BE DEVOTED TO OUTREACH

Finally, the early church was devoted to outreach. Luke simply says that “the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:48). There were people coming to faith in Jesus Christ every single day! Think about that for a minute! Every day people were trusting Christ! How do you think that happened? Do you think people just sort of magically appeared at peoples’ homes for the evening gatherings? “Hi! I was just saved today and I thought I’d drop in!” I don’t think so! Verse 47 says they were “enjoying the favor of all the people.” What the Christians were doing was no secret. It was a huge movement in Jerusalem and everybody knew about it. People were inviting their friends to go to the temple with them to hear the apostles teach. They were inviting their relatives and neighbors to join them in the house meetings to hear more about Christ. They were sharing their lives with the people around them as well! God blessed that and the church just exploded in numbers. This was a healthy church; a church devoted to teaching and study of God’s word, a church devoted to living together in community, a church devoted to worship. Peoples’ lives were being changed and they loved to talk about it and tell others about what God was doing for them. People are deeply moved by a healthy church and the people in a healthy church are devoted to outreach!

I want to be part of a church like that church in Jerusalem. I want to be part of a church that is devoted to reaching out to their neighbors. I want to be surrounded by people who simply can’t stop talking about the Lord. I want to be part of a healthy church that changes peoples’ lives. I want to see people coming to faith in Christ every week. I want to see God’s hand at work among us. If only God would bless us and add to our numbers every week! May he move in our hearts and make it our passion to speak to others about our relationship with God! Is God using your church to bless you? Then it should be the most natural thing in the world to share your blessing with other people whom you care about!