for that city. In as much as others plant and do mission in a plurality of locations, so too do these servants reach an entire city by planting a plurality of faith communities in different suburbs or areas of the city. If there is any form of remaining after the initial work it is for the purpose of aftercare with the elders for those churches.
Finally, Acts 10, again we see Peter’s apostolic ministry at work. He is mysteriously apprehended by a vision for the house of Cornelius. Supernatural ministry accompanies the apostolic function due to its Kingdom advancing nature; as does the evangelistic ministry also demonstrate. Peter uses the ‘keys’ to open the door of the Good news of the Kingdom to the gentiles, and the Spirit falls upon the house! Notice the house as a key ingredient to this story. How many missions have failed or been partially successful because we have not taken the Kingdom to a house and remained there! This is apostolic.
In conclusion, from Peter, with John, and indeed Paul, we see that part of the foundation building is the laying on of hands for healing, Baptism in the Holy Spirit and ordination. These are foundational aspects of a foundational ministry that are vital to the ongoing building work of the community of faith.
In the next and final installment will conclude this series by taking a look at Paul, and how the Lord through him has given us a glorious pattern to follow.
Tags: apostle, Apostolic Church, art katz, Jesus, Kingdom, Paul, prophets, the church, the Gospel
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Anyone called to leadership in Togo is especially challenged. Most of the false sweepstakes notifications by e-mail stem from this cultural region. It would be interesting to find if Gnofam Lantame was influenced enough by scripture, the Apostles, and the Kingdom of God come to maintain his stated commitment, above. It is not the thought that Andrew desires to be so which is the measure of who is an Apostle, but the standards which Paul and others define in their letters. One Greek root word does not a doctrine make, like it or not.
Andrew,
Please expound on what you refer to as “Baptism in the Holy Spirit,” and how you see this working now. Does not any soul professing Christ receive the Promise? Did not Jesus say so?
Jabez,
I see it working in the same way it worked then. As Luke shows us with Cornelius’ house, upon the true message of Jesus Christ, there is faith and repentance, and upon that condition (as Peter prescribed in Acts 2) we receive the ‘promise’.
This is not just a ‘claim’ that people should make, but a consuming infilling of the Holy Spirit, which is experiential and definite! Every single believer in NT times ‘knew’ their experience was from God, and was transforming.
I do not necessarily think like traditional Pentecostals, that the experience is always ’subsequent’, but let’s be clear, it was definite.
The Pentecostals were absolutely correct in regard to the need of the experience. However, to set in dogma that it must be ‘always subseqent’ is going beyond the Scripture. For sure, some instances may have been ’subsequent’, but not always, and not necessarily ideally in what Paul teaches.
Today, if any professing Christian claims they have received the promise, then the Biblical plumb-line of ‘fruits’ and ‘evidences’ must accompany that. (And I don’t just mean tongues, as many say today. Although it includes that.) Rather, I mean a power to witness for Christ, a deeper experience of sanctification, a deepening of the prayer life, and a new release of spiritual gifts to edify the Body and to manifest Jesus’ Kingdom to a lost world.
Such an experience, producing such fruit, can only be from God.
Andrew
Andrew,
Thanks for your clarifications. Is Acts 2:38-39 alive and well today?
You see, I received such a promise in about 1971, but, I am uncertain that it had much effect against my own carnal nature at the time. So, considering what Paul wrote to the Corinthians, it seems that God is patient with some, while others are raised up to leadership relatively in short time (in Paul’s case after a few years of intense study, in addition to an encounter with risen Yeshua, mentoring by Barnabus, and apparently direct desert teaching by Christ). So, there seems to be no outcome of the promised formula as, for example, statistics might show. Please further comment.
And, should some present movement of the spirit fall on and execute results like the Jesus Movement of 1972 in the USA–which indeed changed a generation–what signs would follow? Did not Jesus say that a “weak and perverse generation seeks after signs,” in a certain context? What conditions would have to exist for signs following to be genuine, and not human suggestability derived (e.g. from whip em up pump em up style agendas?, or formulas which promise prosperity, in addition to relationship with God in the name of Jesus)?
Did you review the interview with Art Katz, who I encountered during the early 1970s; what was your take on what he stated (my own take is in his comments section, if you would review that and comment on his interview and how that both encourages and cautions religious faith and behavior).
Thank You
Jabez,
I’ll answer you questions & points in order, so not to miss anything.
1. Is it alive today? Absolutely! Firstly, there is no time limit placed on Peter’s interpretation of Joel prophetic promise, only that it was to be fulfilled at the arrival of the messiah. I was just 7 yrs old when God gloriously came and revolutionized my life with such an experience. But that was an initiation, as it were, into a life of the Spirit, where the above fruits started to manifest over time. I agree that God does work with different ones in unique ways. I have since received more of the same to the glory of God.
2. Regarding Paul. Even Saul (Paul) in Acts 9: 18, has some kind of encounter of this kind when hands are placed on him. Luke in his gospel and in Acts, gives us ‘theology in history’, that now the Christ has come and fulfilled His mandate, the Spirit is given to ALL who call, and not just ‘by faith’ but by experience. That is Pauline theology also. We can be at peace that Jesus has promised that if we ask the Father, He will give us good things. The Spirit of God is good, always - He is just like the Son.
3. My understanding of Jesus condemnation of ’seeking signs’ is those that chase them, always wanting proof, are never content in the Man, Christ Jesus. My thinking on this is simple. Do signs happen in the Kingdom? Absolutely. Are they the goal of our existence? No. Jesus is. But wherever Jesus is welcomed and honored, signs will be there as evidences and acts of the presence of the Kingdom. Those who have signs but never go in to know more of the One who does ’signs and wonders’ are like the children of Israel, always unbelieving and ultimately never entering the fullness of Christ’s inheritance.
Follow the Christ, signs will happen, and demonstrations of the Kingdom, with changed lives. Follow signs without a Christ, and you could end up in a mess.
4. We live in an age where there is much ‘whipped up’ stuff because of the above mentality, and also the media has not helped. However, the message of Jesus (not ourselves), and the Gift of His Spirit, rightly preached in a spirit of prayer and purity, should come with manifest power, and anointing. This will bring the authentic. I personally tell people not to go after speaking in tongues when praying for them in this experience, but to long for the Spirit of God. As He fills and consumes them, it will override their carnal nature, and yes, tongues generally happen. When this has happened, I have always seen a definite experience, sometime strange to the natural eye, but always Christ glorifying, and fruit producing.
5. I am in agreement with Art’s comment. I obviously was not at the ‘meeting’ he was relating to, but his sentiments are true and good. If American glitz, or Welsh emotionalism, or human weirdness, are ever the reason or cause for an atmosphere in a meeting, then the flesh gets glorified. If a possession of Jesus is the reason or cause, then by the way, you may see God move in strange ways, but always glorifying to the Son. God never promised ‘a way’ of encounters of the Holy Spirit happening. (Gifts, decently and in order to a problem church - yes, but never encounters) All we know in Scripture is such men who had such encounters were radically and totally transformed and spoke more of Jesus.
One of the strangest Baptisms in the Spirit I ever saw in the early part of last decade, shook me. A young Godly woman received a word from the Spirit of Jesus, whilst in private prayer, that He would fill her life in answer to her longing for Him. One night, as we worshiped and prayed, a young man was set free from depression, and a group of young people began to weep before the Holy presence of Jesus. As we did, with much repentance, a Holy glory filled the room, and we were unable to stand. This young lady began to be filled to such an extent, that the holiness of God made her scream out in tongues. Nothing evil, but HOLY and mighty, we wept in fear of God and His mysterious ways. She spoke in another language from 8pm until after midnight, without being able to speak in English, such was the overwhelming presence of the Lord. From that night, many young lives went on to become missionaries with me in a team to Poland, and saw a great move of God out there. Some of those now are in leadership and ministry, serving the Lord faithfully, and dedicated followers of Jesus.
My point is, that to the human mind, it was fearful and strange. But to our spirits it was holiness unto the Lord, worship of Jesus and deliverance from the things of this world. In fact, I would say that many who have been in ‘renewal’ type meetings would have been uncomfortable in that moment or they would have been changed. God’s sword came. True visitation is uncomfortable and mysterious, as it is God Himself coming. BUT, it is always good and life changing.
Hope that helps Jabez. May God answer the longings of your heart! And I pray in Jesus name, that you would be filled according to the measure of all the fullness of God (Eph 3) that you may receive power to manifest Christ to a dark world. The promise is for you!
Blessings,
Andrew
Andrew, You seem to be referring to experience based on manifestation. This then would be in a setting of some kind of observable relationship, as in the upper room, a meeting or gathering. My experience in the 1970s included healings, utterances with interpretations, and words of wisdom and the like in such environs. This generally was the case after the 1972 receipt of Jesus by many. But, there also was a certain insistence on this experience or that, and in awe of those orchestrating such preaching. I am certain that a us/them phenonena also occurred which became stunting of spiritual growth for many. Transactionally there were those in charge and those in the chairs or pews. This seemed very edifying for those in charge, I am sure, but, in a sense crippling of the maturing of those in mass audiences whose expectancies became related to such signs as being the purpose of encounter (rather than a careful and increasingly gentle heart and studied mind).
There also was the “submission and authority” preoccupation that, unfortunately, empowered some at pulpit central, as you acquainted with the media in part, and left the others as suggestable and manipulated crowds for meeting waves of action and activity. Self doubt was the fruit for many who could not replicate the kind of certainty of orchestration which those at meeting pulpit central declared.
So, moving about crowds, or on stages, doing what it is claimed Jesus did in part for three years as miracles became the object of awe and inner questioning of souls who often wondered how to get from being in an audience to being the declarative miracle channeler of meaning, so to speak. Then comparisons worked their unsettling fruit among many.
So, I mention this because of concerns for those attendees after the big meetings are no longer in the picture. No where in the NT does it hold that that is the meaning and behavior of the faith. Paul’s theology is highly developmental, and personal in one sense, and church oriented in others.
Mans search for meaning is indeed altered by experience in Christ, and who but the Spirit attending one’s prayer closet can measure it? When is expectation in Jesus presumption, and when is it inclusive of the Actions of the Spirit? And, if one does not preach themselves then why do some wish to place themselves in the middle of the ongoing faith connection for many, including assigning meeting behaviors for participation of attendees?
Jesus said love as I loved as a new focus and purpose; how does that fit in with fire revolution expectations?