Acts 8:1-7
Last week we look at the death of Stephen and the slow path to destruction that humans march on with each tiny comprise. This week we will turn our attention to the results of Stephen’s death and what it can tell us today.
Until now the focus in Acts has been on the actions of the original Apostles and centered in the city of Jerusalem. As we over the last few lessons have shifted the focus off Peter, now the focus will be shifting off Jerusalem and moving to a broader view of the world. Jerusalem will remain important through the end of Acts, but other cities and events in them will enter the narrative and take center stage for time.
As we re-enter this scene we see Saul in complete agreement with the stoning of Stephen, and “devout men” carrying off Stephen’s body. We do not know any more about these men, but we can safely assume they were not followers of Christ. They were most likely Jews who were not in agreement with how things were being handled. Had they been Christians they could not have risked hanging around.
Lead by Saul the focus of the persecution moves off the leadership of the church to the general membership of the church. Our text says he “began ravaging” the church, but that is a bit to weak. The Greek word used there is the one they used to describe a person being mauled by wild animals. The image is Saul ripping and shredding the church with great zeal and violence.
There is no doubt that Saul believed he was doing the right thing. Saul was a Pharisee, and studied under one of the most respected teachers of his time. Saul would later write that he was “circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.” (Phil 3:5-6)
The Pharisees had Jesus beaten and killed, and now Saul was leading the charge against all Christians to do the same. Jesus warned his followers this was coming when he said “A slave is not greater than his master ‘ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.” He also warned them that those that persecuted them would cast them out of the synagogue and do it in the name of God. (John 16:2) This persecution of Saul’s appears to have haunted him for life. Many times in his letters and even in his personal testimony he would mention it. (i.e. 1 Cor. 15:9, Gal. 1:13, 1 Tim. 1:13)
There is a lesson here for us. Saul did all he did in an attempt to serve God. No one would have thought to question how sincere he was, or how dedicated to his religion. Any Jew would have told you that Saul was a great champion for God. Yet despite that he was running in the complete wrong direction, and in fact at war with God.
This shows us how easy it is to be zealous and religious and completely wrong. Today there are many Pastors and Preachers that are very sincere about what they believe. They are trying to serve that belief with all their heart, and most would say they are good and devout men, yet their teaching is not of the Bible, and even contradicts the Bible. Just it was with Saul, their sincerity and works do not make their teaching and actions right.
This flies in the face of the modern movement to tear down absolute truth. Americans, and many others around the world, have bought into this idea of relative truth. Relative truth makes the claim that if you really believe it, then its true for you, but not necessarily true for me. Saul really believed what he was doing was right, so therefore by the principle of relative truth, it was right. It was right for him to ravage men and women of the church, even unto death. If there is no absolute truth, then you quickly end up at the position of “might equals right” which is clearly illustrated in our scripture this week.
The reality is, and Saul would have agreed, that there is absolute truth. Sure there are some things that are relative, and there are always grey areas, but that does not mean everything is relative. If I am four feet tall, I might say that a five and a half feet tall person is really tall, and it would be right from my point of view. However if we consider the view of a seven-foot tall man we get a different truth statement. This does not change the rock solid truth that there is only one God, and only one way to Heaven. Saul will learn this later, and repent, but for now he is in the same rebellious position that many today are.
I can almost hear now someone screaming out across the Internet, “are you saying that if I try really hard to do what is right, and be good, but I am wrong about not believing in Jesus that I am going to Hell?” Let me answer it this way, there is only one way to Heaven and that’s through saving belief in Jesus. You can try as hard as you want, but it will never be good enough. The bar is set way to high to reach, and with out Jesus it simply is impossible.
Many have come since Saul who strive to do good, and live up to the impossible standard without Jesus. Some of them have reach great pinnacles of honor in man’s eyes for what they have accomplished. No matter what they have accomplished it is still never enough to balance the books and cover the cost of their sins.
I personally do believe that if a person is striving with all their heart to do good, and follow God, that they will find Him. I also believe that everyone is given fair chance to be saved in a way that makes sense to them and when that chance comes up, if they are truly seeking “the good” they will find God and become saved.
The story of Saul plays that out perfectly. It is in a very real sense a “text book example.” That is one that is perfect, clear-cut and extreme. Saul will within the next few chapters will convert to Christianity and become one of the biggest influences on the early church, and will give us much of the theology and understanding that we have today.
In the end, our text brings us back around to the harsh truth. That is that humanity is evil by nature, and without a savior is doomed for destruction. That Savior paid the cost of your sins; all you have to do is accept His payment on your behalf. No one else can do that for you, because the rest of us are just as guilty as you are. If you want to know more about this, you can email me directly and I will be happy to help, but your best resource is to find a local evangelical Christian church and sit down with a pastor face to face.
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