How DID the "Early Church" really grow??

"Acts" is a textbook on church growth. The conventional thing is to
say: "We want a church like the early church!" I'm not sure we would
want to face the same ratio of impossibilities.

But one thing is for certain, the growth of the early church was
co-existent with great problems and trouble. There was almost
universal opposition from authority both religious and civil. There
was disagreement and strife and even failure within the ranks of the
believers. And yet our text says that they had great grace and they
had great power! This particular incident came after there was a great
stir that began with the healing of the lame man (Acts 3) and there
are some very significant statements which lead up to our text:

I. (v 12) THE DISCIPLES WERE LOVINGLY INTOLERANT

A. "Intolerance" is not the same as "schism." How can we speak of the
virtues of "intolerance?" Aren't we supposed to see all Christians as
brothers; and aren't we supposed to have a genuinely ecumenical spirit
when we follow Jesus?

Certainly we need more understanding-- more reaching out to all
Christians everywhere. The church of Jesus Christ is bigger than we
may understand or appreciate. We need to get along with other
Christians who may have faults. God knows that we may have a fault or
two, as well!

B. "Intolerance" is aimed only at central issues; and the first issue
of all is: WHO IS JESUS CHRIST? and-- WHO IS JESUS CHRIST TO YOU? We
cannot simply co-exist peacefully with those who deny the deity and
Lordship of Jesus Christ- and expect great grace and power!

C. Jesus will not surrender His authority-- nor will He share the
loyalty of His servants.

[ I watched a feature story on the revival of miracle plays in the
streets of York, England; the man playing Jesus was an Indian
national, and a Buddhist, who affirmed on camera again the theme that
Jesus was good-- he is one way to God among many. But Jesus was NOT
"good, and one way among many to God." Jesus is HOLY, Jesus is God,
and the ONLY way to God, or else Jesus is a liar and fraud. ]

D. We must raise the level of our alertness/awareness to doctrinal
truth. We must be lovingly TOLERANT of disagreement WITHIN the family
of faith. Some may insist on speaking in tongues: we can lovingly
disagree; some may insist "once-in-grace-always-in-grace" and we can
argue within the family; some may even pray to Mary, and we
scripturally disagree. We don't have to agree on all points-- but we
can pray for each other, But there can be NO compromise in the matter
of authority and Lordship: THERE IS NO OTHER NAME! NO OTHER WAY!

II. (v 20) THEY WERE OBEDIENTLY INSISTENT

A. They not only believed (intellectually), but they were determined
to be obedient. Acting on what they believed to be God's truth. The
experience, the reality was there. In "new" churches like our own the
tendency is:

Generation ONE: fervency and reality;
Generation TWO: maintenance and tolerance;
Generation THREE: convenience and simply "fitting Jesus in" wherever
we are not called on to sacrifice.

At whatever cost, we must press into the reality of knowing God in
Christ!

B. What was God's will for these men (Peter and John)?: Long before
they had met Jesus personally. They had heard Him say to them:

1. "Follow ME ... and I will make you ..."

And they had begun to follow; they had found a new way of life: living
by God's LOVE. They had seen Jesus live and die and were convinced
that He had conquered sin and death and hell. They were determined to
FOLLOW JESUS AT ANY COST!

They had also heard Jesus say, before He ascended to heaven:

2. "Tarry ye .. until you are clothed with power ... to witness to
Me"

And they had experienced the birth of the church in it glorious
fellowship and worship.

C. These disciples had been true to their own personal experience.

1. We cannot "share" what we don't have. A faith that doesn't pay its
honest debts ... that doesn't get along with its neighbors ... that
can't keep a civil tongue in its head ... is hardly advertisement for
Jesus and His LIFE.

2. But if Jesus is meeting your needs - and if you are a growing
Christian - then you need to SHARE Him -- and there are people that
NEED what you have found!

III. (v 23) THESE CHRISTIANS KNEW THE VALUE OF SHARING PRAYER REQUESTS

When threatened (they were human! they were frightened! so) they
hurried back to the CHURCH and TOGETHER they prayed through to new
reality, and new infilling and power.

IV. (v 32) THEY WERE UNITEDLY UNSELFISH

A. Their exact METHOD is not what we should copy; but we need to
re-discover their SPIRIT.

B. How may we be UNSELFISH in any practical sense?:

1. God does not demand the UNreasonable. But each of us HAS that which
is valuable to contribute; and it is the greatest pleasure to GIVE!

2. HOSPITALITY; KINDNESS TO EACH OTHER is a grace. In the HOME-- (as
we have already said!) -- THE GREATEST GIFT WE CAN GIVE OUR CHILDREN
IS TO LOVE EACH OTHER. We WILL disagree -- but we can be Christians
in working out and talking out our disagreements.

What has this to do with REVIVAL and the CHURCH? It is so obvious-- we
cannot see it: In the CHURCH -- the greatest tool for power and
witness is to love each other!

Our own children are lost to the church at an amazing rate, and one
wonders if it is not because we have aired our criticisms more than
our love! I am not complaining now about personal problems, but there
is a general truth here: people who find fault and criticize wake up
to realize they have cut their children's faith out from under them!
What is GOOD about our fellowship?

This "love-one-another" power carries through in evangelism, too.
People may come to God because they want different things; but they
STAY with the church because they find LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING AND A
PLACE TO BELONG!

If I really believe that our church (with all its faults) is the best
church I know anything about, how do I express that to those I meet?
As I try to bring people to Jesus, do I tell them how I see Jesus in
YOUR faces? Do I tell them how when I have faced difficult times Jesus
has sustained me because of YOUR love? What do you think might happen
if we were able to communicate what we really believe about Jesus
Christ and His church-- and OUR church in particular?

Conclusion:
(In Wollaston)

We don't have the contagious enthusiasm of a risky, brand-new
situation. (And you are like that, too!) There is something exciting
about a storefront. There is a thrill in having just a few and seeing
that few grow.

But we do have the thrilling reality of a middle-sized church that is
pushing forward in several vital areas, and that wants to mind God in
being a force for revival and renewal in this unique place! (You have
what this world desperately needs!) If we will love one another and
mind God, then Jesus will build His church!

#311 I Love Thy CHURCH, O God!
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