Title: Preparation for Growth / (Acts 1:12-26)
Everything requires preparation. The same is true of spiritual work. After Jesus was resurrected and ascended to heaven, the Lord prepared the early church members for 10 days until the coming of the Holy Spirit. During this time, God prepared the following things.
I. There must be time to learn and practice obedience.(4,12)
When Jesus was crucified, the disciples were scattered in resentment and despair. After hearing the news of the resurrection, they gathered again, but their hearts were filled with the desire to return to work as soon as possible. But they obeyed the command not to leave Jerusalem and wait for the Father's promise. Today, as our families and churches fail to teach the virtue of obedience, the growth of faith in individuals and churches is slowing down. Where there is obedience, there is growth.
II) There must be time to learn and practice how to live together.(14)
In the text, 11 disciples (13), women and Mary the mother of Jesus, Jesus' brothers (14), and a crowd of 120 (15) are mentioned. All of these were followers and believers in Jesus Christ. Christians need other Christians, so they must learn to live together. You must also learn to let go of your egocentric thoughts and actions, to sacrifice, to lose, and to lose. That's the way to grow.
III. There must be time to learn and practice prayer. (14)
They prayed. We offered united prayer, continual prayer, and fervant prayer. The prayer room is the engine room and wheelhouse of the church. The archipelago and progress of a church depends entirely on the prayer room of that church.
IV. There must be time to learn and practice the study (16).
Scholars, businessmen, politicians who don't study... They have no development. When appointing the workers to take the place of Judas, Peter quoted Psalm 69:25 and Psalm 109:8. Peter and the other disciples read and studied the Bible a lot. We too must study the truth daily.
V. There must be time to recognize and choose a leader's needs.
Let me conclude.
The cradle of the early church was the attic of John Mark. We must also have an Darakbang where we gather together, receive the Holy Spirit, have confession of faith, and have unity and prayer, and we must have the church line up. As the disciples learned and practiced how to live in obedience, prayer, and the Bible, and recognized and chose leaders, their personal faith as well as the church community grew significantly. I hope that all members of the church who achieve growth with this attitude will become members.