Eloquent and effective public speaker that he was, proclaiming his deeply held convictions, he had mortal enemies. He succumbed. One of his fiercest opponents approved his killing. The speaker was Stephen. His vicious opponent was a young man named Saul.

Adversity intensified. On that very day, the authorities launched a persecution against the disciples. As the believers mourned and buried their hero, Saul ravaged the Church, bursting into homes and imprisoning Christ followers. The authorities evicted others from their homes and expelled the young Church from Jerusalem, the only locale she had known.

The Church scattered. The Word spread.

• Philip went to a town in that despised territory, Samaria, where he brought healing and deliverance. Many were baptized and received the gift of the Holy Spirit.
• The Apostles preached the gospel in towns between Jerusalem and Samaria.
• Philip shared the gospel with just one man on a remote dessert road that resulted in the spread of the gospel to the entire region of Ethiopia.
• Philip went on to Azotus and Caesarea, and preached the gospel in every town along the way.
• Peter went to Lydda. Those in Lydda and the nearby town of Sharon turned to the Lord.
• Peter went to Joppa and then Caesarea where, breaking with centuries of tradition, he met with “unclean” Gentiles. The Holy Spirit fell on them and they were baptized.

So the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria enjoyed peace, as it was being built up; and as it continued in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it kept increasing.

The adversity was not over. Herod executed James and imprisoned Peter.

But the word of the Lord continued to grow and to be multiplied.

And what became of murder-approving, Church ravaging, Saul? Jesus intercepted him. He went on to have a role in the spread of the Gospel that you may have heard about.

Culture wars are nothing new. They have been fought throughout human history, including US history and continue in our own time. Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, powers, world forces of this darkness, and spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. We do not wage war according to the flesh. The weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.

The world is hungry for the gospel and wants to hear it. We must prepare ourselves to march proclaiming the gospel of peace, moved with love for those whom God longs to welcome into his kingdom.

Jesus admonished us not to say that the harvest, the ingathering of new believers, is yet in the future. Rather we must raise our eyes and see the fields, that they are white, ripe for harvest. Now.

Jesus said the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few, and we are to plead with the Lord of the harvest to send workers into His harvest. Lord, please send your workers. Please send us. Please send me.