Acts 8:1-8 

¹ And Saul approved of their killing him. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. ² Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. ³ But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison. ⁴ Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. ⁵ Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. ⁶ When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. ⁷ For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. ⁸ So there was great joy in that city.

Guns for San Sebastian

An old movie, “Guns for San Sebastian” portrayed a village people who turned their back from practicing their faith.

Whenever they build a church building and start to practice their faith, a group of marauders or raiders would come to destroy their village and take away their livelihoods.

This movie portrayed a typical response of people who are weak in their faith.

It has been observed throughout history that those who don’t trust God would blame God or anybody for their misery. Their misconception is that if God loves them, God should favor them all the time. Yet, that was exactly the opposite of what happened to the first century Christians. Stephen who decided to stand up and witness to the Sanhedrin was killed.

As we grow in our faith, the more we understand that God does good things. Good things with God are not necessarily good things humans know or understand.

God always do what is good in His eyes even if humans think it is bad. God knows what is good because God is perfectly good. We are not in the right position to define what is good because we are not perfectly good.

God could have easily sent his angels to save Stephen, for sure. God could have easily made the Sanhedrin believed the testimony of Stephen. Instead, Stephen was killed and God allowed it to happen, why?

We think that the perfect situation to witness is when everything is going fine, right?

We try to achieve a good life or to have a better social status than others. We think that it is futile to witness when we are less privileged than our neighbors. When we have problem, we thought that it is not a very good testimony.

But the Bible did not say that we need to get rid of our problem first before witnessing. Christ chose ordinary men, fishermen, tax collector, or freedom fighter to be His Apostles. With God, the best situation to experience the power of God for us to testify is when we are experiencing difficulties in life whatever social status we are in.

1. Difficulties

¹ And Saul approved of their killing him. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. ² Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. ³ But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison. ⁴ Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. 

Persecutions among Christians became intensified after the killing of Stephen. God allowed persecution in the first church in Jerusalem and the believers were scattered. And wherever they went to, in Judea or Samaria, they preached the good news.

God allows difficulties for us to know if we really comply with His instruction to be witnesses. God has been trying to get our attentions for us to pause and listen to Him. Most of the time, we are busy with our personal and family concerns. Whenever we are in great moments, progress or simply celebrations, we tend to focus on just enjoying ourselves and ignore the standing order to be witnesses. During great or happy moments, we are inclined to set aside the command to be witnesses.

Just check for yourselves and understand more of this: If you are given a $50,000.00 tax refund, what would you do? Travel, buy something?

If nobody tells you, you sure not use that money to go witnessing.

We can easily conclude that when everything is getting fine with us, we would rather satisfy ourselves first and pay attention to ministry involvement later.

That was not the case with the first church. Our passage teaches us that when the first century church was persecuted and scattered they preached the word wherever they went.

Most believers would like to achieve something for themselves first and foremost. Involvement in the work of the Lord is not a priority, why? Most people would prioritize their retirement first and I am not exempted. Those who think that when they are not busy with life it’s the proper time to be fully involved in the ministry, they have a lesser understanding of Christ.

Retiree

A person thought that after he retires he will use all his time in the ministry. The person finally retired and thought of visiting other countries first then after that to get involved in the ministry. Travelling abroad caused him to spend much of the retirement benefits he received. His children got children and he spent most of his time with his grandchildren. Nowhere was his plan to be more involved in the ministry progressed.

Have you ever heard if that fictional story happened or not to believers?

There are but only few retirees getting involved in the ministry. Unless a believer is actively involved in the ministry, we cannot assume that after retirement there will be more involvement.

God wants us to be involved in the ministry when we are busy doing something, why?

It is when we are busy on doing something that we can prove that we can be busy with God. God wants us to experience how He would enable us to find time in the midst of busyness.

Matthew 8:21-22 is a test if disciples truly want to put Christ first and foremost. ²¹ Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” ²² But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

Does Christ care if we properly bury our dead or not? Should we not suppose to pay our last respect to the dead?

When we grow deeper in our relationship with the Lord, we will know what’s more necessary and important. Most of the times, God causes something, just to have our attention be focused on Him. When our attention is caught, God must be reminding us something very important.

The Lord allowed persecution to the first church for them to be scattered as avenue for their deference as witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

2. Deference

⁴ Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. ⁵ Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. ⁶ When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. ⁷ For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. ⁸ So there was great joy in that city.

The scattered Christians showed their submission, their deference to be witnesses. Philip who was one of the church deacons went to Samaria in his deference to witness.

The word “deference” means “respectful submission or courteous regard” to Christ’s order. Difficulties in life give us hurt feelings but difficulties are also avenues for us to practice our deference or respectful obedience to the command of the Lord. It is when in difficulties that we can determine if we really have joy in the Lord. It’s easy to be happy when everything is fine but the joy of the Lord is revealed in difficulties.

For sure God want us to prosper materially but the Bible has not depicted that God blessed a person materially first before using him as an effective witness.

Biblical Witnesses

Joseph, sold as a slave and accused of wrong doing, was proven faithful to God. His promotion as Egyptian Prime Minister was the end result of his faithfulness.

Esther became queen but it was not her being a queen that magnified her testimony. It was when she dared to face death for the sake of her own people not knowing if the king would favor her or not. In Esther 6:16, this is a very courageous display of Esther’s care for her people. ¹⁶ “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”

How much more for the New Testament believers?

Aside from Stephen, many Christians were killed and others were thrown in prison.

The word of the Lord Jesus in John 15:20 became true to them. ²⁰Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.

In the simple mind, persecution is harsh and not easily appreciated. Persecution is sweet and there is rejoicing in the heart when the Holy Spirit is active in us. Paul left his prestigious social status as a Pharisee and suffered many persecutions.

When the Holy Spirit bears fruit in our life we can agree with Paul in Philippians 1:20-21 ²⁰ I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. ²¹ For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

What problem, what difficulties are you facing now?

God is using your difficulties trying to have your undivided attention for Him.

Difficulties reveal our deference, respectful compliance as obedient witnesses.

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