CONDITIONS FOR ASSEMBLY GROWTH
[p. 167] CONDITIONS FOR ASSEMBLY GROWTH
Acts 2:42 - 47; Acts 5:11 - 14; Acts 11:19 - 24
These scriptures show the conditions in which the Lord could add at the beginning of the assembly’s history. I would remark also in this connection that Joseph’s name means ‘He will add’ (Genesis 30:24).
Joseph was the last but one of Jacob’s sons, which is very significant as connected with the subject we now have before us; His mother had desired a son for a long time, so, when he was born, she called his name Joseph, saying that God would add another son. Joseph is a type of Christ, and when he was born his father determined to leave Padan-Aram where, far from his own father and his kindred, he had been for twenty years, like so many christians today who are far from the place of their privilege. But God, in His own time, causes the light of Christ to shine into their soul and causes them to begin to think about leaving the world and its associations. Then, when the one is born who typifies Christ, Jacob leaves Padan-Aram and returns to the land of Canaan, and Joseph’s mother says, “Jehovah will add to me another son”. It was not a matter of adding glory in the land of Padan-Aram, but “another son” with no link at all with that place, so, in actual fact, Benjamin was born in Canaan. Rachel’s remark involves the thought of a perfect number, Benjamin being the twelfth.
It is now the time of addition, not according to what man can do but according to what the Lord can do. The first addition in the book of the Acts was about three thousand souls; a very great number for the city of Jerusalem. “There were added in that day about three thousand souls” (Acts 2:41); it does not say to what they were added for, in truth, there is no need; there was nothing at Jerusalem except the 120 to whom the Spirit had been given. By one preaching full of power, about three thousand souls were added, and there was [p. 168] great joy in heaven; since that time such a number has perhaps never been added in one day. We then find a description of these persons in whom was a sound work of God, a work proved in the following verses where we see that these converts were truly committed to the maintenance of the truth. “All that believed were together, and had all things common, and sold their possessions and substance, and distributed them to all, according as any one might have need. And every day, being constantly in the temple with one accord, and breaking bread in the house, they received their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God, and having favour with all the people”. How stimulating it is, dear brethren, to dwell upon these details recorded for us by the Holy Spirit. They are preserved to us partly to justify what the Lord was doing in adding. It is a question of the state of things amongst the saints, a state that can be added to; certainly we cannot think of numbers such as those we have here, but we should see that such conditions exist so that there may be addition.
“They persevered in the teaching and fellowship of the apostles, in breaking of bread and prayers”. The breaking of bread and prayers would lack moral power if the apostles’ authority was not recognised. Without the recognition of this authority, we cannot have the breaking of bread, nor will our prayers be acceptable to God. Besides this, there were proofs of love amongst the saints; the one hundred and twenty believers were together in one place. I do not think that the three thousand could have been together in one place in Jerusalem, except perhaps in the open air, but they were together in thought and affection, and if the occasion offered, they were literally together. The doors of saints’ houses were continually open to the saints and to the Lord, which was not so later at Laodicea, where the Lord had to say, “Behold, I stand at the door and am knocking”, Revelation 3:20. The doors were open to [p. 169] the Lord Jesus (it is understood that I am speaking in a spiritual sense) for the Lord said, “I will not leave you orphans”, John 14:18.
They broke bread in the house, not in large halls. I have no doubt that there were a hundred houses in Jerusalem where the breaking of bread took place. What a happy state of things for Jerusalem; possibly there was not a street where one could not find a house in which to break bread. Three or four thousand saints, what power at Jerusalem! All that is recorded to confirm the fact that the Lord added, of course, to the assembly. His assembly, that which corresponded to Himself, really existed in Jerusalem. Some weeks before, He had been crucified, but God placed in that city this marvellous testimony, and added daily to the assembly those that were to be saved. I am speaking of the conditions which justified the Lord in what He was doing there; if these conditions exist in some measure today, we can count on Him to act in the same way now.
In chapter 5, we have the terrible sin of Ananias; the enemy evidently had in mind to break up and corrupt what was set up in chapter 2. Two persons, Ananias and Sapphira, agreed together to lie to the Lord, to lie to the apostles, to lie to the Spirit of God; not that they intended to do so, but that was in fact what they did; they wished to be well thought of. Barnabas had sold land and had laid the money at the feet of the apostles, a gesture of pure and holy love, performed by a just man who was filled with the Spirit, his name, Barnabas, meaning “Son of consolation”. What a fine thing for a brother or sister to be a consolation. Ananias and Sapphira wanted to imitate Barnabas, in order to be distinguished amongst the brethren, and we all know how we often love to be distinguished in some way or other. Outwardly they appeared to act like Barnabas, yet they had put aside for themselves a part of the price; they were not sincere and had to come under God’s discipline for it. I should say that they were real [p. 170] believers, because they were buried with care, but they portray the most extreme severity of discipline. “On this account many among you are weak and infirm, and a good many are fallen asleep”, 1 Corinthians 11: 30. There is such a thing as a “sin unto death”, and the death of Ananias and Sapphira precedes what is found in the verses read, showing how addition is the result of discipline. To add to a meeting, where discipline is not maintained, is to add to the confusion.
“And great fear came upon all the assembly, and upon all who heard these things. And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders done among the people (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch)”. This allusion has a spiritual meaning, as, under Solomon’s rule, there was a porch for judgment. We have here the sense of the fear of God in a place where judgment had been carried out, hence additions are made to the Lord now: “Believers were more than ever added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women”. It might be thought that if we maintain discipline, our numbers would be reduced, but it is exactly the reverse, for men and women were added. The great thing is to maintain discipline, then God will add. If we just join the brethren, we shall either corrupt them or will leave them again, but if we are added to the Lord, we are added to what the Lord’s authority involves; that is, discipline.
In chapter 11 we are told that the saints were scattered abroad from the time of Stephen’s martyrdom, but the scattering was to be for the furtherance of the work of God. He allows persecution to advance His own work. Beloved brethren, if persecution does not arise, we may rest assured that things are not going on well, for the enemy will not fail to persecute what is of God, but persecution helps, and does not hinder, the work of God. “They then who had been scattered abroad ... passed through the country to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one but to Jews alone”. They were limited by legality up to this point but God had already opened the door, and the time had come to preach to the gentiles. These christians spoke to the Jews only, forgetting that God had opened the door to the gentiles, and the Holy Spirit had descended upon them. We should be on our guard against legality, and should not ignore ways that God may open up for us. “But there were certain of them, Cyprians and Cyrenians, who entering into Antioch spoke to the Greeks also, announcing the glad tidings of the Lord Jesus”. It does not seem that these men had received special orders, more than the others to do so, but what they did, indicates that they had keener instincts as to what related to the present moment, and they broke through legal restraints, preaching to the Greeks also, and the Lord’s hand was with them. Who can say ‘No’, when the Lord says ‘Yes’; “And a great number believed and turned to the Lord”.
I would like to say a few words on the way the assembly in Jerusalem showed its interest by sending Barnabas. God awakens general interest among the saints, all who love the Lord rejoice in the work of God, whether it is evident here or in other countries. Our interest is awakened by what we hear; if I do not hear about what is happening universally, it is because my ears are not opened.
So Barnabas is sent to Antioch; this being another feature which assures that the Lord will add; a complete absence of legality, and instinct which discerns the occasion, the Lord’s hand being with them. Barnabas, a brother qualified for the work before him, came to Antioch. What a need there is of a brother or of several brothers to lead and to act. Those who were preaching to the Greeks were accomplishing something, so Barnabas came to them, a good man filled with spiritual power, such as is perhaps rarely found, and he exhorted them with purpose of heart to abide with the Lord, and “a large crowd of people were added to the Lord”.