Acts 8:1-8
Acts 8:1-8
August 16, 2020
Acts 8:1-8
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.
4 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. 5 Philip went down to the 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. 1
HOW TO UNWITTINGLY FUEL A MOVEMENT
I have been to many conferences, read dozens of books, listened to numerous experts on church growth and the marketing of Christianity over the years. Each time I come away with plans, bullet points that are encouraging while simultaneously reminding me of how much of a failure I have been in casting vision, working plans, and increasing membership.
Like others, I have sought to do what others have done because they have apparently found success in their processes and if I would only buy
1 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ac 8:1–8). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles. 1
their material, work harder, care more, and put the right people in leadership positions, we too would experience the very same results.
At least that’s what I thought. That’s what has been sold. That’s what is being bought.
I was speaking at a conference held in a mega church a few years ago. I wasn’t on the big stage, but spoke in a breakout session to pastors seeking to partner and engage with church planters. I won’t go into what I shared. That’s not the point.
What was evident that day was how big this church facility was. The number of parking spaces rivaled the mall’s. The buildings were immaculate. The pastor of this church is well-known. He’s godly and doing an amazing work. But...I’m in a room with a bunch of guys who have sold their homes and abandoned their plans (or at least the plans ceded to them by their parents and others.) Most are married with small children. Some have walked away from high-paying jobs. Some have college degrees in such highly prized areas, but will not be working in those areas. They have or are planning to move from their safe, comfort- zone of a community to an urban area where no one shares their accent, they will be the minority racially, and their children will not be attending new, “A” schools in planned communities.
And I’m hearing these men share about their excitement to serve the Lord, but also their fears of what is to come.
All while sitting in a room in a church building that is so amazingly large that some in the community have begun calling the church “Six Flags over Jesus.”
One planter found a copy of the church’s budget report sitting in the room. The business meeting update was there for members to see and the budget was as incredible as the facility. Now, don’t get me wrong – this church is doing really great things for the Lord and God’s Kingdom,
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but this young church planter just looked at me and said “The quarterly budget here at this church for lawn care is more than our annual budget for all we do in our church.”
And, I said, “Well, if you would just model your church after this one, you too could have such a budget.” Nope. I didn’t say that. I don’t believe that. That would not only be harmful, but sinful. Yet, sometimes in the church world, we seek to create moments and mega-machines and miss the movement of the Spirit.
What is transferable from one church to the other is not the plan, the procedures, the funding apparatus, or the charisma of a leader gifted in marketing, but the Spirit of God, living within God’s people, each of God’s people, each one, seeking God’s face in prayer and living in obedience to him.
What we have deemed successful here in American Christianity (let’s just talk about ourselves – in American Southern Baptist church life) is often little more than business acumen and marketing strategies. Not sinful in themselves, but certainly not fruit of the Spirit.
Sadly, in our efforts to create moments and grow our brand, we may have abandoned that which God is doing. It’s not a moment we need. It’s a movement of the Spirit.
As I read in this portion of the book of Acts, knowing it follows the martyrdom of Stephen, killed by the religious leaders and allowed to be killed by the Roman government for daring to be an outspoken and faithful Christian, I am awakened to something here that heretofore I had not considered.
A movement of God was occurring. Yet, it was not orchestrated by the church. It was not planned out with a great marketing strategy, or in some three-ring binder that delineated the steps to having a revival in the church.
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Amazingly, those who did not love the Lord, did not want the church to grow, did not like having a church in their midst, were actually used by God to unwittingly fuel a movement that would change the world forever.
For fear of giving you the most negative points in the history of sermons, I will dare to share this. Here are some steps for fueling a movement of God among his people, but know these are steps that are not to be coordinated or executed by Christians. In fact, these are the steps done by those who seek to shut down Christ, his church, and any such movement of the Spirit of God.
1. APPROVE OF THE DEATH OF CHRISTIANS
This chapter begins with one of the most horrendous verses in the Bible.
And Saul approved of his execution.
Saul held the garments of those who picked up stones, surrounded the man of God, then began throwing them at him, pummeling him, one by one, until bruises turned to bleeding and concussion turned to unconsciousness and eventually, the desired result of the death of the Christian occurred.
Certainly that would squelch the movement of Christianity!
That’s why they hanged criminals in the Old West, right? As a message to others in the towns and regions to obey the laws and not cross the wrong person.
That’s why the Romans decorated the roads into their cities with crosses – not beautiful, ornate ones, but splintered, wooden ones with the dead, beaten, bloody corpses hanging upon them. What a great welcome sign to the city, right? Yet, the purpose was clear –
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those entering knew who was in charge and if anyone dared to push against the Roman leadership and the Caesar...there would be a cross with your name on it awaiting your arrival.
Stephen was the first Christian martyr. He would not be the last. And for every historical martyr who was boiled, burned, and publicly murdered for daring to be a Christ-follower, there were many who approved.
And that’s not just history.
That’s current events.
According to Open Doors’ 2020 World Watch List, the ministry that focuses on the persecuted church... more than 260 million Christians live in places where they experience high levels of persecution, just for following Jesus. That’s 1 in 8 believers worldwide.
Nations like North Korea, Somalia, and Syria top the list, as would be expected, but what about in our hemisphere? One nation makes the top fifty. It’s Colombia. A nation where Andres Lavanderos, our Creek Church co-pastor takes trips. A place where, pending COVID restrictions, I have been invited to visit and preach.
Look here - Church leaders are being harassed, extorted and even murdered by guerrillas or other criminal groups. This violence is often the direct result of Christians working for the defense of human rights or supporting a peace agreement that would restrict illegal activities of militant groups. Christian missionaries and new Christian converts— particularly in areas where there is an indigenous faith system— also face imprisonment, physical abuse and the confiscation of property, among other forms of punishment.
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And while many approve of the death of these Christians, God is doing a great work there. Just as he is in the underground church in nations that claim no churches exist.
A movement is fueled.
Here’s another way to fuel a movement.
2. APPLAUD THE SCATTERING OF THE CHURCH
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. (8:1)
4 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. (8:4)
The church was scattered. All but the apostles had to leave Jerusalem. This is the opposite of an American-made church- growth movement. This is the taking of every active member and producing rules, laws, and fears that actually eliminate the gathering.
It’s been done in so many areas and times throughout history. Yet...
Shuttingdownchurchesdoesn’treallyshutdownthechurch
Enactingunfairlawsforgatheringsdoesn’treallyeliminate
the church
Increasingrentforabuilding,whetherataschoolorother
place, won’t actually remove the church
MakingitmoredifficultandlessconvenientforChristiansto
gather will not negatively impact the true church
Persecutingthechurchdoesnotsupersedetheprevailing
church
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As wild as it seems, and as far-fetched and outside the realm of possibility for the early church, the scattering of the believers did the exact opposite of what those who scattered them intended.
And the same is true today.
3. ALLOW CHRISTIANS ONLY IN UNDESIRABLE PLACES
5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. 6And 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. 2
Do you remember the command and promise of God regarding the mission?
Back in Acts 1:8, this promise was given by Christ...and it’s more than a promise – it’s a commission.
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 3
In Acts 1, it is clear based on the culture of the Jews, and even the Jewish Christians that though many want to be faithful and part of the mission, NO ONE wants to have to go to Samaria.
It’s the first-century version of the modern-day missions message where faithful Christians sit in the pews in the church engrossed in the message of the missionary and ready to say yes, but saying the
2 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ac 8:1–8). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles. 3 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ac 1:8). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
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“Yes, I’ll go anywhere and do anything for you Jesus....but that and there.”
It’s the church planter who is “called” only to plant in a new community with $300,000 homes and gated communities (yes, they need Jesus, but far too many young, suburban, upwardly mobile Christians are ready to go wherever God has called them as long as they don’t have to abandon any of the comforts of upper- middle class life. I’ve seen it very often.)
No one wants to go to Samaria. There’s nothing good in Samaria.
It’s even listed last in the famous Acts 1:8 verse – kind of an add on in.
You will go to Jerusalem for me! – YAY!!!!
You will go to Judea for me! – YES!!!!
You will even go to Samaria for me! – UH.....OKAY....BUT....
I’m not certain Philip signed up for Samaria, but that’s where he went and while there, it was clear he was not bringing God to the people. God was already at work. Philip just had the privilege to speak the truth, unravel the confusion, and join God in what he was doing.
DO YOU WANT TO START A MOVEMENT?
Trust me. It’s already begun. The challenge for us today is will we join God in this movement?
CONCLUSION
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I often talk about the problems of the church growth movement. It has many flaws, believe me, but many of you were saved in that era. You were reached by God through others in churches that were buying the marketing strategy and the Americanized version of Christianity. They were truly seeking to be obedient to God and weren’t unbiblical, except only perhaps in their uplifting of business principles over prayer.
The church growth movement was needed to move us to the era of missional living.
We have spoken of that for years as well. Missional moves us outside the building, into the fields that are white unto harvest.
And now, we have a pandemic and depending on where you live, varying rules (fair ones as well as seriously flawed and sinful ones) that are hindering the gatherings of believers. And whatever this church era will eventually be called, this future church moment is now the present.
And while we may lament the forever loss of what we deemed “normal” let us not grow weary. In fact, look to Acts 8 and remember...we’ve been here before.
There are some celebrating the elimination of Christianity in the public square. Some applaud the death of Christians. Evil abounds. The church is scattered once more. And the places we must go are not on the “most desired lists.” Samaria may be your home, your neighborhood, or a place in the city you just don’t go. But now we can. Now we must.
And unwittingly, a movement of God is fueled. I’m so glad we have been forced into this crazy way of gathering and doing church. Because I know what’s on the other side of this part of the journey is going to be amazing! Don’t miss it.
Footnotes
