Scattered
The Church is meant to be scattered.
I’ve been reading in Acts lately and came across a little section titled “The Church Persecuted and Scattered” (8:1-8).
In Acts 5:17-39 the apostles are brought before the Jewish leaders to be punished. (I strongly recommend you pause here and go read the story - it’s a good one!)
The leaders have a little powwow and decide to let them go, because a Samaritan named Gamaliel reasoned with them that every other revolutionary movement died out after the leader was killed and their followers scattered.
So his logic goes,
“Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” - Acts 5:39
The leaders were convinced and decided to let them go, waiting for the Jesus movement to die out.
Skip ahead a couple of chapters and we find ourselves at Acts chapter eight. The church is scattered and persecution breaks out.
This is exactly what the Jewish leaders had been hoping for. Like every other movement, the followers had scattered after Jesus was killed.
What they didn’t consider was that this was not like those other movements, because Jesus had risen from the dead. Unlike every other movement, the scattering of Jesus’ followers only made the movement stronger.
“Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.” - Acts 8:4
Those early believers used persecution and scattering to spread the Gospel everywhere they went. They took advantage of a hard situation. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, they cast out demons and healed the sick, sharing the Good News of Jesus in spite of the persecution they faced.
But don’t start thinking God was surprised by all of this. He didn’t just react to the persecution and scattering and decide to make the best of it. This was God’s plan all along.
Remember God’s command to Adam and Eve in the Garden?
“God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it…” - Genesis 1:28
Even before the Fall, God’s purpose for humanity was to spread His Goodness over the whole earth.
What about His promise to Abraham?
“I will make you into a great nation… and all the people on earth will be blessed through you.” - Genesis 12:2-3
“All the people on earth” - God has always had a worldwide vision for the redemption of His Creation!
Or the Great Commission?
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” - Matthew 28: 19-20
And that last line there “...surely I am with you to the end of the age.” Is precisely why the Jesus Movement never died out. Every other revolutionary movement died with its leader because that person was the one who unified them. Therefore when the leader dies and the followers scatter, they are disunited and the movement dies.
Though Jesus was killed, he’s not dead. He’s alive and He’s always with those who believe in Him, unifying the Church as it reaches out toward all ends of the earth. Isn’t that just incredible?!
Since the beginning, God has been bringing light and life into dark places and asking His people to do the same.
He never intended for us to stay within the comfort zone of our bible studies, Sunday sermon, and worship nights. As believers, we aren’t meant to live in our safe circle of believers all the time.
Don’t misunderstand me on this point. Those are all wonderful things and we need a strong network of believers for support, encouragement, and accountability.
We just aren’t meant to stay there.
The Church is meant to be the hands and feet of Jesus reaching out into those dark places to bring light and life, and we can’t do that if we are never going to the dark places.
Throw it all the way back to Genesis 1 and we find the Holy Spirit hovering over dark waters just before the creation of the world where God spoke light and life into existence.
“Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” - Genesis 1:2
Just as time began with the Holy Spirit hovering over dark waters to bring light and life, He is still hovering in the dark places, empowering the Children of God (that’s you!) to bring light and life everywhere we go.
So, what do you say? Let’s follow the Holy Spirit into those dark places and share the Good News!!
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