Tuesday, June 7, 2005
Acts 8:4 Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.
PERSECUTION TO PROCLAMATION
The Christians who have gone before us did not have it easy either. Not long after Jesus' ascension, the prophet Stephen was stoned and we are told that "a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria." Saul went from house to house putting men and women in prison for their faith.
Yet the Lord did not allow the devil to win the day. Even in the middle of persecution He was spreading His word of peace to hearts and minds. Read again this beautiful verse: "Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went." God took a bad situation and made it work out for the good of many souls. While Satan thought his evil was destroying the believers, the Lord was forcing it to work for His own purposes. Ultimately the early church was not harmed by the persecutions, rather it grew.
We have likely not endured physical persecution for Jesus the way those men and women did -- and for that we can be thankful. But sometimes we endure emotional perseuction for what we believe. People make fun of us who trust in Christ's death and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins. They question our intelligence. They make us feel small and weak. When we open our mouths to share our Savior with others, the news will not always be joyfully received.
Do not let this discourage you. When the word you bring is rejected or persecuted, remember that God can cause good to come even from that. Maybe He is pointing you in another direction; leading you to share the gospel with someone else who desperately needs it -- maybe someone you don't even expect!
