THE EARLY CHURCH (4)

THE SLIVER LINING

Pray

A turning point (10,000 Christian)

The Persecution almost fueled the growth.

Acts 8:1 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.

Agreed = enthusiastically agreed.

Scattered= like sowing seed in a field.

The gospel was spread!

Acts 8:2–3 CSB

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.

Saul went after the church with everything he had.

Acts 26:10–11 CSB

10 I actually did this in Jerusalem, and I locked up many of the saints in prison, since I had received authority for that from the chief priests. When they were put to death, I was in agreement against them. 11 In all the synagogues I often punished them and tried to make them blaspheme. Since I was terribly enraged at them, I pursued them even to foreign cities.

Saul worked for the other side and Jesus still wanted him!!!!!!

How you live now you may grieve later in life.

But the gospel still was scattered.

Acts 8:4–8 CSB

4 So those who were scattered went on their way preaching the word. 5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them. 6 The crowds were all paying attention to what Philip said, as they listened and saw the signs he was performing. 7 For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed, and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city.

Scattered but not silenced

Philip one of the seven chosen.

He was in Samaria.

Proclaimed the Messiah (Preach Jesus)

great joy in that city

So why is GOD allow these bad things happen?

It scattered the gospel.

Acts 8:9–10 CSB

9 A man named Simon had previously practiced sorcery in that city and amazed the Samaritan people, while claiming to be somebody great. 10 They all paid attention to him, from the least of them to the greatest, and they said, “This man is called the Great Power of God.”

Acts 8:11–13 CSB

11 They were attentive to him because he had amazed them with his sorceries for a long time. 12 But when they believed Philip, as he proclaimed the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. 13 Even Simon himself believed. And after he was baptized, he followed Philip everywhere and was amazed as he observed the signs and great miracles that were being performed.

Even Simon believed

Men and women were baptized

Simon was baptized

Acts 8:14–17 CSB

14 When the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 15 After they went down there, they prayed for them so that the Samaritans might receive the Holy Spirit because he had not yet come down on any of them. 16 (They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) 17 Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

Peter and John had to see this!

They were in need of something from the Holy Spirit.

So Peter and John laid their hands on them.

These people were already saved they just needed something more.

Lets bring joy to our city!!!!!