Acts #22 - By Means Unexpected

Acts 8:1b-8 (NIV)
Read by: Derekah Kingery

What do you do when God begins to do what He said He’d do, but in a way that costs you more and is more difficult than you anticipated?

So far in the Book of Acts, Luke has carried us from his Gospel narrative into the life of the early Church. Jesus’ followers have received the Holy Spirit, begun to gather and share their lives, they have begun to teach and heal and defend the faith, and scores of Jewish people are turning to Jesus. They are gathering Jews from the diaspora, so much so that they had to appoint new leaders to handle equitable food distribution. One of those leaders has just called out the Jewish establishment and they killed him for it.

And if you’ve been listening from the beginning you can’t help shake the words of Jesus to his disciples, “you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, judea, samaria and to the end of the earth.” How is that actually supposed to happen? There are widows to feed, people being lined up in the streets to be healed, and now they’ve killed a leader that we just appointed?

Sometimes, God accomplishes his purposes by means that are unexpected. In today’s passage, it’s in the midst of severe persecution.

----------REFLECT----------

1. What part of this passage struck you the most?

2. As you think about this new Jesus community being persecuted and scattered, what are the things in the first 8 chapters of Acts that keep them following Jesus. Think back and imagine what you would have needed to continue to follow Jesus amidst such harsh persecution.

3. As a result of persecution, a Jewish man ends up going to Samaria, and there preached the good news of King Jesus, cast out demons, and healed many. This might have been unimaginable before the persecution began. What about your life? Is there a way that difficulties and struggle, or even persecution would direct your life to a place where you may not want to go, but could be used profoundly by Jesus?

----------GO DEEPER----------

Bible Project: Acts 1-12 Overview >>

InterVarsity Press Selections: Acts >>

----------CONNECT----------

Find an InterVarsity Chapter >>
Start an InterVarsity Chapter >>
Learn More >>