Are things falling apart or into place?

What do we see when we look at the early Church in Acts? We may see the persecution and the pain, but then there’s the growth and healing. Where there’s scattering there’s a great harvest, mourning comes with joy, death brings new life, It’s all a matter of perspective and when we look carefully, we can’t but see a magnificent plan falling into place. Perhaps we need this lens to relook at our own lives and the world we are living in, is it falling apart or is God’s plan falling into place?

Scripture

Acts 8:1-8 ESV  And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.  [2]  Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him.  [3]  But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.  [4]  Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.  [5]  Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ.  [6]  And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs that he did.  [7]  For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.  [8]  So there was much joy in that city.

Bible Study Questions

Saul work in scattering the Church

Acts 8:1-8 ESV  And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.  

Galatians 1:13-14 ESV  For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it.  [14]  And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers.

Acts 1:8 ESV  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Mark 4:26-29 ESV  And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground.  [27]  He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how.  [28]  The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.  [29]  But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

Injustice brought mourning

The very religious leaders had laws that forbid them from mourning the death of someone who had been executed in the way that Stephen was. Yet some of these very people saw the injustice of his death and defied the rules to mourn for him. Was this a starting point for their faith?

Acts 8:2 ESV  Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him.

Saul was injuring ordinary Christians

The word used here for ravaging is used of what a wild animal does to a human body. It’s a violent injury, a tearing apart. Was Saul doing this to the Apostles or to ordinary Christians? What did he think he was doing?

Acts 8:3 ESV  But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.  

1 Timothy 1:12-15 ESV  I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service,  [13]  though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief,  [14]  and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.  [15]  The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.

Ordinary Christians were ripped up and planted elsewhere

What did God do through the ordinary Christians that Saul was trying to destroy?

Acts 8:4 ESV  Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.  

John 12:24-26 ESV  Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.  [25]  Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.  [26]  If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

Stephen’s ministry ended, Philip’s took off

The first time we hear about Stephen and Philip, we hear that God’s Holy Spirit is working through them in simple ways. Now we hear that Stephen has died for the service of the Kingdom and that Philip picks up where he left off. What does that tell you about who is doing the work through them, and what He can do through you and I?

Acts 8:5-6 ESV  Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ.  [6]  And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs that he did.  

Acts 6:3-5 ESV  Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty.  [4]  But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”  [5]  And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch.

Captives freed, paralysed mobilised

Isaiah prophesied the great change that would come with Jesus. How can we see this prophecy continuing to be fuulfilled through His followers? Notice how while believers were subjected to physical prison, their faith brought spiritual freedom to others.

Acts 8:7 ESV  For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralysed or lame were healed.  

Joy comes in the mourning

The fruit of the Spirit of God is love, joy and peace. Being filled with God’s Holy Spirit empowers us to be the Church and do the work that Jesus created us for. When this happens we can expect to see His fruit. How does our suffering serve others according to His Word?

Acts 8:8 ESV  So there was much joy in that city.

2 Corinthians 1:6 ESV  If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer.