Acts 8:1-4 Persecution

Acts 8:1-4 Persecution and scattering of the church. The trial and execution of Stephen appears to have emboldened the enemies of the church. Saul specifically began dragging men and women off to prison. Some of the members of the church moved to other cities, scattering but continuing to bring the news of Jesus where they went. Is it ironic or fitting that before his conversion, while he was still an enemy of Christ, God used Saul to initiate the spreading of the disciples and the gospel outside Jerusalem.

          We have to wonder what the Romans thought of all this. They were reluctant participants in the execution of Christ, and at that time it seemed that the Sanhedrin complained to Pilate that they did not have the authority for capital punishment. (John 18:31) Now the Sanhedrin had executed Stephen without Roman authorization (or so the account seems to indicate) and they were arresting many others and throwing them in prison. What prison? Did the Jews have their own prison?

          In the modern world, we have become complacent in that tolerance has become politically correct, and generally the law of the land, in most Western countries. Persecution for the sake of Christ seems confined mostly to Islamic, Communist, and some third-world countries. But Jesus had forewarned of persecution and most of church history is one of persecution, if not by the government, then by each other. We have both the promises of and empowerment by Christ, and examples of how to act in these circumstances.

          Jesus said that He came to bring abundant life to whoever would receive Him. (John 10:10) Stephen's life doesn't seem to have been too abundant after he was arrested. Most likely those imprisoned didn't feel they were experiencing abundant life. The problem with these observations is that they pertain to the physical or natural realm. Jesus brought abundant spiritual life - abundance of the presence of God. The Holy Spirit would flow out of one's innermost being like a river of living water. (John 7:38-39) When Stephen died, he went immediately to a heavenly reception in which Jesus was standing at the right hand of God to receive him. There is nothing in imprisonment that can keep us from experiencing the flow of the Holy Spirit, as for example, in Acts 16:25. Paul & Silas were singing worship to God at midnight in prison.