Growing Pains

9 Growing Pains (Acts 11:19-12:24)
God works in strange ways. At a time when it would seem good for the church to be together, to grow and mature, to enjoy fellowship, they are scattered all over by persecution. What were the results? The spread of the gospel. The greater the opposition the greater the expansion of the church.
There is a tendency in many of our churches today for us to want to “stay together.” Mature. Become more of who we are and ignore the rest of the world. We also see that the principle that “the greater the persecution the greater the expansion” seems to apply today also.
Luke now shows how the outward movement of the gospel expanded in two ways, geographical and cultural. Geographically, the mission spread north beyond “Judea and Samaria.” Culturally, the mission spread beyond Jews to Gentiles. Some speculate that Luke himself was one of these converts.
Summary: It is not an accident that the Jerusalem recipients of Antiochene relief are called “brothers” (11:29). More important still, this brotherhood or family included both Jewish and Gentile believers, and the fellowship between them was illustrated in the relations between their two churches. The church of Jerusalem had sent Barnabas to Antioch; now the church of Antioch sent Barnabas, with Saul, back to Jerusalem. This famine relief anticipated the collection which Paul was later to organize, in which the affluent Greek churches of Macedonia and Achaia contributed to the needs of the impoverished churches of Judea. Its importance to Paul was that it was a symbol of Gentile-Jewish solidarity in Christ.
Indeed, one cannot fail to admire the artistry with which Luke depicts the complete reversal of the church’s situation. At the beginning of the chapter Herod is on the rampage – arresting and persecuting church leaders; at the end he is himself struck down and dies. The chapter opens with James dead, Peter in prison and Herod triumphing; it closes with Herod dead, Peter free and the Word of God triumphing. Such is the power of God to overthrow hostile human plans and to establish his own in their place. Tyrants may be permitted for a time to boast and bluster, oppressing the church and hindering the spread of the gospel, but they will not last. In the end, their empire will be broken and their pride abased.
Open
When have you seen painful circumstances in your life produce good results?
Study
Read Acts 11:19-30. Luke ended his previous section with the words “God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life” (v. 18). It was an epoch-making declaration by the conservative Jewish leaders of the Jerusalem church. The inclusion of the Gentiles is to be Luke’s main theme in the rest of Acts.
1. What good resulted from believers’ were being scattered by the persecution that was connected with Stephen?
2. What different efforts were made to nurture the new believers at Antioch?
3. What does it take to remain “true to the Lord” with all your heart (11:23)?
4. What do these efforts say about the importance of discipline young Christians?
5. Why do you think Luke makes a point of mentioning the predicted famine (11:27-30)?
6. Read Acts 12:1-24. What do we learn about Herod in the first four verses?
7. Try to put yourself in Peter’s sandals. What do you think it was like to be led out of jail by an angel?
8. How did the Christians who had gathered to pray for Peter (and who knew about James’s death) respond when he appeared at the door (12:12-17)?
9. What was the cause of Herod’s death (12:21-23)?
10. What are the similarities between the cause of his death and those of the death of Ananias and Sapphira (5:1-10)?
11. What does Herod’s death tell you about God?
Apply
What efforts are you – or could you be – making to nurture young believers? What have you learned from this passage about how God uses suffering? Who or what encourages you to remain true to the Lord with all your heart?
PrayAsk the Holy Spirit to use the church of Jesus Christ to grow. Reflect on what it might cost you for that prayer to be answered.