Acts 12:24-25 But the word of God grew and multiplied.… This progress — growth and multiplication of God's Word — was displayed — I. IN THE MEN OF THAT PERIOD. 1. The spirit of every age or movement of history is reflected in its leading characters. The Elizabethan age; the American Revolution; the age of Pericles. 2. Displayed in its leaders or exponents. (1) In Barnabas we see tenderness and generosity. (2) In Paul strength and genius. (3) In John Mark imperfection, but eventual usefulness after failure. 3. In its enemies. It defied Herod's craft and power, and its success was coincident with his doom. II. IN THE MARCH OF EVENTS. 1. "Happy is a land when it has no history," is true only of the old and false conceptions of history. 2. God's Word did not return unto Him void. (1) Gentile Christianity was launched on the stream of ages. (2) Thus the policy of Christianity, of the Church as a missionary, world-evangelising movement, was fixed by whatever force lies in the example of the primitive Church. III. IS THE ADVANCE OF IDEAS. 1. Pentecost did not end, but only began, the enlargement of mind to take in God's thoughts. 2. The minds of the disciples gained that flexibility as to method and inflexibility as to principle by which they could go "to every creature." "All things to all men, so that I might by all means save some." "We must obey God rather than men." 3. The New Testament itself — especially all of it except the four Gospels — shows how the minds of men were enlarged and inspired to apply the "Word of God" to human wants; and here, in an almost literal sense, it "grew and multiplied."Conclusion: 1. Thus it appears there is a sense in which the phrases, "new theology," "advanced thought," etc., may represent a state of things thoroughly satisfactory, upon which the Church and the world are to be congratulated. 2. It equally appears that all true progress in religious thought and action is made by men whose instrument is the Word of God, and whose power and guidance are supplied by the Holy Spirit. (J. P. Otis.) Parallel Verses KJV: But the word of God grew and multiplied. |
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