Yesterday we watched the Holy Spirit "fill" the first Christians and expand their ministry.  Now watch as he empowers their witness: "Peter and the other apostles replied: 'We must obey God rather than men!  The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead--whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree.  God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.  We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him" (Acts 5:29-32).  And their powerful witness wins many to Christ.

The Spirit then gives God's people great joy even in suffering: "The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.  Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ" (5:41-42).

After the Spirit gives the church more servant leaders (the first deacons), here's the result of his work in Jerusalem: "The word of God spread.  The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith" (6:7).  Things are going extremely well in the Holy City, as the Church begins reaching even the Jewish priests for Christ.

But there’s a problem: they're still in Jerusalem.  When the foundation is poured, we must then build the house.  A few years ago a church in west Fort Worth laid the foundation for a new building and completed the frame, then stopped.  For a long time their building stood that way, a sad reminder that beginning isn't enough.

The Christian movement must not do that.  Jesus called the first believers to start in Jerusalem, but not to stay there.  So far they've done nothing in Judea, Samaria, not to mention the "ends of the earth."  They're doing well where they are, and are apparently quite content to stay there.

God deals with us as gently as he can or as harshly as he must.  In their case, he uses Stephen's martyrdom and its result in the early church: "On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria" (8:1).  Acts 1:8 is fulfilled through Acts 8:1.

God redeems all he permits.  Is there a hard place in your life this morning?  How could God use it to expand your witness and glorify himself?  Let's continue on Monday.

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