“On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem and all except the apostles were scattered throughout
Jerusalem and Samaria.” (Acts 8:1 NIV)
We stepped int an Acts series at our new church yesterday. They’ve been working their way through the history of the early church all summer long and now into the fall. The sermon spent considerable time discussing persecution and potential disguised in it. Our preacher pointed out how hard it is to see the big picture amidst the very personal nature of persecution. She also reminded us that the Kingdom cause is always greater than our own cause. I could see it as an equation: a math fact easily stated in black and white.
So simple and yet so difficult to live out in flesh and blood.
I remember the teaching on chapter 8 in my Acts class years ago. The persecution of the church took the church from little local growth to exponential international grown. The teacher related it to jam on glass: sweet but confined to one dollop. Persecution acts as a second glass against the jam, spreading it far and wide as the pressure increased. Persecution pushed the gospel message out from Jerusalem into the world.
As a result of that class, I have purposed to appreciate such external pressure in my own life. I am convinced that persecution accomplishes more for the Kingdom than we realize within the limited sight of our own stories.
A city in Samaria received Philip as a result of the pressure that pushed him from Jerusalem. Previously, Philip had been a part of the food pantry ministry, but once displaced in a foreign country, he found himself as an itinerate preacher: a powerful one at that. Signs and wonders followed. Healings and dispossessions happened. Philip found himself more interested in the Kingdom cause than his own comfort. And the Samaritans knew great joy as a result of his commitment.
“So there was great joy in that city.” (Acts 8:8 NIV)
Philip suffered displacement among other personal traumas yet he persevered. What a testimony to us as Christ followers! May we, also, lift our eyes from our own story and pay greatest attention to Kingdom cause. May we lock in on the big picture and trust God to redeem all things for His glory. May we relinquish ourselves to the squishing that accompanies our surrender to Christ.
Lord, persecution makes us bristle, but we can see how You’ve historically used it to expand Your territory and ignite Your message. We long to do big things for You, so please help us keep our eyes on the big picture. Help us remember these bodies are temporary and fragile, but the future You are assembling is forever. May we put all our hope in that truth, even amidst the uncomfortable or unwanted. May we be willing to be squished for Kingdom’s sake. Amen.