Life Lessons with Dr. Steve Schell
Religion & Spirituality:Christianity
What had been an amazingly joyful season for the church in Jerusalem is suddenly thrown into turmoil. Stephen is publicly stoned and the temple authorities feel they now have enough popular support to send soldiers into the city to hunt down believers from house to house, to put them in prison and then to beat and execute them (Ac 22:4, 5, 19, 20; 26:9-11). The effect of this violence was to scatter believers. They fled the city for their lives. Luke says, “And there was in that day a great hunt upon the church in Jerusalem, and all were sown out into the rural country sides of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles” (Ac 8:1). He pictures believers being sown like a farmer sows seeds. They were scattered far and wide through the surrounding country sides, being careful to avoid those cities where they might be recognized and arrested. At this point it might seem God’s work was severely hindered, but then Luke adds this statement, “Therefore the ones being sown passed through these regions preaching the word (about Jesus)” (Ac 8:4). With that one statement Luke shows us that this persecution didn’t stop the church, it expanded it. It turned a lot of people into missionaries. It forced them to go to Judea, Samaria and even the remotest parts of the earth. The very places Jesus had told His disciples to go after they were “clothed with power from on high” (Lk 24:49).
108 - Breakfast In Galilee
107 - What Faith Sees
106 - Sunday Evening
105 - Why Do We Weep
104 - The Empty Tomb
103 - God’s Hidden Wisdom
102 - Fully Convinced
101 - What John Saw
100 - The Courage to Lead
99 - The Right Question
98 - Escaping the Trap
97 - Failed Resolutions
96 - The Cup of Suffering
95 - Our Greatest Gift
94 - Filled With His Joy
93 - Thankful For Truth
92 - His Deepest Desire
91 - Faith Under Pressure
90 - The Secret of Joy
89 - The Teacher Within
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