Lesson 2: Growth of the apostolic church

“And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.” (Acts 4:31)

Often when we read the book of Acts, we are amazed at how rapidly the apostolic church grew. We will study in this lesson reasons that contribute to the rapid expansion of the apostolic church.

  1. The work of Holy Spirit

Not many of the first disciples were thought to be well educated or influential by the standard of that era, but once they received the power of the Holy Spirit from on high, they were able to bear witness for Christ everywhere.

  1. Power of the Holy Spirit

Jesus instructed his disciples (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) to stay in Jerusalem and to pray for the down pouring of the Holy Spirit. So the disciples stayed and prayed for the Holy Spirit. On the day of the Pentecost, they received the Holy Spirit and were filled with power from on high. Having received the power of Holy Spirit, they were able to bear witness for Christ.

  1. Holy Spirit gave the disciples the wisdom and the power

Holy Spirit gave the disciples the courage to witness for the Christ. It gave them the eloquence. When people heard their message, they were cut to the heart. (Acts 2:37; 26:28) Holy Spirit gave them the faith and power to perform wonders and signs among people. No one was able to resist the power and the wisdom by which they spoke. (Acts 6:8; 9:22; 18:28) When Peter and John were brought before the rulers, elders and high priest, Holy Spirit gave them the boldness and eloquence. (Acts 4:13-21)

  1. Holy Spirit guided the direction of their missionaries

Holy Spirit guided them to those who thirst for the truth. For example, an angel spoke with Philip and directed him to go to the Ethiopian eunuch; Peter saw a vision which ultimately lead the conversion of Cornelius’ family; a Macedonian appeared to Paul in a vision and pleaded with him to preach in the Macedonia. (Acts 8:26, 39; 10:9-48; 16:6-10)

  1. Accompanying signs

The Holy Spirit was with the disciples as they went everywhere to preach the gospel. It abided with them and confirmed the words through the accompanying signs. (Mk 16:20)

  1. Deliverance from dangerous occasions

When the high priest went against the apostles by putting them in prison, an angel opened the prison doors and brought the apostles out of the prison. (Acts 5:19-20) King Herod seized Peter and put him in prison, church prayed for Peter. But during the night, an angel appeared to Peter and led him out of the prison. (Acts 12:1-10) When Paul was in the island of Malta, a snake bit him in the hand. The natives expected to see him swell up and suddenly fall down dead, but that did not happen because God protected him. (Acts 28:1-6)

  1. People were rescued from their own afflictions

When Paul was in Lystra, there was a man who was crippled from the time of his birth. When Paul saw that he had the faith to be healed, without a loud voice, he commanded the cripple to walk. (Acts 14:8-11) When Peter was in Lydda, he found a man who had been bedridden for eight years, he commanded him to rise up. And He was able to get up right away.

  1. Resurrect dead people
  2. Dorcas: Acts 9:36-42
  3. Eutychus: Acts 20:7-12
  4. People delivered from the evil
  5. Phillip in Samaria: Acts 8:4-8
  6. Paul in Phillipi: Acts 16:16-18
  7. Remove obstacles

Elymas sought to turn the proconsul from the faith. God helped Paul overcome Elymas by making him blind. (Acts 13:8-12)

  1. Adherence to the Truth

The apostles went everywhere to preach the truth. Holy abided with them and confirmed the truth they preached by accompanying their work with miracles. (Mk 16:20; Mt 28:20)

  1. Faithful deliverance of truth

The apostles faithfully brought the truth to people. They were careful not to introduce their own ideas into the Truth. ”Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations— “Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” which all concern things which perish with the using—according to the commandments and doctrines of men?” (Col 2:20-22)

They did not give into the authority from men. “But Peter and John answered and said to them, ‘Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge’. ‘For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.’” (Acts 4:19-20)

  1. Diligent Study of the Scripture

The apostles diligently studied the truth. Used it as a standard of verifying the truth. (Acts 1:16; 2:26; 7:1-53) Bible commended the Bereans to be of noble characters, they searched the Scripture daily in order to figure out whether they have received the truth. (17:10-11)

  1. Evangelism

They preached all aspects of Truth. They did not play favoritism as to what aspects of truth should be emphasized. “Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.” (Proverbs 30:5-6)

  1. Love for God and others

Other than the abidance of the Holy Spirit, accompanying signs, and strict adherence to the Truth, another reason that the apostolic church expanded quickly was the love and generosity amongst the disciples.

  1. Sacrifice for Christ

The disciples devoted themselves to evangelism. Many were willing to sacrifice their own lives for the ministry. “But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” (Acts 7:59; 20:22-24; 21:13)

  1. Concerns over others’ spiritualities

The apostles showed genuine concern to others’ salvation. “I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh.” They encouraged each other to devote themselves in the ministry. Paul encouraged Timothy to “preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.”

  1. Help out one another

The disciples helped out one another according to their own ability. (Acts 11:27-30) In the early days of the church, they sold their own possessions and divided amongst themselves as needed. (Acts 2:44-45, 4:32-35)

  1. Good deeds

Dorcas was a woman full of good deeds and had done a lot of charitable works. Many were drawn to Christ because of her good deeds. (Acts 9:36-41)

  1. Preparation of the next generation

They actively trained for the next generation in order to continue the holy work. For example, they chose from amongst themselves, seven people of good reputations, in order to devote themselves to prayer and the ministry. (Acts 6:3-6) Barnabas introduced Paul to the Apostles and declared to them how Paul had seen on the way to Damascus. (Acts 9:27-29) They appointed elders to pastor the churches. (14:22-23)

Conclusion:

In this lesson, we learned that the growth of a church is intimately tied to the abidance of God in the Church. The Apostolic church was prosperous because it had the abidance of the Holy Spirit and the Truth. The Holy Spirit confirmed the Truth the preached through accompanying signs. Because of their strict adherence of the Truth, God worked mightily amongst them. Because of their good conducts, many people came to believe in Christ.