Big things come in small packages
Acts 2: 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.
44 All the believers were together and had everything in common.
45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.
46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,
47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
When we look at the bible and look at the great movements of God throughout history we can see that God is able to move in different ways and in different settings.
- In the book of Acts we see God pouring out his Spirit in the Upper room baptizing the church in fire. (Prayer Service)
- Peter preached and 3000 people got saved. (Revival typesetting)
- Saul who became Paul having a one on one experience on the Damascus road (1 on 1)
- Paul and Silas flogged and beaten getting a breakthrough while they were in Prison. (In Prison)
But not only was God able to move in the prayer service of the upper room, the revival service of Peters 1st preaching, 1 on 1 on Damascus road, or in the deep dark areas of the prison system, but also God is able to do great things right in the very living room of someone’s house.
Here in the book of Acts 2 we see the church in its beginning stages celebrating in large settings, but getting her needs met in smaller settings.
Great things can take place in small settings. Great things can happen in a Victory Group.
When we think about Gods people gathering together in smaller settings we can think of a few things.
I. It was Gods strategy to meet the needs of His people.
One of Gods deepest desires is to meet the needs of God’s people.
Phil 4:19 And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
One of the strategies He has given us to be able to meet our needs is to organize us in smaller settings.
- Moses when he was leading God’s people out of Egypt and through the wilderness, Jethro Moses’ father in law instructed him to break the people up into smaller settings.
Ex 18:21 But select capable men from all the people–men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain–and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 22 Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make
your load lighter, because they will share it with you. 23 If you do this as God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.”
- Jesus when he was feeding the 5000 had them sit in smaller settings
Mark 6:39 Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass
- Here in the book of acts after 3000 people got saved we see these same people meeting from house to house.
Acts 2:46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,
God has put a strategy together so that He can more effectively meet our needs.
Some of the ways our needs can be met in small settings or by being apart of a Victory Group is:
- Great fellowship for believers happens in small settings
God has created us for fellowship, and without it we begin to get dry and disconnected.
Genesis “It is not good for man to be alone”
Some can sit in crowds and still feel all alone, but in a victory group we are able to connect with the family of God and see that we are not in this life all alone.
- In small settings we understand that we don’t have to fight this fight all alone.
Apostle Paul stoned outside the city, a small group of people got around him and Paul got back up on his feet.
Acts 14:19 Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. 20 But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city.
Some of us are trying to serve God all by ourselves and we are struggling, and God is saying you don’t
have to fight by yourself; I have a family that I want to place around you to encourage you through the tough times and celebrate with you in the good times.
They celebrated and enjoyed themselves in Large settings, but they met each others needs in smaller settings.
Acts 2: 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.
II. Miracles can happen in small settings
Not only can God meet our needs in small settings, but he can also do great miracles in small settings.
Some of us are praying and believing God to do something awesome in our families and in our communities and those miracles that you are waiting for may take place in someone’s house.
- Peter, when he wanted to see a miracle take place in the life of his mother he invited Jesus into his house.
- The widow invited Elijah into her house and he brought her son back to life.
Some of us want God to do a miracle in our parent’s life or in our children’s lives we may need to invite the ministry of Jesus into our house.
This year in 2024 we may need to open up a victory group and invite the ministry into our house.
Some people feel uncomfortable coming to the church house, so God wants to get them right there in their own house.
Another miracle we see is:
- The 4 men carried the paralytic man into the house where Jesus was ministering
Luke 5:18 Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. 19 When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.
20 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”
24 So he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 25 Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God.
Maybe you don’t feel quite ready to have a Victory Group in your house, but you still want to see that miracle take place in your family, we need to be like these 4 men and carry some of our family members where Jesus is ministering.
Another miracle we see is:
- Cornelius invited Peter into his house and God saved his whole community.
Acts 10:25 As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. 26 But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.”
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message.
God wants to save communities this year. God wants to break out in Highschools.
God is not limited to a church building or a Sunday morning service.
- Woodstock
- Brooklyn
- Kensington
- Factreton
- Hanover Park
- Mananberg
- Athlone
- Bonteville
- Delft
- Belhar
- Goodwood
- Elsies river.
- Northern Suberbs
God wants to save communities this year and we need to be like Cornelius, he heard from God and invited peter to his house and through that invitation his whole community got saved.
III. Maturity and development in the things of God intensifies in small settings
Another desire in the heart of God is that his people would continue to mature and develop.
- Jesus spent 3 years with his disciples maturing and developing them
- Paul tells the corinthian church I want to give you meat but I’m only able to give you milk because you are still like babies.
God has a desire for His people to not only get saved, but that they would grow and mature in their salvation.
Phil 2:12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed–not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence–continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,
One of the best ways for us to continue to grow and mature in the salvation that God has given us is in the atmosphere of a Victory group.
This happened with the jailer in acts 16. God broke out in the prison and the Jailer got saved. But in order for that jailer to grow and mature in his salvation he started having meetings in his house.
Acts 16
Him and his family not only got Miraculously saved, but they also continued to grow and mature in there salvation.
- Being a Jailer for the roman army he would face persecution for his decision to be a Christian, and in order for him to be able to stand strong in his decision he would need to continually grow and mature in his salvation.
We as a church need to take responsibility for the people God is bringing into our church and make sure they are growing and developing in their faith.
God is raising many of us up in our communities to shepherd, disciple and develop people. This year is the year for us to step into our callings and open up Victory groups all throughout the city of Cape Town.
CONCLUSION
ACTS 2:46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the
Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Because of the healthiness of their Christianity the Lord added to their numbers daily those who were being saved.
We can’t stay the same church, God wants to meet our needs and we don’t have to face lives battles all alone, God wants to do miracles in our families and in our communities. He also has a deep desire for his people to continually grow and mature, and all this can happen as we join together as a church but also as we gather together in smaller setting. “Victory GROUPS”