Preparing For Growth Series

Introduction

Imagine for a moment that Jesus suddenly appeared in person at the next Session meeting.

Stunned by his sudden appearance, one of the elders finally manages to blurt out, “Lord, why are you here? What’s going on?”

Jesus replies, “As you know, I am building my church. And I am building my church all around the world, even here at the Tampa Bay Presbyterian Church. I want you to prepare for the coming growth that is about to take place here at the Tampa Bay Presbyterian Church.”

And with those words, Jesus disappears.

Just as stunned by his disappearance as they are by his appearance, the elders look at each other. Finally, one of them asks, “How do we prepare for the growth of the church?”

We find some—but not all—of the answers to that question in today’s text.

Just before his ascension, Jesus gave his apostles their mandate: they were to be his witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth (1:8).

However, rather than sending them out immediately to preach, Jesus told them to go to Jerusalem and wait for the gift of the Holy Spirit.

He knew that they needed the enabling power of the Holy Spirit to fulfill the Great Commission.

While the apostles were waiting for the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Lord was preparing them for the coming growth of his church.

Scripture

Let’s read Acts 1:12-26:

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. 13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

15 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, 16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.” 18 (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. 19 And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms,

“ ‘May his camp become desolate,

and let there be no one to dwell in it’;

and

“ ‘Let another take his office.’

21 So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” 23 And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” 26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Lesson

Acts 1:12-26 shows us how the apostles prepared for the growth of the church.

Let’s use the following outline:

1. By Practicing Obedience (1:12)

2. By Joining Together in Devoted Prayer (1:13-14)

3. By Studying the Scriptures (1:15-20)

4. By Choosing Godly Leaders (1:21-26)

I. By Practicing Obedience (1:12)

First, the apostles prepared for the growth of the church by practicing obedience.

During the forty days between his resurrection and his ascension, Jesus gave his apostles this command in Acts 1:4: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.”

In obedience to Jesus’ command, “they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away” (1:12), which is about three-quarters of a mile.

The Lord’s command to go to Jerusalem and wait might have seemed strange to the apostles.

After all, they were fired up with enthusiasm and energy. Jesus was alive. They were utterly convinced about the reality of his resurrection. They now understood the message of the gospel. Furthermore, Jesus had commanded them to take his message to the world.