Tuesday,
January 14, 2020
A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria…. But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went. Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about the Messiah. Crowds listened intently to Philip because they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did. Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed. So there was great joy in that city. A man named Simon had been a sorcerer there for many years, amazing the people of Samaria and claiming to be someone great. Everyone, from the least to the greatest, often spoke of him as “the Great One—the Power of God.” They listened closely to him because for a long time he had astounded them with his magic. But now the people believed Philip’s message of Good News concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. As a result, many men and women were baptized. Then Simon himself believed and was baptized. He began following Philip wherever he went, and he was amazed by the signs and great miracles Philip performed. Acts 8:1b, 4-13
It’s worth a look to notice that the clergy
were left behind in Jerusalem when the great persecution happened. Some would perceive the laity were afraid and
ran. Others (perhaps more discerning) might
see the way God does things, turning just about whatever is in sight on its’
ear…upside down. Or, in this case, God
turned things right-side-up! God doesn’t
make mistakes!
Philip was not a preacher, but God used
him to get parts 2 and 3 of the Great Commission[2]
started. Jesus gave His disciples these marching
orders just as He was about to ascend back to the Father in
Heaven. They would be his witnesses,
first in Jerusalem, then Judea and Samaria, and part 4 would be an extension of
His Gospel to the ends of the earth.[3]
But why (we always
ask why) – why use the
followers? Isn’t that a job for the
leaders? I suppose the simplest answer
is yes – but only if you’re not planning to turn the world
upside down. And, therein is the rub;
God always turns things upside-down.
Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. 1 Corinthians 1:27
You expect to hear the religious stuff
from the professionals, but that’s not what God wanted spread throughout the
world with the souls of untold millions at stake. What he wanted was the pure, unadulterated
truth about Jesus, backed up by the lives of those who willingly chose to put
everything at risk to follow Christ. The
clergy (Apostles, if you will) set the stage in sharing
from the religious base of Jerusalem; it was the laity who took the message and
ran with it.
If you think its tough living today as a Christian in a world seemingly
gone mad with unbelief and violence, you’re right; it is hard. But God is up to something in our day. Something is happening, and just maybe it
will not be the religious professionals who change things, who turn this upside-down
world right-side-up!
Go to VIDEO
[2] Matthew 28:19-20
[3] Acts
1:8
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