Series: #15 Acts of the Apostles - Witnesses to All Judea and Samaria
TOPIC: Sovereignty (of God); Providence, Will (of God)
TITLE: A GREAT DAY - Being Blown Around a Corner for God's Glory!
TEXT: Acts 8:4-5 (1-8)
Notice … (recall the threefold theme of the Acts of the Apostles) …
The “witness” to Jerusalem is past … the maturing church now sent to Judea and Samaria (chapters 8-12, north and south) ... the “remotest part of the earth” is next (13-28) ... what is seen is God’s providential will at work.
Notice all was well with the growth of the church … but with Stephen’s death, Saul began to intensely persecute and scatter them. Yet it was God not Saul who actually set the wildfire behind the people ... but like the deer in wildfire, they had a River of Life to count on.
Go back and reread Stephen’s proclamation in Acts 6.
Isn’t this reminiscent of the Lord’s dispersion of Israel through their Babylonian captivity?
Often God’s enemies see nothing but scorched earth before them; but God sees the seeds of new life below the ash and destruction. The Bible tells us the church in pain and in flight finds joy in the end.
I conclude there is greater joy to be found; in reality I don’t find this to be true.
So I must admit to praying for greater persecution in order that she might have greater dispersion, greater proclamation where dispersed, that greater attention would be paid to her, and that we might all find greater cause for jubilation.
CHALLENGE:
When returning home; go to church to worship, but leave to reach the lost … the flames of hell are pursuing them.
TOPIC: Sovereignty (of God); Providence, Will (of God)
TITLE: A GREAT DAY - Being Blown Around a Corner for God's Glory!
TEXT: Acts 8:4-5 (1-8)
Therefore, those who had been scattered went about preaching the word. Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ to them.FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How was the day of dispersion a great day?
Notice … (recall the threefold theme of the Acts of the Apostles) …
1) The preeminence of the Living LordAdd the privilege of persecution* of the Body (*severe opposition to the message) ...
2) the prominence of the Holy Spirit, and
3) the power of the Authentic Church
The “witness” to Jerusalem is past … the maturing church now sent to Judea and Samaria (chapters 8-12, north and south) ... the “remotest part of the earth” is next (13-28) ... what is seen is God’s providential will at work.
Notice all was well with the growth of the church … but with Stephen’s death, Saul began to intensely persecute and scatter them. Yet it was God not Saul who actually set the wildfire behind the people ... but like the deer in wildfire, they had a River of Life to count on.
Go back and reread Stephen’s proclamation in Acts 6.
Isn’t this reminiscent of the Lord’s dispersion of Israel through their Babylonian captivity?
I. THE DAY HAD A GREAT PERSECUTION! [vv 1b, 3]II. THE DAY HAD A GREAT DISPERSION! [v 1b, 4, 5]“God sometimes has to act through disagreeable circumstances in order to compel His saints to work in accordance with His plans ….” [H. A. Ironside p.176]God kick-starts His outreach to the world through the fires of persecution; God only sees His plan, His mind is turned toward all men everywhere at all times!
Saul meant it for evil but God meant it for good; like Joseph’s brothers … like Joseph ...“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.”Genesis 50:20“How often has the rage of Christ's enemies thus ‘turned out rather unto the furtherance of the Gospel’.” [Jamieson]III. THE DAY HAD A GREAT PROCLAMATION! [vv 4, 5]“Therefore, those who had been scattered went about preaching the word. Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ to them.”These were lay people “preaching (euaggelizō; declaring Good News) the word” and “proclaiming (kērussō; heralding) Christ.”Acts 8:4-5
Not a popular message today; reading contemporary Christian literature suggests it isn’t well received among my brethren.“Wind spreads the flame.” [Bengel]
“Their hearts were full … out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks; and they made the truth known to ‘all’” [Barnes][CHINA] In 1949 the communist wildfire overthrew the Chinese nationalist government … 637 China Inland Missions missionaries were expelled; they went to Japan and throughout Southeast Asia. Not only did new works start all over Asia, but the Chinese church grew geometrically and she remains a thorn in the commies’ side to this day.Satan intended eradication; instead he got dispersion.Preaching by the “laity” was begun ... Philip was one of the seven chosen to minister as deacons in the church in Jerusalem. He was the only one specifically identified as an evangelist in the New Testament; he became one of our great evangelists.IV. THE DAY HAD A GREAT FASCINATION! [vv 6, 7]The text says, they “with one accord were giving attention,” literally taking their minds captive [Cf. 2 Corinthians 10:5].V. THE DAY HAD A GREAT JUBILATION! [v 8]“And there was much rejoicing in that city.”Jesus said, 'I am come to send fire on the earth'; Saul and his cohorts thought, if they scattered those kindled with that fire, to have put it out, but instead of they spread the fire every where in Judea and Samaria. [Henry; paraphrased]
APPLICATION: The key element for the church is the joy which resulted from its ravaging by Saul and his minions.
Often God’s enemies see nothing but scorched earth before them; but God sees the seeds of new life below the ash and destruction. The Bible tells us the church in pain and in flight finds joy in the end.
I conclude there is greater joy to be found; in reality I don’t find this to be true.
So I must admit to praying for greater persecution in order that she might have greater dispersion, greater proclamation where dispersed, that greater attention would be paid to her, and that we might all find greater cause for jubilation.
CHALLENGE:
“Whenever the church is governed from Jerusalem, or from Rome, of from anywhere … other than heaven, it is hindered and hampered and prevented from fulfilling the great functions of its life” [G. Campbell Morgan, p. 195]The Church is much like Israel fresh from Egyptian bondage seeking a king … not understanding she has the King of kings.
“Effective evangelism is possible only when the church recovers both (1) the biblical gospel and (2) a joyful confidence in its truth, relevance and power.” [Stott, p. 144, paraphrased]
When returning home; go to church to worship, but leave to reach the lost … the flames of hell are pursuing them.
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