FROM THE ASHES
Opening Prayer
Thank You, my Lord, for Your unending love for me.
Read Acts 8:1b–8
8 And Saul approved of their killing him.
The Church Persecuted and Scattered
On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2 Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 3 But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.
Philip in Samaria
4 Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. 5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. 6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city.
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
‘Taste and see that the Lord is good’ (Psalm 34:8). What evidence do you have of the Lord’s goodness in this season of life?Today we are taken from the depths to the heights in a few short verses. Stephen was hugely influential and much loved by the early believers. His murder catalyzed a new level of violence in the opposition they faced. Those who were not arrested fled (1). Again, we might have expected the fledgling movement to fizzle out at this juncture.
But no. Like a dandelion in a gust of wind, the scattering of disciples seeded a whole new group of believers. Where the Messiah was proclaimed, there were signs and wonders and people paid attention (6). Philip, rather than keeping a low profile in Samaria, arrived and got the whole city talking.
What are the challenges your church faces? Perhaps you have dwindling numbers of young people, tight finances, division over controversial issues or a hole in the roof. Perhaps you haven’t seen anyone come to faith in recent times, or your leader has had a moral failing. There are so many reasons we could lose heart. But the church is God’s church and in the very worst of times there is always a way through for us.
Apply
Maybe you feel like there is nothing you can do to help in the difficult situations in your church – but you can pray! And you can encourage others in the Lord.
Closing prayer
Jesus, I pray for my church, Your body, today. May the challenges we face become opportunities for growth.
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