What Might Have Been?

In the New Testament, there were two mega churches.   One was a Jewish Church which met in Jerusalem, and the other was a none Jewish Church which met in Antioch,Syria. 

During Pentecost in Acts 2, Peter preached and there were 3,000 Jews who gave their lives to Jesus (Acts 2:41).

  

By Acts 4:4, the mega church in Jerusalem which was made up exclusively of Jews had grown to 5,000. 

In Acts Chapter 10, Peter shared the Good News of Jesus Christ with Cornelius, a Roman Centurian and his family.  They believed in Jesus and received the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  

In Acts 11, it records an investigation and conference conducted by the Jewish mega church in Jerusalem in regards to Peter's actions.   

At the time, the Jewish mega church did not believe that a none Jew could be saved; however, Peter's testimony about Cornelius convinced them otherwise. 

    

In Acts 11:19, the Church began to scatter after the stoning of Stephen, and this chapter records the first time that none Jews had the Good News shared with them.    

In Acts 11:22, the mega church in Jerusalem sent Barnabas to Antioch, Syria to Pastor that Church which was full of none Jews.  

Saul who was later called Paul had left Jerusalem because of a death threat (Acts 9:26-11).  

At the time, Paul was in Tarsus which was located in modern day Turkey basically doing nothing.  Barnabas went and found Paul to help him lead the church in Antioch (Acts 11:25-26). 

  

Notice in Acts 13:1-3,, the Antioch Church had 5 Pastors.  Barnabas was the highest ranking Pastor, and Paul was the lowest ranking Pastor.  

During this time under Barnabas and Paul, the none Jewish Church in Antioch became a mega church which probably rivaled the size of the mega church in Jerusalem.  

Notice in Luke 2: 2, the Scripture says that "This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria."  

This is important because it reveals that the readers were probably Syrian readers from the mega church in Antioch.   

Probably both the book of Luke and Acts were written for the benefit of the mega church in Antioch.  

It appears that the focus of the Jerusalem mega church was in reaching the Jews.  However, the focus of the mega church in Antioch was in reaching the none Jews. 

In Acts 13:1-3,  this church sent Barnabas and Paul west to Cyprus and the area which is now modern day Turkey.  Remember that this is the same general area that Paul was originally from.

  

In Acts chapter 15, there was another investigation and conference in the Jewish mega church in Jerusalem.  Barnabas and Paul went there to determine if none Jews had to become Jews first to be saved.

  

In Acts 15:19-21, the decision was made that a person did not have to become a Jew first to be saved. 

When Paul wrote the Book of Romans, he was writing to a church in Rome which was made up both of Jews and none Jews.

As you read through this book, Paul will swing back and forth from writing to each group. Here are some examples.  

Romans 2:28-29  (ESV)

28 For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. 

29 But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.

If you'll notice in this passage, Paul considered anyone who had received the Holy Spirit as a true Jew whether their heritage was Jewish or not. 

Romans 3:31  (ESV)

31 Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.

In this passage, Paul states that if you live a life of faith in Jesus Christ, you'll fulfill the written requirements of the Law of Moses (the Torah) as a by product.  

In Romans chapter 9, Paul says things like this to the Jewish people. 

Romans 9:1-3 (ESV)

9 I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— 

2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 

3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. 

Romans 11:1-3 (ESV)

I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. 

2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew.

Romans 11:25-26 (ESV)

25 Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 

26 And in this way all Israel will be saved...

At the time of this writing, there was already a mega church thriving in Jerusalem full of Jews and a mega church in Antioch filled with none Jews with smaller churches all around.

What happened?

In 70 A.D., the Roman Emperor Titus overthrew Jerusalem and wiped them out.  This event was predicted by Jesus in Luke 21: 20-24.   

In other words, the Jewish mega church in Jerusalem was wiped off the face of the earth.  The only remaining mega church was in Antioch, Syria full of none Jewish Christians who eventually reached the world with the story of Christ.

What if the mega church full of Jews had survived?   What would the church look like.  One can only imagine.     

M. H. Dennis