The Book of Acts: Lesson 7, The Gospel Begins to Spread

 Right away at the beginning of Acts 8, a great persecution broke out against the church. You can't confront this world, with its fallen value systems and satanic outlook, without expecting to have some kind of push back. In 2 Timothy 3:12 the apostle Paul warns, “everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” So Acts 1:8 (taking the Gospel to the ends of the earth) will eventually guarantee Acts 8:1. And as a result, a great persecution broke out against the church.

Now we can actually begin to see how Jesus’ command in Acts 1:8 is going to be fulfilled. It is going to be fulfilled because of persecution. Like everything else in God’s Kingdom, the process seems upside down to us. It’s not ease, comfort, and prosperity that lead to the church’s growth. It's the painful persecution that started with the death of Stephen that will initiate this expansion. The Lord is using His enemies as a catalyst to mobilize His church. As we study this powerful narrative in Acts 8, we will discover an important truth: If you take Jesus' command seriously and commit to take the gospel to the end of the earth, you will experience persecution. But as we’ll see through the life of Phillip, it also leads to great joy!

In His Service,

Pastor Steve