The church continued to spread the gospel despite stronger persecution.
Scripture: Acts 8:1-8,26-35
Central Truth
We have countless examples of something good coming from something bad. Even in times of war, loss, and heartache, there are stories of redemption. We can trust God to do something good with our seasons of difficulties, trials, and persecutions.
Key Question
How did God bring goodness from the scattering of believers?
Keep in Mind
Like us, our students are risk weighers. In almost all cases, we decide if something is worth our time and effort. They also decide if the outcome is worth the risk involved and whether or not it’ll pay off. There is risk involved when sharing the gospel, and it’s important that we are transparent about this. There’s even risk involved in choosing to live according to God’s Word instead of living according to the ways of the world. But we never have to weigh the risk. The risk is always worth it. Even when choosing God means we could lose everything here and now, we must choose God and encourage our students to as well. Everything this world offers is worthless compared to knowing Christ (Phil. 3:7). And God sees our students choosing Him, no matter the cost.
APPLICATION
How does knowing God is sovereign even over persecution encourage you when you’re suffering?
THE WIN
FOR THE STUDENT: It can be difficult for us to remember God is in control all the time. When we suffer or face some type of persecution, we can begin to feel as if God has forgotten us. We may even question if He cares. But we can be sure that He always cares, He always feels compassion for us, and He is always with us.
FOR THE LEADER: It’s sometimes easier to trust in God’s sovereignty when life is good, but the Lord is sovereign over all things. He is sovereign over death, sickness, persecution, and heartache. And in His hands, these things can still have purpose in our lives and in the lives of those around us. We can model our trust in God and encourage our students to believe these truths.
