20. Great Persecution Against the Church

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Hymns: RHC 325 A Shelter in the Time of Storm 324 Trusting Jesus 183 Jesus Paid It All

Acts 8:1-4

1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. 3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison. 4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.

Great Persecution Against the Church

OUTLINE

  • Scattering (v1-3)
  • Preaching (v4)

INTRODUCTION

Great Persecution Against the Church – Acts 8:1-4. 

When Jesus began His earthly ministry, He went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. And His fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto Him all sick people: that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them. And there followed him great multitude of people from Galilee and from Decapolis and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea and from beyond Jordan. (Matthew 4:23-25)

And we see Jesus teaching the multitude in Galilee in a mountain commonly known as the Sermon the Mount in Matthew 5-7. Jesus began His teaching by pronouncing by using the word “blessed”. And He uses it 9 times to show us the progression of spiritual life.

It is interesting that that each time this word is used, it is in the “plural”, multiples of blessing.

And Jesus said, in Matthew 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”

The fruit of being blessed of God with life from Him is that we become peacemakers, introducing others to receive true peace through forgiveness of sins and faith in Him.

And Jesus made a puzzling concluding to the bestowing of blessings upon His hearers when He pronounces double blessing for those who are persecuted for coming to Him in faith.

Matthew 5:10-12 10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile (to defame, to disparage, to reproach – the word “defame” means to damage the good reputation of someone) you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

If you think carefully, the believers who shares the gospel with others out of concern and love for their eternal well-being would receive hostile treatment. The verb “ to persecute” means “to treat you like an enemy, a target for destruction.”

“All manner of evil shall be said against you falsely for my sake”, you will be maligned and evil treated.“

Jesus says “Rejoice” because your blessings from God is great, a double blessing is given to you!

Then you ask, quite a frightening thought isn’t it to serve Jesus Christ? You are liable for abuse – whether verbal, emotional or physical, why go that way?

And He tells them that by enduring persecution, they function as salt and light of the earth. Now if you will notice, Christians go out to do good for the people they meet. Bringing blessing to the people they meet. Our account in the Acts of the Apostles saw Peter and John in the name of Jesus Christ cause the lame man at the Beautiful Gate, the main gate of the temple, to rise up and walk. A clear visual picture of the good that Jesus will enable His disciples to do! And yet, you see the two men placed in prison overnight before God Himself intervened to free them out of prison.

God is still very much alive and there helping His people as they serve Him.

Matthew 5:14-17 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 15 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. 16 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 17 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

What were these disciples instructed to do? Continue with the good work and trust God to help you, protect and preserve you.

This would encourage and support them under their sufferings, that, though they should be treated with contempt, yet they should really be blessings to the world, and the more so for their suffering thus. 

The prophets, who went before them, were the salt of the land of Canaan; but the apostles were the salt of the whole earth, for they must go into all the world to preach the gospel. It was a discouragement to them that they were so fewand so weak.

What could they do in so large a province as the whole earth?

Nothing, if they were to work by force of arms and drawing of sword; but, being to work “silent” as salt, one handful of that salt would diffuse its savour far and wide; would go a great way, and work insensibly and irresistibly.

Salt provides flavor! The Christian through the life of Jesus Christ within and the truths of the gospel is to lend flavour to a flavourless world. It’s like the world, unsatisfying! 

Stocks, cars, houses…

Thirst of the Soul – Salt makes one thirsty. And this leads us to ask: Do you make anyone thirsty for Christ? Jesus can satisfy the great thirst of the soul of the human soul. Your responsibility is not to satisfy the thirst yourself but to point men to Christ.

And salt is a common substance. The Lord says, “I delight to use little things. It is from the common thing, from the weak, the foolish, the despised, the things that are not (1 Cor. 1:26-29) that God brings the greatest glory to his name.”

For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. (1 Corinthians 1:26-29)

When God made man, he used dust. But he breathed into the dust the divine breath of life. When God spoke to Moses, he revealed to him in a burning desert bush, calling him to come forth to be the deliverer of the people of Israel from Egypt. When God called David to deliver the Israelites from the Philistine tyranny, did he make use of King Saul’s armour? No, he used a sling shot and a few stones. And when Jesus was born, God did not allow him to be born in the courts of the Casears or a woman of noble ancestry and great culture. He chose a peasant girl, who was probably illiterate and she gave birth to Jesus Christ in a stable.

God uses the small things and the small people. God uses you and me that he might do his work in the world. As a matter of fact, the smaller you can become, the more effective his work in you will be. Do you know what we are to be? We are to be picture frames within which Jesus Christ is to be seen. God is not interested in a gold frame or a beautifully carved frame. He is just interested in it’s being an empty frame, because he knows that when you come to him with that, he can put Christ there. And when people look at you, they will see Jesus.

This is a pictorial description of the Christians in Jerusalem at the time when Stephen was stoned to death that we saw at the end of Acts 7, the Jewish leadership in Israel rejecting gospel. But we also notice silently, God has also saved many priests in the temple – Acts 6:7.

From Acts 8-12, the gospel will spread from Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria and from Acts 13-28 it will spread throughout the Roman Empire with the formation of many distinctly Gentile churches.

We are bringing you that exciting story. This spread of the gospel was a result of the great persecution against the church.

Two thoughts:

  • Scattering (v1-3)
  • Preaching (v4)

(1) Scattering (v1-3)

1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. 

Acts 7:57-58 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, 58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul.

Saul, the Jew from Tarsus of Cilicia (Acts 21:39; 16:37-38) was a Roman citizen, born of a father who had obtained this great privilege and prestige. Early he had been brought to Jerusalem and had been trained and educated under Gamaliel, their famous teacher of the law.

Acts 22:3 I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.

And although a young man, already his zeal and knowledge and training had gained him great respect. And he became greatly convinced the danger that these Christians would multiply, He though the observance of the law as the Jewish leaders taught it would be endangered and diminished. He determinded to help stamp out this movement of Christians. So Saul, “made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.” Doubtless, he was a favourite of the Sanhedrin.

Spurgeon observed well, “Stephen was struck down in the very midst of his service, he was removed in the very prime of his usefulness. Stephen’s departing moments were calm, peaceful, confident, joyous, how his mind clung only to that which is purely spiritual, he rose beyond all fear of men, Stephen was free from all cares, he had no resentments as he uttered this sweet prayer – lay not this sin to their charge…the post notable peculiarity of Stephen’s death was that jesus was seen, invoked, trusted and imitated. ” 

2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. 3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison. 

There was a great persecution against the church. 

What went on in the hearts of the minds of the persecuted of God’s people? They understood their lot in life and trusted God to take care of them through those hard times. They understood the presence of God with them as they do the will of God.

1 Peter 3:12-18 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. 13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? 14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; 

15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: 16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. 17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. 18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

These men and women were filled with the Spirit. They willingly retreated, went on the run, kept the faith, lose their earthly possessions. They deemed the heavenly more than the earthly. They kept faith, trusting God to help them. 

Hebrews 12:1-3 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

(2) Preaching (v4)

4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.

Proverbs 11:18 The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward.

2 Corinthians 9:6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

Matthew 7:17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

Galatians 6:7-9 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Sowing and reaping implies a wait. Nothing good grows overnight. The farmer must be patient in order to see the fruit of his labors. When the Bible likens the ministry to planting, watering and reaping (1 Corinthians 3:6), it suggests a length of time. God will bring forth fruit to His glory in His time. Until then, we faithfully labour in His field (Matthew 9:38), knowing that “at the proper time we will reap a harvest, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9; see also Psalm 126:5).

  • The amount you reap is proportion to what you sow (v7)
    • The amount you reap is more than you sow (v7)
  • You cannot reap something different from what you sow (v8)
  • You do not reap immediately what you sow (v9a)
    • There is a delay in the production of the fruit to be reaped (v9b)

 The amount you reap is proportion to what you sow (v7)

  1. The amount you reap is more than you sow (v7)

7 Be not deceived (led astray, cause to wonder, stop an action in progress); God is not mocked (treat with contempt, made a fool of): for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 

Although man cannot see, God sees what we are doing with our life. God is a fair judge of our life. Only our God is All-knowing, He is infinite, eternal and unchangeable in His justice. 

If we have been hungering and thirsting after righteousness, we shall be satisfied with life with Him, He blesses us with His spirit’s blessing.

This is not the first time. Paul is speaking in this way to jolt the believers to be serious with their spiritual life. Do not play church, pay lip service to God.

God is not mocked. Paul is encouraging the Christians in Galatia to bear spiritual fruit in their lives. In the chapter preceding this, he tells them that although they are Christians, they are not living the Christian life because their lives are entangled with the bondage of sin. 

This fruit that we bear he speaks in relation to our interaction with the people around us. And he is urging the Christians to bear fruit.

But more so, he is saying this to the believers to watch your flesh! Look here, Galatians, are you struggling against the flesh that is in you! Is there an awareness within you of the flesh pulling you down?

Acts 11:19-21 Now they which were scattered abroad — upon the persecution that arose about Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only. 20 And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.

CONCLUSION

  • Scattering (v1-3)
  • Preaching (v4)