Preached by Chris Broom, 1/27/2008

Download audio

Vicky Woods (2nd from left) is Restored to the Lord.

Building a Great Church, part 2 - Great Numbers - Outline

Last week we talked about the great sacrifice that it took in order to build a great church in the first century. Today, we will take a look at what that great sacrifice produced… great numbers of people being saved!

In Acts 1:15 only 120 were faithful after Jesus ascended to heaven. However, in Acts 2:41, Peter preached the word and 3000 accepted the message and were added to their number in one day. Acts 2:47 tells us that God continued adding to their number daily those who were being saved, and by Acts 4:4, despite the Apostles being sent to prison for their teaching, the number of men grew to about 5000. Men were called higher by the gallant challenge to change the world. Acts 5:14 states that “… more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.” In Acts 6:1 The number of disciples was increasing, and after the leaders correct some problems that were arising in the church, the number of disciples increased rapidly (Acts 6:7)! At this point, we really start to get a sense of movement: a spreading… like fire.

By Acts 8:12, they are in Samaria, and by Acts 9:42, the Gospel was known all over Joppa! Acts 11:21 tells us that the Lord’s hand was with them and a great number turned to God. Some believe Antioch grew to 50,000 disciples. In Acts 12:24, the spreading of the word continues, and by Acts 13:49 the word of God has spread through the whole region of Pisidian Antioch: the middle of modern day Turkey. At Iconium, in Acts 14:1, they spoke so effectively that a great number believed. We need to speak effectively, too. Amen! That is why it is so important for every disciple to be competent to instruct others in the first principles of Christianity.

In Acts 16:5, an incredible milestone is reached as we read that “the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.” Before, we saw the church in Jerusalem growing daily, but now, we see all the churches growing daily! All the churches were multiplying disciples. Then, in Acts 19, because people are publicly maligning the church, Paul takes the disciples with him and in Acts 19:8-10, a scripture commonly used to talk about campus ministry, we see that In just 2 years, an area bigger than our modern Chicagoland was evangelized. Everyone wasn’t baptized, but everyone heard the message.

By Acts 28:22, people everywhere were talking against the disciples and calling them a sect, which in our day is a cult; a real scare word for many people. The Bible says that anyone who wants to live a Godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12). Some are going to love the church and some are going to hate it, just as they did Jesus. If people everywhere aren’t talking against us and calling us names, the question is, “Are we living a Godly life in Christ Jesus?” A great preacher once said, “You’re city is as open as your mouth is!” I would add that if we are not being persecuted everywhere, we have not proclaimed the Gospel everywhere!

While in prison, about 60 AD., Paul writes Colossians just 30 years after the Christian church began. In Colossians 1:6 and 1:21-23 we see that the whole world had heard the message of Jesus Christ. The question is, “Do we believe that God can do it again through us?” When God put it on our hearts to move to Chicago, one of the first people I asked to move was Lee Pullen. Lee immediately said Yes! Not long after that, he was engaged to a beautiful sister named Noni. Before they were married, Lee told her, “If we are ever asked to move somewhere for the kingdom, and I’m not present at the time, tell them the answer is ‘Yes!’ If they ask you, ‘Do you need to go home and talk to your husband about it?’ tell them, ‘No… we will go!’” That’s Lee’s heart for God’s kingdom.

Last week we asked the question, “If everyone was like me, what kind of church would this be?” When it comes to going anywhere for the kingdom, I ask you today, “If everyone was like Lee, what kind of church would this be?” Are you willing to go anywhere, do anything and give up everything? Or has it become… “Well, I’m 32 years old now and … I can’t.” I sincerely hope that we don’t allow the worries of this world, much less the blessings that God has bestowed upon us, to be excuses for why we can’t serve Him wholeheartedly.

The church here in Chicago has sacrificed so much, and I know God is pleased. Still, I believe that that we have not even begun to sacrifice! And we have not yet begun to see the miracles that God will do as we continue to sacrifice! We were given a glimpse of the glory to come in our worship service this week. It was so moving! Nick and Hilarie Donnelly shared their testimonies before the communion, and I was moved to tears more than once as they shared. To see what God has done in their lives was powerful.

Patrick Boea Jr. and his younger sister Ashley were also inspiring as they spoke before the contribution was collected. The teens had a bake sale on Saturday and made $120. Ashley shared how that was enough for three teens to give their 15 times world missions contribution goal. She went on to say that the teens were going to continue fund raising until the end of April when our missions contribution culminates! Wow, the teens have sounded the gun and set the example for all of us the get busy!

Tiffani Harris (2nd from left) is Restored to the Lord

The church was then blessed by God to see 2 women restored! Tiffani Harris and Vicky Woods. Tiffani thanked the church for never giving up on her! She specifically named several disciples who had made a huge impact on her even while she was gone, noted that when she did come back to church, she was accepted as though she had never left. Vicky also spoke powerfully. She wanted it to be known that she while she had drifted from God and lost her first love, she remembered how God had used her to bring many women to Him when she was faithful. In fact, she has been bringing people with her to church every week and some of them are already studying the Bible.

The question we have been asking ourselves during this series is, “If everyone was like me, what kind of church would this be?” I believe an even better question is, “If everyone was like Jesus, what kind of church would this be?” Let us all resolve to love God with all our hearts, and find out!

Chris Broom

Categories: Building a Great Church, Sermons