8th Jun 26 | 14:45
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01 Acts 08 01-04 SAUL PERSECUTES THE CHURCH 11 Acts 08 04 Let us share Jesus with boldness
📖 Acts 08:01-04
11 – 16Dec2023 – *Let us share Jesus with boldness* - _Acts 08:01-04_ - SAUL PERSECUTES THE CHURCH – _I Thessalonians 02:02_
*_Act 8:4 Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word._*
*This scattering of the people of God because of persecution became the regular way the Gospel spread to different regions.* _Acts 14:5-7 And when a violent attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to abuse and stone them, (6) they became aware of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding region. (7) And they were preaching the gospel there._
It seems that the Lord was in a fast-forward mode to make sure that the Gospel reaches different parts of the world. The Roman rule across the then-known world facilitated quicker travel and provided a certain amount of cover for Apostle Paul. He repeatedly brought his Roman citizenship into effect.
We see the Gospel spreading in the areas of the Gentiles. Persecution was the repeated feature that caused Paul and his team to move from place to place. Wherever they went, they planted churches.
We find that in Philippi of Macedonia, Paul and Silas were severely persecuted. The general pattern for the work of the Gospel was to first share the message of Jesus with the Jews. God had planned that His people, Israel, ought to be light to the nations. This opportunity was given to them, again and again, but we find that in most places, the Jews rejected the Gospel and they persecuted the messengers of the Word. They also instigated the Gentiles to persecute God’s messengers.
_Acts 16:13-15 And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there. (14) Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. (15) And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay." So she persuaded us._
In Philippi, however, the persecution came from the Gentiles. _Acts 16:22-24 Then *the multitude rose up together against them*; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods. (23) And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. (24) Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks._
It is here in Philippi that Paul exercises his Roman citizenship and puts it into effect. _Acts 16:37-39 But Paul said to them, "*They have beaten us openly, uncondemned Romans*, and have thrown us into prison. And now do they put us out secretly? No indeed! *Let them come themselves and get us out*." (38) And the officers told these words to *the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans*. (39) Then they came and pleaded with them and brought them out, and asked them to depart from the city._ Though Paul asserted his Roman citizenship, persecution did not stop. It was persecution that caused the messengers of the Gospel to flee from one place to another and the spread of the Gospel took place.
From Philippi, Paul and his team came to Thessalonica. As was his custom, Paul preached in the synagogue in Thessalonica. _Acts 17:2-3 Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, (3) explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ."_
Some Jews believed in Jesus but there were others, who were envious, and they set the Gentiles against Paul and his team. _Acts 17:5 But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people._
Persecution took place, when the accusation against the God’s messengers was that they were seeking to topple the rulership of Rome. _Acts 17:7-8 Jason has harbored them, and these are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king—Jesus." (8) And they troubled the crowd and the rulers of the city when they heard these things._
This caused Paul and his team to leave Thessalonica and come to Berea. _Acts 17:10 Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews._
We have seen here that through persecution, strong churches were established in Philippi, Thessalonica and Berea. The letters that Paul wrote to the church in these places have become part of the Scriptures, by which we know the will of God.
Every place that rejects the Gospel will receive the judgment of God. _Mark 6:11 And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!"_
```Knowing the ways of God, let us move forward with perseverance to share the message of Jesus with the world.```
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