Clear Path

Saul persecuted the church

Acts 8:1–3 CSB

1 Saul agreed with putting him to death. On that day a severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the land of Judea and Samaria. 2 Devout men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him. 3 Saul, however, was ravaging the church. He would enter house after house, drag off men and women, and put them in prison.

Acts 7:54–60 CSB

54 When they heard these things, they were enraged and gnashed their teeth at him. 55 Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven. He saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 He said, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” 57 They yelled at the top of their voices, covered their ears, and together rushed against him. 58 They dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. And the witnesses laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 While they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” 60 He knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” And after saying this, he fell asleep.

Christ foretelling of his church going into Jerusalem, and further out into Judea and Samaria. Acts 1:8 “8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.””

Persecution: Mistreatment of a person or group on the basis of ethnicity, nationality, race, religion, or beliefs.

Think of it this way, had Saul not started to come after the body of believers. Then they would have remained where they were in Jerusalem where it was comfortable.

For me when I think about the church scattering to Judea and Samaria, my mind goes to the greatest order that Christ gave the children. That being the Great Commission.

Matthew 28:16–20 CSB

16 The eleven disciples traveled to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had directed them. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped, but some doubted. 18 Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

As Christ gave this commanded to the disciples and now we take up this commanded, let us not be complacent, but let us have the strong desire to follow through with those words “ To make disciples of all nation, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.”

I know that being a follower of Christ is defiantly the most difficult thing that you will ever do, but it comes with the biggest reward. As Jesus told the disciples before his crucifixion. In Matthew 16:24-28

Matthew 16:24–28 CSB

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will find it. 26 For what will it benefit someone if he gains the whole world yet loses his life? Or what will anyone give in exchange for his life? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will reward each according to what he has done. 28 Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

Our reward is not here at this time, it is in the time to come. We see in our world around us a massive growing shift from Christ centered to self centered. How can I, look at me, Me myself and I. Its your truth, its my belief. So much me me me me me me me!!!!!!!!!

There is a reason that Christ says to deny ones self. Because You do not have your best interest at heart, your heart is deceitful and is easily swayed to what ever is easiest or what ever goes against His word.

If things were easy then the believers would never had left Jerusalem. Which because of the expansion of the church. It lead one man to go down the Damascus road and have a true encounter with Christ and then go on to one of the key figures of His Church.

In your life you have many choices to make, many paths to choose. Before making those kinds of decisions is it not wise to first seek the one who already knows the right direction to go to. Many times we go off of a gut feeling and how many times has that feeling lead to heart break and pain.

I myself have made those same mistakes and it has always led to pain in my life or in someone close to me. That is why Christ says to seek Him and you will find Him, when you seek Him with all your heart.

We don’t know what the clear path is in our lives and we don’t know when the next door will open. Why do you think that one of the Fruits of the Spirits is PATIENCE. Also, has He not ALWAYS followed through with His promises. But all in His timing.

In Closing

There is but one way, one path, one direction to the Father and that is through his Son Jesus Christ. It has been said many times in the church but if you have never heard it before. Think about this, I saw on my social media here recently and it said, “Before Confusius died he said, I am not the way, Before Buddha died he said, Seek the truth, Before Muhammad died he said, I don’t know the purpose of life.” What has Jesus said?

John 14:1–7 CSB

1 “Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also. 4 You know the way to where I am going.” 5 “Lord,” Thomas said, “we don’t know where you’re going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you know me, you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

Jesus has made it so simple, there are not many ways to get to heaven, you can’t just be a good person, you can’t get there after death by the prayers of others. No!!! Its that simple. ONE WAY, ONE LIFE, ONE DEATH, AND ONE RESURRECTION!!!!

All I ask of you today, is don’t let the next path you choose be the one that turns from the one who bled and died for your sins and took the weight of the world for you to have a relationship with Him.