“You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth (Acts 1:8).”

As we come to Acts chapter 8, we see what Satan intended for evil and to hinder, God intended for good and to spread the good news out from Jerusalem and Judea. The persecution that breaks out upon the early church after Stephen is stoned to death is like water on a grease fire.

“Those who were scattered went about preaching the word (Acts 8:4).”

In chapter 8 we will see two examples of this preaching through Philip the Evangelist (as he comes to be called in Acts 21:8). First the Spirit brings revival to an entire Samaritan city and then sends Philip on a divine encounter with an Ethiopian eunuch on a dry, desert road running out of Jerusalem toward the ends of the earth. Each is a beautiful picture of the seeking and saving heart of Christ for those on the margins

Kenny Clark will be preaching Acts 8:4-40 this Sunday and Cole Jones will be leading our sung worship. Would you take some time this week to read the passage and pray for each as they prepare? And let’s continue to pray that the Lord would fill us with a Spirit-empowered boldness to preach the word wherever we have been scattered.

See you Sunday, Grace. Come hungry!