Title The Church Standing Strongly / Acts 9:31
A church that stands strong
▨ Acts 9:31 ▧
If we were to pick the most ideal church in the 2,000-year history of Christianity, it would be the early church in the book of Acts. The early church had poor buildings and organizations. However, it was a church that did not waver in tribulation and continued to write letters. Just as it is dangerous when a house shakes, a church that shakes no matter how large or large it is is not a desirable church. Even if you have been attending church for a long time and you have a lot of work, you cannot become a good believer if you are shaken. In the text of the text, we discover what a strong church looks like and what a strong faith looks like.
1. It is a peaceful church.
Verse 31 says, “So the church in all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria is in peace and is standing firm.”
There are many types of peace found in the Bible. In some cases, visible phenomena such as peace in the city (2 Kings 11:20), peace in the country (2 Chronicles 14:5), and peace in the inhabited land (Isaiah 14:7) are sometimes said to be peaceful. .
But what the Bible emphasizes is peace of mind. John 14:27 says, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid.” Paul said that the source of peace "comes from Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 6:23).
The meaning of peace for the Jews is:
① It means to rest.
Resting without worry and without fear is peace. Peace is rest. But you should not rest for a long time. And taking a break because there is nothing to do is hard work. You should also rest while working. Rest is necessary. We need leisure, we need vacation, we need entertainment, but it's not a good idea to take a lot of rest.
②It is safe.
Peace should be at peace wherever you are. Where is the safe place anytime, anywhere? David confessed, "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life, whom shall I fear. Even if an army is encamped against me, if my heart is not afraid, even if war breaks out against me, I will rather be at peace” (Psalm 27:1-3).
③ To become one.
Couples are happy and at peace when the two become one. If two people have different ideas, different tastes, and different attitudes toward life, it will be difficult to live together. It is peaceful for the two to become one.
Paul writes in Ephesians 2:14-17, "He is our peace, who made the two one, and broke down the middle wall... and that he might reconcile the two to God in one body through the cross. who perished and came again to preach peace to you who were far off, and peace to those who were near."
2. It is a church that feared the Lord.
Verse 31 says, “Go in peace and steadfastness, in the fear of the Lord…”
Fearing the Lord means:
① Recognition as a personal existence.
It is not awe to regard God as abstract or imaginary. It is awe to believe that you are alive, with me, and with whom I can communicate.
② It is to elevate the state.
The Lord Himself humbled Himself and came into the world, but we must not humble Him or underestimate Him. It is reverence to exalt yourself to the incomparable and to serve as the incomparable.
③ It is to love.
True reverence is obedience and exaltation because we love the Lord. Those who truly fear God do not seek God only when they are sad, but always have fellowship. Let us fear God personally. And let's have a personal relationship. Because it is a personal life of faith.
3. It is a church with the comfort of the Holy Spirit.
Verse 31 says, “They went on in peace and steadfastness, and proceeded in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit, and they increased in number.”
The original Greek meaning of the word consolation is “close” and “close relationship.” For those who are grieving, the comfort of a person crying with you is greater than a call from the United States. And the comfort of the person closest to you or the person closest to you is powerful.
Who will be close to me every day and build a lasting relationship with me to help, strengthen, and comfort me?
Because of the comfort of God the Holy Spirit, the early church was able to go forward without being shaken. The Lord is still with us as the Holy Spirit to comfort us.
Paul says in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercy and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our afflictions, so that we can receive comfort from God in all afflictions. He is able to comfort those who are in the midst of it.” Let's not touch other people's wounds, but let's be people who comfort others.
conclusion
Dear saints,
A church that stands strong is a church that is peaceful. It is a church that fears the Lord. It is a church overflowing with the comfort of the Holy Spirit. A strong faith is also peaceful. It doesn't shake. Fear the Lord and live in comfort and comfort. I pray that you will become a strong Christian.