The Church Persecuted and Scattered <Ac 8:1-4>

Introduction:

* The content in Chapter 8 is a fulfilment of the promise in <Ac 1:8>

1) Disciples were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria

2) Philip proclaimed Christ in Samaria

3) Philip shared the gospel with the Ethiopian eunuch

* In mission work, the most important thing is to preach a Christ-centred gospel

Read <Ac 8:1-4>

1. <v1> Church faced great persecution

1) Before this, it was the apostles who were persecuted, now the rest were similarly being persecuted

2) Through persecution, the Lord brought the gospel out of Jerusalem

2. <v2>  Godly men mourned deeply for Stephen

3. <v3> Saul was ravaging the church

1) “Ravaging” is like how an army destroys a city, or how a beast tears the flesh of its prey

2) Paul later recounted how he ravaged the church

* Read <Ac 9:1>

* Read <Ac 22:4>

* Read <Ac 26:10>

* Read <1 Co 15:9> Paul’s remorse

* Read <1 Ti 1:13> The consequences of Paul’s wrong beliefs

4. Those who were scattered went about preaching the word

* Preaching the word = sharing good news

* The winds of persecution flamed the fire of the Holy Spirit

* Today, how should we look at suffering persecution for the Lord?