Hello, my ‘Walking with Jesus’ friends on this Thursday,
Every society in the world has various forms of punishment for criminals. In many countries that includes capital punishment. Methods of execution vary widely around the world, both now but especially down through history. We all know crucifixion has been one of the most brutal, but stoning is another. Yesterday we watched Stephen defend himself and the apostles before the angry Sanhedrin Jewish religious leaders in Jerusalem. What was the charge levied against them? They had been teaching God’s truth about Jesus and helping those in great need in Jerusalem. Doesn’t sound like much of a crime, does it?
As he concluded his statements, Stephen pointed to heaven and proclaimed: “Look, I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:56) The Sanhedrin leaders’ response is described this way: “At this they covered their ears and yelling at the tops of their voices they rushed at Stephen, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.” (Acts 7:57.58) These devout, religious leaders had suddenly become irate, emotionally out of control, executioners!
While it was mob violence, still, within the Jewish order it required someone to oversee this execution and witnesses to be called to declare the crime deserving of death. That someone was named Saul a Pharisee from Tarsus. His hatred for this Jesus movement was well known in the Sanhedrin. Saul’s action was in fulfillment of a warning Jesus had given His disciples in the upper room the evening before His crucifixion: “…the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God.” (John 16:2)
That is precisely the attitude which Saul had that day. Saul was convinced Jesus was a fraud, perhaps even a demon possessed fraud, and Saul was determined to deny and prove as false everything about Jesus, including His miracles, His resurrection, His ascension and His teachings. With Jesus inexplicably gone, Saul was determined to destroy the leaders of this Jesus movement, confident the God of Israel would be well pleased with Saul’s eradication efforts!
As the stones bludgeoned Stephen, very soon he was bloodied and falling to his knees cried out: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” (Acts 7:59,60) And then Stephen died. Oh my, that description sounds so very similar to Jesus’ dying words and His death on the cross, doesn’t it? We have no record of where Stephen was that crucifixion day, but we do know many people stood near the crosses watching three men die that day. Is it possible Stephen had been in that crowd and heard Jesus say those words? What amazing love and compassion God gives His people even for those who hate Jesus! Can you imagine how the resurrected, ascended Jesus Christ received Stephen’s soul/spirit as Stephen arrived in heaven seconds after he breathed his last, under that pile of rocks? Oh, what a glorious reunion that must have been.
His anger still boiling, the record says “Saul approved of their killing Stephen. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. Godly men buried Stephen’s body and mourned deeply for him. But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.” (Acts 8:1-3) If you and I had been eyewitness to these events, only a matter of a few months after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus in this same city, Jerusalem, how would you describe what is happening here?
We can assume Roman soldiers stood by watching Saul and others terrorize these followers of Jesus. Making sure this religious hysteria was not the beginning of a political insurrection, the soldiers evidently did not interfere with Saul’s violence. We are safe to assume many Jews joined Saul in this mob violence and therefore within only a few days many if not most of those more than 5000 new Christians (Acts 4:4) fled Jerusalem seeking shelter with family or friends in cities and towns all across Israel, including Samaria! It was a terrifying time, a lawless time. As they fled, I’m sure many cried out to Jesus asking WHY? Why was God allowing this horrific persecution?
Have you and I learned, my friends, that even in the most difficult, disastrous times, God can still be working for the good of our human race and for His glory? Acts 8:4 is a very powerful insight into something amazing the Holy Spirit of God was doing in those terrifying days: “Those who has been scattered preached the word wherever they went.” What? People on the run for their lives while explaining WHY they are running, are sharing the news about Jesus the Messiah, the miracle worker, the truth proclaimer… killed by angry religious zealots, but raised from the dead by God.
One of the last promises Jesus had made to His disciples was this: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) It was happening, just as Jesus had predicted. Acts 8:1 shows us it was happening…and God was allowing it to happen, for His great purposes! The Spirit filled disciples had proclaimed the Gospel of Jesus in Jerusalem and thousands of people had turned to Jesus for salvation! Now, they were scattering and taking the story of Jesus with them!
And from that day to this, 2000 years later, people have scattered led by job searches or marriage or studies or retirement or military service and they’ve taken the Name, the story and the message of Jesus Christ with them! And today… that’s you and me, my friends! Living out Jesus’ promise to scatter and both BE and PROCLAIM Jesus wherever we go!
Let’s pause right here and thank God that out of terrifying persecution God has many times scattered His people and they have brought HOPE to all the places where they’ve gone! The “lessons Learned” notes will help us look more deeply into this, and our worship song will lift our hearts in praise, and I’ll be here tomorrow ready for you as we’ll see how Philip became significant in this scattering!
Today’s Scripture: Acts 7:54-8:4.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Acts 8
Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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