Seeds and Roots.

In the early days of the church, one of first deacons named Stephen was about to be stoned to death (Acts 7). The story in Acts 7 is worth the entirety of these words, but I'll summarize. Stephen is telling the region's leaders that they are "stiff-necked" people, they "always resist the Holy Spirit", and that they "betrayed and murdered the Righteous One". Fairly descript I'd say. And then we read of their response and I think that it is so fitting. It says that "they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him, covered their ears, yelled at the top of their voices and rushed at him and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him". The presence of Jesus in Stephen is making them bonkers. They can't figure it out. Me either.

Bam. And we're in it quickly together. Basicly, Stephen following Jesus drove them crazy. Interesting to think about the affect of us following Jesus on those around us. We're not in charge of that, but there is a response.

As this was happening, we first encounter a man named Saul. This Saul would later encounter the power of God and would be gloriously transformed, would take the name Paul and would be carried along by the Holy Spirit to write almost half of the New Testament books in our Bible. Seems like there's a story there! But currently as Stephen is being stoned to death we meet Saul who it says began to destroy the church, going door to door and putting Jesus followers into prison. In the midst of this intense persecution, most of the people scattered all over the place in order to escape the persecution that was mounting. They left home. I think leaving home is hard and sad at times. Change is hard and sad at times.

In the midst of the leaving we see the first inklings of our heritage of seeds and roots that are still affecting us to this very moment. In the bible book of Acts, chapter 8, verse 4 we read, "those who had been scattered.....preached the word wherever they went". That's seeds. The Word of God was advancing even in the midst of persecution and displacement. And this is literally how the Word of God reached to us over all these thousands of years. The seeds of the gospel were sown in suffering and shifting and those seeds have landed in our hearts all these years later. This is history worth pondering. This is history worth celebrating. The sovereign seed work of God resulting in salvation to those of you reading this who believe. That is strong. That is humbling. A bit later in the bible book of Acts (11:26), we first see this dear, dear word for our souls. In the midst of this scattering and suffering that was happening for our early church family, it says that this was when the disciples were first called Christians. That's our roots. They're being named a little Christ. The Christ ones. So strong. So humbling.

Seeds and roots. The beginnings of transformation in the midst trial. And today, the continuation of transformation in the midst of trial. Right there tucked away in the bible book of Acts. I like using the letters of the word ACTS to describe its content. A Continuing Transformation Story. That's what you and I are in. If you're breathing right now, then it's not over.

Seeds and roots still matter right now.

There's more.