Unorthodoxy of Leaders to Bring God’s Kingdom to Earth
Since the beginning of the era called annō Dominī – the year of our Lord, followers of King Jesus have worked against the grain of the religious and political establishments to bring God’s Kingdom to Earth. This includes the unorthodoxy of the apostles, the leaders of the colonies of Heaven on Earth.
Peter Told the Jews They Had Killed The Messiah They Awaited
On the great Jewish feast day of Pentecost, Sarayu flowed like a mighty wind and lit up 120 followers of Jesus in one room. As Peter explained this, he said that his listeners were responsible for killing God’s Anointed One. (Acts 2:22-23) This was the Messiah they all awaited to deliver them from Roman bondage and oppression.
Peter Visited Unclean Gentiles
Being hungry, the apostle waited for food to be prepared for him. Sarayu put him in a trance and showed him a bunch of unclean animals, reptiles, and insects and told him to kill and eat. Peter objected all three times he saw this. Each time, Sarayu said, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” (Acts 10:15)
This vision led the colony leader to visit the house of “unclean” Gentiles, contrary to Jewish customs. It also led to Sarayu falling on those Gentiles and to Paul taking the Good News of the Kingdom around the Gentile world.
Paul Crossed Orthodox Jewish Customs
The hard-line Jewish rabbi Saul worked hard to wipe out the believers in Jesus as they spoke against orthodox Jewish traditions. As Saul traveled to Damascus to do harm to more believers, the Risen Jesus appeared to him and turned his life around. From then on, Saul – turned Paul – worked to prove that those believers were right to follow Jesus. He took three mission trips to various Roman colony cities to set up Heaven’s own colonies. The apostle established ruling bodies of citizens in ecclesia. He also argued with the Jewish leaders among those Gentiles about the risen Messiah.
The Jews thought, “Cursed be anyone who hung on a tree.” They also thought God’s Anointed would overthrow the rebellious Gentile rulers and again set up the Kingdom for His people on Earth. (See Psalm 2) However, Paul argued that the Anointed One had hung on a tree, failed to overthrow the hated Romans, but had died and risen from the dead. How contrary to Jewish expectations!
Gathered Apostles Crossed Orthodox Jewish Customs
Upon Paul’s return from his first missionary journey, some Jewish believers said the new Gentile believers must enter into the covenant of Abraham by ritual cutting and obedience to Jewish Law. They even pulled Peter back into separation from eating with Gentile believers.
Paul told the Galatians how he opposed the apostle to the Jews (Galatians 2:11-16).
Finally, Paul and others met with the colony leaders and elders in Jerusalem to debate the question. These leaders followed Sarayu in setting aside Jewish laws and customs in favor of the unorthodox exercise of trust and obedience. (Acts 15:1-29) They allowed the Gentiles to be unorthodox followers of the unorthodox Jesus.
Questions
Are you ready to be unorthodox as you follow Jesus and the example of His closest students?
Are you ready for mind-blowing revelations from Holy Spirit in Scriptures through His apostles, prophets, and teachers today? They provide a good basis for my own unorthodox thinking.