When they gathered in Jerusalem after Jesus’ ascension, they numbered only “one hundred twenty” (Acts 1:15).
The resurrected Jesus had encouraged them as He “presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3). He’d also given them His marching orders, empowering them and commissioning them for service in His Kingdom. “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
Who were in this elite group? Among them were the Apostles: “Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James” (Acts 1:13). Tradition says that all of these died as martyrs, proudly proclaiming Jesus with their final words. “Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers” (Acts 1:14) were present. They’d had a hard time believing (John 7:5), but His resurrection had obviously overturned their doubt.
I imagine that the once-blind Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46-52), the still-wealthy Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10), the enlightened Nicodemus (John 3), the now-humble Jairus (Mark 5), the once-demon possessed Mary Magdala (Luke 8:2), and the resurrected Lazarus (John 11), were in the group.
Like a mustard seed (Mark 4:30-32) planted in the garden, it started small but grew quickly, extending its branches to the “uttermost parts of the earth” (Acts 1:8, KJV).
After Pentecost their number grew to three thousand (Acts 2:41). Then, counting only the men, they grew to five thousand (Acts 4:4). Soon, they quit counting. “Believers were added to the Lord in increasing numbers—multitudes of both men and women” (Acts 5:14).
Two things distinguish this growing group. First, they were “continually united” (Acts 1:14), “with one accord” (Acts 1:14; 2:1; 2:46, NKJV). They weren’t divided by ethnicity, by age, or by skin color. There wasn’t a part that wanted a guitar-playing song leader and another that preferred organ music. They were united with a single focus… the Resurrected Jesus!
And second, “they all were continually united in prayer” (Acts 1:14). They prayed!
Could this be said of your church? “They are always praying, and all they talk about is Jesus!”
“… think on these things” (Philippians 4:8, KJV).
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