Acts 1-2--Birth of the Church

I absolutely love the first two chapters of Acts! Reading these two chapters tells not only the birth of the church, but provides, in my opinion, the model for growing the church today. We might be two mellenia removed from these events, but the actions and attitudes of Jesus' followers in these two chapters serve as a guides for the modern church. I want to look at three different actions they performed, and the result of those actions.
1. They did what Jesus instructed them--I know, it sounds trite; however, it's the most basic fundamental to being a Christain. Specifically, the disciples remained in Jerusalem after Jesus' Ascension into heaven. It would have been easy, I'm guessing, for them to return to their pre-Jesus lives. Instead, they remained together in Jerusalem.
2. They devoted themselves to prayer--What were they praying for? Who knows! Maybe it was for the coming of the Spirit, just as Jesus promised. Maybe it was for guidance about what to do next; we do know they prayed about who would replace Judas in their little group. The point is, they were constantly remaining connected to God, seeking God's wisdom, and allowing God to lead them. How often do we "devote ourselves to prayer"? I am convinced that if we are not seeking God's wisdom and leadership, it will not be given.
3. They proclaimed the Good News--In short, they engaged in the "E" word, evangelism. They simply told the story of Jesus! How novel! People asked what was going on and the disciples told them. Sadly, the church throughout history has co-opted the story of Jesus for itself and hasn't been in a big hurry to share it with others. Evangelism doesn't mean getting in someone's face, condemning them or harassing them; it simply means sharing the story of who Jesus is and what Jesus has done.
As a result of these three, the Holy Spirit was poured out upon Jesus' followers, just as Jesus promised. It was the Holy Spirit that enabled them to continue in these actions and the Spirit that caused THOUSANDS to be "added to their number each day". It seems like such a simple model--follow Jesus, pray, and proclaim the Good News. I believe that this model will still work in today's world. The Church needs to make up its mind that it wants to do these things, and then step back and watch the Spirit work!