Empowered Witnesses: Spreading the Gospel Amidst Opposition

The eighth chapter of the book of The Acts of the Apostles is a particularly interesting chapter because it records a kind of new departure in the life of the early the infant Christian Church. Up until this point, the church had been confined to the city of Jerusalem. That, of course, was inevitable because the Holy Spirit had descended on those people in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. [00:01:52]

The Christians were a very small group of people, as you know. They were really just a handful of people, and there surrounding them were many that were bitterly opposed to them. The Jews, they hated our Lord and were mainly responsible for his crucifixion, and the Gentiles, the Romans, and others were all opposed to the gospel. [00:04:01]

There were three main factors. The first was the preaching of the Apostles. We've had an account of that in the previous chapters. That must always come first. Nothing can ever replace preaching. It is God's chosen method. He raises up men, he gives them abilities and powers, he gives them the message, he puts his Spirit upon them. [00:06:40]

The second great factor in the spread of the gospel and the extension of the church, the answer is that it was persecution. This is the most amazing thing. At that time, we are told in the first verse there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem, and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria. [00:08:29]

Persecution has often been used by God to further his own purposes. Even the imprisonment of Paul opens up the possibility of the presentation of the Gospel in the Imperial Palace. In other words, for me to sum it up, we can put it like this as a psalmist puts it so perfectly: verily the wrath of men shall praise thee. [00:13:06]

The witness and the testimony of these people, these ordinary members of the Christian Church, therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word. Who were they? Well, we've already been told they were the members of the church in Jerusalem apart from the apostles. [00:15:11]

These people were enlightened by the Spirit. They began to read the scriptures, they began to see the fallacy of the teaching of the Roman Catholic church, and they began to meet together in little groups in their homes and houses to study the scriptures and to pray together. [00:19:37]

The scriptures are very particular, and they're very careful. They remind us that they went everywhere preaching the word. Why do I emphasize this? Well, for this very important reason: if we don't do the same as these people but simply talk about ourselves and our experiences, we shall not be able to withstand the opposition to the Christian faith. [00:22:29]

The Christian message is a very definite message, and I want to emphasize this at the present time. You know, the common idea today is this: that you can't really define the Christian message, but all that matters is that we should be Christians, that we all should be out to do good. [00:29:27]

The gospel is essentially simple. I must also add that at the same time, the gospel is so great, so marvelous, so glorious that the greatest intellect in the world cannot comprehend it. It's the mystery of God, the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom which none of the princes of this world knew. [00:35:10]

They went everywhere talking about this word because, as we put it, they were full of it. You know, people always talk about what they're interested in. Now, it's not difficult to imagine what's going to be the conversation in most homes in this country tonight. I can tell you now it'll be about one of two things. [00:39:39]

There's only one answer to this: it is to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Did you notice the subsequent reading how Philip, having preached in Samaria, these people believed his preaching, became Christians, and he baptized them, and they were added to the church? But we are told that though they believed and had been baptized, they still had not received this baptism with the spirit. [00:46:09]