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Wildfire
A musical by Roger Jones.
A4 Poster for Roger Jones' presentation of Wildfire in April 2003
The following text is gratefully reproduced from Roger's introduction to the score...
As they worship, "Tongues of Fire" come upont the
believers, just as He promised when Jesus left His disciples and went
into heaven.
Stephen goes home to his family to share the good news that
"Heaven's Come to my Heart".
But for Paul, a zealous Pharisee, this is blasphemy against God's holy
temple. Stephen has to challenge him that "God Doesn't Just Live
in a Building".
Stephen tries to explain to Paul the change that has happened in his
heart: "My Song is Love Unknown".
Stephen's friend Phillip joins him, to share a problem: the widows from
the Greek community of believers are complaining that they are not being
looked after in the same way as the Hebrew widows ... "It Was So
Much Better in the Past".
The believers pray together, and then set aside seven men who are filled
with the Holy Spirit and with faith, of which Stephen and Phillip are
two. These men will organise the distribution of food. As they minister
to the widows practically and spiritually, "Signs and
Wonders" are performed in the name of Jesus, and people are
healed and set free.
Paul, meanwhile, is increasingly concerned at all this. "Isn't It
Alarming!". He and others drag Stephen off to answer before the
Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council. Stephen gives a magnificent
defence for his faith in Christ, and even those opposing him see that as
he speaks of Jesus, "He's got the Face of an Angel".
But as he tells that what stiff-necked people they are, deaf to God's
Word, they become furious and drag him off to stone him. As Stephen
looks up and says "I See Heaven Open and the Son of Man", the
crowds rip off their coats, throw them down at Paul's feet, take up
rocks and throw them. Stephen, crushed and dying, commits his spirit to
Jesus, and prays that God will not hold this sin against them. With
that, he dies. And Paul is there, watching and approving ... All the
distraught family can do is reflect that "It's All About
Jesus".
Years later, as Stephen's family still puzzle over his death, they
realise that it was the pivotal point from which the Gospel began to
spread - like wildfire! Believers have been scattered - "Scattered
Salt", flavouring wherever they go. One dramatic conversion has
been Paul's, now an apostle for Jesus Christ. "Knowing
Him" is now the most important thing in Paul's life.
Together, Stephen's family and their new brother in Christ look forward
to being reunited around the throne in Heaven - "Come, Let Us Join
Our Cheerful Songs".
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wfposterA4.pdf
