Growth

Pray for new people to come and stay

What we want to look at tonight are several different passages in the book of Acts where we are told that the local church grew.

We want to examine what was taking place around that growth.

Growth Requires Proper Activity - Acts 2:42, 46-47

Acts 2:42 NKJV

42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

“Continued steadfastly” is the Greek word ροσκαρτερέω (proskartereō) meaning be devoted to. To persevere devotedly in some activity or cause.

The church focused on 4 things.

Doctrine

Fellowship

Hospitality

Prayer

They persevered in and were devoted to these things.

They viewed these as the most important.

Not social justice, not feeding the poor, not political activism, but doctrine, fellowship, hospitality, and prayer.

“Doctrine” is simply teaching or instruction.

Luke is very specific about what teaching and instruction they were devoted to.

That which came from the apostles.

Where would we go to find what the apostles taught?

The rest of Acts as well as the epistles!

Statistically speaking, over 70% of the NT is quotations or allusion to the OT.

This means that what the apostles taught was how the OT spoke of Christ and applied to the church.

Of primary importance to the early church was the exposition of God's Word.

Doctrine is sneered at today.

It is considered unnecessary by many.

Boring, divisive, confusing, relative.

These are words that have been used to describe doctrine.

Yet in the early church, this is what they were devoted to!

Secondly, they were devoted to “fellowship”.

This is the Greek word κοινωνία (koinōnia) meaning fellowship or participation. The act of sharing in the activities or privileges of an intimate association or group.

The early church believers shared an intimate associate, a communion.

They participated together for the work of the ministry.

Third. Breaking of bread.

This is literally what it sounds like.

It is the physical tearing apart of bread for the purpose of sharing it and partaking of it with others.

It is likely that this references a shared meal followed by the observance of communion, or the Lord’s Supper.

The early church communed spiritually in their fellowship and physically in their hospitality.

Fourth.

They also corporately shared in prayer.

This word is plural.

There is an ongoing element to these things.

It wasn’t a one time deal.

These are the four thing deemed essential and worthy of devotion by the early church.

Doctrine - What the apostle taught.

Fellowship - Spiritual intimacy and fellowship with the body of Christ.

Hospitality - Spending time eating together.

Prayer - Laying petitions at the throne of grace.

That’s it!

What was the result of this? Look down at vv. 46-47.

Day by day they met in the temple, there was unanimity of purpose, they had unity.

They broke bread from house to house eating and sharing food with great joy and unity.

Singleness of heart is an idiom that describes a unity of mind, will, and emotion.

They were also praising God and well spoken of by others.

The source of this unity and fellowship was their devotion to the four things mentioned earlier.

The doctrine, fellowship, hospitality, and prayer.

The continual engagement in these activities knit their hearts together!

We build unity by having one another into our homes, going out to eat together, spending time with one another.

In the church: the greater the fellowship, the greater the unity.

That’s the first result, they had unity.

Secondly, they had growth.

Look at the end of v. 47.

Notice who adds them.

The Lord.

God is the one who adds to the body of Christ.

Those who are saved are saved by grace through faith.

I don’t save anyone, you don’t save anyone.

We plant and water, God brings the increase.

That being said, there is no increase apart from planting and watering.

They cannot hear without a preacher.

If grace church is going to grow, these are the 4 things we need to focus on.

Doctrine, fellowship, hospitality, and prayer.

Growth Requires Faithfulness - Acts 5:42

Acts 5:42 NKJV

42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

Literally v. 42 begins with “and every single day”.

Every single day they were preaching in the temple and teaching from house to house!

Why is this a big deal?

Because they were just arrested, beaten, and commanded not to speak in Jesus name anymore.

Their response is to rejoice in v. 41.

They rejoiced that they were considered worthy to suffer for Christ.

They also kept right on preaching Jesus.

“Preaching” is the Greek word εὐαγγελίζω (euangelizō) meaning proclaim good news. To convey the Gospel. To bring the good news of Jesus’ divine dominion and way of salvation by His death and resurrection.

These evangelistic messages were likely preached in the temple while the teaching was done in the homes.

“Teaching” is the Greek word διδάσκω (didaskō) meaning teach; instruct. To impart skills or knowledge to.

This was done with those who have already believed and were meeting in homes.

The point is that the suppression intended by the Sanhedrin has had the opposite effect!

The beating and command for silence have resulted in rejoicing and even bolder preaching!

This is the faithfulness we are to have.

The apostles courageously preach the gospel despite pain, suffering, and persecution.

Trials and suffering are going to increase for the body of Christ. Will we be faithful?

Growth comes as we faithfully proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ no matter what.

Growth requires proper activity.

Growth requires faithfulness.

Finally…

Growth Requires Dedication - Acts 9:31

Acts 9:31 NKJV

31 Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.

Again we find 4 things that lead to the growth of the church.

Peace

Edification

The fear of the Lord

The comfort of the Holy Spirit

Peace

The church had peace when Saul of Tarsus was converted.

Saul had been destroying the church!

He had been persecuting believers.

Now the destroyer has become a proclaimer!

Even despite Saul’s persecution, the church had been dedicated to carrying on.

Edification

The peace that came to the church as a result of Saul’s conversion has resulted in edification.

The church is being built up, strengthened and matured.

God is at work!

He is using Saul to reach people for Christ.

Lives are being transformed.

The gospel is taking root.

We must be dedicated to discipleship.

Build one another up.

The fear of the Lord

Fear of the Lord grows out of knowledge of Him.

Where do we go to learn about the Lord?

The Word of God, church, and our fellow believers.

To learn of God, to know Him, is to fear Him!

Get into the Word – contemplate what it tells you of God.

Be in Church – go where the Word is preached.

What does the Word tell us about God?

Spend time with fellow believers – what does God’s activity in their lives teach us?

The comfort of the Holy Spirit

Comfort – παράκλησις (paraklēsis) comfort; encouragement. Exhortation n. — the act of earnestly supporting or encouraging (a response or action). Noun (prepositional object), dative, singular, feminine.

In John 14:16 Jesus promises to send another paraklete, translated helper or comforter.

In v. 17 He tells us that the comforter is the Spirit of truth.

The Holy Spirit supports, encourages, helps, and comforts.

Here we find the ingredients necessary for numeric growth.

Peace - we talked about that earlier in the weak.

The church cannot grow if it is fighting.

Edification - we talked about this already too.

Without discipleship, a church will not grow.

The fear of the Lord.

We must learn of Him through His Word.

The ministry of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit does His Work through the Word of God!

That is His tool, His instrument for bringing encouragement, help, support, and comfort!

Beloved, we neglect this book to our peril!

We neglect the church to our peril!

We neglect fellowship to our peril!

Growth for the early church happened as they experienced peace, spiritual growth, the fear of the Lord and the work of the Holy Spirit.

All of these things require the Word of God.

Boiled down, the early church grew because they were taking care of one another and keeping the Word of God the biggest part of their ministry.

They met practical needs, they had community.

They taught the Word of God.