Acts 8:1-8

And Saul was there, giving approval to his death.

    On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.

    Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there. When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said. With shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. So there was great joy in that city.

 

Stephen died praying for his persecutors’ forgiveness, for their salvation. Despite his obvious love for the Lord, his good interpretation of Scripture, his love for his enemies – despite all that, they killed him because Stephen challenged their devotion to God. And Saul was one of those approving the murder of this godly, wise, loving man.

 

Many of the Jews had had enough of the Christians. Despite their love, despite the signs and wonders, despite all the good things they saw in the Christians, there was a problem: The Christians were committed to a dead man, to Jesus of Nazareth. They kept proclaiming that this carpenter was the Lord of the universe, the Christ sent by God. They kept urging Jews to repent of their sins – before this Jesus! Their message that enmity toward Jesus was enmity toward God was offensive! Had not the Jews been devoted to God for centuries? The Jews wanted the Christians to stop. To stop questioning their love for God, their heart for God’s words, their zeal for God’s work. To the Jews who didn’t believe this carpenter Jesus was God’s Christ, Christians were getting to be both annoying and offensive. Stephen’s trial and stoning unleashed the Jews’ anger. Persecution broke out against the Christians. And some Jews, such as Saul, approved Stephen’s death and led the charge against the Christians.

 

The Christians were scattered out of Jerusalem. Only the apostles were able to stay; the rest were dispersed throughout Judea and Samaria. Saul systematically went to believers’ houses in Jerusalem and, if he found them, threw both believing men and women in prison.

 

But the persecution did not keep Christians from telling people about Jesus’ lordship over their lives and of His salvation. The scattered Christians preached the word wherever they went. Philip, one of Stephen’s fellow food distributors, went to Samaria. And he preached there. And people paid attention to his words. They paid attention to the signs that accompanied his ministry. They saw demons banished from people’s lives. They saw paralytics and cripples walk. Because believers like Philip proclaimed Christ wherever they went, more and more people outside of Jerusalem began to put their faith in Jesus.

 

What Jesus had predicted in Acts 1:8 was happening. The disciples had become Jesus’ witnesses first in Jerusalem, and now – because of a persecution – in Judea and Samaria. It turned out that a wicked persecution still accomplished part of God’s plan for the world. The disciples were continuing to be God’s witnesses wherever they went. So God’s word spread.

 

Father, please continue to direct Your people concerning where You want us to be. Just make us faithful. Strengthen, teach and encourage us so that, wherever we are, we are Jesus’ witnesses. May Your words overflow from our mouths. May Your power overflow in our communities. May people around us, wherever You have us and wherever You send us, find that Jesus is their Lord and their King. May they believe, and may they put their hope in Him. Just make us faithful to speak Your word wherever we are, to be Your witnesses wherever we go. Make us faithful witnesses.