30th Mar 26 | 13:54
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Luke 24 50-53 THE BLESSING OF GOD 11 23May2022 Luke 24 50-51 The blessing of multiplication
📖 Luke 24:50-53
11 – 23May2022 – The blessing of multiplication - Luke 24:50-53 - THE BLESSING OF GOD - Bible reading: I Thessalonians 1:5-8
“Thank You, Lord Jesus, that You have blessed us, not only to bear fruit but You had also blessed us to multiply. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.”
Luke 24:50-51 And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. (51) Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven.
We first looked at the Aaronic blessing and we now are giving our attention to the creation blessing.
Genesis 1:28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
The creation blessing is a five-fold blessing, which is to be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, subdue it and have dominion.
We now look into the second dimension of the creation blessing which is to multiply.
The tree bears fruit, which is a blessing to others. The tree also has the seed in the fruit, so that the tree can multiply itself. This is the blessing of nature. The tree blesses others and the tree multiplies itself so that there will many more trees that bear fruit for others. Multiplication is a creation blessing.
The task for us is not only to bear fruit, by which we bless others but we are always multiplying ourselves and creating more fruit bearers. This is the blessing that we have received and therefore the capacity to multiply ourselves is built into us.
Apostle Paul and the team invested themselves into the lives of the believers in Thessalonica so that the Thessalonians would bear fruit and also multiply themselves.
I Thessalonians 2:7-8 But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. (8) So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.
The work of multiplication is a work wherein we empty ourselves into the lives of others. The work of multiplication is a deep work into the lives of others, which is for the long term.
Apostle Paul is speaking with the church leaders of Ephesus.
Acts 20:18-20 And when they had come to him, he said to them: "You know, from the first day that I came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among you, (19) serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews; (20) how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house,
Paul taught the believers in Ephesus in public and in private. As much as he nurtured the people, he was multiplying himself into the lives of the people.
The blessing that is upon us is to bear fruit and to also multiply ourselves.
We can see the effect of multiplication in the lives of the believers of Thessalonica.
I Thessalonians 1:5-8 For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake. (6) And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, (7) so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe. (8) For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything.
We see how the believers of Thessalonica grew and developed because of the investment that Paul and his team made in them. Multiplication had taken place.
Paul explains that multiplication is the reward that they, as ministers of the gospel, would have from the Lord.
I Thessalonians 2:19-20 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? (20) For you are our glory and joy.
Multiplication is our reward. Wherever we are, we must keep multiplication in mind. In our professional lives, we must multiply ourselves and not keep our skills and capacities to ourselves. Multiplication is the work of increasing the number of fruit-bearers.
What do we invest into the lives of people? We build every person into the fullness of Christ. This is the work of multiplication.
Colossians 1:27-29 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. (28) Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. (29) To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.
Our task is to present every man, perfect, in Christ Jesus. This is the work of multiplication.
Galatians 4:19 My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you,
Christ being formed in people is the task of multiplication. This is the work of the great commission. We are being sent out into all the world to make disciples, which is to multiply.
Thought to ponder
Can you identify the fruit bearers, whom you have raised? They are your reward.