It continued to increase

Acts 9:26-43 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

When he came to Jerusalem, he was trying to associate with the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. ²⁷ But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how at Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus. ²⁸ And he was with them, moving about freely in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord. ²⁹ And he was talking and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews; but they were attempting to put him to death. ³⁰ But when the brethren learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.

³¹ So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase.

³² Now as Peter was traveling through all those regions, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. ³³ There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years, for he was paralyzed. ³⁴ Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your bed.” Immediately he got up. ³⁵ And all who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

³⁶ Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated in Greek is called Dorcas); this woman was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity which she continually did. ³⁷ And it happened at that time that she fell sick and died; and when they had washed her body, they laid it in an upper room. ³⁸ Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, imploring him, “Do not delay in coming to us.” ³⁹ So Peter arose and went with them. When he arrived, they brought him into the upper room; and all the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing all the tunics and garments that Dorcas used to make while she was with them. ⁴⁰ But Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. ⁴¹ And he gave her his hand and raised her up; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. ⁴² It became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. ⁴³ And Peter stayed many days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.

In today’s text it again speaks of the growth and increase of the church, the body of believers. The first reference says:    So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase.    The early church didn’t grow because of the programs or strategies. They didn’t model their church after what worked somewhere else, according to a plan in the latest book on church growth. They were being built up, as Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 5:11:   Therefore encourage one another and build up one another.   Ephesians 5:19 says: Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord.   Colossians 3:15-17 says:    Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.  Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.  Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.     Encourage and build up; teach and admonish. The church today seems to find it difficult to balance these two equally important concepts which are vital to a healthy growing church. There is a tendency, as with so much in our polarized culture, to either focus on encouraging and building, focusing on the message of grace, mercy and love, leading to a doctrine or agenda that is all inclusive, all tolerant, I’m okay, your okay. Or to focus is entirely on admonishing, correcting, pointing out people’s shortcomings, the areas of lack and sin, leading to doctrines of legalism, rules and regulations of man rather than the love, forgiveness, redemption and restoration of Jesus Christ through the cross.

God the Father and Jesus both described themselves as I am. They are, along with the Holy Spirit, the three in one God.  There is no either or with God there is not either, love, grace and mercy or admonishment, discipline, holiness and righteousness. He is all in all.   In Romans 11:22-23 Paul says:   Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God’s kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.  And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in     The early church balanced the fear of the Lord, respect and awe of His holiness with thankfulness for His kindness, His mercy and His grace. The church today needs to stop focusing on polarizing doctrines and become polarized around I am; God the Father, Jesus Christ, the one who through the cross redeemed us and the Holy Spirit.

Today’s text also describes two other instances of dramatic growth in the early church. It says: Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your bed.” Immediately he got up.  And all who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord. - And -  But Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up.  And he gave her his hand and raised her up; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.  It became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.     These were not planned healing services. These were occasions when Peter responded to the direction of the Holy Spirit, he was in tune, unified with God and so as Jesus had said: "Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”(John 14:13)    These signs and wonders, these miraculous healings were not for the purpose of drawing attention to Peter. They were so that the Father would be glorified in the Son. The growth of the church also glorified the Father because He is:  not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.(2 Peter 3:9)

The growth of the early church was based on its faithfulness to Jesus, to be as He had commanded them, His witnesses. They had no other plan, program or agenda. As the text says they were:  speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord. They walked in tune with the Father and for His glory they walked in the power of the Holy Spirit. The church: continued to increase; those who saw the demonstration of the power of God: turned to the Lord.. .  It became known all over.. and many believed in the Lord.     Jesus commanded the disciples to be His witnesses. He commissioned them and us saying:   “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.  He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.  These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues;  they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”(Mark 16:15-18)  That was their plan, their agenda.  It worked then. Why should we seek any other plan or agenda?

Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ; precious Holy Spirit, thank You for the simplicity of the gospel. May I not focus on the either or of the doctrines of men, but rather on You, the I am. May I know both the love, grace, mercy and forgiveness of the cross and the holiness and righteousness which You are and have given to me. May I be a bold witness sharing the gospel and for Your glory may signs and wonders confirm Your word that many will believe and Your church will continue to increase.     Amen