Acts: The Gospel Unleashed Part 12

Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in the leading scholars of Christian demographics” according to Judd Birdsall, formerly of the US State Department’s Office of International Religious Freedom, and currently a PhD student at Cambridge University.

While CSGC researchers estimated that around one million Christians were martyred in the first 10 years of the 21st Century

The message of Acts destroys the notion that Christ died to make us comfortable.

Acts 8:1–3 ESV

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.

Persecution: God’s people face the fury of hell.

Following the church through Acts is like following a wounded deer through a forest, drops of blood mark the trail.

Kent Hughes

The language used in the text emphasizes a maniacal systematic terrorizing of the people of God.

The Greek word is lymainō, a strong expression that is used in the Greek Translation of the Old Testament for wild beasts, such as lions, bears, and leopards tearing at raw flesh.

Christ told us to expect these things.

John 16:33 ESV

33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Power: the gospel slays the enemies of God.

The gospel has the power to transform an adversary into an advocate.

The church didn’t run from the gospel.

The church ran with the gospel.

Acts 8:4–8 ESV

4 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. 5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. 6 And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was much joy in that city.

Plan: God uses the sins of men to advance the gospel.

Acts 1:8 ESV

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.”

Persecution is part of God’s plan for the spread of the gospel.

It was part of God’s plan to get the gospel to the ends of the earth.

Tertullian of Carthage noted that

“The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.”

Christian Book of Records Tertullian

‘The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.’

Tertullian of Carthage noted that “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.”

Persecution doesn’t paralyze the church.

Persecution propels the church.

On January 9, 1985, Pastor Hristo Kulichev, a Congregational pastor in Bulgaria, was arrested and put in prison. His crime was that he preached in his church even though the state had appointed another man the pastor whom the congregation did not elect. His trial was a mockery of justice. And he was sentenced to eight months imprisonment. During his time in prison he made Christ known every way he could.

When he got out he wrote, "Both prisoners and jailers asked many questions, and it turned out that we had a more fruitful ministry there than we could have expected in church. God was better served by our presence in prison than if we had been free." (Herbert Schlossberg, Called to Suffer, Called to Triumph, p. 230)

Acts 1 8

Application for our lives

We should expect opposition when spreading the gospel is our mission.

Don’t run from the gospel - Run with it.

We should expect transformation when we make the gospel our message.