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Part 40: Part 40: How does a church “really” grow?How does a church “really” grow?

ActsActs 99::2929--3131 AndAnd hehe spokespoke boldlyboldly inin thethe namename ofof thethe LordLordJesusJesus andand disputeddisputed againstagainst thethe Hellenists,Hellenists, butbut theytheyattemptedattempted toto killkill himhim.. 3030WhenWhen thethe brethrenbrethren foundfound out,out, theytheybroughtbrought himhim downdown toto CaesareaCaesarea andand sentsent himhim outout toto TarsusTarsus..3131ThenThen thethe churcheschurches throughoutthroughout allall Judea,Judea, Galilee,Galilee, andandSamariaSamaria hadhad peacepeace andand werewere edifiededified.. AndAnd walkingwalking inin thethefearfear ofof thethe LordLord andand inin thethe comfortcomfort ofof thethe HolyHoly Spirit,Spirit, theytheywerewere multipliedmultiplied..

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11 PetPet 33::1515 …… alwaysalways bebe readyready toto givegive aa defensedefense totoeveryoneeveryone whowho asksasks youyou aa reasonreason forfor thethe hopehope thatthat isis inin you,you,withwith meeknessmeekness andand fearfear;;

“It“It isis notnot onlyonly thethe bloodblood ofof thethemartyrsmartyrs thatthat isis thethe seedseed ofof thethechurchchurch.. GodGod cancan useuse timestimes ofofrestrest andand tranquilitytranquility asas wellwell asastimestimes ofof ragerage andand tribulationtribulation.. HeHebringsbrings HisHis peoplepeople intointo greengreenpasturespastures andand besidebeside thethe stillstillwaterswaters fromfrom timetime toto timetime.. HeHemakesmakes eveneven ourour enemiesenemies toto bebe atatpeacepeace withwith usus.. …… AA trucetruce nownowseemsseems toto havehave beenbeen acceptedaccepted ininPalestinePalestine..

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JewsJews andand ChristiansChristians decideddecided totoleaveleave eacheach otherother alonealone.. JudaismJudaismsetset itsits sailssails towardstowards thethe sunsetsunset ininitsits stubbornstubborn refusalrefusal totoacknowledgeacknowledge JesusJesus asas MessiahMessiah..TheThe churchchurch droppeddropped anchoranchor forforthethe timetime beingbeing beforebefore spreadingspreadingitsits sailssails againagain inin searchsearch ofof newnewworldsworlds toto winwin forfor ChristChrist..””

JohnJohn PhillipsPhillips

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EcclesiaEcclesia = called = called out assemblyout assembly

11 CorCor 33::1616 DoDo youyou notnot knowknow thatthat youyou areare thethe templetempleofof GodGod andand thatthat thethe SpiritSpirit ofof GodGod dwellsdwells inin you?you?

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EphEph 22::1919--2222 Now,Now, therefore,therefore, youyou areare nono longerlongerstrangersstrangers andand foreigners,foreigners, butbut fellowfellow citizenscitizens withwith thethesaintssaints andand membersmembers ofof thethe householdhousehold ofof God,God,2020havinghaving beenbeen builtbuilt onon thethe foundationfoundation ofof thethe apostlesapostlesandand prophets,prophets, JesusJesus ChristChrist HimselfHimself beingbeing thethe chiefchiefcornerstone,cornerstone, 2121inin whomwhom thethe wholewhole building,building, beingbeingfittedfitted together,together, growsgrows intointo aa holyholy templetemple inin thethe Lord,Lord,2222inin whomwhom youyou alsoalso areare beingbeing builtbuilt togethertogether forfor aadwellingdwelling placeplace ofof GodGod inin thethe SpiritSpirit..

11 PetPet 22::55 youyou also,also, asas livingliving stones,stones, areare beingbeing builtbuiltupup aa spiritualspiritual house,house, aa holyholy priesthood,priesthood, toto offeroffer upupspiritualspiritual sacrificessacrifices acceptableacceptable toto GodGod throughthrough JesusJesusChristChrist..

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How do we grow our church?How do we grow our church?MtMt 1616::1818 AndAnd II alsoalso saysay toto youyou thatthat youyou areare Peter,Peter, andand onon thisthisrockrock II willwill buildbuild MyMy church,church, andand thethe gatesgates ofof HadesHades shallshall notnotprevailprevail againstagainst itit..

11 CorCor 33::66--1010 II planted,planted, ApollosApollos watered,watered, butbut GodGod gavegave thetheincreaseincrease.. 77SoSo thenthen neitherneither hehe whowho plantsplants isis anything,anything, nornor hehewhowho waters,waters, butbut GodGod whowho givesgives thethe increaseincrease.. 88NowNow hehe whowhoplantsplants andand hehe whowho waterswaters areare one,one, andand eacheach oneone willwill receivereceivehishis ownown rewardreward accordingaccording toto hishis ownown laborlabor.. 99ForFor wewe areare God’sGod’sfellowfellow workersworkers;; youyou areare God’sGod’s field,field, youyou areare God’sGod’s buildingbuilding..1010AccordingAccording toto thethe gracegrace ofof GodGod whichwhich waswas givengiven toto me,me, asas aawisewise mastermaster builderbuilder II havehave laidlaid thethe foundation,foundation, andand anotheranotherbuildsbuilds onon itit.. ButBut letlet eacheach oneone taketake heedheed howhow hehe buildsbuilds onon itit..

1. They 1. They were edifiedwere edifiedActsActs 99::3131aa ThenThen thethe churcheschurches throughoutthroughout allall Judea,Judea, Galilee,Galilee,andand SamariaSamaria hadhad peacepeace andand werewere edifiededified..

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How were they edified?How were they edified?

ActsActs 99::3131bb AndAnd walkingwalking inin thethe fearfear ofof thethe LordLord andand inin thethecomfortcomfort ofof thethe HolyHoly Spirit,Spirit, theythey werewere multipliedmultiplied..

ByBy walkingwalking ––ColCol 11::1010 thatthat youyou maymay walkwalk worthyworthy ofof thethe Lord,Lord, fullyfully pleasingpleasingHim,Him, beingbeing fruitfulfruitful inin everyevery goodgood workwork andand increasingincreasing inin thetheknowledgeknowledge ofof GodGod;;

11 ThessThess 44::11 FinallyFinally then,then, brethren,brethren, wewe urgeurge andand exhortexhort ininthethe LordLord JesusJesus thatthat youyou shouldshould aboundabound moremore andand more,more, justjustasas youyou receivedreceived fromfrom usus howhow youyou oughtought toto walkwalk andand totopleaseplease GodGod;;

Albert Albert BarnesBarnes1919thth century century

Presbyterian theologian Presbyterian theologian

“The“The ideaidea isis thatthat ofoftravelerstravelers whowho areare goinggoingtoto anyany place,place, andand whowhowalkwalk inin thethe rightright pathpath..ChristiansChristians areare thusthustravelerstravelers toto anotheranothercountry,country, anan heavenlyheavenly..””

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•• InIn thethe fearfear ofof thethe LordLord

PsPs 1919::99 TheThe fearfear ofof thethe LordLord isis clean,clean, enduringenduring foreverforever;; thethejudgmentsjudgments ofof thethe LordLord areare truetrue andand righteousrighteous altogetheraltogether..

111111::1010 TheThe fearfear ofof thethe LordLord isis thethe beginningbeginning ofof wisdomwisdom;; aagoodgood understandingunderstanding havehave allall thosethose whowho dodo HisHiscommandmentscommandments..

ProvProv 1313::1313 HeHe whowho despisesdespises thethe wordword willwill bebe destroyeddestroyed,,butbut hehe whowho fearsfears thethe commandmentcommandment willwill bebe rewardedrewarded..

Adam Adam ClarkeClarke1818thth British Methodist theologianBritish Methodist theologian

“Keeping“Keeping aa continuallycontinuallytendertender conscienceconscience;;abhorringabhorring allall sinsin;; havinghavingrespectrespect toto everyevery DivineDivinepreceptprecept;; dreadingdreading totooffendoffend himhim fromfrom whomwhom thethesoulsoul hashas derivedderived itsits beingbeingandand itsits blessingsblessings.. WithoutWithoutthisthis salutarysalutary fearfear ofof GodGodtherethere nevernever cancan bebe anyanycircumspectcircumspect walkingwalking..””

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•• InIn thethe comfortcomfort ofof thethe HolyHoly SpiritSpirit

JnJn 1414::1616--1818 AndAnd II willwill praypray thethe Father,Father, andand HeHe willwill givegive youyouanotheranother Helper,Helper, thatthat HeHe maymay abideabide withwith youyou foreverforever—— 1717thetheSpiritSpirit ofof truth,truth, whomwhom thethe worldworld cannotcannot receive,receive, becausebecause ititneitherneither seessees HimHim nornor knowsknows HimHim;; butbut youyou knowknow Him,Him, forfor HeHedwellsdwells withwith youyou andand willwill bebe inin youyou.. 1818II willwill notnot leaveleave youyouorphansorphans;; II willwill comecome toto youyou..

ParacleteParaclete = Comforter & Exhorter= Comforter & Exhorter

EphEph 55::1818--2121 AndAnd dodo notnot bebe drunkdrunk withwith wine,wine, inin whichwhich isisdissipationdissipation;; butbut bebe filledfilled withwith thethe Spirit,Spirit, 1919speakingspeaking toto oneoneanotheranother inin psalmspsalms andand hymnshymns andand spiritualspiritual songs,songs, singingsingingandand makingmaking melodymelody inin youryour heartheart toto thethe Lord,Lord, 2020givinggivingthanksthanks alwaysalways forfor allall thingsthings toto GodGod thethe FatherFather inin thethe namenameofof ourour LordLord JesusJesus Christ,Christ, 2121submittingsubmitting toto oneone anotheranother inin thethefearfear ofof GodGod..

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Adam Adam ClarkeClarke1818thth British Methodist theologianBritish Methodist theologian

“In“In aa consciousnessconsciousness ofof theirtheiracceptanceacceptance andand unionunion withwithGod,God, throughthrough hishis Spirit,Spirit, bybywhichwhich solidsolid peacepeace andandhappinesshappiness areare broughtbrought intointothethe soulsoul;; thethe trulytruly religiousreligiousmanman knowingknowing andand feelingfeelingthatthat hehe isis ofof God,God, byby thetheSpiritSpirit whichwhich isis givengiven himhim::nothingnothing lessless cancan bebe impliedimpliedinin thethe comfortcomfort ofof thethe HolyHolyGhostGhost..””

““TheThe ideaidea isis notnot merelymerely thatthat ofof thethenumberingnumbering ofof unitsunits;; itit isis thatthat ofoffullnessfullness;; thethe ChurchChurch waswas mademade totoaboundabound.. TheThe ChurchChurch wentwent forthforth ininaboundingabounding power,power, itselfitself growinggrowing andandmultiplyingmultiplying becausebecause ofof thethe twotwo factsfacts ofofitsits lifelife:: thethe mastermaster--principleprinciple ofof thetheLordshipLordship ofof Jesus,Jesus, andand thethe powerpower andandcomfortcomfort ofof thethe HolyHoly SpiritSpirit..””

2. They were 2. They were multipliedmultipliedActs 9:Acts 9:31c 31c they they were multiplied.were multiplied.

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2. They were 2. They were multipliedmultipliedActs 9:Acts 9:31c 31c they they were multiplied.were multiplied.

“The“The firstfirst partpart ofof thethe verseverse endsends‘being‘being edified’edified’;; thethe secondsecond partpart endsends‘was‘was multipliedmultiplied..’’…… ConsequentlyConsequently ififthethe ChurchChurch isis toto bebe missionary,missionary, sheshemustmust bebe spiritualspiritual;; andand ifif thethe ChurchChurch isistoto bebe spiritual,spiritual, sheshe mustmust bebemissionarymissionary..””

John John CalvinCalvin1616thth century century

French theologian French theologian

“Therefore“Therefore,, thoughthough thetheChurchesChurches hadhad peace,peace, yetyettheythey werewere notnot drunkendrunken withwithdelightsdelights andand earthlyearthly joy,joy, but,but,trustingtrusting toto God’sGod’s help,help, theytheywerewere moremore emboldenedemboldened totoglorifyglorify GodGod..””

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“[It“[It was]was] anan excellentexcellentmixturemixture ofof inwardinward andandoutwardoutward peace,peace,temperedtempered withwith filialfilialfearfear..”” JohnJohn WesleyWesley

“Peter“Peter andand JamesJames werewere bothboth putput ininprisonprison forfor preachingpreaching thethe gospelgospel.. ButButJamesJames hadhad hishis headhead cutcut offoff whilewhile PeterPeterwaswas delivereddelivered miraculouslymiraculously outout ofof thethesamesame prisonprison.. DidDid GodGod lovelove PeterPeter moremorethanthan hehe lovedloved James?James? PeterPeter preachedpreachedonon thethe DayDay ofof PentecostPentecost.. HeHe stoodstood upupforfor thethe LordLord JesusJesus Christ,Christ, andand 33,,000000soulssouls werewere savedsaved.. ButBut StephenStephenpreached,preached, andand hehe gotgot 33,,000000 stonesstones..TheyThey stonedstoned himhim toto deathdeath..

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IfIf allall youyou seesee areare thethe worksworks ofof God,God,you'reyou're goinggoing toto bebe hopelesslyhopelesslyconfusedconfused.. IfIf youyou don'tdon't havehave aa deeperdeeperinsightinsight intointo thethe waysways ofof God,God, you'reyou'regoinggoing toto bebe pushingpushing thethe panicpanic buttonbutton allallthethe timetime.. YouYou willwill nevernever bebe ableable toto restrestuntiluntil youyou knowknow GodGod intimatelyintimately.. ToTo knowknowGodGod intimatelyintimately isis thethe wayway ofof tranquilitytranquility..ToTo knowknow GodGod intimatelyintimately beginsbegins withwith twotwothingsthings:: timetime inin HisHis WordWord andand timetime ininprayerprayer.. YouYou knowknow GodGod intimatelyintimately bybydirectdirect dealingdealing withwith GodGod.. YouYou can'tcan't knowknowanyoneanyone thatthat youyou don'tdon't spendspend timetime withwith..””