Can we turn please to Acts chapter nine? And verse 31. Then had the churches rest through all Judea 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. Then the churches had rest. Rest obviously signifies peace. It's true, isn't it? If you have a good night's rest, a good night's sleep, then you feel a lot better in the morning, don't you? Even perhaps if you have a nap in the afternoon. Sleep, always make a good sleep, makes us feel at peace. Peace with ourselves, and maybe a bit of peace with the world as well. And this church, or these churches should I say, described there in verse 31, had rest. The persecution that had been taking place had ceased at least for a while because obviously around the corner is Nero and all his situation. Saul who was later to become Paul, he'd been converted and he'd been sent away. He was in Tarsus. So now the first wave of persecution is over. We ourselves will not probably suffer the sort of persecution at the moment what many of our brothers and sisters face throughout the world. It could come. It may come to individuals, but there is trouble and tribulation. But one thing we can remember is that they do not last forever. And the persecution that these churches suffered was now, at least temporarily, Eased. And so often the Lord gives us times of rest, not so we can just put our feet up and watch the box or whatever, but to prepare us for what may be ahead. Maybe there is going to be testing times ahead for us. There certainly will be in some sense, because we're all frail, we're all human, And we're always, we get older, things begin to go wrong. And eventually we're going to have someone that's going to kill us. But what a blessing it is to have a savior that'll go through it with us. And of course, even going through a terminal illness doesn't last forever. Because for the Christian, it ends in glory. And so maybe that's why perhaps we have rest, to prepare us for some testing times that may lie ahead. And the church here, when it talks about the churches had rest, it's not talking about one fellowship. It would include or would embrace the churches that were in Samaria, in Judah, and in Galilee. Now, you know that the church is a peculiar people. The church is a chosen people. Now, these three churches here, Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, what were they like before the gospel brought them together? The believers, or in Judah, would have held the people in Galilee with contempt. And they would also had a real dislike for the people of Samaria. But the gospel changes all this. Because the gospel brings people together rather than separates them. It does separate the weak from the chaff, but it doesn't separate true believers, or it shouldn't do. You see, the church of the Lord Jesus Christ sweeps away all racial prejudice and all bitterness. Bitterness is really like a form of cancer, isn't it? Bitterness eats away on the inside. People can't see it maybe, except in your disposition. But bitterness is dreadfully cruel and harmful. And that's something that we, if we got any, any root of bitterness in us, hey, we need to seek the Lord and ask him to minister to us. And so these churches have got rest. As I say, they don't sit around having nice jolly times together. It tells us there they were edified. They were being, if you like, built up. Edified is a building term. We read in 1 Peter chapter two, and verse four and five, to whom coming unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of the men, but chosen of God and precious. Ye also as lively stones are built up a spiritual house and holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. And Paul, writing to the church in Ephesus, In chapter two, in verse 19, says this. Nay, therefore, ye are no longer, or no more, strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God, and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom all the building, fitly framed together, groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord. and whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. Now, the fact that they need edification, the fact that we need edification surely suggests, if nothing else, the incompleteness of the church. Though the church was being, was being, the church is being, and the church will continue to be built up until the Lord Jesus Christ comes again. And so often the church is compared to a building. Each believer is a temple of the Lord. In 1 Corinthians in chapter 3 and verse 16 we read this, know ye not that ye are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? And in 1 Corinthians chapter 6 verse 19, what know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you? which ye have of God, and ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. Very challenging, isn't it? Very challenging. That as Christians, the Holy Spirit within us, we are temples of the living God. and how we react to different situations. It should be so different from the way that the world would react to those same situations. You see these churches here in Samaria, Galilee and Judah were not and neither are we to rest on our laurels. There is always more that can be done for the Lord. There is always more growing in grace and knowledge. The day we arrive is when we get to heaven, not one moment before. We never ever stop learning in the Lord. And what were they doing? in this edification. They were building themselves up in their most holy faith. You know, we live in a very easygoing country, don't we, for Christians? Yes, there's the odd one arrested for preaching in the open air. There's the odd person that's sacked because they won't accept gender theology or whatever. But I ask us today, when was the last person that really threatened you because you're a Christian? Really threatened you, I mean, not just said you're a bit over the top or you're a bit silly, but really threatened. We have so many advantages, don't we? You know, there's stages of Christians throughout the world that give their right arms to be able to do what we've done this morning. and let's walk into a church building, sit down in comfort, sing the Lord's praises, enjoy fellowship with fellow believers, listen to the word of God, let any fear of the police coming through that door or some religious nutcase, whatever. They don't have that luxury that we have. And yet, what do we do? So often, don't we just take it for granted? Church again on Sunday. Who's preaching? Oh, I like him, I'll go. I'm not so keen about next week's. I'm not saying about next week's preacher, whoever he is, but you know, it's so easy, isn't it? We have it so, so easy. But there are advantages. We can listen to the word of God. And we don't just have to listen to it in church, but all the internet and CDs and all sorts of things like that. We can listen to men, godly men from all over the place. We can study the scriptures. We can seek the Lord's guidance and help in this. We have so many opportunities. to grow in knowledge and in grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. And also, because of the freedoms that we have, we have so many opportunities to serve him. When was the last person arrested in Hellsham for putting a leaflet through the door? I don't think of one. I don't think they do that in Eastbourne either much. So many ways that we can serve because we've got this freedom, this ease. And the more we serve, the more we're edified. Because if we don't serve, we fossilize. And we have to remember this. Peace can come and peace can go. But the ministry of edification goes on and on. And also remember this, the church, and I'm not talking about buildings now, I'm talking about the church, the people of God, is invincible. The gates of hell will never prevail against the church, the true church. Nothing can destroy it. And through good, Biblical teaching. We Christians can be built up and strengthened in our faith. As no date, these believers were in Galilee, Judea, and Samaria. And every one of us needs to consolidate and deepen the spiritual foundation of each member of the Lord's Church. Now there are basically two types of growth. Firstly there's numerical, well that's fairly obvious, lots of people come in so we grow in numbers. Sometimes it's encouragement, but often it's just church hopping. What a blessing it would be to see unbelievers coming into the churches, to pray for them. And the other, of course, is spiritual growth. And that applies to every one of us. We're never ever to stand still in the Lord. There is always more that he is willing to do for us. to enable us to grow in grace, to grow in knowledge, to grow in service and so on. And I'm sure this is what they were there, they were edified. But it says here they were walking in the fear of the Lord. They were going on, they were being edified in the fear of the Lord. What it means is this, they would have a real concern even a dread of offending the Lord. And I believe it's not possible to truly walk with the Lord without a proper fear of the Lord. And we need to be those who seek to develop and to keep a tender conscience. A conscience that absolutely abhors sin. To see sin as God sees it. And we need to be those who have a purpose, as opposed to aimlessness. Somebody told me a long time ago, never to be a Christopher Columbus Christian. Now Christopher Columbus, when he set off on his journey, he didn't know where he was going. When he got there, he didn't know where he was. And when he got back, he never knew where he'd been. It's like so many Christians, you know, aimless. Day by day, same old things, routine. You know, we need to have purpose. And all we need is to ask the Lord and he'll give us a purpose. And that applies to every one of us. We must have a respect for all the divine precepts. Seeking to go on, going on in a progressive way. Increasing daily, of course, in the knowledge of God, but also increasing daily in true holiness and love. Do you know the people that would have spoken to those believers there in Samaria and Judea and Galilee? They would have known what they stood for. They knew that the fear of God, a proper fear of God, reigned in them. A fear of offending God, a fear of sin, and so on. And we must remember this, that we are a group of living souls. We are truly alive in Christ. sent out upon the king's business. Remember those verses at the end of Matthew's gospel. And Jesus came and spake unto them saying, all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. teaching them to observe all things whatsoever i have commanded you and lo i am with you always even unto the end of the world notice there i have commanded you see the great commission is not a suggestion it is a command But you see they walked in the fear of the Lord, but also they had the comfort of the Holy Spirit. They were so conscious of their acceptance and union with the Lord. Through the Holy Spirit, which brought them solid peace and joy to the soul. And this, of course, this comfort comes from their obedience to the commandments of the Lord. You see, they are faithful, but I would suggest also they're cheerful. And they stuck to the ways of the Lord because they had the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they had the guidance of the Holy Spirit. And we need to be those who stick to the ways of the Lord, not the way society says we should go, not the way some other churches may say we should go, but we go the way the Spirit of God says we go. And the Holy Spirit, of course, was their consolation. And he was their chief joy. And you know, even in a time of peace and prosperity, we need the help of the Holy Spirit. And we are to remember as we, you know, this is not the time to do a study on the Holy Spirit, but the Holy Spirit is also the advocate. He is also the exhorter. as well as the comforter. And it is, of course, the ministry of the Holy Spirit that enables the church to go forth to serve. It's no wonder, isn't it? When you read this verse, hey, the true church of God grew then. They would, I'm sure, would have been disappointed if nobody came in on the Lord's Day and wasn't saved. They would not have sat back and said, well, never mind. They would have been so disappointed because they were so close to the Lord. They were a light shining in the darkness, as we are, or should be. And nothing is more important to the Christian man or the Christian woman than a holy life, living our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It's true, isn't it? That so often, persecution can add to the church. But at other times, as we would read church history, sometimes times of rest contribute to the growth of the church. It is always wonderful and an encouragement to see an increase of or in numbers. It is, isn't it? I'm sure you'd be much more encouraged if all the front row was chock-a-block this morning. Somebody had to sit on the stairs, people everywhere. Wouldn't that be an encouragement? Mind you, a lot of hard work, mind you, especially if they're unsaved. But isn't it so much more encouraging to see people converted, to see people increase, in their knowledge of Christ, in their faithfulness to Christ, in their service for Christ, to see the fullness of Christ in one another. What a blessing that is. What an encouragement that is. When someone might say a question, What is the basic need for every fellowship of the Lord's people? And there may be different fellowships that have a particular need here or there or somewhere, but I would suggest for every fellowship of the Lord's people, that would include here, us right in the corner, down at Eastbourne, up at Alland, wherever, We must, must have the Lordship of Christ over us. And the power and the comfort of the Holy Spirit. Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria. and were edified and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost. And as they say, they were multiplied. Hey, we need to pray that God in his mercy would still save souls in our land. Because it's not a, it's a sad thing, isn't it? as the country descends into secularism and humanism and all that that means. Here we need for the power of God to come down upon us and the power of God to come down and convict men and women of their sin and the gifts of repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, may that be our desire as well. May we, as I say, Seek to have the Lordship of Christ over us and the power and the comfort of the Holy Spirit. Let's just pray for a moment. Our dear, gracious Lord and Heavenly Father, as we contemplate that verse that we find there in Acts chapter 9, the way the churches in Judea and Galilee and Samaria were being edified. They had rest, they were being edified, they were walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost were multiplied. We pray, Lord, for each and every one of us here this morning that you would put such a desire in our hearts to walk with Christ, to be more devout more hatred against sin and more desire to serve in whatever capacity we can. And we pray through all these things that we may have the power and the comfort of the Holy Spirit. And we ask this in Jesus' precious, wonderful name. Amen. Our final hymn is number 296. Come, come, sorry? You're right, 295. Come down, O love divine, seek thou this soul of mine, and visit it with thine own ardor glowing. O comforter to all near, within my heart appear, and kindle it, thy holy flame bestowing. 295.