Transition – Increase Multiplies Responsibility

In our last post, we talked briefly about accepting the additional responsibility that comes with increase. Look at the life of Joseph:

In Potiphar’s house he learned what it took to run an Egyptian household. In Prision, Joseph learned new systems on how to distribute food to the masses. As Prime Minister, Joseph was so effective that not only was Egypt saved, but the Pharoah held absolute power in Egypt because all the landowners had signed their lands over to the Crown.

Genesis 47:14-26 NLT
(14) By selling grain to the people, Joseph eventually collected all the money in Egypt and Canaan, and he put the money in Pharaoh’s treasury.
(15) When the people of Egypt and Canaan ran out of money, all the Egyptians came to Joseph. “Our money is gone!” they cried. “But please give us food, or we will die before your very eyes!”
(16) Joseph replied, “Since your money is gone, bring me your livestock. I will give you food in exchange for your livestock.”
(17) So they brought their livestock to Joseph in exchange for food. In exchange for their horses, flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle, and donkeys, Joseph provided them with food for another year.
(18) But that year ended, and the next year they came again and said, “We cannot hide the truth from you, my lord. Our money is gone, and all our livestock and cattle are yours. We have nothing left to give but our bodies and our land.
(19) Why should we die before your very eyes? Buy us and our land in exchange for food; we offer our land and ourselves as slaves for Pharaoh. Just give us grain so we may live and not die, and so the land does not become empty and desolate.”
(20) So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh. All the Egyptians sold him their fields because the famine was so severe, and soon all the land belonged to Pharaoh.
(21) As for the people, he made them all slaves, from one end of Egypt to the other.
(22) The only land he did not buy was the land belonging to the priests. They received an allotment of food directly from Pharaoh, so they didn’t need to sell their land.
(23) Then Joseph said to the people, “Look, today I have bought you and your land for Pharaoh. I will provide you with seed so you can plant the fields.
(24) Then when you harvest it, one-fifth of your crop will belong to Pharaoh. You may keep the remaining four-fifths as seed for your fields and as food for you, your households, and your little ones.”
(25) “You have saved our lives!” they exclaimed. “May it please you, my lord, to let us be Pharaoh’s servants.”
(26) Joseph then issued a decree still in effect in the land of Egypt, that Pharaoh should receive one-fifth of all the crops grown on his land. Only the land belonging to the priests was not given to Pharaoh.

David’s responsibility increased. David was a shepherd out on the back 40 minding the sheep. The man of God arrives on the scene and annoint David to be the next King. David fights Goliath and wins.
Saul becomes jealous and attempts to kill David. David then has his family and the first 400 of his mighty men join him. He rules over Judah and Benjamin for 7 years. David then rules over Israel for 33 years. When you are the King, you are the authority. David came a long way from the pasture to the palace.

Jesus’ responsibility increased. Jesus first deals with himself.

Matthew 4:1-11 NLT
(1) Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil.
(2) For forty days and forty nights He fasted and became very hungry.
(3) During that time the devil came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.”
(4) But Jesus told Him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
(5) Then the devil took Him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple,
(6) and said, “If You are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order His angels to protect you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’”
(7) Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the LORD your God.’”
(8) Next the devil took Him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.
(9) “I will give it all to You,” he said, “if You will kneel down and worship me.”
(10) “Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the LORD your God and serve only Him.’”
(11) Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus.

Then Jesus began preaching the Gospel (Good News). Jesus produced disciples and out of those disciples he appointed the 12. Then there were the masses of people that sought Jesus because of what He taught. If that was not enough, Jesus became the ultimate sacrifice for us.

Increase is not to be avoided. It is a part of the maturing process. When Jesus comes back, he is coming back for believers that actually believe and do what His Word says to do.