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?