Changing Our Location

Do something, going somewhere w/o having a choice.

Things we don’t do by choice, but because we have to: Forced to find employment elsewhere; take medication w/side effects, taxes; make medical decision for a dying parent; hospital; church;

we don’t always choose - sometimes that choice is made for us

persecution (we are not)

persecution complex: prayer in school (go pray!) Christ in Xmas (put him back); you are allowed to:

China Yes (1930’s); 10 years ago (limited); 2018 yes

let’s not pretend we can identify with a pastor being murdered and people

churches don’t choose to meet underground;

indonesia, iraq, iran,

let’s not pretend we understand persecution that’s in this story - we can’t; the message for us is how God uses situations to “push” us into new territory; we know what is like to do new things; make hard decisions that we normally wouldn’t make (gardening; ministry?)

Where is God pushing you? - 1) how? do we know? : through tragedy and opposition;

2) where? a new place that requires boldness

ask: Not why, but where?now what?

(Tragedy / Opposition) - BOLDNESS

(is, not will! choices are limited; fewer options; gone without ‘important’ things; essential v. non essential (coffee)

When God pushes (not rescue)

Tragedy

Growing church, gifted preacher; inspiring leader; publicly murdered; over half the NT read by a murderer

out of a good place, or out of a bad place: it can be very hard; painful; uncomfortable (getting out of your favorite chair) always in a good place. God for His glory,

or “what have you been up to?”

Kicked out of a good, prosperous, comfortable, complacent situation to hard, painful one. - but not a bad place

Not pushed? Sent! God is a sending God. We are a sent people!

When we don’t cooperate, God pushes us.

The Message of Acts Chapter 6. Philip the Evangelist (8:1–40)

if Stephen’s martyrdom led to persecution, and the persecution to the dispersion, the dispersion now resulted is widespread evangelism. The scattering of the Christians was followed by the scattering of the good seed of the gospel. For those who had been scattered, as they fled, far from going into hiding, or even maintaining a prudential silence, preached the word wherever they went (4). Up to this point it was the apostles who had given the lead in evangelism, in defiance of the Sanhedrin’s ban, violence and threats; now, however, as the apostles stayed in Jerusalem, it was the generality of believers who took up the evangelistic task. Not that they all became ‘preachers’ or ‘missionaries’ as a full-time vocation.

the underground church

house churches are subject to "selective persecution" when they cross some "red lines," which include, apart from size, rapid growth, active proselytization, the attempt to form national networks, contacts with foreign Christian organization, and criticism of the government;

not like we think;

we are marginalized, not persecutec

Persecution Complex - we don’t know persecution like Turkey

God is Pushing Us Through Tragedy

God Pushes Us Through Opposition

Boldness

Acts 8:4 NIV

Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.

How is this bold?

Going to those you hate - Black Lives Matter

John 4:9 NIV

The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)

Still plenty of hatred -

racism - consider a person inferior because of their color; stereo type;

cruelty; subtle: listen?

What’s it like to sit down with someone you hate?

Where is God pushing you? No u

Many of them (if not most) saw Jesus die yet did not believe until their conversion at Pentecost.

Now they see Stephen killed because of their new religious belief, then the subsequent widespread persecution that puts them all on the run.

Yet their faith was strong enough that they preached Christ wherever they went.

Does this mean you live your life “in mission”?