https://youtu.be/FHsMr4TDnjE

Check your Roots!!

Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria. 2 (Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.) 3 But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison.

4 But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went. 5 Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about the Messiah. 6 Crowds listened intently to Philip because they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did. 7 Many evil[a] spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city.

Recap

Saul whose life was turned around and his name changed was there

I will not look in the life of Saul but I want us to know that you are never far too gone for God to use you

We can talk about forgiveness and mercy -and what it looks like all is lost, and then God captures your heart

But today I want us to look at what follows after the killing of Stephen

“A great wave of persecution began” The Pharisee, Saul included thought they had won by killing Stephen and now they went for the others

Saul went house to house- there was no peace or any place to hide.

I feel like this is a timely message and we need to pay extra attention because, a time is nearing for greater persecution

Think about it – these guys have been uprooted from their normal lives, some are thrown in jail and others are run off away from home

I wonder what that would look like today- In our busy, cell phone in hand life, if we had to be run from our homes for speaking the word of God.

For believing and testifying what God has been doing.

These believers were preaching the truth, the life of Jesus killed and resurrected, yet they were sought to be killed

The bible says that they “and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria.”

The believers were scattered – When I first read this, I thought that they scattered and ran away and hide. But no, that not what they did

They preached the good news about Jesus whenever they went

How deep are you rooted in Christ that you see one of your believers killed, the others put to jail and you are next, you go to another city and instead of hiding and letting things cool down, you end up preaching the good news

“4 But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went”

I know that these believers were praying for Stephen, for their fellow believers, yet God did not answer their prayers the way they hoped.

I wonder what happens to us when the word around us falls apart. When prayers don’t get answered the way we are hoping

When a loved one whom we have been praying for loses the fightWhen a kid we have been raising right decide to deviate from the truthWhen we lose a job even though we were on our knees praying for God to keep providing