Acts 8 :: It Grew Like a Weed

Acts 8 in the Messsage and TNIV translations

Every time they tried to kill the early church, they only made it grow.  Saul and his henchmen stoned one of its leaders to death and scattered the Christ-followers, and it only made the "problem" worse.  Wherever they went, they told people about Jesus, and new churches began to pop up in cities and countries all over the map.  Verse 4 tells us how the gospel really took over the world.  We can get caught up in our story's heroes - great men of faith like Peter, Philip, and eventually Paul (although he's a villain in our story right now) - and mistakenly think these men took the gospel all over the world by themselves.  While they did a lot, it was thousands of people whose names don't make it into Acts who took the good news of Jesus to their homelands or places of refuge as they were persecuted.  The stories with names are only anecdotal; they represent thousands of other stories we'll never hear this side of heaven.

This is great wording from the Message: "Forced to leave home base, the followers of Jesus all became missionaries. Wherever they were scattered, they preached the Message about Jesus."  Isn't that the way it is.  We end up being forced out of our security and comfort.  We think it's the end of the world.  From a human perspective, everything sucks.  But God's perspective on the whole thing is completely different than ours.  "My church is becoming unstoppable.  My message of life and hope is advancing.  My people are becoming the heroic men and women of the faith that I created them to be."  And in my experience, God makes himself known in those times of struggle and pain, those situations none of us would have chosen.

I was part of a conversation this morning with people who are decision makers in our local economy.  Phrases like "10,000 lost jobs by October" were spoken several times.  While those statements may or may not turn out to be accurate, we all know stuff happens.  Whether it is financial, relational, physical, or emotional, many of us may be forced into situations we would never choose.  Nobody wants it to happen.  But in such times, God shines.  And He calls his people to become missionaries.  Will you be one of them?