October 6, 2026 - Acts 8

I ended my thoughts, yesterday:  “Stephen fell asleep.  Now, there was someone, an enemy of God and of his church, watching all this . . .”  Luke continues the story and tells us who that “someone” was:  “And Saul approved of his execution” (8:1).  Furthermore, “Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison (8:3).  It was a bad deal.  Nevertheless, the disciples continued to preach boldly, among them Philip.  Many paid attention to the preaching and saw the great works; from the least to the greatest, they believed and were baptized.  They preached the gospel in many villages (8:25).  The Ethiopian eunuch was baptized when the gospel was explained to him by Philip, and he “kept preaching the gospel to all the cities until he came to Caesarea” (8:40).  What an amazing story!  Against all odds – Well, that’s a saying we sometimes use, though, I suppose it doesn’t really apply, here.  The Jewish religious leaders were opposed.  The Romans persecuted the churches.  Saul sought to destroy the churches.  But the odds really never were with those who opposed the gospel, were they?  The odds were totally in favor of the Holy Spirit! – the gospel was boldly preached and  multitudes believed and were baptized.  Then, there is this:  “Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord . . .” (9:1).  But that’s a story for the next chapter.

Spread, oh, spread the mighty Word;

Spread the kingdom of the Lord

Ev’rywhere his breath has giv’n

Life to beings meant for Heav'n.

Tell them how the Father’s will

Made the world and keeps it still,

How his only Son he gave

All from sin and death to save.

Lord of harvest, grant anew,

Joy and strength to work for you,

Till the gath’ring nations all

See your light and heed your call.   -- Catherine Winkworth & J. F. Bahnmaier (1823)