The Spreading of the Gospel Seed — Message 1 — The Persecution and Perseverance of the Church

Introduction

Good morning Church!

It’s good to see each and every one of you who could make it out this morning!

I also want to welcome all of our visitors who are here and those who may be joining us online as well.

This morning, we’re going to pick back up where we left off a few weeks ago in the Book of Acts and today we are going to be in Chapter 8.

We will be looking at the first 8 Verses this morning and then, Lord willing, we will come back next week and look at a second message down through Verse 25 and finally, in week three, we will come back and finish up Chapter 8.

Now, I know we’ve been out of pocket for a few weeks now so just a quick little recap before we get into the message today.

A few weeks ago, we finished Chapter 7 looking at a man named Stephen if you will remember. Stephen was one of the first Deacons to be called into service and Stephen was a mighty man of God!

The Bible told us, if you will remember, that Stephen was a a man full of faith and the Holy Ghost and Stephen was wise in the word of God!

So wise, that a group of non-believers tried disputing with Stephen but couldn’t overcome his wisdom in the Word so they brought him before the Sanhedrin council on trumped up charges of blasphemy and if you will remember, they ended up stoning Stephen which is where we left off last time at the end of Chapter 7.

Now, not only were we introduced to Stephen but we were also introduced at the end of Chapter 7 to a man name Saul.

Saul was a devout Jew and hated these Jesus followers!

So much so that the Bible says at the beginning of Chapter 8 that Saul was consenting to Stephen’s death.

Basically, Saul was agging on the stoning of Stephen.

And that’s where we pick up this morning.

So, if you have your Bibles and they’re turned to Chapter 8, Verse 1, would you say, Amen.

The Persecuting of the Church — (Vs. 1-3)

The first thing I want to look at this morning is the persecuting of the Church but before we do I want to share a little story with you.

One of the oldest churches in the nation is located in Swan Quarter, North Carolina. In 1874, the original church was constructed. Before it was built, the church family had its eyes on a plot of elevated land to build the church. That was important because most of Hyde county was barely above sea level.

Sam Sadler, the owner of the land, didn’t want to have anything to do with a church or selling his land to one. He made it very clear! So the church accepted a gift of another plot of land behind the courthouse.

Two years later, after a simple, wooden church had been built on piers, a violent hurricane struck the town. The storm was so massive that it wiped out homes and trees. The town was a mess with debris everywhere and it was flooded with five feet of water.

After the storm passed, and the weather settled down, the people found something very interesting had happened. The little church had lifted off its foundation and floated down Oyster Creek Road where it bumped into the general store. The winds caused it to make a right turn and travel two more blocks. Then the church took a left turn, crossed the canal, and plopped itself down right in the middle of Sam Sadler’s land, the place where the church wanted to be in the first place.

Mr. Sadler felt led to sell the land so the church could stay where it landed. Legend says that with a trembling hand he signed the title deed over to the church. The people believed this was NOT an accident. They believed that the house of God was moved by the hand of God, so they renamed their church Providence Methodist Church in 1876. — Rod Mattoon — Treasures from Acts

Now, the reason I wanted to share that story with you this morning is because what we are about to witness happen here in Chapter 8 is the mighty hand of God moving His Church to fulfill the prophecy of His Son, Jesus, in Acts Chapter 1.

If you will remember, before Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father He told His disciples in...

Acts 1:8 KJV 1900

8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Up to this point, the Church had only been witnessing in Jerusalem but that was all about to change!

And I love this story and here’s why.

Saul, who we later know would become Paul, thought he was doing something big by persecuting the Church!

He thought he was making some headway!

He thought in his little feeble mind that he was doing God a favor!

“I’m going to keep persecuting until I run every single one of those no good Christians out of Jerusalem!”

The irony of this whole story is the fact that Saul thought he was accomplishing God’s will one way, when in reality, he was accomplishing God’s will…but God’s way, Amen! He was doing God a favor but in a totally different way than he ever intended to!

What Saul didn’t realize is that God was using his winds of persecution to fan the flame of the gospel and spread those gospel seeds to the uttermost parts of the earth!

Ain’t that good?

That even in the bad times, even through the times of tribulation, God’s will is never thwarted!

Now, that’s hard for us to understand and believe me, I don’t stand here this morning claiming to have it all figured out and if I’m being honest, I even find myself at times saying, “Really God? Did it really have to be this way?”

I don’t understand it all the time either but somehow in the wisdom and righteousness of God, I know deep down, that He only has our best interest in mind and that somehow, some way it will all work out for our good and His glory, Amen!

And at the end of the day we have to know that God is sovereign over all and all things will work out according to His will.

And that’s exactly what happens right here in Chapter 8. Look with me if you will at the first 3 verses.

Vs. 1

There was “great” persecution against the Church at Jerusalem.

Up to this point, there had been individual accounts of persecution such as Peter and John and then, all the disciples that one time who where jailed and then set free but this is something altogether different.

Previously, it was mainly if they were out in public preaching Christ but now, they are going house to house and dragging believers out of their homes and having them thrown in jail!

The Sanhedrin, who up to this point had mainly been playing defense, now sets out on the offensive and one can only believe that it was the driving hatred of Saul towards the Christians that set these wheels of persecution into motion.

But don’t miss something I found very interesting here. Look at Verse 2.

Vs. 2

The Bible says here that “devout” men carried Stephen to his burial and made great lamentation over him.

Now, here’s the thing that struck me. When you look up the word “devout” it means “God-fearing.”

And the thought that went through my mind was this…even in the face of adversity, oppression, and tribulation, these men feared God more than they feared what man might do unto them, Amen!

Our God is greater, Our God is stronger, God you are higher than any other,

Our God is healer, awesome in power, our God, our God!

My God is an awesome God, He reigns from Heaven above with wisdom, power, and love, my God is an awesome God!

Aren’t you glad this morning that we serve an awesome God?

He is great and greatly to be praised and in that praise He is greatly to be feared as well, amen!

The writer of Hebrews said in...

Hebrews 13:6 KJV 1900

6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

And then Paul said in...

Romans 8:31 KJV 1900

31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

These men feared God above all others and we’d do well to allow that principle to reign supreme in our own lives as well!

Then, the Bible says here in Vs. 3 that Saul made havock of the Church. Look with me if you will.

Vs. 3

This word “havock” means “to injure severely”. He tried killing her, the bride of Christ, but what he didn’t realize is that the God he so zealously was serving had other plans for her and his havock only helped the Father to fulfill those plans, Amen!

Now that we’ve seen the persecution of the Church, let’s look next at the perseverance of the Church!

The Perseverance of the Church — (Vs. 4-7)

Vs. 4

Where did they go preaching?

They went EVERYWHERE!!!

And what did they preach?

They preached the WORD!

What is the Word?

Look down at Verse 5.

Vs. 5

What did Philip preach unto the Samaritans?

CHRIST!

Who was Christ?

THE WORD!

Listen friend, if you are sitting under the teaching of a Pastor and the message don’t somehow, some way find it’s way to Christ, he and you both have most missed the entire reason for the Bible’s existence, Amen!

The sole purpose for this Book is to glorify the Father and magnify the Son through the enlightening of the Holy Spirit, Amen!

That’s it!

It’s not to make you feel good about yourself although there are many false teachers out there today making millions of dollars off of that premise.

It’s not to make you think that everything you ask for you’re going to receive. This is the false name it and claim it gospel that is out there today.

It’s entire reason for existence is to convict sinners of their lost state, draw them to repentance and turn them to God and in the process, all things will point to Him who loved us so much that He gave His only begotten Son to die for us on an old rugged cross so that all who will believe upon Him shall be saved.

That’s why we have the Word this morning.

It’s sharper than any twoedged sword cutting to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit!

It convicts and it causes to repent and all the while it brings glory to God in the highest, Amen!

Philip traveled to Samaria to preach Christ crucified to a lost and dying world.

And the reality of that message is that still to this day that’s the only thing that can truly save a man, woman, boy or girl. Just Jesus!

And look at the outcome of Philip’s preaching!

Vs. 6-7

The people with one accord gave heed to Philip’s preaching. They listened intently. They carefully considered what he was saying to them.

And my prayer this morning is that you are carefully considering, that you are listening intently to what God is trying to say to you here today.

Do you need to be saved?

Is God convicting you that you are lost?

Is your life where it needs to be when it comes to your walk with God?

Is God calling you to repentance?

Is He calling you into the ministry?

I pray He starts calling someone because every day I get emails from the SBC with openings for different ministries and I can tell you the list never seems to go down that much.

Seems like as soon as one position gets filled another opens up. People are either leaving the ministry altogether or passing away and my prayer is that God would call some folks to His work and His will.

Is He calling you today?

Philip preached, the people listened, and then look what happened in Verse 8.

The Pleasure of the Preaching — (Vs. 8)

Vs. 8

The Jews had treated the Samaritans like dogs and did not believe they had part in the kingdom of God so for Philip to preach Christ crucified for ALL who will believe, this had to be wonderful, confidence building words to these folks.

To know that God’s Son died for them as well, after the Jews treated them like there was no way for them to be saved, this was life altering!

And listen, maybe you’re here this morning and you think you’re not good enough for God…the reality is your not!

But guess what…not a single person sitting here this morning was either!

That’s why Christ died for you and for me and for all who will call upon His name because there’s none good, no not one and all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God!

Our righteousness is as filthy rags and we all stand in need this morning!

But praise God, there’s a way to be saved, Amen!

And that way is through the one and only Son of God!

Jesus said...

John 14:6 KJV 1900

6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Jesus is the way, Amen!

He is the way to life eternal!

He is the way to eternal forgiveness!

He is the way to peace and rest!

He is the way to spiritual cleansing!

He is the way to salvation!

He is the way to Heaven!

And most importantly, He is the only way to God!

And because Philip preached Christ, and all these things to the people of Samaria the Bible tells us there was great joy in that city, Amen!

Do you want to bring great joy to the city of Smithville?

Then we need to preaching Christ to the people of Smithville, Amen!

Do you want to bring great joy to the people you work with?

Then you need to be telling the people you work with about Jesus, Amen!

Do you want to bring great joy to your family and friends?

Then tell your family and friends about Jesus, Amen!

Wednesday Night — getting outside the camp!

We’ve got to get outside the camp and start telling people about Jesus!

Philip persevered, the Church persevered and and as we will see next week, people began to get saved!

This morning we’ve seen the persecution of the Church, the Persevering of the Church, & the Pleasure brought to the city of Samaria by the Preaching. .

Closing

As they come get us a song this morning I want to ask you a few simple questions.

What is God calling you to do this morning for His kingdom?

And the follow up question to that is this…are you being obedient to what He’s calling you to do?

Who do you know that needs to hear the word of God? Who do you know that needs to be saved?

Have you told them about Jesus? Have you invited them to join you at Church?

Lastly, maybe you’re sitting here this morning and you need some joy in your life. Do you need to be saved?

If so, know this…the only joy you’re going to find in this world is in Jesus.

There are many things that can bring temporary joy but only one who can bring everlasting joy and His name is Jesus!