A Sermon Series on the Book of Acts The Church Persecuted & Scattered

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1 Main Passage: Acts 7:54-8:8 INTRODUCTION: A Sermon Series on the Book of Acts The Church Persecuted & Scattered As the apostles and the body of believers faithfully preached Jesus and grew in numbers, opposition to the community increased: warning (4:21) led to flogging (5:40), which led to martyrdom (7:58-60) and now open persecution of the community of believers at large (8:1). In this section, the Holy Spirit (speaking through Luke) wants us to understand these events in light of Jesus promises in the Gospels and purposes in order to know something of God s ways of working in His church and in our lives Today, we will begin by way of a brief recap of Stephen s trial 1) The Charges: Speaking words of blasphemy against Moses and against God (6:11) Speaking against the temple and against the law (6:13-14) 2) Stephen s Defense (Acts 7:1-50): Stephen s Defense 1: God is Not Confined to the Temple in Israel Stephen s Defense 2: Israel Has Historically Rejected God s Ruler and Deliverer Stephen s Defense 3: Israel Rejected the Law & Lawgiver Stephen s Defense 4: The Tabernacle & Temple Were Temporary Until Messiah 3) Stephen s Charges Against the Jewish Leadership (Acts 7:51-53): They have rejected and murdered the One to whom the temple, law and the prophets pointed the Messiah! Jesus is the true temple of God, replacing the temple in Jerusalem; He is also God s final Message (Word) and the Ruler of His people Israel. From now on, salvation is mediated through Jesus and obedience to His commands. A. The Church Persecuted: God s Eternal RRSP (7:54-8:3) 1) The Reality of Persecution a. Luke 21:12-15 But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. 13 And so you will bear testimony to me. 14 But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. 15 For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. b. John 15: If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the

2 world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember what I told you: A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21 They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. c. 2 Tim. 3:12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. d. 1 Peter 2: It is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. 20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 2) The Response to Persecution a. Rejoicing in Christ s Glory i. 1 Peter 4: Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. Acts 7: But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 Look, he said, I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God. b. Standing Fast in God s Power & Sovereignty i. Dan. 11:32 (ESV) the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action. Zech. 4:6 Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts. Q: Do we have a view of God big enough to endure trials? One that sees Him as high and exalted over all of our problems and over every authority on this earth? One that sees Him as in control of every situation? c. Praying for Our Persecutors i. Acts 7: While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. 60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, Lord, do not hold this sin against them. When he had said this, he fell asleep. Matt. 5: You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies

3 3) The Source of Persecution and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. a. The Pharisees: The Ultra-Religious b. Saul the Pharisee i. John 16:1-4 All this I have told you so that you will not fall away. 2 They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God. 3 They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. 4 I have told you this, so that when the time comes you will remember that I warned you. I did not tell you this from the beginning because I was with you. i. Acts 22:3 I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. I studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors. I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today. i Acts 26:4-5 4 The Jewish people all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child, from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem. 5 They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that I conformed to the strictest sect of our religion, living as a Pharisee. Phil. 3:5-6 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless. c. Saul the Persecutor i. Acts 7: At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, 58 dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. i iv. Acts 8:1 And Saul was there, giving approval to his death. Acts 8:3 But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison. Gal. 1: For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. 14 I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 4) The Purpose of Persecution

4 a. Strengthening the Church i. John 16:32 A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me. i iv. Matt. 26:31 (Zech. 13:7) Then Jesus told them, This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered. 1 Peter 5: And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11 To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. Acts 8:1 all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. b. Scattering the Church (See below) B. The Church Scattered (8:1,4) 1) The Seed Scattered as a Result of Persecution a. Acts 8:4 Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. i. Scattered diesparesan = Diaspora, to be scattered, spread around The church in Jerusalem [scattered] out like seed into the neighbouring regions (Bock, BCENT, 318). b. Luke 8:5-8 A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path some fell on rocky ground other seed fell among thorns still other seed fell on good soil. c. Luke 8:11 This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. i. A seed consists of two parts: an outer shell and inner matter that has all the information needed for reproducing new life. The shell only contains the life-giving information within the seed. However, the whole unit is called the seed. In the same way, the Gospel the Word of God is the message of God (information) containing the power of God to reproduce eternal life. But did you know that God has also given it a shell in which to contain this life-giving information? d. See Matt. 13: Jesus told them another parable: The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away.

5 i. Right after the Parable of the Sower, Jesus told the Parable of the Weeds. Both involve a farmer sowing (scattering) seed, but in the former parable the seed stands for is the Word of God; in the latter, the seed stands for the people of the kingdom (disciples of Jesus). e. See Matt. 13: Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field. 37 He answered, The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. i. I believe this connection our Lord made is intentional. The Bible says we who receive the seed and believe have been made vessels containing the Word of God, the Spirit of God and the glory of God! f. 2 Cor. 4: But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this allsurpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. 2) All Those Scattered Were Preaching the Word a. Acts 8:1, 4 all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria 4 Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. i. Where the focus to this point has been the apostles preaching and teaching in Jerusalem, now the whole church is becoming involved in the task of missions and evangelism! b. John 20:21 Again Jesus said, Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you. i. There is a tendency, especially in our western church culture, to see ministry as the task of the paid clergy and not as the responsibility and privilege of all. This is not to say that there are not different gifts (teaching, preaching, service, mercy, etc.), but we have all been called to be witnesses (Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 1:8). Q: What if I don t feel qualified? What if I don t understand the gospel or the Bible as well as a trained minister/theologian? What if I can t answer someone s questions? c. Mark 4: He also said, This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28 All by itself the soil produces grain first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29 As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.

6 i. The farmer doesn t wait to plant until he has a Ph.D. in biology and horticulture he can plant and harvest even with only the most basic knowledge of how things work because the power to reproduce life is in the seed, not in his ability or understanding We drive cars every day, yet how many of us understand all the inner workings the physics and mechanics? Yet we use them all the same as one who has an advanced degree in those areas. He may have a deeper appreciation for and confidence in how a car works d. John 15: When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father he will testify about me. 27 And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning. i. We have both the command and the promised Holy Spirit to enable us to carry out the mission! 3) Preaching the Word to Jews Only a. Matt. 28: Then Jesus came to them and said, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations b. Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. c. Acts 8:4 Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. d. Acts 11: Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. C. The Gospel to the Samaritans (8:5-8) i. They still did not have the understanding that the gospel was for Gentiles as well. It would take another supernatural act of God to open their eyes 1) Great Sorrow in Jerusalem, Great Joy in Samaria a. Acts 8:2, 5, 8 2 Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him 5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. 8 so there was great joy in that city [of the Samaritans]. i. Stephen s life and death not only modeled Christ s example, it became the seed for a harvest of souls beyond the borders of Jerusalem and Israel!

7 i Meanwhile, Philip (one of the Seven) went to a city in Samaria and began preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and working miracles there. As a result, many came to believe and the city was filled with joy! Take careful note that while one city (Jerusalem) experienced deep mourning over the loss of Stephen as well as the painful experience of being persecuted and scattered, it was not in vain! Their painful trial led to others salvation and joy at hearing the gospel and seeing the work of God through Philip. The same Spirit at work in Stephen to bear witness unto death was the same Spirit at work through Philip to bear witness unto life for the Samaritans! b. 2 Cor. 4:12 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. 2) The Principle of Sowing & Reaping a. John 12: Jesus replied, The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. i. There is a dual reference here: Jesus is surely speaking of His own death, which will produce many seeds as the gospel is preached and many receive His payment for their sins. But Jesus goes on to connect this same principle of sowing to the lives of believers! We must die to self-autonomy and the pride of life that says: I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul. No! Jesus is our only Sovereign, Lord and Master and we must learn to crucify our desires and submit to Him. Q: What in your life needs to die in order that the life of Jesus may be produced in you for others? Have you been crucified with Christ? D. APPLICATION 1. It is in our trials and weaknesses that we see Jesus power and glory most clearly. 2. God allows persecution to strengthen and mature His people and, when we embrace it and respond to it in a God-honouring way, He will use it to advance His kingdom through us. 3. We must die daily daily surrender our rights to run our own lives to the One who now owns us and directs our every step for His Name and for His glory! 4. The same Holy Spirit at work in the early church is available to us today to empower us for the work God has called us to!