Persecution Brings Church Growth

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: Acts 11:19-30

 

Acts 5:41-42

So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. ⁴² And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

(NKJV)

 

The Bible reminds us that fear is not from God in 2 Timothy 1:7. However, out of fear, many Christians fail to share their faith, fearing persecution. This persecution may come in the hard form of threats to life, injury, or property, or a soft persecution leading to loss of friendship or relationship. Jesus commanded us three times to share our faith with others (Acts 1:8; Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20), so we must not allow fear to prevent us from obeying this command from our Lord.

 

After the martyrdom of Stephen, many disciples scattered, traveling to Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word as they went, but to Jews only (Acts 11:19). However, some of the men were from Cyprus and Cyrene who went to Antioch, preaching the Lord Jesus to the Hellenists (Acts 11:20). The hand of the Lord was with these men with a great number turning to the Lord (Acts 11:21).

 

When news of what was happening in Antioch reached the church in Jerusalem, they sent Barnabas to Antioch (Acts 11:22). Upon his arrival in Antioch, Barnabas saw the grace of God and was glad, encouraging the disciples there to have purpose of heart and to continue with the Lord, because he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith with a great many people added to the Lord (Acts 11:23-24). Barnabas then departed for Tarsus to find Saul and, upon finding him, brought him to Antioch, where they spent an entire year, teaching many disciples, with the disciples first called Christians in Antioch (Acts 11:25-26).

 

Then, Abagus, one of many prophets, came to Antioch from Jerusalem, and stood up, showing by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout the world, which happened during the reign of Claudius Caesar (Acts 11:27-28). This prompted the disciples to send relief to the brethren living in Judea, with each disciple contributing according to his or her own ability (Acts 11:29). Barnabas and Saul were then commissioned to deliver the relief to the elders in Judea (Acts 11:30).

 

Persecution has come to the church and could have silenced the disciples, but instead, as they scattered, they took the gospel with them (Acts 1:8; Ephesians 6:15). In this passage, we see the disciples taking the gospel with them as they scattered to Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch (Acts 11:19). Instead of stopping out of fear and sheltering in place, the disciples venture out in boldness as they scattered. While the church's outreach at this time was predominantly to the Jews, we also see the beginning of the ministry of Saul and Barnabas, who will be instrumental in taking the gospel to the Gentiles. The church in this passage also demonstrates its love for each other by sending relief to fellow disciples in Judea during a worldwide famine (Acts 11:27-30).

 

Persecution is not a thing of the past for the church, but is alive and well, coming in two forms.

·         Hard Persecution – According to Opendoors.org, 380 million Christians face high levels of persecution, with 4,473 killed between October 1, 2023, and September 30, 2024. For Christians living in these areas, being a disciple of Christ can mean losing business, property, or even one's life. Yet, like the church in the Book of Acts, the churches in these areas thrive, perhaps because these disciples see this as an opportunity to testify about Jesus to their persecutors (Mark 13:9).

·         Soft Persecution – Those who do not live in an area of hard persecution do not escape persecution but instead suffer a more deceptive form of soft persecution. This is persecution that leads to loss of friends or even relationships with family members. The reason I say this is deceptive is that if someone really is our friend, would they unfriend us due to our faith? Even Jesus was alienated by family, but they came around after his resurrection, with his two half-brothers writing the books of Jude and James (Mark 3:30-31, 6:4). Jesus did not let this soft persecution stop him and continued to be obedient to his heavenly Father. We should also remember to pray for those unfriending us for our faith.

 

I urge everyone reading this not to alienate themselves from a relationship with Jesus Christ but to join me now in prayer for the forgiveness of sin and to enter into a relationship with God through belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for your sins.

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23). I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9). I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

This prayer is not some magical prayer but must be a genuine expression of your heart. If that is why you prayed, rest assured, your sins are completely forgiven, and you have eternal life. I now encourage you to let someone know of your decision. I also urge you to find a church of truth that teaches from the Bible and is empowered by the Holy Spirit, so you can grow in your faith. May God convict, challenge, and bless everyone reading this post.