Acts 8:1-8

Persecution leads to joy

You may have heard the phrase "The Lord works in mysterious ways". In this case, that is very true. God worked out of one of the most damaging events in the early church to bring about joy to many. How did they get from persecution to joy?

God's people kept speaking

The persecution in Jerusalem didn't silence the Christians; Instead they simply took their message elsewhere! This was the start of the mission Jesus gave them: to go to Judea, then Samaria, then the ends of the Earth. That mission went wherever ordinary Christians went.

God provided people to hear

When Philip went to Samaria, God's Spirit drew people to come and hear him speak. It might be hard to believe that today people will listen to us, but God can make every heart soft and interested in what He has to say to it.

God gave signs that could not be ignored

On top of Philip's preaching, he performed signs. These are very powerful tools to persuade people that what God has to say is real. But it's not always like that; God often uses the signs of ordinary Christians living distinct lives to turn people's heads.

So how can we bring joy through even the worst persecution? Keep talking, find people who listen, and keep living distinctively.