And the Bible says in Acts 8:3 that, “.he made havock of the church, entering into houses and dragging people out and committing them to prison, both men and women.” And so the persecution was wholesale and widespread. And so persecution resulted in preaching.Īnd we saw last time how the persecution was really ramrodded by a man named Saul, who later became the apostle Paul. The persecution resulted in the scattering of believers and wherever they went they bore the gospel. As the church filled Jerusalem with its doctrine it aroused the hatred of the Jewish leaders who in turn persecuted the church. And it is moving out in response to persecution. It filled Jerusalem with its doctrine and now it begins to move out.
The church was born, as we’ve seen in our study of Acts over the past few months, in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. The church bursts forth out of its solitary Jewishness and its identity with Jerusalem to reach the world.Īnd we see that in chapter 8.
Last week we began our study of the eighth chapter, which is a very important chapter in the book of Acts because it records for us the first great missionary move of the new church. Turn in your bible to the eighth chapter of Acts, and we’re going to consider these verses this morning that deal with Simon the Sorcerer who illustrates faith that does not save – faith that does not save. Not only do we sense that from the song but even from our scripture lesson this morning when we see a man who looks so good on the outside, but when the truth was known the inside was not right with Thee.įather, may nobody in this place leave today who is not right with Thee in their hearts. Father, we thank You that it is true that man looketh on the outward appearance, and God looks on the heart.