CELESTIAL CIRCLES
Will the Circle be Unbroken?
Acts 14:19-23
19 ¶ And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead. (KJV)
20 Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. (KJV)
21 And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, (KJV)
22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. (KJV)
23 And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. (KJV)
I. A Circle of Prayer
Paul is believed to be dead, after being stoned and dragged out of the city.
The disciples formed a circle around their beloved minister, no doubt praying for him.
The circle of prayer was a binding together. A binder = a notebook binder, encircling and holding together a group of papers.
Mt. 18:18
18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. (KJV)
The circle speaks of continuity. It is held together by a common purpose and in a unified manner.
II. A Circle of Praise
Joshua 6:1-20
Jericho was a fortified city, with at least two thick walls. Yet God commanded the children of Israel to march around it. With at least two million people, it is very probable that the end of the line of Israelites were barely in front of the first in line as they surrounded the city. It was basically a complete circle of people worshipping the Lord Jehovah.
III. A Circle of the Privileged
Mt. 17:1
1 ¶ And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, (KJV)
Even Jesus had his own circle. Peter, James, and John are known as the Inner Circle. They dared to know the Lord more intimately than some of the others. Yes, they were chosen, but they also insistent on being close to Jesus.
IV. A Circle of Protection & Provision (2 K. 6:15-17)
2 Kings 6:17
17 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. (KJV)
In the 6 Day War, in Israel, in 1969, the enemies had Israel surrounded and it looked like a sure defeat for them. But then, the enemies began to flee for their lives, because they saw giant men (or angels) who surrounded them on all sides.
V. A Circle of Purpose
Heb. 12:1
1 ¶ Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, (KJV)
Those who have already made it to heaven, along with the angels are endeavoring to cheer us on to do whatever it takes to run this race all the way to very end and win the prize that awaits us.
VI. A Circle of Petition and Propogation
Ezek. 22:30 And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.
God was looking for someone that would join together with Him and the host of heaven to intervene in behalf of a group of people.
We know what 2 Chr. 7:14 says, but are we expecting everyone else to do it while they are expecting us to do it. Is there a gap that is not being filled? Is the circle broken?
A circle is only complete if it is connected all the way around.
Illustration of Honi - the circle maker. The man who made the difference just one generation before the birth of Jesus.
