Expansion By Heat
EXPANSION BY HEAT
Many things we use in life are useful to us when heated and boiled. They reach their intended use or destiny under heat. The gasoline we use for cars or for the operation of machinery came about under excessive heat applied to the crude oil that is dug out from the ground. Unfortunately, it is not only things that go through pressure and heat to reach their destinies. People, human beings, church people, Christians, all people go through heats of pressure to reach their destinies.
Recall that Jesus promised the Holy Spirit to the apostles and said, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” Acts1:8. The time has now come for the early Church to go beyond Jerusalem into Judea and Samaria. So far in Acts, the Church has flourished in Jerusalem. Stephen, one of the leading disciples has been murdered and stoned to death. The heat is now on the early Church.
Let’s read what happened after Stephen’s martyr. Are you in your own heat as an individual or a local body of Christ? May be it is time for your expansion into your destiny.
Acts 8: 1-8
1And Saul was there, giving approval to his death.
On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 3But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.
4Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. 5Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ[a]there. 6When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7With shrieks, evil[b] spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. 8So there was great joy in that city.
Here are my observations in addition to the ones you may have:
1. The last picture of Stephen we had from Acts 7:59, reads, “59While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." 60Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep.” What a way to go and be with Jesus knowing that you are not holding any grudge and unforgiveness against any one. When my day comes I would like to pronounce the same against any who may have hurt and misused me. How about you? We should pronounce the same even now.
2. I believe Stephen’s pronouncement of forgiveness launched the Church into the next destiny of expansion. Unforgiveness and hatred will stop any move of God in your life and mine and in any corporate body. Without clearing this big barrier the Church would not have moved on. Why would God expand us with the poison of unforgiveness in our hearts? God does not want us to poison the next people we meet. When we hold unforgiveness, we hold ourselves back. Is there someone we must forgive today? The message of the Gospel is the message of forgiveness.
3. On the day Stephen was stoned to death, “great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria”. What Jesus said has come to pass but not the way the early Church had dreamed and wished. The people had to move from Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria. And “4Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.” Praise God, the Gospel is being preached. We must proclaim Christ in whichever new territory God allows us to enter – work, school, neighborhood and etc. You may not have gotten there by your choice but God has a purpose for you to be part of the expansion of His Kingdom where you are right now.
4. The Church took time to mourn the death of Stephen. Just because they knew that Stephen was in the best place did not stop the feeling of loss and grief. We must equally grieve and mourn properly (“they mourned deeply”) for our loved ones passing to glory. We tend to diminish and dismiss our true feelings when a saint dies and we camouflage it with churchy expressions and phrases. Let’s learn from the early Church. It is okay to mourn.
5. Saul, who will later become Apostle Paul is right now causing havoc for the early Church. The rest of the book of Acts follow this man called Saul who is throwing Christians in jail. His salvation tells me that there is hope for all regardless of our sins. Let’s not write-off anyone.
6. Notice also Philip, one of the deacons that had been appointed in chapter 6 of Acts to ‘wait on tables”. When you are faithful in the least, God promotes you to greater things. Philip will become a “power house’ through which God will display his miracles and bring many to the saving knowledge of Jesus. I want to be like Phil when I grow up. Don’t you? Philip brought “great joy in that city”. What a testimony! We must bring great joy of the Lord to the people God puts in our paths.
Are you under heat right now? Bear up; don’t burn up. God has a definite plan and purpose for you and I even when we do not understand what He is doing. Just make sure that your persecution is not self inflicted instead of God engineered. “ 2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” James 1:2-4. Is this a word for you today? Be encouraged and think about expansion.
Many things we use in life are useful to us when heated and boiled. They reach their intended use or destiny under heat. The gasoline we use for cars or for the operation of machinery came about under excessive heat applied to the crude oil that is dug out from the ground. Unfortunately, it is not only things that go through pressure and heat to reach their destinies. People, human beings, church people, Christians, all people go through heats of pressure to reach their destinies.
Recall that Jesus promised the Holy Spirit to the apostles and said, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” Acts1:8. The time has now come for the early Church to go beyond Jerusalem into Judea and Samaria. So far in Acts, the Church has flourished in Jerusalem. Stephen, one of the leading disciples has been murdered and stoned to death. The heat is now on the early Church.
Let’s read what happened after Stephen’s martyr. Are you in your own heat as an individual or a local body of Christ? May be it is time for your expansion into your destiny.
Acts 8: 1-8
1And Saul was there, giving approval to his death.
On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 3But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.
4Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. 5Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ[a]there. 6When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7With shrieks, evil[b] spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. 8So there was great joy in that city.
Here are my observations in addition to the ones you may have:
1. The last picture of Stephen we had from Acts 7:59, reads, “59While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." 60Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep.” What a way to go and be with Jesus knowing that you are not holding any grudge and unforgiveness against any one. When my day comes I would like to pronounce the same against any who may have hurt and misused me. How about you? We should pronounce the same even now.
2. I believe Stephen’s pronouncement of forgiveness launched the Church into the next destiny of expansion. Unforgiveness and hatred will stop any move of God in your life and mine and in any corporate body. Without clearing this big barrier the Church would not have moved on. Why would God expand us with the poison of unforgiveness in our hearts? God does not want us to poison the next people we meet. When we hold unforgiveness, we hold ourselves back. Is there someone we must forgive today? The message of the Gospel is the message of forgiveness.
3. On the day Stephen was stoned to death, “great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria”. What Jesus said has come to pass but not the way the early Church had dreamed and wished. The people had to move from Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria. And “4Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.” Praise God, the Gospel is being preached. We must proclaim Christ in whichever new territory God allows us to enter – work, school, neighborhood and etc. You may not have gotten there by your choice but God has a purpose for you to be part of the expansion of His Kingdom where you are right now.
4. The Church took time to mourn the death of Stephen. Just because they knew that Stephen was in the best place did not stop the feeling of loss and grief. We must equally grieve and mourn properly (“they mourned deeply”) for our loved ones passing to glory. We tend to diminish and dismiss our true feelings when a saint dies and we camouflage it with churchy expressions and phrases. Let’s learn from the early Church. It is okay to mourn.
5. Saul, who will later become Apostle Paul is right now causing havoc for the early Church. The rest of the book of Acts follow this man called Saul who is throwing Christians in jail. His salvation tells me that there is hope for all regardless of our sins. Let’s not write-off anyone.
6. Notice also Philip, one of the deacons that had been appointed in chapter 6 of Acts to ‘wait on tables”. When you are faithful in the least, God promotes you to greater things. Philip will become a “power house’ through which God will display his miracles and bring many to the saving knowledge of Jesus. I want to be like Phil when I grow up. Don’t you? Philip brought “great joy in that city”. What a testimony! We must bring great joy of the Lord to the people God puts in our paths.
Are you under heat right now? Bear up; don’t burn up. God has a definite plan and purpose for you and I even when we do not understand what He is doing. Just make sure that your persecution is not self inflicted instead of God engineered. “ 2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” James 1:2-4. Is this a word for you today? Be encouraged and think about expansion.
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