19 Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. 20 Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21 The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. – Acts 11
Quite the weekend here in the United States! Thousands of protesters rioted and looted American cities in hopes of bringing attention to the death of George Floyd as well as the racial oppression faced by black people in America. This, as you know, is an incredibly divisive topic. If you are using social media, you have probably seen hundreds of articles or comments regarding this issue. It is easy to lose hope in a tense world. Good thing we are traveling through the book of Acts because I believe the suffering in Acts gives us hope for a future that booms with new Christ followers.
Just a little background on verse 19, “Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed.” Stephen was the first martyr of the Christian faith. He died because of his belief in Jesus Christ. This sent other Christians scattering for their lives. You may remember this from the book of 1st Peter. In 1st Peter, Christians scattered because they exiled by the government. Here, they scattered because the persecution was truly that dangerous.
These scattered Christians as we see in this story went on to bring “a great number of people” to the Lord. God used a bad thing for a good purpose. No one wanted to leave their home. I am sure they dreamed of having a ministry in their hometown with their family at their side. Rather, they were forced to flee. Yet, this is what Paul says in Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
We need this message in America today. You may have woken up today depressed to realize that your country is not roses and daisies. I know I feel that way about the current state of our country. We must remember that our faith is not placed in people. People fail. Racism is real. Violence is real. Crime is real. The pains we face this afternoon are real. But so is God’s plan. God will use this time of suffering for His purpose. God works all things for the good. Trust His plan.
Mat