We see a tragic event in the book of Acts today. The death of Stephen resulted in so much more than sad friends from within a movement. The act of violence that stole his life emboldened those who would persecute the early Jesus followers, and became much more aggressive in their tactics. This difficulty sent many away from Jerusalem, either to return home or just to escape being a target. The result is God used this tragedy to spread the good news of Jesus to places it had not been taken before. That news and the growth of the Church into all the world was shared because of those who left Jerusalem after Stephen’s murder. Acts 7:54-8:8 will help guide our hearts in worship today.
