May the mumbling commence!
Persecution has some positive effects. Sometimes, I believe Christians in the United States have become so comfortable that they have become complacent. There’s the old adage that a preacher needs to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. It’s hard to say this, but I think we in the United States need to be afflicted. Maybe affliction and persecution will help get our butts into gear. Look at what persecution did for the early followers of Jesus in Acts 7:59-8:4 –
While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." 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. 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.
Just as it is today, the people of this day struggled with the equally important calls as a church to gather and to scatter. Jesus had told his disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit. The implicit idea in this command was that they were to venture out of Jerusalem after they received the Holy Spirit. But Jerusalem – even with its persecutions – became very comfortable for the apostles. In fact, even with the first martyr, the apostles still clung to their familiar city.
However, this level of persecution did scatter all the rest of the believers. How would the new believers be nurtured in the faith? Would the distance from the apostles prove to be problematic? No. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit, the people of The Way preached to the people wherever they went. And people began to respond in large numbers. Read about one such situation in Samaria where Philip fled to:
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.
Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, "This man is the divine power known as the Great Power." They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic. But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.
When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. (Acts 8:5-14)
Philip went to Samaria and preached. Through his preaching and healing ministries, Philip allowed the Lord to work through him to create joy. It was only a matter of time when the people of Samaria came to a saving knowledge of Jesus and were baptized. Samaritans were baptized. Samaritans and Jews just did not get along too well. Word got to the disciples.
So the disciples sent a couple of their number to investigate. And not just any two! They sent Peter and John. They sent their respected leaders. Would you look at the fruit that the death of Stephen had! God was beginning to not only call the disciples out of Jerusalem but God was also calling the Twelve to expand their horizons to include non-Jewish, hated people. As Jesus once said, “Unless a grain of wheat dies and is buried, the harvest cannot come.”
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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