Don't Be Fooled!
Notes
Transcript
Handout
We are picking up where we left off last week in the book of Acts. A godly disciple of Jesus, Stephen, was just murdered by an angry mob all because he was living out his faith in Jesus obediently.
1 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.
Luke shows us that God can do an amazing work even when all hope seems lost.
I have just two things for us to talk about today based on this main idea..
Don’t be fooled by seemingly hopeless people!
Saul is introduced as a powerful antagonist. He appears to be a formidable opponent of the Apostles and the Church.
Isn’t it easy to get down about someone whom you see making all the wrong choices completely oblivious to the fact that they are heading for destruction. All the while, they leave a wake of destruction behind them.
That’s essentially Saul.
Let me tell you this. Even if you know people that seem to be hopeless cases: my guess is that they aren’t as bad as Saul. Let me tell you why...
Saul applauded and helped with the murder of a christian who cared for widows. Acts 8:1a . Acts 7:58.
58 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.
1 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.
As I told you last week. Stephen’s crimes were: 1. caring for widows. and 2. being mightily used by God. I mean, how depraved do you have to be to help with and approve of murdering a guy who visits nursing homes in his free time to give them food and teach widows the bible.
That’s a hopeless case if there ever was one!
Saul participated in initiating the first mass persecution of the church. Acts 8:1b.
1 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.
There have been atrocious persecutions of the church through out time… This persecution though was the first… It’s the seed of church persecution. Every other church persecution is essentially following in its footsteps… And Saul is a key player in it. He’s a founding member of the “Christian Persecution Club”.
Saul played a hand in separating christians from their church family. Acts 8:1c
1 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.
During the time of the book of Acts, because of the immense cost of calling yourself a christian, you would likely loose your real family. So for Christians, the church became your new family. This became the place where you would have all your familial needs met. Food, housing, care, love and affection. So, a church family is very very close. Some would even argue that because of the new nature of family within the church, a church family may actually be tighter nit than your birth family.
Not to get political (because their are no innocent parties anyway), but we just recently saw a mass hysteria about family’s getting separated. That enraged people.
Well… The type of family separation Saul participated in was likely 10 times worse that what we saw at our borders...
Just to make the point clear, here is how Luke describes all that Saul has done up to this point...
Saul “ravaged” the church. Acts 8:3a
3 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.
This is essentially causing harm to Jesus’ bride.
Saul participated in door to door terrorism.
We like door to door evangelism - sometimes people treat us like door to door terrorists when we knock on their door during lunch time… But, Saul was a real door to door terrorist. Acts 8:3b
3 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.
Imagine the fear and terror Christians must have experienced during this time! They wouldn’t know if the person at the door was a friend or someone about to haul them off to prison.
Saul was personally responsible for imprisoning both men and women! Acts 8:3c.
3 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.
Luke presents Saul as a hopeless case. He’s a murderer. He’s terrorist. He hates the church. He hates Jesus.
Believe it or not. This man will eventually write this:
7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
God has the power to change even the most seemingly hopeless people.
Are there people in your life that you are extremely broken hearted over? Are there names that come to your mind instantly when I ask that question?
My encouragement to you today is this: Don’t lose hope…
Don’t be fooled by seemingly hopeless situations!
Now, for the most part, we’ve read about the church growing in the midst of opposition. But this section here is a little different. The opposition that the church faced before this doesn’t compare to what they are seeing now.
Let me go through some of the ways this is different so you can see why this seems “hopeless”.
One of the greatest servants of the early church was just murdered. End of Acts 7.
Luke spoke of Stephen as if he were extremely effective in ministry. Imagine it. One of the lead servants, whom most everyone depends on is violently ripped from among them. This is a serious serious thing.
The church is now under a great mass persecution. Acts 8:1b
1 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.
Notice that Luke uses the word y“great”. Luke’s being intentional about this word. He’s trying to paint a picture for us… He’s saying “this is serious”.
The church is scattered and separated from its founders. Acts 8:1c.
1 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.
The Church was described in chapter 2 as being “devoted to the Apostles’ teaching...” Now, the Apostles are staying in Jerusalem, and everyone else is going out! This has the potential of being a serious serious issue for the continuation of the church. But, not all is as it seems. We will talk about this in a moment.
The Church is grieving its first loss of life. Acts 8:2.
2 Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him.
In the midst of these big changes (persecution, being scattered), the church is having to learn how to grieve. I can’t tell you how hard it is for me as a new pastor to navigate the realities of loss within the church. I mean, I get close to people here. And, over the last 3 years, we’ve lost many of my close friends. And now, some of them are sick now. That is hard.
Well, from what we can tell, Stephen might be the Church’s first real loss. They know Jesus resurrected and that destiny awaits us all, but the reality of pain from death is still real this side of glory.
The Church is being ravaged and people are being imprisoned. Acts 8:3.
3 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.
I’m glad that the ESV translators chose this word. I believe it helps us to imagine what this all was like for the early church. Ravaged. Ravaged.
It reminds me of a tornado just sweeping through a community. What’s left are broken bricks, turned over cars, broken glass. Ravaged.
Lives are being turned upside down by this mass persecution. Families forever altered. This has been the experience of the majority of our brothers and sisters in Christ throughout the centuries. There are parts of the world this still happens. And it can feel hopeless. Where can we find hope in these verses?
The Church had an amazing start! But now, it appears hopeless.
So, what are we to make of this?
Let me draw your attention back to verse 1.
1 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.
Notice how where people are being scattered to...
Judea and Samaria...
Now, lets reverse the chapter and verse.. we read 8:1… Let’s try, 1:8
8 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.”
Jesus didn’t say how his disciples would get to Judea, and Samaria, and to the ends of the world when he said this… Well...
This is how...
Persecution...
This is how the gospel spread...
From what we can tell, the Church was primarily located in Jerusalem up until this point. And it’s not even the Apostles who will spread it.. It’s the normal people.
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Acts of the Apostles D. Persecution Leads to Expansion (8:1–3)
Persecution leads to gospel growth, not because a mission plan is approved and put into action by the leaders of the church, but because ordinary believers take the opportunities given to them to preach the apostolic message wherever they go
Wow...
God uses a terrible, terrible reality to enable normal people trusting and loving Jesus to become the way he spreads the gospel. That’s amazing. Judea and Samaria...
Well, here’s anther amazing thing. It’s the normal people who God is going to use to get to Judea and Samaria, but he still needs to get it to the ends of the earth.
Who in the world is qualified to do this… Take the gospel to the ends of the earth..
Well, God knows.
It’s the hopeless terrorist whom he’s using to push the normal people to Judea and Samaria...
What an amazing reality....
Unregenerate Saul, Church persecutor, is introduced as a major cause for normal people to go and plant churches in Judea and Samaria…
Regenerate Saul is going to be the main church planter to go to the ends of the earth beginning in Chapter 9.
It’s funny, God used both Unregenerate Saul and Regenerate Saul as an instrument for spreading the gospel and planting churches.
Do not be fooled by “seemingly” hopeless people or hopeless situations!
Wayward children.
Maybe God is using their experience as a means of breaking their pride. Or enabling you to learn to trust Him more.
Ravaging cancer.
Maybe people need to see your faith and assurance in Jesus so they can find Him too.
Broken relationship.
Perhaps God knows you need to grow without the person who you thought you were immensely dependent upon.
Latest epidemic.
Maybe God wants to expose the fact that a government, science, or anything but him can save people from the grave. Perhaps the hysteria is really a tactic of satan to get people in a state of hopelessness.
Potential job loss.
Maybe your career was an idol. Maybe God has an assignment for you where you can be used for his purposes rather than for your own!
Frustrating circumstance
Maybe God wants to show you that your joy and satisfaction in life comes from him and not your circumstances.
You have no idea what God is doing in these things. You have no idea how he might be using hopeless people and hopeless situations to bring himself immense glory!
Who is the seemingly hopeless person you are praying God will radically transform?
What seemingly hopeless situation are you praying for God to shine a light of hope in?