It was time for the apostles to take the Gospel beyond Judea into Samaria, and eventually into the ends of the earth. Now that the disciples had seen the risen Lord and received power through the Holy Spirit, they couldn’t stop from sharing the Good News. God began to grow His church. It was not long before the Jewish rulers had had enough and Jesus’ warning to the disciples concerning future persecution came to fruition: “They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God” (John 16:2 NASB). Do you think these words were on the apostles mind during Stephen’s stoning as Saul the Pharisee stood by approvingly?
Focus texts:
This series is based on Ken’s coauthored book (with John Alan Turner), The 52 Greatest Stories of the Bible. Purchase here. [vector_icon icon=”fas fa-arrow-circle-right” color=”#dd9933″]
