Anytime the gospel is preached great things can happen. ◦ “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes” (Rom 1:16).

◦ “The word of God is living and powerful” (Heb 4:12).

Churches grow when God is

involved.

Acts 2:1-11

It’s important that the apostles were in Jerusalem. ◦ Of course, that’s where God had said the church would

begin (Is 2:1-3).

◦ The apostles are obeying Jesus by staying in Jerusalem.

“Stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high” (Lk 24:49, ESV).

The apostles would begin their testimony to Jesus in Jerusalem (Acts 1:8).

Twice we’re told that the apostles spoke from God. ◦ The apostles were “all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (v 4).

◦ The crowd: “We hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God” (v 11).

You know that for men to be converted, the gospel must be preached. ◦ In the Old Testament, the word of God was highly valued.

“The LORD put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me: ‘Behold, I have put My words in your mouth’” (Jer 1:9).

“Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them” (Ezek 3:4).

◦ The New Testament connects hearing the Word of God with our faith. Jn 20:30-31. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom

10:17).

Churches grow when God is

involved.

That principle runs throughout the New Testament. ◦ “The hand of the Lord was with them [men from Cyprus and Cyrene who were preaching in Antioch], and a great number believed and turned to the Lord” (Acts 11:21).

◦ “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase” (1 Cor 3:6).

How does that work practically?

One: You need an assembly.

The apostles were all in one place (v 1). ◦ We need to assemble if the church is to grow.

One: Jesus is with us when we assemble. ◦ “Where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am

there in the midst of them” (Matt 18:20).

Two: Worship can turn unbelievers into believers. ◦ 1 Cor 14:23-25.

◦ Commit to being here during the meeting.

Two: You need a fullness of truth.

The Holy Spirit overwhelmed and filled the apostles. ◦ “Baptism” of the Holy Spirit. “I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” (Mk 1:8).

“Baptize” in Greek means “to immerse.”

◦ The apostles could speak for God. “When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth” (Jn 16:13).

The Bible is the lasting impact of Holy Spirit baptism. ◦ “These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches” (1 Cor 2:13).

◦ “Prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet 1:21).

The conversion of sinners only happens through the preaching of Scripture. ◦ “Those who gladly received his word were baptized; and

that day about three thousand souls were added to them” (Acts 2:41).

◦ “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes” (Rom 1:16).

◦ “It pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe” (1 Cor 1:21).

If God is to use us to bring people to His Son, we need a fullness of truth. ◦ “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another” (Col 3:16).

◦ Commit to spending time in Scripture.

Three: You need a crowd.

“When this sound occurred, the multitude came together” (Acts 2:6). ◦ “Many people shall come and say, ‘Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD’” (Is 2:3).

◦ “Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled” (Lk 14:23).

What would happen when if we really came to understand that “Churches grow when God is

involved?”

We’d work together with God in His vineyard. ◦ “We are God's fellow workers” (1 Cor 3:9).

◦ “We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain” (2 Cor 6:1).

Are you a worker in God’s vineyard?

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