Acts, Chapter 8 (NRSV)The persecution which arises after Stephen's martyrdom begins the spread of the Gospel to the regions beyond Jerusalem. If you lose track of the larger movement of the Holy Spirit in the stories of the Book of Acts you might not notice that. But Luke's narrative has them starting in the regions beyond Palestine, then focusing down to a particular moment in Jerusalem, and now beginning an explosive movement outward. Isn't it interesting what the Holy Spirit uses to cause that outward shift?
The result of the apostles and the followers being driven out of Jerusalem is that they begin to share the news of the Gospel with all the people of creation just as it was prophesied. And as that happens, the working of the Spirit is clearly seen. The Early Church has an encounter with others who make claim on their own that they are from God - in particular this man named Simon Magus. (What an interesting coincidence that he has the same name as the given name of the head of the Apostles.) Did you notice how Luke describes the things that Simon Magus does as being magic? Nothing that Jesus does nor the Apostles are doing is described with that term. (Simon Magus will reappear in the narrative in a while so just keep that all in mind.)
The Apostles learn that there are people who are being baptized in the Name of Jesus, but who are not being brought into the community of believers by the power of the Spirit. Isn't it interesting that there's no condemnation of either the people who are baptized in that way - which is the first time we read of that happening - and that more than that, the Apostle's response to the news is to travel to where the people are to provide what they are lacking. The Spirit is given freely to those who desire it and do not have it. It can't be purchased or bought. It doesn't act on human command. That would be magic, and the Church doesn't do magic. The Church doesn't control God, the Church tries only to do what God wills.
Deacon Philip encounters the Ethiopian eunuch on the road to Gaza - out in the wilderness. In what seems to be a chance encounter he meets a person from the Gentile nations, a man who is seeking a deeper knowledge of God. Philip does what the Apostles have done. He responds to what the man is lacking by teaching and then, when the man responds to the teaching and desires to be baptized, he provides for that need too. There are two literary exclamation points in this story. First, this is all happening by the action of the Holy Spirit; that point is made by Philip's being caught up and carried away by the Spirit. The second exclamation point is that this is a recapitulation of the story of how the Queen of Ethiopia came to Solomon seeking wisdom. Here the Church is reversing the movement and the Church has come to the official of the court of the Queen of Ethiopia to share wisdom.
But all of this movement, all of this action to respond to spiritual lack, is started by the persecution of the Church. The Portuguese have a saying, "Our God will draw straight with crooked lines." I don't want to believe that God's will was for the Church to suffer or for the people of the Way to be dragged to prisons. But when that opposition starts, which Jesus has told us is inevitable, God will use it to accomplish things that have the opposite effect of what was intended. God uses everything, the good and the bad, to work God's will.
How have you seen that in your own life? I don't believe it is God's will that any of us should have to suffer the things that we've had to suffer. But how have you grown closer to God, or become the person you are today because of the things you've endured? How has the Spirit sent you outward? How have you encountered and proclaimed the Gospel as a result?
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