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The book of Acts is a fascinating record of how the Gospel spread, just as Jesus indicated in Acts 1:8, where He told His disciples, And you shall receive power after that the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

It all started in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost, when Peter, empowered by the Holy Spirit, preached to the crowd that had gathered to find out about the strange phenomena they had witnessed—mighty rushing wind and tongues of fire that came upon the disciples in the house as they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues, speaking the wonderful works of God. That day, about three thousand people believed in the Lord Jesus Christ and were added to the number of the disciples of Jesus. What a baptism service they must have had! And what joy there must have been in heaven as the angels witnessed so many repenting and turning to the Lord.

As disciples multiplied in Jerusalem, Peter and John, leaders among the apostles, were brought before the Jewish Council, imprisoned and beaten for preaching the resurrection of Jesus. This came to a head in the arrest and martyrdom of Stephen, Acts 7. Following his martyrdom, the disciples were greatly persecuted and were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. But we read in Acts 8:4 that the disciples who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. The Holy Spirit was with them and empowered them to speak the word with boldness, in spite of persecution, and so the Gospel message was spread to Judea and Samaria, even as Jesus had said.

Acts 8 tells the story of Samaria receiving the Gospel message through Philip, who also did great signs and wonders through the power of the Holy Spirit. So we read that there was great joy in that city. And I am sure in heaven, too. The word of Jesus was being fulfilled just as He told His disciples. Peter and John were sent from Jerusalem to find out what was going on in Samaria, and they prayed for the disciples to receive the Holy Spirit, just as they had on the Day of Pentecost. And it happened! And even the Samaritan villages heard the Gospel, and people believed in Jesus, including Simon the magician. We will come back to his story later.

But right in the middle of everything that Philip was doing in Samaria, an angel called him to go to one man, an eunuch from Ethiopia, who was returning to his home after spending time in Jerusalem worshipping the God of the Jews. As they travelled down the road, Philip introduced the Ethiopian to Jesus in his chariot, and he believed in Jesus and was baptised right there by the side of the road. Thus the Gospel began to spread to the ends of the earth.

The rest of Acts tells the story of how the Good News of Jesus spread all over the known world of the time, making an impact even in Rome, even down to the household of Caesar, as we read in Philippians 4:22. In fact, one of the fathers of the early church states (in a comment on Philemon) that St. Paul had converted many in Caesar’s family; for, “being by the emperor cast into prison, he became more known to his family, and turned the house of Christ’s persecutor into a church.” Thus the words of Jesus to His disciples in Acts 1:8, which we quoted earlier, were literally fulfilled.

And the story continues. The very purpose of Growing Deep and Strong is to continue the story of making disciples, as Jesus commanded His followers to do. It’s not difficult. Those who have gone through the Series know that the Gospel has worked in their lives and they are changed by it. All that they have to do is to repeat what they have gone through, and it will work in others’ lives. How do we know? Because we have seen it happen.

The Growing Deep and Strong Series has made as it easy as possible for you to do this. Everything needed is in the Coach’s Manuals, and if you follow them as they are set out, you will make disciples, just as Jesus commanded you, and, in turn, they can repeat the same process. That’s how you can continue the story of the book of Acts. Try it! It works!