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Good Prevails
Psalms 107:33 - 43/Acts 8:1- 4
In our New Testament text we are given the example that despite persecution we must not give up as it could be the
means that God uses to promote His work elsewhere. Wherever the established believer is driven, they carry the knowledge of
the gospel, and have the opportunity to share the preciousness of Christ in every place. When a simple desire of doing good
influences the heart, it will be found impossible to shut a person out from all opportunities of usefulness.
In the book of Acts, we find
that the enemies of the disciples had tried and exhausted all the ordinary methods of opposing the truth. Under the leadership
of the Sadducees they had threatened, imprisoned, and given beatings. They were about to follow this with the death of the
twelve, when the more tolerant counsels of the Pharisees prevailed leading to discussion with the people.
But the cause which had prospered under the imprisonment and scourging of its chief advocates continued
forward with astonishing speed when the strength of its plea was brought before the people in open discussion.
We learn that the opponents were astonished and unconvinced. Foiled in their efforts to win the people and stop the
spread of the gospel, the Pharisees readily united with the Sadducees in a common persecution.
They selected Stephen as the first victim, because he had been their most formidable opponent in the discussion.
They had determined to proceed in their bloody purpose with the forms of law; but, in a moment of frenzy, they had broken
loose from all restraint, and dispatched their victim with the violence of a mob. Once united in this mad intent, nothing
less than the utter extermination of the Church could satisfy them.
The grief of a community at the loss of a good man is more intense when he falls in the performance of
his duty. But it is most intense when death, at such a moment, is precipitated by injustice and violence. It is not surprising,
therefore, that the burial of Stephen would have been attended with "great lamentation." The perilous condition
of the congregation -- some of whom were being hourly cast into prison, and most of whom were contemplating
flight -- could but deepen their grief.
The funeral services were soon followed by a general dispersion of the disciples. With much regret and sadness of heart,
they left behind them their native city and their individual homes, to seek refuge among strangers. But their plight and loss must have been slight, to the truly devoted among them, when compared with the disappointment
of their brightening hopes concerning the speedy triumph of the gospel.
Just take a moment to reflect and imagine the disappointment of the twelve, at suddenly finding themselves left alone
in the great city, the congregation of many thousands of disciples whom they had collected -- all scattered and gone! What
must they have thought as they watched their brethren fleeing for their lives, and of the many already languishing in prison,
surely they would have feared for their own lives in the light of their imminent danger. But, supposing that the time for
which Jesus had limited their stay in Jerusalem had not yet expired, they courageously stood at their post, regardless of
consequences.
The present distress and flight of the disciples had resulted, not from the mere fact that they believed
in Jesus, but more especially from the zeal and persistency with which they promoted His claims upon the attention of others.
Seeing that they had now lost everything, you would be right to think that they would have become less pro-active in the witness
of their faith. Even in the interests of the cause itself, which had been jeopardized by the boldness with which Stephen had
fervently attacked the arguments of the prevailing religious elite, you would think that by worldly wisdom, they would
have favoured a change of policy.
But unlike later ages, it did not discourage the heroic hearts of the early disciples. On the contrary,
the scattered disciples "went everywhere preaching the word." The result was the rapid spread of the gospel
into the cities of Judea, and even into Samaria.
Thus, the apparent ruin of the single Church in Jerusalem resulted in the springing up of many Churches
throughout the province--proving, for the thousandth time in the world's history, how impotent the hand of man is when
fighting against God. As the blows of the blacksmith's hammer upon the heated iron scatter the scintillations in every
direction, so the effort of wicked Jews to crush the Church of Christ only scattered its light more widely abroad.
In the Psalms we are shown that: Surprising changes are often made
in the affairs of humanity! If we look abroad in the world, we see many countries have greatly increased, despite their small
beginnings and other mighty nations have lost their former glory.
God has many ways of humbling people, the mighty are brought down to size and the righteous are given occasion
to rejoice. In this way it shall fully convince all those who deny the Divine Providence. When sinners see how justly God
takes away the gifts they have abused, they will not have a word to say. It is of great use to us to be fully assured of God's
goodness, and duly affected with it. A truly wise person will treasure in his heart this delightful psalm. From it, he will
fully understand the weakness and wretchedness of man, and the power and loving-kindness of God, not for our merit, but for
his mercy's sake.
So I conclude
with the question: How did the New Testament church grow? The book of Acts explains – through persecution.
It’s the bad times, not just the good ones that cause us to grow. Sometimes those who attack
us are agents of the Lord, without knowing it. God uses them to get us to where we need to be, then, like
Joseph, we look back years later and say, ‘You meant it for evil but God meant it for good’. So
remember that in all circumstances God’s good will prevail.
Amen
and Amen.
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