Acts 9:31 – “Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.”
The church had just come through a time of severe persecution. Stephen became the first Christian martyr and Saul (Paul) was wreaking havoc on the church by imprisoning and killing Christians. But in this chapter (yesterday’s reading) Saul is converted. Jesus literally knocks him off his high horse and Saul “sees the light,” which blinds him. He eventually receives his sight and is doing for Jesus what he used to do for the devil. Instead of going around destroying lives he is now going about to save them. It’s amazing how one person can change a culture. This environment created conditions for the church to grow. Today’s text is a brief commentary on the climate of the church that we should take note of if we want to create an environment conductive to growth.
1. The (churches) had peace and were edified. The word edified in this verse means “house-builder.” In order to build you have to make sure there is peace. The Old Testament reveals this principle in the writings of The Kings and Chronicles. When kings had peace they were able to build and expand. When there was war all their energy and resources were spent on fighting. You have to endeavor to eliminate the chaos and fighting around you if you want to build.
2. They were walking in the fear of the Lord. This allows you to walk in wisdom and the blessing of the Lord. The last thing you want is for God to not be on your side. When you have God with you then anything is possible!
3. They were waling in the comfort of the Holy Spirit. There is nothing like knowing the Holy Spirit is with you. This is vital in the process of building. It’s not just about completing the project; it’s also about the journey along the way.
4. Finally, they were multiplied. Now we are going from individual multiplication of disciples to multiplication of churches. Oh how we need this today. The church must move from survival mode to thrive mode and into multiplication. This is how the culture shifts and transformation takes place. May God quiet your storms so that you can enjoy a time of peace