June 2, 2020
A Tale of Two Cities
Acts 8:1–8
Robert Haggard
Central Truth
In the midst of chaos and persecution, God is always at work.
Key Verse | Acts 8:4
Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.
Acts 8:1–8
Saul Ravages the Church
1 And Saul approved of his execution.
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. 2 Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. 3 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.
Philip Proclaims Christ in Samaria
4 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. 5 Philip went down to the city 1 8:5 Some manuscripts a city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. 6 And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was much joy in that city.
Dive Deeper | Acts 8:1–8
In the aftermath of Stephen's death, Saul goes on a rampage. Notice the strong language in Acts 8:1-3, emphasizing the horror that the early Christians in Jerusalem must have experienced. We are not told how long this lasted. Maybe a month, maybe a year, we don't know. But it is apparent that Saul was on a mission to ravage the church, and many fled to Judea and Samaria as a result.
Rewind to Acts 1:8 for a moment. You'll see that Jesus told the apostles that He would give them power and that they would be His witnesses in all Judea and Samaria. This is not a coincidence. While Saul's mission was to root out and destroy the church, the effect of his persecution was actually causing the gospel to spread and grow.
Jesus foretold of the gospel spreading throughout the earth. Saul's actions in Jerusalem were actually fulfilling Jesus' words. Any student of history will affirm that when Christians were persecuted the most, the church was strengthened the most. Notice the contrast between the picture that Scripture paints of Jerusalem and the picture painted of Samaria. In that day, it was horror in Jerusalem, and there was "much joy" (Acts 8:8) in Samaria.
As I reflect on my own life, I can affirm that the times when I suffered the most, I experienced God working in my heart the most. In 2004, the end of an unhealthy dating relationship shook me to my core. As a result, God used that season to bring me into a relationship with Him.
In 2009, I lost a dear friend to cancer. Grief ravaged my heart. In that season, I learned more about myself and the lavish grace, hope, and healing of the gospel than I ever had. My journey through grief to healing ultimately led me into a relationship with my wife. The joy I experience today is richer because of the pain of my past. God is always at work, even in the midst of chaos, hardship, and pain. He is our God of redemption.
Discussion Questions
1. What are you currently experiencing that is making it hard for you to see God at work? Are you willing to have a fresh perspective and allow yourself to experience peace knowing that God is in control?
2. What have you seen God redeem in your past? Have you shared your story of redemption with someone recently?
3. How does the pain in your life ultimately point to Jesus and the gospel?
4. If you feel like you have no hope, would you please leave a comment below and allow others who are reading this devotional today to help you through this season?