In this Bible study lesson, Acts 8:1-8 tells the story of the persecuted church in its earliest days. This passage marks a pivotal moment when Saul, who would later become the Apostle Paul, led a fierce campaign against the followers of Jesus.
After Stephen was stoned, this unimaginable persecution tested the church, their faith, and their resilience. But, even with all the suffering and scattering, God’s message spread.
So, can a persecuted church still grow? What about today? Even though Christians are being chastised and even killed for their faith, God works through these difficult times. The wrath of Saul didn’t stop the gospel. In fact, Saul helped to spread the word about Jesus’ salvation to other parts of the world.
And yes, I believe that Christianity will grow because of the persecution. I also believe the 21st century can be our finest hour–if we can overcome fear and talk about our walk with Christ to others.
The Wrath of Saul and the Persecuted Church
Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death.
And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.
Some devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him.
But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison.
Philip in Samaria
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.
The crowds with one accord were giving attention to what was said by Philip, as they heard and saw the signs which he was performing.
For in the case of many who had unclean spirits, they were coming out of them shouting with a loud voice; and many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed.
So there was much rejoicing in that city. – Acts 8:1-8 NASB
Wrath of Saul Helps Spread the Message of Christ
After Stephen was stoned, Saul and others began a nightmarish persecution of the church. But, Saul didn’t anticipate what happened next.
Truth is, God can work in any situation. This short passage from Acts shows how these groups drove the Christians out of Jerusalem to Samaria and Judea. This is a chilling fulfillment of the prophecy Jesus promised. He said in Acts 1:8,
“but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”
Humans Can Not Stop the Gospel
Even though Saul brought about great suffering, the gospel of Christ spread across the land. As the Christians fled, they carried the message of Christ with them. They spread it to new regions. This led to the rapid growth of the early church. Eventually, people beyond Jerusalem learned about the teachings of Jesus. So, what seemed like a devastating blow served to fulfill the Great Commission . The church grew and we can see today there is no slowing down.
A Footnote about Phillip
I was confused too. The Phillip mentioned here in Acts was not the apostle. Phillip was a Jew who happened to speak Greek. And, he was one of the seven deacons chosen to distribute food to people of the church. You can read more about this program in Acts 6.
Bold – Or Living in Fear?
If you live in America as I do, it’s hard to imagine what those early Christians faced. In some regions of the world, the same fate faces our brothers and sisters in Christ.
We may never face the threat of death because of our faith. Yet, we often take for granted the privileges of religious freedom that allow us to practice our faith openly and without fear. This freedom givesus the opportunity to,
- gather for worship,
- share our beliefs,
- and express our spirituality without the risk of persecution.
It’s important to remember and appreciate these liberties. We must recognize that they are not available worldwide. And remember they were hard-won through the sacrifices of those who came before us.
Jesus asked us to be bold in our belief and use opportunities to tell others about what He did for us. But, many times we let fear stand in our way.
Are we afraid of death? No. We fear feeling uncomfortable. Or, we’re afraid of being embarrassed when talking about our Lord. Isn’t that a bit silly?
What Did Jesus Do?
We can overcome many of our fears if we think about what Jesus did for us. He didn’t just feel uncomfortable. He willingly suffered beatings, humiliation and ultimately death on the cross so that we could live eternally with Him. What are we willing to do?
Love in Christ
– Bob
If you would like to discover more about the love and life-changing experience of Jesus Christ, please take a moment to see John 3:16.