The 7 Step Cycle Of The Body Of Christ's Growth In Acts

Throughout the book of Acts we see Paul and Peter and the apostles planting churches that they later write letters to like 1st and 2nd Corinthians and 1 and 2 Thessalonians, and Philippians and Galatians and so on, challenging them to right their courses, and most of them did, praise God. And you could sense the confidence of the apostles writing them, believing very firmly that they would right their courses in the Holy Spirit who guided them.

Just to review, 7 steps in the process through Acts and the epistles:

1. The believers preach the gospel

2. The crowds are divided, some believe some don’t

3. Believers organize into churches

4. The believers are persecuted

5. The Holy Spirit helps the persecuted

6. Problems occur in the churches

7. The churches repent (or don’t)

But now I want to hone in on one aspect of this process of how the gospel spreads. I’ve been reading an excellent book gifted to me by a friend, it’s by Charles Stanley called How to Handle Adversity. It’s been excellent. But he draws some excellent points from scripture, particularly in the case of the raising of Lazarus, about how God brings people to Jesus through our suffering.

I really see the same truths at work in the book of Acts. And just as much today, when I say this is how the acts church functions, its just exactly as much as saying that is how the church functions today.

We go through the same things as they did. It’s just different due to the day and age we live in. But the principles are the same.

We go through suffering as the church of Christ. We’ve discussed that point recently.

The church also has great joy in serving Jesus. So we’re constantly sort of caught between joy and peace in Christ and suffering and trials in Christ. And it’s all part of our journey here on Earth.

We suffer. And as we handle that suffering by holding close to God, others see us do that, and are amazed. It’s a witness to others about Jesus. I remember when Chelsey lost her grandfather, and the way that she gracefully dealt with that, by giving glory to God, it encouraged my faith.

When you hear of a mass shooter, who shoots up a church, and then you hear about the church members being interviewed and saying they forgive the person who did it. We’re all amazed.

There’s a movie called Amish Grace, a true story, about an Amish school that was shot up by a man who then killed himself. And it tells of how the Amish community went and ministered to the widow of the man and their children. And how amazed people were to see them serve and forgive and become friends with the family of the man who killed their children.

There's a story from the Charles Stanley book, of a woman who gave birth, but they wouldn’t let her see the child. And the father was told in private, your baby has downs syndrome. And he was overcome. He went and met with his pastor, and his pastor told him, this is a gift from God. He told his wife this, and she began crying, but he explained that this was a gift from God. They should receive it as such.