Last week, in our journey through the Book of Acts, we saw the Jerusalem congregation finally going out to spread the good news beyond Jerusalem. The deacon Philip started a congregation in Samaria, then baptized an Ethiopian, who in turn took the good news to Africa. Other believers traveled as far north as Damascus, in Syria, and began a group there. All that sounds great; it was what Jesus commanded. Unfortunately, the only reason the comfortable Jerusalem-based believers finally branched out was that they were driven out by persecution. First, the crowds stoned Stephen the deacon, which convinced the priestly council that they could use harsh methods to suppress the Jesus followers. A rabbinical student from Tarsus, named Saul, who had assisted at the stoning of Stephen, began leading gangs of temple guards house to house, dragging any Jesus people he found off to prison.
Sermon Notes