Acts-Ac.8:3-8 Gospel outreach-the butterfly effect

As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison./ Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.”

Saul was zealous for his traditions, acquired of his peers and taught by wisdom of men, and he made havoc of the church in which what was the death of Stephen? His reason must have convinced it was a just punishment meted out to one who flouted the Law of Moses and the traditions of their fathers. What lay hidden was the vast changes it would go on bringing about while he was all bustle and on the go. Rather than go into the butterfly effect or chaos theory which is outside the scope of our purpose, it is fair to say it explains how we are constituted. We are tripartite creatures, pull and push of body with the spirit must be resolved sooner or later. Spirit and soul of man are from God but the body, formed of the ground must settle the direction it wants to take. (Amos 3:3). But we move as one. The two in one problem of two worlds, the world of the flesh must collapse at death while the world of the Spirit envelops all as God, a Spirit is the Lord God.

In the outpouring of the Spirit the risen Christ serves us from heaven. The council sitting in Jerusalem merely threw their weight causing a ripple effect in the church. But they had no clue as to the determinate will of the Lord God so whatsoever that their sound and fury amounted to nothing. “And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.”(8:1)

The Spirit gives us a background where chaos is all over with believers harried by enemies to Christ ans in vv.3-8 we read that the Spirit led Evangelist Philip to Samaria, “Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.”

And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.

For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.

And there was great joy in that city..

In the following passage we shall see how the encounter between him and the Ethiopian eunuch took place. The Spirit works only on the need-to know basis. As an example we see how the Spirit prompted King David to bring the Ark of the testimony

What happened to Uzziah while the ark was being carried across upset the king. “David was afraid of the Lord that day and said, “How can the ark of the Lord ever come to me?” 10 He was not willing to take the ark of the Lord to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. 11 The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the Lord blessed him and his entire household.

12 Now King David was told, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God.” So David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing.” (2 Sa.6:9-12-NIV) This is how the word of God has worked piecemeal raising people or events to further the gospel outreach. The risen Christ commanded the apostles to remain in Jerusalem as a testimony to the nation of Israel.

While the words spoken by Joel had to be fulfilled the gospel had to move beyond Jerusalem and Samaria and into the Gentile nations. All these are done, unstoppable chain of events, revealing only on the need to know basis so there is perfect agreement between God and man.

About bennythomas

I am a Dutch citizen. An architect by profession I am married and have six grandchildren. I am still keen on expressing myself and each day is new and an occasion where I might bring out from within something worthwhile.
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