THE KING’S BUSINESS
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Pentecost, and yet the gospel is for the most part still confined largely to the city where it was first preached. Five to seven years had passed since the Lord Jesus had said to the disciples in connection with the Pentecostal promise, “Ye shall be witnesses unto Me in all Judea and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts o f the earth” (Acts 1:8), and yet that promise had not been fulfilled far beyond the confines o f Jerusalem itself, and God uses what Satan intended to hinder the work, as the -means for the fulfillment o f His own promise. The storm o f persecution that burst upon the church upon the day o f Stephen’s death, simply carried out this purpose o f Christ. While the rank and file o f the church were scattered, the Apostles bravely stayed at their post o f duty in Jerusalem. The rank and file o f the church which were scat tered abroad went everywhere preaching the W ord (v. 4 ) , -and so men and women were converted in all directions. v. 2. “And devout men carried Stephen to his burial ( buried Stephen), and made great lamentation over him.” The word translated “ devout” in this passage, throughout the Acts o f the Apostles is used to describe proselytes to Judaism, and seemingly, those who buried Stephen were Jewish proselytes. v. 3- “A s fo r Saul, he made havoc o f the church (But Saul laid waste the church), entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.” The most active agent in this early perse cution was Saul. His rage at Christ and the church knew no bounds. He was not content with opposing Christ and Christian ity in the synagogue, he entered the homes. He spared neither age nor sex. He treated the Christians with violence. The word translated “haling” really means dragging. He committed men and women to prison for no other offense than believing on Christ. He was the most dangerous enemy the church o f Christ ever had, but further on we shall find him transformed into the mightiest servant that Christ or the church ever had.
with a loud voice, Lord lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this he fell asleep." Here we hear Stephen praying still another prayer that -he had learned from Jesus on the cross: “ Lay not this sin. to their charge” (cf. Luke 23:24).. Stephen had lived as his Master lived and now he died as his Master died: his last two utterances were prayers, and prayers formed after the pattern o f the dying prayers o f Jesus (Luke 23:46 ; 23:34). As he had seen Jesus at the right hand of God he did not hesitate to direct his prayers to One so clearly proven to be Divine. That the Lord in this verse means the Lord Jesus is evident from the context, for in the preceding verse it'says specifically, “ Lord Jesus.” Love shone out wonderfully in these last moments on earth o f Stephen. He can no longer stand, but falling on his knees beneath the pitiless crash o f the rocks, he summons all his strength and utters a loud cry. What is it? Is it a complaint? No. Is it a moan? No. It is a prayer, and what a prayer: “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.” He was indeed full of that Spirit whose first fruit is love (Gal. 5:22). His prayer was heard in heaven by the Lord Jesus, and Saul the chief per secutor in answer to that prayer became Paul the Apostle. Having offered this prayer he gently “ fell asleep,” while foes gnashed their teeth and rocks crushed his body. He did not die, he went to rest. v. 1. "And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at Hhat time there was ( and there arose on that day) a great per secution against the church which was at ( in ) Jerusalem, and they were all scat tered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.” The devil’s attempt to hinder the truth and destroy the church resulted in the church’s being scattered and the Word of God being preached far and wide. The effect was just the opposite to that intended. God made the wrath o f Satan to praise Him. The devil had over-reached himself. Up to'this time the .church seems to have been largely confined to Jerusalem. Prob ably five to seven years had passed since
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