A Growing Church (Part 2)
When 3,000 plus were saved on the Day of Pentecost, the Jewish rulers of the Council or Sanhedrin were very upset. They began to try to intimidate the disciples so they would stop preaching and healing in Jesus' name. No matter what they tried it did not work. The disciples were constantly "teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ." (Acts 5:5:41,42) This is another key to a growing church we need to learn from the early church.
The first disciples of Jesus lived in a shame and honor Asian culture. Sometimes we forget that. People in that type of culture held their teachers and their rulers in high esteem, and they did not want to do anything to bring shame on their families. Therefore, most people would never go against the Council. However, the disciples of Jesus recognized that Jesus was their Lord and Teacher, so it was always right to obey Him, instead of doing what people told them to do. Also, they could rejoice "that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name." Jesus took their shame on the Cross, so now they were glad to suffer shame for His name.
If we are ever to get back to the growth of the church they experienced in the early church, we are going to have to sow the seeds of the gospel in public places like the temple and in "every house." The more seeds that are sown, the more fruit we will see. It is impossible for people to be saved without hearing the gospel. People in the USA today do not know the simple gospel of Jesus any more than people in China, India, or Japan. Yes, they know more about Jesus sometimes than people in those countries, but they do not know what it means for Jesus to be the Christ and how to be saved by grace through faith in Him as Lord of their lives. They do not know what Jesus can do for them, if they will trust Him. We are the only ones who can tell them and show them. If we do not do our part, they will be separated from Him for eternity in Hell. If we do tell them, they have the opportunity to trust Him and spend eternity in heaven.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Acts 7-9.
The first disciples of Jesus lived in a shame and honor Asian culture. Sometimes we forget that. People in that type of culture held their teachers and their rulers in high esteem, and they did not want to do anything to bring shame on their families. Therefore, most people would never go against the Council. However, the disciples of Jesus recognized that Jesus was their Lord and Teacher, so it was always right to obey Him, instead of doing what people told them to do. Also, they could rejoice "that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name." Jesus took their shame on the Cross, so now they were glad to suffer shame for His name.
If we are ever to get back to the growth of the church they experienced in the early church, we are going to have to sow the seeds of the gospel in public places like the temple and in "every house." The more seeds that are sown, the more fruit we will see. It is impossible for people to be saved without hearing the gospel. People in the USA today do not know the simple gospel of Jesus any more than people in China, India, or Japan. Yes, they know more about Jesus sometimes than people in those countries, but they do not know what it means for Jesus to be the Christ and how to be saved by grace through faith in Him as Lord of their lives. They do not know what Jesus can do for them, if they will trust Him. We are the only ones who can tell them and show them. If we do not do our part, they will be separated from Him for eternity in Hell. If we do tell them, they have the opportunity to trust Him and spend eternity in heaven.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Acts 7-9.