And Saul was there, giving approval to Stephen’s death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.Saul was consenting to his death. A great persecution arose against the assembly which was in Jerusalem in that day. They were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except for the apostles.And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.And Saul was consenting unto his death. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church which was in Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judæa and Samaria, except the apostles.
7 sermons cite this verse
… all there were was Jesus' people in Jerusalem. I'll tell you exactly how they got there, Acts 8.1. Now Saul was consenting to the death of Stephen. Flame, burning, pain. At that time, a great persecution arose against the church. Flame, which was at Jerusalem. And they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, all except the apostles. What am I trying to get you to see? Fire isn't there in your life to destroy you. It's there to set you free. It's there to get you to where God needed you to go. It's there to deploy you. It's there so you get out of the salt shaker into the world that God wants you to be in. And he's seeking in all of it to bring him glory and to bring you joy in Jesus' name. I close with this. Do you trust God? Don't answer quickly. Write that down. Spend some time journaling this week and reflecting. Do I trust God? Because that is exposed in pain like no other time. …
… Let's look at our Bibles. Acts 8 verse 1 to 4. Backdrop of the story now. New Living Translation is what I'm reading from. Saul was one of the witnesses. And this of course is a witness to the death of Stephen. 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. Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning. 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. But the believers who were scattered preached the good news about Jesus wherever they went. All right, we'll stop there. Let's set the scene. So Stephen's been martyred and the church is spreading out fast and in a way Saul of Tarsus, even before he was converted, was helping the work of the kingdom of God. …
… throughout jerusalem but it's stuck there at the end of chapter seven what happens if Stephen is stoned in Acts chapter 8 verse 1 through 4 says the gospel was scattered and went throughout Judea and Samaria fulfilling what had been said here in Acts chapter 1 Acts chapter 8 9 and 10 the gospel goes throughout Judea and Samaria you get to the end of chapter 9 especially it talks about how the gospel was strengthened in churches and it grew throughout Judea and Samaria and then you come to chapter 10 verse 34 and Peter says now I realize that God does not show favoritism, and he desires to show his gospel, his grace, his love, and his mercy to all peoples, regardless of race, regardless of where they are. And that unleashes the early church in Acts chapter 11 through 28 to go to the ends of the earth. Acts chapter 11, verse 19 through 21 gives us a picture of the church at Antioch as they began to take the gospel to the Gentiles, to the people who were not like them. And when they did that, the Bible says the Lord's hand was with them and used them throughout the rest of this book to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. From Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, to the ends of the earth, both and. …
… Which then leads to, so remember, We looked at this last week, but I want you to notice something this week in Acts chapter 8, verse 1. Remember, the followers of Jesus hadn't spread out to Judea and Samaria until Stephen was stoned, and there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. And those who were scattered went about preaching the word. So the gospel spread to Judea and Samaria, not through a special group of church leaders or missionaries. It was actually the apostles, the church leaders, who stayed in Jerusalem. It was all the ordinary people who scattered and shared the word wherever they went. Which then leads to what we read when we were talking about starting churches, the founding of the church at Antioch in Acts chapter 11, verse 19. Those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. …
… until Stephen is stoned for sharing the gospel. Watch what Acts chapter 8 verse 1 says. And there arose on that day a great persecution of the church in Jerusalem. They were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. And those who were scattered went about preaching the word. So these followers of Jesus scattered from the church in Jerusalem, now to Judea and Samaria, just like Jesus had said in Acts chapter 1 verse 8. and then turn over one chapter to Acts chapter 9 verse 31 where we read this summary statement. So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit it multiplied. Do you see what's happening here? Again just like Jesus had promised the gospel spread from Jerusalem Church starts there. Christians scattered. The gospel spreads in Judea and Samaria. And the church is multiplying. Now keep going to Acts chapter 11. …
… those who have been exiled those who've been dispersed those who've been scattered and the first question i had is why are they scattered well you've got to go back to acts chapter 8 verse 1 and it explains why he's writing to a scattered people watch it acts chapter 8 verse 1 explains that after the murder of one of the first deacons by the name of stephen watch it a severe persecution began against the church in jerusalem and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the countryside of judea and samaria and so scholars suggest that this letter is addressed to christians who had been scattered due to persecution in the area of jerusalem or it's to congregations that have been established by missionaries sent out from jerusalem don't go to sleep on me yet he says i'm writing to all of you who have been scattered in the dispersion somebody say dispersion yeah dispersion if you look that word up it is the action or the process of distributing things or people over a wide area these are a disconnected people these are an oppressed people these are a scattered people these are dispersed people these are disjointed people these people like us and are like hash browns from waffle house they're scattered smothered but they're still covered he said i'm addressing the 12 tribes who've been scattered but you're still my brothers and my sisters don't you miss this he says i know we all been scattered they've been scattered because of the persecution in jerusalem but we've been scattered because of …
… Stephen was martyred in the previous verses. At that time, great persecution arose against the church, which was at Jerusalem. and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria except the apostles. Verse 4, therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. Philip went down to the city of Samaria, preached Christ to them, and the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. Verse 8, and there was great joy in that city. Here's what I want you to see. Matthew 28 announces that there is an assignment, a commission for every person who is a disciple of Jesus. And that assignment is to go into all the worlds, preach the gospel, disciple nations, and teach, Jesus said, teach them what I taught you. Jesus taught his disciples to heal the sick, to raise the dead, to cast out devils. That's part, a large part of what he trained them to do. Would you agree with that? Yes. And then he said, as you get disciples, as you bring people to Christ, then train them in the same things I taught you. So there was never to be a separation from the lifestyle that Jesus lived to the next generation of believers, the apostles, as they began in ministry, to this day, there was never to be a change. Things have changed only because the instruction and the model has changed, but we're working to return, all right? So Jesus …