The Same Day There Were Added unto Them About Three Thousand Souls

The passages above clearly show how quickly the early church grew through the disciples of Jesus. Even from these passages alone, we can surely understand that the Word of God is quick and powerful (Hebrews 4:12). Truly, God is almighty, meaning there is nothing He cannot do (Job 42:2), and the things that are impossible with men are possible with God (Matthew 19:26). Amen.

However, there is something we must be careful about when we read passages such as these. These passages do not mean that when we preach the gospel, “many crowds” must always gather, or that “great works” must always happen. Nevertheless, some people today misunderstand these passages and, as in the work of this world, try to judge and believe spiritual things by visible results and outward achievements. Some even claim that “a church that grows greatly like the early church is a church where God is working.” But in truth, because the words of Jesus are “truth” (John 17:17), whether many people gather or not, and whether some great signs or miracles appear or not, does not determine the truth itself. Even without such things, everything will simply be fulfilled according to the truth. Yet it seems that we often fail to think about this.

1 Corinthians 13:1-7 “...charity suffereth long, and is kind... charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked... beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.”

As this passage teaches, love is simply quiet and steady. Love does not need to boast of itself, nor does it need to put itself forward. This is because love itself is “the greatest” (1 Corinthians 13:13, “the greatest of these is charity”). In the same way, because Jesus Himself is the truth (John 14:6), He does not need to receive the testimony of many people.

John 2:23-25 “23Now when He was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in His name, when they saw the miracles which He did. 24But Jesus did not commit Himself unto them, because He knew all men, 25And needed not that any should testify of man: for He knew what was in man.”

John 5:34, 36-37 “34But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved. 36But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given Me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of Me, that the Father hath sent Me. 37And the Father Himself, which hath sent Me, hath borne witness of Me...”

As these passages show, Jesus does not need the testimony of men, because the works He did themselves bear witness of Him. In other words, all the works that Jesus Himself did according to the Word of God testify of Jesus, and therefore He needs no other testimony. At this point, we need to think once again about what kind of life Jesus lived in this world. The reason is that although Jesus is God (Philippians 2:6), He did not put Himself forward or boast of anything in this world.

Outwardly, Jesus had no form nor comeliness that we should desire Him (Isaiah 53:2). He was from Nazareth of Galilee, which people at that time despised (John 1:46, John 7:40-53). He was the carpenter’s son (Matthew 13:55-57), and He had not learned the learning of this world (John 7:15). He lived without a place to lay His head (Matthew 8:20), and though He had no sin (1 John 3:5), He died for us on the cross, the most severe form of execution (2 Corinthians 5:14-15).

In this way, we can see that for our salvation, Jesus forsook all the boasts of this world and obeyed only the Word of God completely (Hebrews 5:8). The example that Jesus showed us pierces our hearts today as well (Acts 2:37), causing us, in the name of Jesus, to lay down every heart that tries to boast in anything other than Jesus, that is, the Word of God. Therefore, now only Jesus is our strength and our boast!

Psalm 20:7 “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.”

Jeremiah 9:23-24 “23Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: 24But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth Me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.”

1 Corinthians 1:26-31 “26For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29That no flesh should glory in His presence. 30But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.”

As these passages teach, our only boast must be “Jesus alone.” Therefore, we may boldly boast in what is written in Scripture. However, if we preach Jesus while also boasting in other visible results besides the Word, then even if our intention is good, we must understand that this may cause people to focus more on the visible results than on the words of Jesus. We must guard against this. That is why Moses covered his face with a veil, so that the children of Israel would not gaze upon the glory of his face.

Exodus 34:35 “And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone: and Moses put the veil upon his face again, until he went in to speak with Him.” (=2 Corinthians 3:13)

Romans 1:25 “Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator...”

Peter also, when people fixed their eyes on him because the man who had been lame from birth was healed, boasted only in the name of Jesus.

Acts 3:11-12, 16 “11And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering. 12And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? 16And His name through faith in His name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by Him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.”

In this way, because the One we must look to is “Jesus alone,” it is more important than anything else for us to make sure that nothing else receives attention (1 Corinthians 3:4-7). If church leaders try to give people faith and trust by showing them certain visible results besides the words of Jesus, then, as Jesus already taught us through the case of Thomas, faith gained in that way cannot be called blessed faith. We must understand that only the faith that believes by the Word written in Scripture is true faith that can please Jesus. And now, rather than focusing on the numerical growth of the church (Matthew 23:25-28), we must remember that this is the time when, even though our outward man perishes, our inward man must be renewed day by day by the words of Jesus.

John 20:28-29 “28And Thomas answered and said unto Him, My Lord and my God. 29Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”

1 Peter 1:8-9 “8Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 9Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.”

Romans 10:17 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”

2 Corinthians 4:16 “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.”

Amen.