WHEN GOD THROWS A CURVEBALL (10 OF 18)
by Tim Badal
Scripture: Acts 8:1-8, Acts 8:26-40
This content is part of a series.
When God Throws a Curveball (10 of 18)
Series: Unfinished - Acts
Tim Badal
Acts 8:1-8; 26-40
Luke is writing this book called Acts to record the history of the early church. These were the years after Jesus' earthly ministry; after His death, burial, resurrection and ascension into heaven. We might ask what people did after Christ was no longer with them. We learn that they've been fulfilling the commands and commission Jesus had given them before He left. He had told them, ''I want you to be My witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the uttermost parts of the world.''
So far they could say, ''Jerusalem-check.'' Tens of thousands of people had come to know Jesus. In the countryside in Judea, they had seen large numbers of disciples commit their lives to Jesus. So that could be checked off the list as well. But then they still had Samaria and the uttermost parts of the world yet to reach.
Overall the church had experienced a great deal of peace and productivity in ministry-until the passage we looked at last week. Stephen, a disciple of Christ but not one of the original apostles, was out preaching and teaching in Jerusalem when people began to dislike what they were hearing from him. As Stephen continued to preach the message of Christ boldly, the religious establishment said, ''We don't want to hear anything more.''
They became so angry they picked up rocks and stoned him, until eventually Stephen died. As a result, the church no longer was secure in Jerusalem. No longer did others respect the people of Christ and the way of Christianity. Now the church became Public Enemy #1.
I'm titling this message, ''When God Throws a Curveball.'' What are you going to do when you're surprised by what God calls you into? We'll see how the early church responded to a couple curveballs that came their way. And because we too will experience curveballs, how are we to respond when our comfort zones are removed? Let's read our passage, beginning in Acts 8, ...
Series: Unfinished - Acts
Tim Badal
Acts 8:1-8; 26-40
Luke is writing this book called Acts to record the history of the early church. These were the years after Jesus' earthly ministry; after His death, burial, resurrection and ascension into heaven. We might ask what people did after Christ was no longer with them. We learn that they've been fulfilling the commands and commission Jesus had given them before He left. He had told them, ''I want you to be My witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the uttermost parts of the world.''
So far they could say, ''Jerusalem-check.'' Tens of thousands of people had come to know Jesus. In the countryside in Judea, they had seen large numbers of disciples commit their lives to Jesus. So that could be checked off the list as well. But then they still had Samaria and the uttermost parts of the world yet to reach.
Overall the church had experienced a great deal of peace and productivity in ministry-until the passage we looked at last week. Stephen, a disciple of Christ but not one of the original apostles, was out preaching and teaching in Jerusalem when people began to dislike what they were hearing from him. As Stephen continued to preach the message of Christ boldly, the religious establishment said, ''We don't want to hear anything more.''
They became so angry they picked up rocks and stoned him, until eventually Stephen died. As a result, the church no longer was secure in Jerusalem. No longer did others respect the people of Christ and the way of Christianity. Now the church became Public Enemy #1.
I'm titling this message, ''When God Throws a Curveball.'' What are you going to do when you're surprised by what God calls you into? We'll see how the early church responded to a couple curveballs that came their way. And because we too will experience curveballs, how are we to respond when our comfort zones are removed? Let's read our passage, beginning in Acts 8, ...
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