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in the rear of the church building and then I did want to call up this morning Andy and Priscilla matei to receive them into membership in our local church so if they would come forward and I will extend to them the right hand of fellowship on behalf of our church and then prays pray to God to thank him for their inclusion they say don't be baptized okay I'm not gonna baptize you buddy it's okay all right well let's let's pray and thank our God for his kindness our Father we thank you so very much for Andy and Priscilla and their children we thank you for bringing them here among us we thank you Lord God for your salvation in their lives and their hearts their good confession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ we pray that you would bless and strengthen this family we pray that you would use this family to bless and strengthen this local church and that together we would seek to glorify and to honor you and all that we do think and say we thank you for the Church of Jesus Christ we see its value we see its primacy and your redemptive plan and we praise you that you've made us participants in these good things be with us now we pray and we ask in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ amen all right well that's an interesting one don't baptize me huh if our paedo Baptist brethren got wind of that they'd wonder what we were doing over here are we forcing them in to the baptistry against their wills no we are not that is not the way that Baptists do it thankfully well as our call to worship you can turn with me in your Bibles to Psalm 67 Psalm 67 a wonderful psalm of praise unto God with specific reference to the missionary enterprise God the Lord causing his face to shine upon the nation's and letting the nation's be glad in of redemption through Jesus Christ Psalm 67 beginning in verse 1 to the chief musician on stringed instruments a psalm a song God be merciful to us and bless us and cause his face to shine upon us say law that your way may be known on earth your salvation among all nations let the peoples praise you O God let all the peoples praise you well let the nation's be glad and sing for joy for you shall judge the people righteously and govern the nations on earth say law let the peoples praise you O God let all the peoples praise you then the earth shall yield her increase God our own God shall bless us God shall bless us and all the ends of the earth shall fear him Amen well please turn in your hem book to number 110 a so that is Psalm 110 a will stand as we sing it together [Music] well let us go to our God in prayer our Father in Heaven it's a joy to gather in the house of the Lord on this Sabbath day it is a joy for us to behold you in the created order we know the heavens declare your majesty your righteousness your glory the the handiwork the firmament displays your handiwork we give praise to you that you are god creator the one who has made this world and all things in it by the word of his power in the space of six days and all very good we thank you that it's such a beautiful place for us to live we thank you for your provision your kindness to us and the sunshine the rain the snow we thank you for food and drink and all of the blessings that you pour out upon us and we acknowledge your handiwork in Providence we know you govern all your peoples and all their actions we know there is nothing that takes place apart from the sovereign plan of God Almighty and this does speak great encouragement and comfort to our hearts we know there is nothing that that transpires in this world that is on its own that is an autonomous thing that is a way from the control of a good and faithful creator so lord help us to ponder these things each and every day especially when trials come when afflictions arise and when difficult waters are where we find ourselves may we be comforted at the reality that our God is in the heavens and he does whatever he pleases Lord we praise you as well for redemption the Lord's Day reminds us that he has risen the Lord's Day preaches to us that Christ is now enthroned at the right hand of God Most High where he ever lives to make intercession for his people and where he must reign and rule till all of his enemies are made his footstool and he has indeed promised to come again in glory to judge the living in the dead we thank you for it redemption through our Lord Jesus we thank you for His perfect work on behalf of sinners we know Lord God there is none righteous no not one there's none of us who sought after you there was no fear of God and are in our hearts or before our eyes that you sought us out the Lord Christ came obedience to the Father's will submitted himself to that law and did every thing that you called him to do and then died in our place at Calvary and we thank you that Eva's raised that third day that he was exalted on high and that now he sits enthroned as our mediators our Redeemer and as our King God made these things as well encourage our hearts may they stabilize and secure us in our faith and may they be that thing that that promotes help and strength to us on a daily basis so that we might persevere and that we might bring glory to God Almighty in this world we pray this morning Most High that you would be exalted and enthroned upon the praises of your people hear that father son and spirit would be present among us cheering our hearts and drawing from us worship and praise and adoration may the holy spirit be at work in our hearts that as we come to scripture we would be educated we would be informed and not simply to have a head knowledge but to practice to flesh out and to put into real-life situations the things that we receive from the word of the Living God we pray our Father that our worship would be specifically and and conspicuously god-centered we know Lord that you have called us out of darkness into marvelous light not simply to enjoy these things but to proclaim your praises to worship and to adore you and as the people of God gathered together we ask that you would receive our worship they would as we come to the Father through the son and the power of the Holy Spirit God would be enthroned upon the praises of his people here do forgive us for our sins and our transgressions whenever we look at your law father we see our own waywardness we see our proneness to wander we see that proneness to leave the God that we love and we confess that remaining corruption we confess that iniquity we confess that downward bent in our own hearts and we would ask that you would cleanse us now in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ how we thank you that the Word of God is so clear that if we confess our sins you are faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and as David said if you Lord should mark iniquities O Lord who could stand but there is forgiveness with you that you may be feared and in this we greatly rejoice Lord God we rejoice that our standing in heaven is ultimately rooted upon the finished work of our Savior we know Lord God it's through his life and his death and his resurrection that we are accepted in the beloved so father help us to remember this not as a justification for our sin but as a means to promote holiness in us that we would pursue those things pleasing to the Father who has saved us by the son we ask for those who've come in there that are Unforgiven those who are still dead in their trespasses and sins we can't appeal to them to make good decisions or wise choices but we appeal to a sovereign God who makes men willing in the day of his power and who says to us that with men it is impossible to save us all but with you all things are possible so we pray to You Lord God that today would be the day of salvation that your spirit would attend the preaching of the word in this place and that sinners would be brought forth by the word of truth for your glory for your honor and for their well-being god strengthen and sanctify all of us we confess not only sinfulness remaining corruption but we confess a weariness we confess a perplexity with the days in which we live we come into this place Lord God and we are sluggish and we have cold hearts and we pray that you would cause those things to disperse and cause us by the spirit to take every thought captive to the obedience of Jesus Christ and may your word be that balm of Gilead is spoken of by the by the Prophet Jeremiah may it find its way into our hearts and may you comfort us and may you encourage us and may you strengthen us with might and the inner man so that Christ would dwell richly in our hearts through faith we pray father for those who are suffering various trials and difficulties we commit to you our dear brother John and Sue we know there are sick people at home and we pray that you would be merciful to Sue's mother we pray as well for John's brother-in-law we just commit these two in the your gracious care and we would ask God in heaven that you would cause these ones first and foremost to be looking unto Jesus and may you provide for them physically and may you just watch over family and strengthen each and every one we also pray for the new Feld's that you'd watch over them as they've got to move this week we pray that all things would go well relative to that that it would be a good move for them we also pray for our sister Linda still recovering from the effects of chemo and surgery and the various things associated with cancer we know ultimately God you are over all these things and again that speaks great comfort to our hearts and we pray that you would help us to find that comfort help us to to cheer our own hearts with the Word of God may the Scriptures be that that helped to us each and every day and may that encouragement and admonishment come to us each and every day and may we by the Spirit walk according to this blessed rule father be with your people wherever they gather together today thank you that we're not alone here thank you that there are other churches and other believers here in our city we pray for those churches that you would bless and prosper them we pray God that as the gospel goes forth in this community more and more sinners would come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and we pray that for all over the earth today when the spirit of Psalm 67 we pray that you would let the nation's be glad we know that Christ came to save a great multitude that no man can number from every tribe and tongue and people and nation and we pray that as your word goes forth today it would not return unto you void but it would accomplish the purpose for which you sent it that it would go forth conquering and to conquer God finally we do praise you and thank you for the events here yesterday we thank you for the marriage of Jew young and Hannah we pray that you would watch over this young couple she would bless strengthen and encourage them cause them to know the joy of a good marriage and caused them to know the joy of a great and glorious Savior and thank you for Ava Louise we pray for this precious little one she would bless her we thank you for the great gift of children that you have given to us we pray for those ladies still with child we pray for all of us as parents and his grandparents that we would faithfully exemplify what Christianity is all about namely by pointing them unto the Lord Jesus Christ and we ask these things in his most blessed name a man well please turn with me in your hymn books to number 421 him number 421 will stand as we sing together [Music] [Music] well you could turn with me in your Bibles to the Gospel according to John we're in John chapter 13 this has been called the Upper Room discourse prior to the death of our Lord Jesus he spends an extended period of time with his disciples to instruct them to encourage them to exhort them and to convey his peace to them and prepare them for the eventualities that he will no longer be present among them and one of the ways that he does that is by disclosing to them God there's a lot of theology proper going on in the Upper Room discourse he doesn't simply tell his disciples be good guys be hard workers be diligent but rather he points them to the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit prepares them in the best possible way by teaching them who God is so beginning in John chapter 13 at verse 1 now before the Feast of the Passover when Jesus knew that his hour had come that he should depart from that from this world to the father having loved his own who were in the world he loved them to the end and supper being ended the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot Simon's son to betray him Jesus knowing that the father had given all things into his hands and that he had come from God and was going to God rose from supper and laid aside his garments took a towel and girded himself after that he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples feet and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded and he came to Simon Peter and Peter said to him Lord are you washing my feet jesus answered and said to him what I am doing you do not now you do not understand now but you will know after this Peter said to him you shall never wash my feet jesus answered him if I do not wash you you have no part with me Simon Peter said to him Lord not my feet only but also my hands in my head jesus said to him he who is bathed needs only to wash his feet but is completely clean and you were clean but not all of you for he knew who would betray him therefore he said you are not all clean so when he had washed their feet taken his garments and sat down again said to them do you know what I have done to you you call me teacher and Lord and you and you say well for so I am if I then your Lord and teacher have washed your feet you also ought to wash one another's feet for I have given you an example that you should do as I have done to you most assuredly I say to you a servant is not greater than his master nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him if you know these things blessed are you if you do them I do not speak concerning all of you I know whom I have chosen but that the scripture may be fulfilled he who eats bread with me has lifted up his heel against me now I tell you before it comes that when it does come to pass you may believe that I am most assuredly I say to you he who receives whomever I send receives me and he who receives me receives him who sent me when Jesus had said these things he was troubled in spirit and testified and said most assuredly I say to you one of you will betray me then the disciples looked at one another perplexed about him he spoke now there was leaning on Jesus bosom one of his disciples whom Jesus loved Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom he spoke then leaning back on Jesus breast he said to him Lord who is it jesus answered it is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it and having dip the bread he gave it to Judas Iscariot the son of Simon now after the piece of bread Satan entered him then jesus said to him what you do do quickly but no one at the table knew for what reason he said this to him for some thought because Judas had the money box that Jesus had said to him by those things we need for the feast or that he should give something to the poor having received the piece of bread he then went out immediately and it was night so when he had gone out jesus said now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him if God is glorified in him God will also glorify him in himself and glorify him immediately little children I shall be with you a little while longer you will seek me and as I said to the Jews where I am going you cannot come so now I say to you a new commandment I give to you that you love one another as I have loved you that you also love one another by this all will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another Simon Peter said to him Lord where are you going jesus answered him where I am going you cannot follow me now but you shall follow me afterward Peter said to him Lord why can I not follow you now I will lay down my life for your sake jesus answered him will you lay down your life for my sake most assuredly I say to you the rooster shall not crow till you have denied me three times amen well the obvious emphasis in this section is on Christ's departure he knows that Judas is the betrayer he knows that his time is at an and he knows as well that Simon Peter is even going to deny him but one of the things that's very intriguing about this particular chapter one of the things there are many to be sure is found in verse 1 notice what it says now before the Feast of the Passover John's Gospel really does focus on three Passover's or events relative to three Passover's Jesus Christ being the the anti-type of the Passover it was that which ultimately by way of type and shadow pointed forward to that great Passover when the the wrath of God passes over the sons of men because of what Christ has done as the Lamb of God but it's before the Feast of the Passover when Jesus knew that his hour at daum that he should depart from this world to the father having loved his own who were in the world he he loved them to the end what you get with Christ you don't get a partial love you don't get a little bit of love you don't get love on Monday and hate on Tuesday and perhaps a little bit of like on Wednesday when Christ takes you as his own you are loved to the end there is no lessening there is no dissipation there is no vanish meant with reference to the love of Jesus Christ he loves his people and he loves them to the end and again this emphasis is seen in the way that he tells his disciples that he's going to depart he said that to the Jews and he had said to the Jews that they would not be able to follow he reiterates that to the disciples but then he says afterwards you will follow it's not the end when Christ dies when Christ has risen from the dead and when Christ has exalted to the right hand of the Father that is a period of time wherein we know his blessing by the presence and the power of his Holy Spirit but ultimately we are going to be where he is that's the great hope of the Christian church is that one day we will be with Father Son and spirit this world ain't everything all that we see now in terms of the political machinations of men and the that is stresses on the earth and the violence perpetrated against the people of God that will ultimately come to an end but our relationship with God Most High never does and we will enter into the presence of God most I and these eyes by grace will behold the very son of God who loved us and who gave himself for us it is most encouraging the way that our Lord speaks to his disciples in this hour prior to his death he knows it's going to affect them when he's gone he knows it's going to affect them when they see him crucified on a tree he knows these things so he speaks comfort to their souls such that they will be prepared for that and though they may have some trouble they may depart from him at that time of greatest need they come back they are fortified and strengthened to carry on the mission that he gives them to go and to preach and teach all the nations in his most blessed name well let us pray our Father we thank you for your word we thank you for the life in the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ we thank you for that love that you set upon us that is an endless love we thank you that you will indeed do that which you have committed you will keep that which you have committed under that day and that you who began a good work in us will keep us until the day of Jesus Christ may these things as well encourage and strengthen our hearts and may we often reflect upon that love of Jesus Christ that he has for his bride for his church for his people and we ask this in his blessed name Amen well you can turn with me again in your hymn book to number 378 hymn number 378 will stand as we sing in praise to God Almighty number three seven eight [Music] turn with me in your Bibles to the book of Acts Acts chapter eight Acts chapter eight actually I'll pick up reading in Acts chapter seven at verse 54 we'll read the chapter eight verse four beginning in Acts 7:54 when they heard these things they were cut to the heart and they gnashed at him with their teeth but he being full of the holy spirit gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God and said look I see the heavens opened and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God then they cried out with a loud voice stopped their ears and ran at him with one Accord they cast him out of the city and stoned him and the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul and they stoned Stephen as he was calling on and saying Lord Jesus receive my spirit then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice Lord do not charge them with this sin and when he had said this he fell asleep now Saul was consenting to his death at that time a 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 and devout men carried Stephen to his burial and made great lamentation over him as for Saul he made havoc of the church entering every house and dragging off men and women committing them to prison therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word amen let us pray father thank you for the word thank you for the the glory of the gospel of Jesus Christ that necessitates the hearing of all men we ask God in heaven that should encourage our hearts now with a view to the early church and the book of Acts we ask God that should help us to be prayerful at the throne of grace concerning the preaching of the word throughout the world we pray God that you would help us to see that Christ at the right hand of the Father is orchestrating all things over all things for the church do forgive us again for our sins and unrighteousness and fill us with your spirit and we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well this morning we're going to see the extension of Christ's Kingdom and the way that we want to do that is by reflecting in the first place on the mission of Christ as given to the disciples in Acts chapter 1 verse 8 and then secondly to see the means employed by Christ in this particular section this persecution this great persecution of the church was the occasion for scattering the disciples removing them from Jerusalem to extend the Commission given to them by Christ in other words it isn't normally the case that we would say to God may you bring great persecution so that blessings would indeed prevail but that oftentimes is the way God does cause blessings to prevail it may not be our first choice via persecution but it certainly under God a means by which he extends Christ's Kingdom and the flow is obvious what happens with Stephen sort of promotes or instigates on the part of others this enmity and animosity against the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ what we see in other parts of the world what we saw last week in Sri Lanka what we see in many places that are steeped in Islam many places that are steeped in Roman Catholicism or places steeped in atheism is not new the people of God have been persecuted the people of God have been murdered the people of God have been in prison and the people of God have had their lives made miserable by the people of this world because the people of this world can't get to God so they target his people here on earth it's not a new thing what we are witnessing today there is this antithesis genesis 3:15 speaks of it those are connected to the woman and those connected to the devil and there is this animosity that obtains and the ones that are connected to the devil more often than not violently oppose and persecute the people of God Almighty so that's what's happening here in a general sense in verses 1 b 2 verse 4 so let's look first the mission given by Christ and then we'll look at the means employed by Christ go back for just a moment to acts 1 verse 8 good for us to remind ourselves of this particular statement because it is how the book sort of proceeds it's how the book moves it's how the book unfolds in verse 8 the Lord says to his apostles but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth they would receive the power of the Spirit this indicates that is not simply men it's not simply courageous men it's not simply intelligent men but it's spirit-filled men that advanced the cause of Jesus Christ on the earth Christ was a man who had the spirit without measure and that self same spirit is given to his disciples so that they can in turn face a hostile world so that they in turn can preach that gospel of free grace so that they can in turn by God's grace be the human means by which the kingdom extends of the church grows and so they needed to receive that power jesus promised to them that they would receive that power and once they had gotten that power verse 8 tells us what they were supposed to do with it you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth the Apostles witnessed the life of Christ the Apostles witnessed the resurrection of Christ the Apostles knew the significance behind that and therefore they were called to go and witness or testify concerning Christ and if you look at the particular geographical locations referred to this is how the book of Acts proceeds you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem that is precisely where they have been that's what we've been studying in Acts chapter is 1 to 7 the church at Jerusalem well because of this persecution that comes as a comes on the heels of the murder of Stephen now they are scattered from Jerusalem they move to Judea and Samaria and then with the call and conversion of Saul of Tarsus the Apostle Paul takes the gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth so chapter 1 verse 8 is programmatic for the history of the church but it's also the outline for the book of Acts and we've moved in now to that second phase the gospel is moving forward from Jerusalem into these other parts why hadn't they done this I don't know maybe they were content to stay there in Jerusalem maybe they were content with the status quo well sometimes when we're content with the status quo a good dose of persecution may help us to get up and to move from that place of status quo Ness and to take the gospel into other parts of the world we ought never to get too content or too happy or too complacent when it comes to life in this world we ought to be ready to pack a bag and move to Judea and Samaria and to the uttermost parts of the earth to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord now don't go home today and sell everything you have and move to Timbuktu but ponder the reality that at least some people within the context of the that the preaching ministry of the church ought to be those who are willing to go to Judea Samaria and to the uttermost parts of the earth jesus said all authority in heaven and on earth has been given unto him go therefore and make disciples of what just the Jewish nation know of all the nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you and lo I am with you always even to the end of the age we are to be going if we're not going then we are to be praying if we're not praying then we are not doing what the Lord God's called us to we need to be happy obviously with the salvation that we enjoy we need to be happy obviously with our local church if you're not I apologize but we also need to be somewhat unhappy or discontented at the reality that men are steep in false religion by droves in other parts of the world I mean the religion of Islam for instance is not a good thing it is not peaceful it is not happy women don't thrive and flourish under that sort of regime and we ought to pray that gospel preachers be raised up we ought to pray that gospel preachers be sent forth we ought to pray that God will indeed bring men upon us and and help us to educate them and point them in the right direction to get education so that they can be mobilized and so that they can go and preach the gospel in the last hour we considered our confession of faith specifically with reference to the only-begotten s of the Son of God and it was observed by one of the brothers there that more often than not churches don't think about these sorts of things they don't think about the Trinity they don't think about Christology I'm not suggesting we should be proud oh we do that I'm suggesting we all ought to be ashamed because we should do it a whole lot more we're drowning in practical drivel we have no concept whatsoever of one glorious God who exists eternally as Father Son and Holy Spirit we have no concept whatsoever of the hypostatic union of Jesus Christ we need men not are not as trained as CEOs or movers and shakers or cheerleaders or pep squad leaders we need men who are theologically astute who have that fire in their breasts and want to speak the truth as it is in Jesus that's what we should be praying for as the people of God we ought not to be so content and so complacent in our Jerusalem that we don't think about Judea Samaria and the uttermost parts of the earth do you pray Psalm 67 ever is it a concern to you that that nations are steeped in darkness and in madness is it a concern to you that that that believers are brutalized in other places in this world without any concern whatsoever I mean brethren we need to be a prayerful people take Psalm 67 sing it chant it pray it get it in your heart get it in your mind get it in your soul reflect upon the reality that what is happening here in Acts chapter one verse eight chapter eight verses one b-24 is that Christ is bringing persecution upon the church so that the church will get off its complacent Ness and go forward and take the gospel where it needs to be it's a beautiful thing again we wouldn't choose God bring persecution so that we'll do what we're supposed to do but God does oftentimes choose persecution so that we'll do what we're supposed to do so the witness to Jerusalem the witness to Judea Samaria the witness to the ends of the earth Bach says from a literary standpoint within Acts the reference to Rome after a long providential sea journey in acts 27 would mean that the message has now reached the hub of the Gentile world from which it can proceed everywhere so basically what he's saying is that they do precisely what they were bidden to do in Acts chapter 1 verse 8 they took the gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth they took it to the Roman Empire and it's from that vantage point that it would then be disseminated throughout the known world it's a blessed and wonderful thing that we see in this book of Acts now notice secondly back to Acts chapter 8 the means employed by Christ I want to consider three things here first the persecution of the church secondly the examples of persecution in the church and then thirdly the consequence of the persecution of the church notice the persecution verse 1b in chapter 8 at that time a 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 now the timing at that time it's connected very specifically to the murder of Stephen it's connected to the martyrdom of Stephen the idea seems to be this that once the council had engaged in eradicating Stephen and his witness it emboldened others not just the council but others that were sort of at odds with Christianity to really move now against Christianity the Roman Empire as I've said many many times will later become involved in actively opposing the church but at this particular juncture it is unbelieving Israel that targets the church for destruction and its chief representative is Saul of Tarsus it's all understood we can't have any sort of a ecumenical movement here you can't have Judaism and Christianity sort of exists together Saul of Tarsus understood that that's why he may havock against the church that's why he went into people's homes and dragged off both men and women and committed them to prison he knew there would be no rival to Judaism and they had to liquidate it they had to exterminate it they had to eradicate it and so this martyrdom of Stephen emboldened others so that they will now go out and target the church Gill says as soon as they had put him to death these bloodthirsty wretches were the more greedy after the blood of others that's what's happening now notice as well the specific target at that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem prior to this time we've seen persecution prior to this time however it has been confined to the Apostles the Apostles are arrested in Acts chapter 4 the Apostles are warned against preaching the gospel in Acts chapter 4 the Apostles are called again to stand before the council in Acts chapter 5 and then the warning has moved into corporal punishment according to acts 5:40 the Apostles are beaten the Apostles are flogged the Apostles have their backs opened up of course with that continued warning that they better not continue to speak in the name of Jesus will you see the escalation of persecution in the martyrdom of Stephen what begins as a warning turns into a flogging and then ultimately Stephen is martyred for the faith and now it moves from just the Apostles to the church the whole church at Jerusalem this is what verse 3 speaks to Paul salt rather makes havoc upon the church he goes into person's homes believers homes and he takes out normal men and women these aren't the Apostles homes so what he's what we're seeing here is the escalation of this persecution and again if you look at the history of Christianity that's what's happened they say the 20th century was the most bloody century for all of Christianity of all the 20 centuries there were more martyrs in the 20th century we don't know what the 21st century holds for us yet but so far it ain't looking good we are looked at as the plague on society we are looked at as the freaks of nature we are looked at as the oddball out because we affirm manhood and womanhood we don't affirm the rest of the letters of the alphabet being some sort of a gender identification so worth a bad guy we speak against unrighteousness and the murder of babies and we're the bad guys brethren there are causes for concern not fear and trepidation that paralyzes us but a concern that mobilizes us to the throne of grace and to our Bibles so that we'll know how to respond to a God hating generation the 21st century thus far is not looking real promising that there's going to be less persecution of the church but we need to see that at this particular time when Stephen is murdered by the council it emboldened others to engage in this great persecution against the church not just the apostles the targeting of the Apostles takes place in 4:00 and 5:00 and now the targeting of the entire church is seen here with that escalation were warned we are beaten murdered and then this great persecution is poured out now notice what happens there's a dispersion probably heard that word before dispersion diasporic refers to the Jews being dispersed from their homeland to the various parts of the Empire at that particular time well the words used here and in Jewish literature it was often thought that we'll know when there was a dispersion of Jews from their homeland they would be of benefit to Gentiles perhaps Luke is using that particular term with all of its loaded freight telling us that this dispersion was for the benefit of the spiritual Gentiles this act of persecution got everybody mobilized this act of persecution got everybody from stop being complacent this act of persecution worked out favorably for the glory of God and the extension of the throne of Jesus Christ that's what's happening here there's a dispersion of these people into various regions now the reference to all probably doesn't mean all without exception it probably means a lot if you have a problem with hyperbole then you got a problem with the Bible the Bible uses hyperbole the Bible uses metaphor the Bible uses simile the Bible uses the word all when not every single human being is men it means a lot of people were scattered a lot of people were dispersed a lot of people left to rusul them at this particular time because of the persecution so they were scattered according to verse 1 throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria now go to Acts chapter 11 Acts chapter 11 it wasn't only these places that they were scattered to but Acts chapter 11 indicates something else notice in acts 11 at verse 19 now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia Cyprus and Antioch preaching the word to no one but the Jews only but some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene who when they had come to Antioch spoke to the Helenus preaching the Lord Jesus and the hand of the Lord was with them and a great number believed and turned to the Lord so back in chapter 8 at verse 1 yes they're moving to Judea and Samaria they're also going to Phoenicia they're also going to Cyprus they're also going to Antioch you see what's happening Gentile inclusion in the Covenant promises of God you see what's happening we're moving out from Jerusalem what did Isaiah and what did mal Micah prophesied chapters 2 and 4 respectively concerning the messianic reign of Jesus Christ the nation's would stream to Zion and they would hear the law of the Lord that's how the book of Acts functions where do they all come they come to Jerusalem men from every nation come to Jerusalem they hear the law of the Lord now they're being sent back to their places they're being equipped they're being given that mission they're given that that that specific set of marching orders and they're taking the gospel to Gentiles so that the Covenant promises of God which are yay and amen in Christ Jesus would be fulfilled in the calling of sinners unto repentance and faith by the preachers of the gospel it's a beautiful thing and notice the means are here specifically employed by Jesus you can't miss this and we're gonna focus on this or visit this at the end of the message today but Christ has universal authority he has universal authority even over the council members that took up stones to throw against Stephen yes Universal Authority even over those who engage in great persecution and some people see this as a great argument against Christianity if God is good why is there evil they forget that necessary sort of other piece of data that the Bible provides for us God uses evil to accomplish good things if you doubt that then we need to have more time together because I don't know you know what Bible you are reading but God overrules the wickedness of man and brings even straight things out of crooked sticks you see this in acts 2 it was the predetermined plan of God that they murder Jesus Joseph confessed this in Genesis chapter 50 you meant this for evil but God overruled it for good brethren if you live in a world where you think that evil is outside of the control of God I don't know how you get out of bed every morning if you think the political leaders of our day are running around without any leash how do you make it how do you function how do you think if you do not know and are convinced and believe assuredly that Christ has absolute authority and Dominion and that he's over all things with specific reference to the church Ephesians 1 19 to 23 then you're gonna be in sad shape this is the reality Christ is over the persecution that takes place not because he rejoices to see Stephen executed not because he rejoices to see the the Menace's of his church prosper but so his church will stop being complacent so his church will stop being lazy so that his church will start to extend something concerning the love that he speaks of there in John 13 by this all men will know that you are my disciples if sit on your couch and you rehearse a wonderful thing wonderful the thing it is to be saved certainly sit on your couch and rehearse what if wonderful thing it is to be saved but love men love your fellow man in terms of believer and love your fellow man in terms of teaching them the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord I've often thought that evangelism the missionary enterprise with reference to the church is the application of the second great commandment the first is love the Lord your God with all your heart soul mind and strength and the second is like it love your neighbor as yourself oh don't you know when you go to that person's house you knock on their door you're bugging them yeah I know that I don't like to get bugged by Jehovah's Witnesses and I get that vibe when I do that to others but it's an application of love for their souls what's the what's the best thing you and I could do for somebody but to tell them about Christ right isn't that what we've been saved to do well sometimes we get lazy sometimes we get complacent sometimes we don't exemplify the love for one another that John 13 says we're supposed to manifest sometimes we don't exemplify that love for our fellow man that the rest of the Bible says we are to manifest and so Christ brings these persecutions Christ brings these afflictions Christ brings these hardships to wake us out of our stupor again we might think Oh Lord you know just just let me have ease and comfort and joy and all I'll serve you world without end amen it doesn't work that way and you know it as well as I do with ease and comfort and and and contentedness we rope complacent read the prophets sometimes read what God says concerning the various nations and how the the ones that weren't tried the ones that weren't afflicted the ones that weren't tested the ones that didn't have any difficulty settled on their leaves they needed to be poured out the sense brethren were persecution in the context of the local church will embolden the people of God if the murder of Stephen embolden the enemy of the gospel than the murder of Stephen ought to embolden the friends of the gospel it ought to make us in earnest it ought to make us prayerful it ought to make us pray to God Most High we know that the the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few I don't think that's changed since Jesus first gave that how many guys are going in to gospel ministry how many guys are saying not only gospel ministry but I want to go to the foreign mission field I want to go and be a means in the hand of the Redeemer to let the nation's be glad I want to see these people that are steeped in Islam learn the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord I'm not meeting these young fellows parents are we telling our sons not our daughters our sons that this is a noble calling and a wonderful thing and that they ought to count everything loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord it's not going to happen without human beings it's not going to happen without men so I'm going to happen without men that are theologically astute and men who actually care about the fact that sinners are dying going to hell yeah 9 maybe I'm just in some Enclave I'm just not meeting these droves of young men that that want to go into the gospel ministry where are they and if they're not there are we praying that God would bring them there are we praying that God would supply men to fit this particular task in this particular age and I would suggest we need men like these men we don't need males we need men there's a distinction there we don't need met males we need men men that have this kind of zeal this kind of a burden this kind of a desire but back to our text we see this idea of persecution being a means in the hand of God for the good of his people turn to Philippians chapter 1 we rehearse this when we considered the persecution of the Apostles but I think it bears repetition Philippians 1:12 but I want you to know brethren that the things which and to me what things are those Paul well Philippians is one of the prison epistles that means that Paul was in prison when he wrote these epistles now we think of prison and I don't know if you've had any experience with the prison system but we used to go when I lived in California to preach at the prison and it was very common to see a lot of sort of luxury items in the prison I don't necessarily subscribe to you know solitary confinement and bread and water and all that but I got a problem with TVs and and you know whatever sort of resources you want law degrees on your off time isn't the life of a prisoner off time I mean they get law degrees they get buff they get you know cops don't have the time to lift weights and get muscular like the prisoners do I mean they're out there jacked and pumping big weight I mean they get a lot of good things that's not the kind of prison Paul is it if you ate it was because somebody loved you and provided food for you it's kind of Paul's point in Philippians I'm thankful they didn't forget about me I'm thankful that throughout up afroditi you sent some gifts to me you sent some sandwiches you sent some you sent some cookies you sent something to keep me alive it wasn't three hots and a cot provided by the Roman Empire it was if you've got people that care about you and love you you might get some food you know when he says in second Timothy bring the cloak that I left with carpets and trelles why do you think that is because there wasn't heat in the prison system there or the jail's there I mean again air-conditioned jails and prisons and heating systems and all that sort of thing again I don't think we should tar and feather everybody I mean there should be justice and the way that we apply penology and whatnot but but boy they're gonna complain if the Heat's off or the you know the the air conditioning is off well Paul wanted his cloak because he was cold in a jail cell now that's his second imprisonment in second Timothy this is the first imprisonment and so he's writing to the Philippians yes to thank them for the gift that they had sent by way of apparent itis but he also tells them this very intriguing piece of data in verse 12 this is a progress report I want you to know brethren that the things which happen to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel so that it has become evident palace guard and to all the rest that my chains are in Christ and most of the Brethren in the Lord having become confident by my chains are much more bold to speak the word without fear you see under the hand of Christ the imprisonment of the Apostle Paul which don't miss this the same Paul that had made havoc on the church dragging men and women off and throwing them into prison is now in a prison himself but he's saying I don't want you to worry about me don't forget about me keep sending food by way of the path for Titus but but don't worry about me because what's happened to me has actually caused has turned out for the progress of the gospel see that's what I meant God takes crooked sticks and he makes them strength God takes wicked acts and he overrules them and brings good God takes the imprisonment of the chief apostle to the Gentiles and uses it as a means to actually further the the progress of the gospel it's a beautiful thing second Timothy chapter 2 so I get Timothy chapter 2 again tax that I hope that you are familiar with from our study on the persecution of the apostles in acts 3 4 and 5 but in Timothy chapter 2 notice in verse 8 remember that Jesus Christ of the seat of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel for which I suffered trouble as an evildoer even to the point of Chains but the Word of God is not chained so Paul suffers Paul is in prison Paul is in this jail cell but you can't chain the Word of God you can't stop its progress Christ the sovereign at the right hand of the Father orchestrates all things even the persecution of the church even the imprisonment of its chief apostle doesn't restrict the spread of the truth the Lord God Most High has all things under his control and he is orchestrating them for his glory and for the good of his people it really is a beautiful thing Calvin says here is set down the end of persecutions to wit that they are so far from breaking off the course of the gospel that they are rather made helps to further the same through the wonderful counsel of God you see that's what happens people tried to destroy Christians they try to destroy Bibles they try to destroy the thought of Christ on the earth have they succeeded absolutely positively not rest assured brethren if the world operating according to the devil could stop Christianity they would they've certainly tried hard enough they're presently trying hard enough but you cannot stop the spread of God's Word he will have dominion from sea to sea that's not just a wonderful hymn that would be great to sing on that day that we die but it's the truth of Holy Scripture the psalmist says that the the prophet Isaiah says that the prophet áback ik says that he will have dominion from sea to sea that is a reality interesting our own country pays lip service to Psalm 72 with reference to Dominion with reference to Christ's power and reign and rule and glory and as Christians brethren we need to capture some of that not triumphalism but the reality that even in the midst of persecution suffering hardship affliction and woe Christ shall have dominion it's beautiful concept the Geneva Bible comments it says Christ euzeth the rage of his enemies to the spreading forth and enlarging of his kingdom now you kind of wonder are the enemies just that ignorant you've got to have to conclude yeah they are they think oh we're gonna stomp this out and then it pops up over here we're gonna kill it here and then it pops up over here we're gonna stop it and then more people get converted you can't stop it you're fighting a losing battle see I think today the Christian Church has adopted precisely the opposite mindset we think we're fighting the losing battle we think were the losers in history we think that we're gonna always be the the derelicts and society and I'm not speaking again of triumphalism or utopian on earth or heaven I'm not speaking of any of that but you need to understand that Christ must reign till all of his enemies are made as footstool that's the reality of psalm 110:1 that's the reality highlighted in various places in the New Testament they quote that they allude to that they cite that because that blitz steel in their bones that put fire in their hearts that moved them from Jerusalem to Judea Samaria and then to the uttermost parts of the earth they understood the reality that he shall have dominion from sea to sea now Luke tells us the Apostles remained in Jerusalem and that makes sense because later on we're gonna see a church in Jerusalem it's not as if all the Apostles left it says specifically at the end of verse one except the apostles and some asked the question well why didn't the Apostles leave why didn't the Apostles leave I don't think Luke supplies us with a specific answer but probably the idea is is that they didn't want to desert their post they saw that these others were mobilized they saw that these others were scattered they saw that these others were going to Judea Samaria and to the uttermost parts of the earth so you know one man can do it all no twelve men can do it all there's a division of labor involved in the context of church there's a division of labor involved in the missionary enterprise in evangelism if these twelve men Luke leave their particular post then that leaves a vacancy or a wanting their now later on they will move later on there will be dispersion on the part of the Apostles but for this present time they stay there John Calvin pages three 24 and 25 in his commentary has a beautiful exposition or explanation about this whole idea of these men sticking there at Jerusalem he says he exempts the Apostles out of this number not that they were free from the common danger but because it is the duty of a good pastor to set himself against the invasions of wolves for safety of his flock or is it the persecution calms and the Apostles bail then that persecution may overcome the persons to whom the Apostles are responsible so he says they're faithful pastors they're faithful shepherds they're not going to leave their flock when this great persecution arises they steel themselves against it he goes on later to describe it this way says it some shall sometimes so fall out indeed that the pastor may also fly kids but leave the particulars there may be an eventuality where they leave in Matthew 10 when Jesus gives instruction for mission he says if they persecute you in one city flee there and go to another city so there are seasons there are times there are occasions when it is legit for a man to leave a particular post this wasn't it but back to Kelvin it's some time or some shall sometimes so fall out indeed that the pastor may also fly now I read this and I'm quoting this because I think it's very important I want you to appreciate what Calvin says here they don't fly because they get a better offer somewhere else they don't fly because there's more money down the road they don't fly because of prestige they don't fly because of notoriety they don't fly because of their own wickedness there may be instances there may be seasons there may be times where a minister flies but he doesn't fly for money he doesn't fly for prestige he doesn't fly for celebrity he doesn't fly because he's weak he goes on like this is very perceptive it shall sometimes so fall out indeed that the pastor may also fly that is if they invade him alone if the laying the waste of the church be not beefed be not feared if he be absent or it's he may fly if the people of God are not a danger he may fly if nobody's gonna be casualty he may fly if everything's going to be okay he may fly it says but in if both his flock and he have to encounter with the adversary he is a treacherous force acre of his office if he stand not stoutly to it even until the end that's the kind of stuff that these men were about this idea of three-year pastor it's on to the next gig three-year pastor it's on the next on to the bigger church it just can't be biblical it just can't be right I mean for better for worse we like each other don't we and you know man I'm messed up but there's a part where God knits the hearts of peoples and pastors together believe that because of a better gig we don't leave that because of more money we don't leave that because of discontented miss we don't leave that when there's a threat to the people of God he says in the very last stroke private persons have greater Liberty you see pastors don't have the the Liberty that tried it Pappa persons that see private persons can just leave whenever they want and unfortunately in our ecclesiastical milieu landscape that happens this idea of church hopping this lack of connection this this this lack of fighting bleeding sweating not with each other but in our own hearts to deal with the difficulties involved in biblical church moonship I preached in Surrey last week and I said to them and I'll say it to you if you asked me what's the one thing missing today in biblical church Manship it is biblical church Manship we're gonna sit against each other we're gonna make each other upset we're gonna hurt each other we're gonna be unkind to each other we just take our marbles and run we run to another place what guess what's gonna happen there we're gonna get hurt clearly and offended we're gonna have problems there what do we do that when we run i I have this zany idea that we deal with it like we do in families you just stop being a brother or sister to your earthly brother and sister because they make you mad you don't do you you don't say well I'm out of this family I mean I guess some people do that at least in America they what's the word they emancipate you get these discontented teenagers that want to emancipate themselves from their parents you know that's a that's an exception to the rule most of us just deal with you know the Looney Tunes that we happen to be related to right why can't we extend that principle to the church oh he offended I know I've offended most of you if I haven't stick around it's going happen pastors aren't supposed to leave but I don't think people are either unless heresy is being preached or certain biblical things just aren't happening there's no stick-to-itiveness today you know I like to talk to the older people some of your kids are saying you're one of them no I'm not there's a lot older people than I am did you know what they have you know what they had in their day and age they didn't whine about everything then it just gets so easily offended this is what we're having to contend with no no I'm not talking about Democrats and liberals and their snowflake men - I'm talking in the church we're all so easily offended we're also easily ready to pick up our marbles and leave Katherine there's got to be a stick-to-itiveness about our Christianity or it's not the real deal by this all men will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another that love will reflect itself and the ability to forgive one another that love will reflect itself and the ability to talk with each other that love will reflect itself and the ability to deal with one another in a way that is honoring to God Almighty in this instance the Apostles stayed behind they stuck it out there in Jerusalem now I want to look quick at the two examples I actually thought we were going to be further along than we are I apologize but notice the examples verses 2 & 3 and devout men carried Stephen to his burial and made great lamentation over him I don't think that's simply a statement to tell us the disposition of the body of dead Stephen I think it's a reminder I think it exacerbates I think it highlights I think it shows how serious the great persecution is devout men believers in Jesus Christ are carrying away the body of Stephen a man filled with the Holy Spirit a man who who takes Israel's history and scripture and biblically theologically weaves together a defense before the council which shows that he himself is not guilty of their false charges but does show that they are guilty of having violated the law of Moses and the very concept of the temple in their rejection of Jesus Christ I mean Stephen is a champ and these men are carrying them off to bury him they're making great lamentation what kind of great persecution was it well there's those men carrying the body of our holy brother Stephen to bury him in the ground that's what this persecution looked like and then in verse 3 we're given more of a glimpse into the life of this Salih Tarsus we've already met him in 8:1 a salt was consenting to his death Saul was consenting to the murder of Stephen Saul was consenting to the execution of Stephen and then in verse 3 as for Saul he made havoc of the church entering every house dragging off men and women committing them to prison the verb make have it means to cause harm to injure damage spoil ruined destroy eradicate decimate Paul tried to liquidate the Church of Jesus Christ again he saw there was no compromise there's no median position there's no a little bit of Judaism and a little bit of Christianity Paul saw or Saul saw Christianity as a threat to the religious life of Israel and for Saul the response was to make havoc upon the church to try and destroy the church to try and liquidate exterminate and eradicate the church to rid ourselves of this this vile thing called the church it gives a concrete expression of how Saul of Tarsus does this in verse 3 he entered every house and he dragged off men and women committing them to prison the verb there dragged off means dragged off he put his hands on women I think the the reference to end women there if Saul told Luke to incorporate a eight one a he certainly told Luke to incorporate this stuff as well I mean it's bad for a man to lay his hands on a man and drag him off to prison for no good reason but a man did to lay his hands on a woman and drag her off to prison for no good reason what would you think man if Saul of Tarsus did that your wife you'd want to punch him out you'd want to exterminate him you'd want to make havoc on his face because that's a terrible thing that he did you see brethren what is happening here this chief persecutor of the church becomes the the chief apostle so that when we see great persecution break out we don't lose it we don't freak out we don't jump ship we don't abandon the faith we realize Christ is in control the Christ can make straight things out of crooked things and Christ does that and the conversion of Saul of Tarsus he goes from going into houses dragging men off men and women off and putting him into prison to being a man who goes from house to house and with tears testifies concerning the gospel of Jesus Christ so as I said with reference to the god haters bring it on I don't mean that you know let's open the door and let machineguns come and get us but if they bring it on Christ will have dominion he can't be stopped he can't be thwarted it can't be resisted isn't this Nebu Katniss's great confession in daniel 4 who can say what do is now who can stop the hand of God Almighty all the nations are like a drop of water in a bucket the Lord God most high rains and in our text we see great persecution we see it exemplified in this Saul of Tarsus and lo and behold the chapter later we don't have to wait for 5 10 15 chapters the next chapter Saul of Tarsus is called out of darkness and the marvelous light the Lord Christ says he must suffer many things from my namesake and Saul of Tarsus does this and he goes out and he puts more miles on his feet than we do on our cars in the extension of the kingdom of Jesus Christ our Lord that's how Christ works in the midst of great persecution to bring about glorious wondrous things Paul reflects on this Luke reflects on this and then Paul does I just want to give you these verses notice an Acts chapter excuse me Acts chapter 9 Acts chapter 9 before conversion before salvation before he actually comes to oh Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior look at verses 1 & 2 then saw still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogue's of Damascus so that if he found any who were of the way whether men or women he might bring them bound to Jerusalem this was in his DNA to be a zealot wasn't it praise God the Lord saves him and sanctifies that zeal and turns it in the right direction Pro Christ see Saul of Tarsus was the kind of guy that actually went to the high priest and said can you give me a warrant so that if I need any believers I can arrest them and take them off to jail they were only all too happy with that sure here here you go here you go at it you use that zero you use that native zeal you you stomp out the cause of Jesus Christ and and his gospel notice in 93 as he journey he came near Damascus and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven then he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to to him Saul Saul why are you persecuting me do you love that so why are you persecuting me remember I pointed out Jesus is the head of the body if you hit me on the head my body suffers when the body is attacked Jesus says you're persecuting me there's a unity that obtains between the head and the body there's a there's a cohesiveness that is there with reference to Jesus and his people so that when his people are persecuted when his people are bombed when his people are slayed when his people are imprisoned he says why are you persecuting me Saul of Tarsus will rehearse this sort of thing later on in the book of Acts notice in Acts chapter 22 Acts chapter 22 now just while you're turning there remember that gam allele was Paul's rabbi and gam allele had the Good Counsel in Acts chapter 5 to the council to basically say leave him alone wasn't that gamma Leal's approach gamma Weill said leave them alone if this is of God it'll prosper if it's not it'll dissipate so so saul of tarsus didn't even take the council the good counts of his own professor of his own rabbi rabbi of his own sensei if I could use that language he doesn't take it he is more zealous to try and exterminate the very church notice in acts 22 for I persecuted this way to the death binding and delivering into prisons both men and women as also the high priest bears me witness and all the Council of the elders from whom I also received letters to the Brethren and went to Damascus to bring in Chains even those who were there to it there to Jerusalem to be punished notice in 26 nine-to-eleven 26 9 indeed I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth this I also did in Jerusalem and many of the Saints I shut up in prison having received authority from the chief priests and when they were put to death I cast my vote against them and I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme and being exceedingly enraged against them I persecuted them even to foreign city see when we get this snapshot in 8:1 b-24 luke doesn't amplify and tell us all the particulars you get that later from Saul's own mouth he was viciously opposed to the church he wasn't just you know debating with Christians he wasn't just trying to silence or best M&E in the arena of idea he is compelling them to blaspheme he is arresting them he is taking them to be punished he reflects upon this in his own writings notice in 1st Corinthians 15 1st Corinthians 15 again just fleshing out for us what this great persecution looked like in acts 8 1st Corinthians 15 9 for I am the least of the Apostles so I'm not worthy to be called an apostle because I persecuted the Church of God it's just amazing Galatians 1 13 and 14 Galatians 1:13 for you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism how I persecuted the Church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it and I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my father's Galatians 1:23 but they were hearing only hee who formally he who formally persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy Philippians 3 verse 6 his religious resume prior to his conversion to Jesus Christ Philippians 3 6 concerning zeal persecuting the church concerning the righteousness which is in the law blameless and of course first Timothy chapter 1 first Timothy 1:12 and I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me because he counted me faithful putting me into the ministry although I was formerly a blasphemer a persecutor and an insolent man but obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief and the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance that Christ Jesus came in the world to save sinners of whom I am chief now brethren kind of bring this back to Acts chapter 8 we can't ever for a moment abandon our Calvinism when persecution comes Oh what shall we do now there's hardships in our midst what we should do is wait upon Jesus and see how he is going to turn things around for his glory and for the good of his people it may not happen immediately it may not happen in our lifetime but happen it will according to the Psalter according to the prophets according to the New Testament documents he has all authority he has been given the nation's he has told his disciples to go and make disciples of them he has promised his presence with his people while they're in the activity engaged they have the confidence that as they do what he calls them to do he is there present with them in the midst of the doing of it it's a beautiful concept persecution doesn't destroy the church more often than not persecution advances the church it's a tough concept because we don't like it it's a tough concept because if I was Paul and God said I want you to go their own you know Rome the city of Rome I would have opted for a luxury liner I'd want one of those Bible cruises but often thought that's suffering for Jesus isn't it we're gonna want our Bible cruise we're gonna eat you know midnight buffets and study study oh the suffering saints in the book of Acts forward eaten lobster you know these Bible cruises for that's how I'd want to go to Rome I'm not gonna lie to you if you ask me how would you want to go to Rome do you want to be arrested almost murdered and put on a boat that almost sinks or would you like to go on this luxury liner and eat midnight buffet well I'll take the ladder thank you very much I mean if given my druthers I'd want lobster along with my Bible study one man was once asked would you rather have Jesus or silver he said I want Jesus and silver and if you're asking right if you're asking my opinion but what does God do to get Paul the Apostle to Rome it's not a luxury liner you only read those chapters and you know 26 full 2728 was this long journey do we realize what Paul went through to realize what he adored he see in one sense practically speaking how the tables were turned in that man's life he made havoc upon the church he went into people's houses he dragged off men and women his life was somewhat miserable in terms of temporality from then on he didn't have the life of luxury he didn't have you know lobster at the midnight buffet before he spoke the Bible truth the next day he had it rough brethren and Jesus said he would have it rough when he calls him and saves him in Acts chapter 9 I'm gonna show him how many things he must suffer for my name you ever see that in Paul saying oh this is terrible he doesn't complain here's a wine he doesn't moan he doesn't grumble he's the kind of man that the church needs not just males but men that are committed to God and truth now finally quickly very quickly I don't want to keep you past 12:30 the consequence of the persecution is clearly spelled out in verse four my Bible puts a mark or break between three and four I don't think that's good I think we ought to read verse four with verses 1 B 2 3 verse 4 tells us therefore those who were scattered when everywhere preaching the word they were just scattered from Jerusalem to find a better place where there wasn't any persecution but they were scattered and they preached the word see that's the end game that's the rub that's the emphasis they were together in Jerusalem this persecution comes now they're scattered and when they're scattered they go to Judea Samaria and to the uttermost parts of the earth not so they can find a place where there's a nice golf course and Bible cruises but they go to these places so that they can preach the word then we get to Acts chapter 8 5 and following and we get one more of the 7 remember the seven that were chosen by the church in Acts chapter 6 Stephen was one of them he gets chapter 7 Philip is one of them he gets chapter 8 and it's Philip who is the spearhead to take the gospel into Samaria that second leg of the mission given by Jesus to the church you'll witness to me Jerusalem Judea Samaria and then to the uttermost parts of the earth that's how the book of Acts unfolds 1 2 7 Jerusalem roughly 7 to 12 Judea Samaria and then 13 to 28 uttermost parts of the earth in the call of Saul of Tarsus he becomes the Apostle Paul the chief apostle to the Gentiles so he takes that gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth it really is a beautiful display of the power of Jesus Christ see if if you just read Acts and you forget about God you forget about the Spirit you forget about purpose you forget about mission it's sort of a ragtag collection the stories of weird things that happen to a group of people but that's not what it is it's Christ building his church it's Christ displaying his power from the right hand of the Father it is Christ carrying out through the agency of the Spirit and his men that mission given by him in Acts chapter 1 verse 8 Christ euzeth the rage of his enemies to the spreading forth and enlarging of his kingdom I think the Geneva Bible nails the section with that com John Calvin in an exhortation to us says therefore if we desire to be counted their brethren let us prick forward ourselves so diligently that no fear or bitterness of cross discourage us but that we go forward and showing forth the profession of faith and that we never be weary of furthering the doctrine of Christ for it is an absurd thing that exile in flight which are the first exercises of martyrdom should make us dumb and faint-hearted what's he saying don't fear that stuff that's the means by which Christ extends his kingdom they are not to promote dumbness or faintheartedness on the parts of God's people God's people according to Paul in 1st Corinthians 16 are supposed to act like men they're supposed to be good soldiers of the cross of Jesus Christ they're supposed to realize that they've enlisted in a glorious army that there is a promise and an assurance of victory we're not to whine grumble complain or usurp the authority but rather we're supposed to to toe the line lockstep Word of God in hand prayers in our hearts corporate worship to feed our souls and the ministry that Christ has given to us to fulfill that's the point and that's what we need to take away well brethren I've had several other things off maybe save them for next week or another day but I do want to close on this note they were preaching the word if you have not believed the gospel the word that is in view here is the word concerning Jesus it is the word about Christ see it's not just you know a religious dimension or you know a novelty in terms of well this is the one thing that Christianity has and it's Christ he's the summon substance as we studied last in the last hour that quoted from Herman bhave he says that Christ or Christology the doctrine of Christ is not foundational to Christianity but it is certainly central it's like all roads lead to Christology inscriptions all theology leads to Christ that's the uniqueness of our religion the uniqueness of our religion isn't that we show up to church it isn't that we homeschool our children it isn't that we use discipline on our children it isn't you know we say prayers before we eat all that stuff may be unique and it may be wonderful in a day and age in which we live the uniqueness of our religion is the Christ the uniqueness of our religion is that the second person of the Trinity took on our humanity and the second person of the Trinity having taken on our humanity subjects himself to the father's law and carries it out perfectly and that he obeys God for us and that he goes to the cross and dies for us such that when he's raised from the dead all of the benefits associated with that work are given freely by God's grace and we received them by faith alone that's the uniqueness of Christianity it's a redemptive religion it's a buyback religion we were dead in our trespasses and sin we were in the slave market of sin and God through the blood of Jesus bought us saved us secured us reconciled us redeemed us that's the uniqueness if you have not believed that unique word I encourage you that you come that you believe that you see the emphasis and the importance that God places upon this message of the cross and that is for his glory but it's also for the good of your soul well let us close in a word of Prayer father we thank you for your word we thank you for the truth as it is in Jesus we thank you for ax8 and the reality that even in the midst of great persecution Christ is doing great things and that that mission that has gone from Jerusalem goes now to Judea Samaria and we'll go in the call of Saul of Tarsus to the uttermost parts of the earth god help us to see and help us to be encouraged and help us to be thrilled by your power by your sovereignty by your majesty at work in the world of men and Lord may it not be the case that we fret that the church will be overcome that we fret that the the Muslims or the atheists or the secularists will win but may we know that Christ will have Dominion from sea to sea may we know that the knowledge of Yahweh will cover the as the waters cover the sea and may these things steal us may they encourage us and may they help us to do those things that you call us to do in this world namely to shine as lights in a crooked and perverse generation and to hold forth the word of truth thank you for this church I thank you for my brothers and my sisters here and I pray that we would know your nearness and your goodness and your kindness to us and we ask in Jesus name Amen well we'll close by singing hymn number 564 hymn number 564 we'll stand as we sing praise to God [Music] to the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all amen father help us to sanctify the day help us to enjoy the day to enjoy the fellowship of the saints to encourage one another and God give us grace to bring glory honor and praise to such a wonderful God Father Son and Holy Spirit who has saved his people from their sins go with us we pray in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ amen please be seated for brief you