Scripture Reading : Acts 2:42-47
Theme : The Model of an Ideal Church
- The characteristics of church growth. The church in Jerusalem was a godly church that had a healthy fear of God (“awe”). Also, it was a caring church, because the believers sold their belongings to help those who were in need. It was also a church where there was unity (“had all things in common”). There was also joy (“glad and generous hearts”) within the believers.
- The strategy of church growth. The first church in Jerusalem gives us the godly strategy of church growth. First, the church devoted themselves to the Apostles’ teachings (i.e. the Bible). Second, they were devoted to fellowship. A church is not a building, but a gathering of believers. A church where there is fellowship (in the truth of the Apostles’ teachings) is a true church of God. Third, they obeyed Jesus’ command and were devoted to the breaking of bread (they celebrated the Lord’s Supper to remember His death and resurrection). Last but not least, they were devoted to prayer. They did not depend on their own strength to achieve anything, but depended on God through prayer.
- The result of church growth. When the church followed the proper strategy (as above), which is according to God’s will, it finds favour with God, and He will bless the church with numerical growth. It is of utmost importance to please Jesus, who is the head of the church (Eph. 5:23), rather than to please man. When the church pleases God, the result is that it will find favour with man (by first finding favour with God!).
Praying the Scripture
- The Jerusalem church was a caring church where the believers loved one another and met together every day! 1 John 4:20 – “he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.” The condition of many believers today is even worse, because they only come to church on Sundays, so they cannot love their brother because they also do not see their brother! Let us pray that we will first be committed to meeting regularly and often, and pray that we will love one another in the church. Also pray that we will have joy, especially when we meet together.
- The biblical strategy of church growth is to first be devoted to the teachings of the Bible. Love without truth is hypocrisy. Only by knowing and obeying the truth can the church truly grow spiritually. Let us pray that our church will continue to be devoted to the teachings of the Bible.
- The church in Jerusalem did not try to please man and change the gospel message in order to have more numbers. When the church found favour with God, He blessed the church with numerical growth. Let us pray that we will please God rather than man, and pray that God will “add to our number day by day those who were being saved.”
经文：使徒行传2:42-47
主题：理想教会的模式
- 教会成长的特质。耶路撒冷教会是一个敬畏神（“惧怕”）的敬虔教会。再者，她也是一个有爱心的教会，因为信徒买了自己的财物帮助有需要的人。这也是一个合一的教会（“凡物公用”）；信徒之间满有喜乐（“存着欢喜、诚实的心”）。
- 教会成长的策略。耶路撒冷的首间教会给予我们教会成长的敬虔策略。首先，教会必须遵守使徒的教训（即圣经）。第二，他们必须诚实与彼此交接。教会不是一个建筑物，乃是信徒的团聚。照使徒教训之真理中有团契的教会才是神属实的教会。第三，他们遵行耶稣的吩咐，天天掰饼（他们庆祝圣餐，纪念耶稣的死与复活）。最后，他们也恒切祷告。他们不靠自己的力量达成事情，乃藉着祷告依靠神。
- 教会成长的结果。当教会按照正确的策略（即神的旨意）成长时，她会蒙神的恩，得到神的祝福，在人数上增长。耶稣是教会之首（弗5:23），所以讨耶稣的喜悦是至关重要的，不是讨人欢心。当教会讨神的喜悦并先有爱神的心时，其结果就是人也有喜爱教会的心。
用经文祷告
- 耶路撒冷教会是一个信徒彼此关爱，每日聚集的地方！约翰一书4:20说道：“不爱他所看见的弟兄，就不能爱没有看见的神。”今日信徒的属灵状况更糟，因为他们只有周日才到教会；他们无法爱弟兄，因为他们也看不见弟兄！让我们祷告我们首先会立志常常聚会，并祷告我们会在教会中彼此相爱。我们也要祈求尤其在聚集的时候能满心喜乐。
- 圣经所记的教会成长策略就是先要专心遵守圣经的教训。没有真理的爱是虚假的。唯有当人认识并遵守真理时，教会才会在灵里成长。让我们祷告我们的教会能持续专心遵守圣经中的教训。
- 耶路撒冷的教会并没有尝试讨好人或改变福音信息，叫他们的人数能增长。当教会蒙神的恩时，祂祝福教会在人数增长。让我们祷告我们会讨神而不是人的喜悦，并祈求神能“将得救的人天天加”给我们。
