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"And as they went through the cities, they delivered to them the decrees to keep, which were determined by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem. So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily."
(Acts 16:4-5)
Today is the final day of the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention. Ashley and I are in Nashville, TN as messengers from our local church, Great Hills Baptist Church in Austin, TX. There are some controversies and disagreements, for sure, but overall, our convention continues to make a positive difference in the lives of people all over the world. Though not perfect, as there are no perfect people, churches, denominations, etc., I appreciate the work the SBC is attempting to do to reach people with the good news of the Gospel of Jesus.
Speaking of the Church, I am currently preaching through the Book of Acts. We are going verse by verse through all 28 chapters, and I am having a blast. I love to preach through entire books of the Bible. In two and a half years we have made it slightly over halfway through Acts. Our biblical text for today is the one from which I preached last Sunday. It describes the missionary activity of Paul and Silas as they embarked upon Paul's second missionary journey. Last June, we had over 20 people signed up to retrace Paul's journey, but due to COVID-19, we had to cancel the trip. I hope we can reschedule this amazing journey. I have done it once before, and it is an absolutely marvelous experience.
Luke tells us that Paul delivered the decrees or decisions reached by the Jerusalem church. This had to be liberating and encouraging for these Gentile believers. They were reminded that God saves them by His grace through faith alone, and not by works. The Greek word translated "strengthened" is stereoo, which means to confirm, solidify, and make strong. It is an imperfect passive verb: the churches kept on being strengthened in the faith. Paul's stated goal on this trip was to go and visit and see how the churches were doing according to Acts 15:36. They were strengthening them "in the faith". This last phrase is important. I understand this to mean that the missionary team taught the word of God, preached, instructed, and encouraged the followers of Christ in their faith and devotion.
Next, notice that God not only strengthened the churches, but He also increased them. God blessed these churches with great growth; they grew deep in the Word and then wide with more people. The Greek word for increased is perisseuo—to super abound or to be in excess. They grew greatly both spiritually and numerically. This kind of growth is supernatural; we must strive to do our part, but God always does His part.
God continues to strengthen and grow His Church throughout the world. As we obey His Great Commission and go and share the good news with others, God works in and through us to expand His church and His kingdom here on earth. What a joy it is to be a part of God's Church. He started the church, sustains the church, and causes us to be triumphant. Praise God!
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