Among the Churches
INTRODUCTORY WORDS
For the while we turn from Saul and the record of his ministry, and we return to the early Church and her dominant figure, Peter.
We ask your attention first of all to the reading of Acts 9:31 : "Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied."
The Churches of this Scripture included the groups of saints who assembled in various parts of Judea, Galilee and Samaria. The central Church was in Jerusalem, but the persecutions which had scattered the Christians had resulted in many smaller fellowships.
I. THE CHURCHES OF JUDEA, GALILEE AND SAMARIA (Acts 9:31)
The Holy Spirit called these fellowships, "Churches." Several things are stated of these:
1. They had rest. There was a cessation of the persecutions which had arisen against the saints, This "rest" from their enemies may have been in answer to the prayers of the saints; it may have been because Satan saw that he was only increasing instead of depleting the Churches by his cruelties; it may have been also because the objective which Christ had in view by permitting the persecutions had been accomplished, namely, the saints had begun to fulfil the Lord's command to go beyond Jerusalem, to Judea and Samaria, and on unto the uttermost part of the earth with the Gospel.
The heart of man had not changed Judaistic ecclesiasticism was still set against Christ and the Church; the attitude of the devil had not changed Satan was still going about seeking to destroy. However, God had folded His lambs to His bosom, and was shielding them, for the time from the wrath of men and demons. God had proved them by manifold testings and found them true, now He gave them "rest."
2. They were edified. Edification carries with it the thought of being builded up. The Christians were growing in grace, because they were growing in the knowledge of God, They were growing in knowledge because the Apostles were daily teaching them the Word. Peter expressed the fundamentals of growth when he wrote, in Spirit, "Desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby. "
Would that Christians today might be edified grow up into Him in all things. Would that preachers taught the Word with more deep searchings.
3. They walked in the fear of the Lord. The early saints were not afraid of the Lord in any slavish sense. They did not fear Christ as a servant fears a tyrannical master. They did not hide away from Him because they were afraid of Him; they sought His face, and rejoiced in His constant presence. They walked in the fear of the Lord, because they knew the might of His power and the glory of His presence. Christ was real unto them. He was God. He was the One once crucified, but now risen and exalted at the Father's right hand.
A renewed vision of God and of Christ is a great need at this hour. Deity has been dethroned and humanized in the minds of men; and humanity has been lifted up and deified.
The "fear of the Lord" is contained in the expression, "Hallowed be Thy Name." The fear of the Lord carries with it an ever-deepening realization of the Lord, high and lifted up; while His glory fills the Temple. The fear of the Lord, is the sense of the presence of God that makes one take off his shoes on hallowed ground; it causes one to bend the knee, to bow the head, and to worship.
The spirit of the "fear of the Lord" causes one to approach the Lord by means of the shed Blood, confessing one's sin. It carries with it a sense of God's holiness and greatness, on the one hand; and a sense of man's inherent sin and weakness on the other hand.
Thank God, the first Churches walked in the "fear of the Lord."
4. They walked in the comfort of the Holy Ghost. How this simplifies matters. The fear of the Lord, instead of driving the Christians away from the Lord, that they might hide from His presence, led them, the rather to draw near to the shelter of His strong and protecting arm. They walked in the comfort of the Holy Ghost. What a blessed garden of flowers in which to walk! What a wholesome aroma, delightful and invigorating!
Our God is a God of all comfort. The Holy Ghost is the Divine comfort bringer.
"Comfort" that is what the child finds nestling away in his mother's arms. That is what the mother does as she soothes the throbbing head, and quiets the sobbing voice.
"Comfort" suggests a balm against all tribulation and trouble. Thus Paul wrote, "As the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ."
Our God is "The Father of mercies." He "comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God."
5. They were multiplied. Here is a distinctive basis for the increase of disciples: the disciples had rest, they were edified, they walked in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost doing this they were multiplied.
Churches today imagine that they are multiplied by setting in motion certain machinery that induces people to join the church. Some look to the annual revival period for their additions; some look to "special days" when particular effort is made to get members; some make a canvass for new converts.
It is blessed to see the number of saints multiplied, but it is more blessed when that enlargement is brought about by increased spiritual knowledge, and by the deepening of spirituality among saints.
II. PETER'S MINISTRY (Acts 9:32)
1. He passed throughout all quarters. We return once more to Peter and his activities. Open your Bibles and read Acts 9:32 : "And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all quarters, he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda."
These words sound much like an expression found in Acts 10:38 : "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power; who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him."
Peter anointed with the same Holy Ghost and clothed with a like power as that which once clothed his Lord, passed throughout all quarters. He went from one city to another preaching the Gospel, and doing good. With what joy he ministered the Word, and with what joy did the saints hear him. He carried blessing from Heaven with him. He was a man who gladly spent himself for others. There was not an idle or lazy bone in him. From city to city, and, doubtless, from house to house he went his rounds, giving words of comfort and of counsel, teaching and preaching, helping and healing.
How gracious is such a ministry. How needful unto this hour that some men give themselves to a similar task. There are young ministers who need the wisdom and counsel of older minds; there are struggling churches which need encouragement; stumbling saints who need help; indeed, all need the teaching that some true and tried preacher of long experience may render,
2. He found Aeneas and healed him.
"And there he found a certain man named Aeneas, which had kept his bed eight years, and was sick of the palsy.
"And Peter said unto him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise, and make thy bed. And he arose immediately.
"And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him, and turned to the Lord" (Acts 9:33-35).
The rule for healing as James puts it, is, "Let him call for the elders of the Church." Peter, however, did not wait to be found by Aeneas, he found Aeneas. Peter did not reserve his healings for those who were able to come to him, he went to them. Here was a man who for eight years had been kept in bed with the palsy. The physicians had utterly failed to help him. His case was hopeless, from every medicinal viewpoint. Peter did not consider his disease beyond the power of the healing Christ. He said to Him, "Jesus Christ maketh thee whole." In full assurance of faith, Peter added, "Arise, and make thy bed."
God hath said, "The prayer of faith shall save the sick." He has also said of prayer in general, "Let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven of the wind and tossed, For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord."
Peter showed no wavering, no doubt. He spoke with a present tense faith he said, "Jesus Christ maketh thee whole." There was no waiting for results, to see what might happen; there was a command, "Arise, and make thy bed." Peter wanted the bed that had held the sick of the palsy for eight years, set aside. He wanted the man of the palsy to set it aside.
Not only was Peter's faith fixed, but the sick had a similar faith; "He arose immediately."
The result was what might have been expected "All that dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him." The people flocked from every direction. They came, they saw, and they turned to the Lord.
If some in pondering these words wonder why it is not so done today we quietly and confidently reply that the Lord Jesus is able so to do. Perhaps the cessation of the Apostolic miraculous has ceased, because our faith in the miraculous has ceased. Perhaps God is now giving men up to their unbelief. We know not. We do know that God is able; we do know that we would rejoice to see such miracles done today in order that Christ might be glorified, and that men might be aroused from the skepticism that has gripped this doubting age.
III. DORCAS, A GOOD WOMAN (Acts 9:36)
We have so many Dorcas Societies in our churches, named for this Joppa saint, that we will tarry to consider several things.
1. Dorcas was a woman full of good works and alms-deeds. The Christian life glorifies the everyday contacts of Christian men. Christianity is not a creed, it is a Person and that Person, is Christ. However, Christianity is more than Christ seated at the right hand of power, on high; it is Christ formed anew in His children.
"Full of good works and almsdeeds" that is the result of real salvation. Christ went about doing good; so also do we, if we are Christians men and women, with Christ-in.
The life of Jesus among men was a life spent in opening prison bars, preaching peace to the captive, the recovering of sight to the blind, the setting at liberty the bruised. Those of us who walk as He walked, will work along the same lines.
The real Christian may be called a fanatic in doctrine; but, in life, he will be a blessing to all he touches. The State must ever find in the Church its greatest asset along every line of human aid. If a man sees his brother have need and shutteth up his bowels of compassion against him, how dwelleth the love of God in him.
Good works and almsdeeds do not save men, but the saved delight in such things. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father centers in visiting the fatherless, and the widow in their affliction, and in keeping one's self unspotted from the world.
Those who boast a "religion" centered in a creed, be that creed ever so orthodox, but who know nothing of a life of love toward those who are without, are Christless. "By their fruits ye shall know them."
We are created unto good works, which God hath ordained that we should walk in them. The man who claims justification but knows nothing of sanctification, may well doubt that he is justified.
2. Dorcas was a woman who consecrated her needle to the Lord. Perhaps Dorcas felt rather insignificant among the saints. She doubtless knew nothing of pulpit oratory; she could not have been a leader in the making of large and munificent gifts. Among the pillars of the Church, she seemed very small. However, Dorcas gave God what she had she dedicated her needle to the Lord.
God said to Moses, "What is that in thine hand?" Moses said, "A rod." Nevertheless with that rod Moses led forth the Children of Israel out of Egypt, and to the borders of Canaan.
God came to Samson, and what did Samson have in his hand? Just the jaw bone of an ass. Nevertheless God used that jawbone and with it He gave Samson the victory over the Philistines.
God found David with a sling and five smooth pebbles. Nevertheless David gave God his sling, his pebbles, his best, and with the sling and one pebble he smote the giant.
Dorcas had a needle, only a needle and a willing mind. Nevertheless she dedicated her needle to God, and when she lay dead, the widows took Peter and showed him the coats and garments which Dorcas had made for the poor.
The import of their act was this: they felt that the Church could not spare so gracious a life from their number. The brethren seemed to say to Peter, "Dorcas is dead, but we need her; the poor need her needle, the Lord needs her life."
What a lesson is here! May we ever be so busy for the Master, so filled with good works and almsdeeds, that if sickness or death should seek to claim us, the saints will seek to pray us back to life.
Some saints might be better off dead, than alive. Some may not discern the Lord's body, or serve the Lord in sincerity of heart, and for this cause they may become sickly or die; but when we are buying up our opportunities, and redeeming the time, God will give us health and strength until our task is done.
A man whom I love dearly in the Lord, some time ago was sick, nigh unto death. Many prayed for him so did I. I know it was true with me, perhaps it was with the others we laid before the Lord the great publishing plant which for so many years has been sending forth the Truth from their great presses in Cleveland, Ohio; and we said, "Dear Lord, we cannot spare this man. He is needed to head this great service; behold what he hath wrought." God heard our prayers, and gave us back the brother to finish his task.
Whether our place be an humble one like that of Dorcas, or a large one like that of the brother to whom we have just referred, let us, in either case, be found so faithful that God will save us from death, that we may continue in our service for Him.
IV. DORCAS WAS NOT IMMUNE TO SICKNESS AND DEATH (Acts 9:37-38)
We believe that the ultimate perfection of health and deliverance from all sickness and disease is in the Atonement, just as the redemption of the body by way of the resurrection, is in the Atonement; however, Divine healing in the time of our present earth pilgrimage must be obtained in answer to the prayer of faith.
Dorcas was sick. Paul left Trophimus sick at Miletus. Epaphroditus was sick nigh unto death. Job was sick, grievously afflicted. Many saints who know God and love Him are ofttimes sick. God frequently heals them in answer to prayer, or, as in the case of Dorcas, He may raise them from the dead but He does not always heal, not always raise from the dead. Healing may be sought and expected in answer to the prayer of faith, but healing may not be demanded. Prayer is a plea, not a demand.
While we thank God for "Jehovah who healeth thee," we do not by any means teach that sickness is necessarily a sign of the curse of God upon the one who is sick. All sickness is due in the last analysis to sin, all sickness is a part of the curse for when sin entered into the world sickness and death entered with it; however, sickness and death by no means is a proof that the one afflicted, is suffering as a chastening caused by their own evil ways. This was the contention of Job's three pronounced friends, however, they did not speak of the Lord the thing that was right.
With the good works and almsdeeds of Dorcas before us; with the garments that she had made for the poor before us; with the love and confidence of the saints at Joppa confronting us, we can hardly judge that Dorcas was sick and died because she was a sinner above any other saint, and was therefore smitten of God. Nay Dorcas was an earth-dweller, and was subject to the same conditions of possible sickness and death that confront all other earth-dwellers. However, in the case of Dorcas, God heard prayer and brought her back to life, even after she was assuredly dead.
V. DORCAS WAS PRESENTED ALIVE UNTO THE SAINTS AND WIDOWS (Acts 9:40-43)
Those who loved her most, the saints; and those whom she had nourished by her good works and almsdeeds, the widows, were called to see Dorcas alive. They had mourned her as dead. With aching hearts they had wept. Now they are made to rejoice, for Dorcas is alive again.
No wonder that the saints rejoiced, and that many sinners turned to the Lord and believed. They had beheld the wonder-working Christ, they had seen His power, and known of His compassionate love therefore they believed.
Beloved, all of our dead shall yet live. With changed and glorified bodies shall the believers come forth. The Lord shall descend from Heaven with a shout, and with the voice of the archangel, and the trump of God. The dead in Christ shall hear, and they shall awake. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air. Let us all voice a hearty Amen!