persecution of the early believers

Paul was also called Saul. Paul was his Roman’s name while Saul his Jewish’ name.  At that time the Romans who ruled over Palestine as part of the Roman Empire, allowed foreigners to buy Roman citizenship and enjoy certain rights. Paul was born a Roman citizen in Tarsus, the capital of the Roman province of Cilicia and the residence of the governor. Paul being the ringleader led the Jews to stone Stephen to death.

PAUL’S PERSECUTION OF THE CHURCH

Immediately Stephen died, there was mass persecution against members of the early Church in Jerusalem. Many of the Christians were killed. Paul was at the forefront of the persecution, killing or dragging many Christians from their homes to prison.

Some of those who survived the persecution fled to places in Judea and Samaria. However, the apostles remained in Jerusalem. After Paul had persecuted the Christians in Jerusalem, he heard that many of them had fled Jerusalem to places like Damascus, in faraway Syria. Paul who wanted to stamp out Christianity was not happy with the success of Christianity in Damascus.

Therefore, he went to the high priest and obtained permission to go to Damascus so that he could arrest the Christians there and bring them for punishment. The high priest gave Paul a letter of introduction to the synagogues in Damascus.

THE CONVERSION OF SAUL (ACTS 9: 1 -19)

Paul left for Damascus. As he got near to the city of Damascus in the afternoon, something strange happened to him that was to change his entire life for the better. Jesus appeared to him in a form of dazzling light which shown around him. This made him to fall down. He heard a voice, which called his name and asked him why he was persecuting him. When he asked the voice whom he was, the voice said that he was Jesus whom Paul was persecuting, adding that he should go into the city, where he would be told what to do next.

His companions stood speechless with surprise because they heard the voice but did not see any body. When Paul rose up, he found that he was totally blind. His companions then led him by hand into Damascus where he stayed for three days without sight.

The Lord appeared to one of the Christians in Damascus called Ananias to go to a street called straight, and ask for the house of a man called Judas. There he will find a man of Tarsus named Saul; praying.

So, Ananias went to the house of Judas and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and prayed for him. Immediately, something like scales fell from his eyes and Saul regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized, and he took food and was strengthened.

Immediately Saul was converted to Christianity, he started preaching to the Jews in Damascus about Jesus Christ that He is the Son of God.

THE MARTYRDOM OF JAMES ACTS 12: 1 – 3

James the apostle was the brother of John, the sons of Zebedee. He was among the first four disciples to be called by Jesus. He was very active in the early Church. The Jews did not like the progress that James was making towards the growth of the Church. They hated him and wanted to kill him. The Romans had made Herod Agrippa 1, a nephew of Herod Antipas, the king of the Jews. But the Jews did not like Agrippa’s rule. They hate him. In order to please the Jews and make them like him, Agrippa arrested James when he got to know that the Jews hated the apostle. King Herod killed James; and the Jews were very pleased that King Herod had killed their enemy. When Herod saw that his action pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter. However, God delivered Peter from his hand.

PERSECUTION IN THE CHURCH TODAY

Christians have been opposed in the Church for:

• Standing up for Christ by telling the truth.
• Exposing evil practices in the Church such as the pastor sleeping or going to bed with female members of the Church.
• Criticizing the emphasis on materialism at the expense of the full gospel.
• Preaching prosperity without responsibility.
• Calling on the leadership of the Church to live exemplary lives.

OPPOSITION IN THE COMMUNITY

Christians have been opposed in the community for:

• Exposing fraud, bribery and corruption in their places of work.
• Condemning examination malpractices.
• Preaching against sexual immorality.
• Condemning tribalism, nepotism and favoritism.
• Condemning religious discrimination.

 RELIGIOUS AND MORAL LESSONS

• You must learn to pray to God through Jesus to give you spiritual courage to defend your faith in spite of all opposition.
• You must learn to pray to Jesus to give you spiritual love to pray for enemies, like Stephen did.
• You must learn not to condemn what you do not understand, but rather seek to understand it. Paul persecuted the Christians because he did not understand the Gospel Message.
• You must learn to learn to listen to the voice of the Lord when he calls you from your sinful ways to change for the better.

EVALUATION

1. Who supervised the stoning of Stephen to death?
2. Why did Saul obtain permission from Herod to do?
3. Saul was converted on his way to …………….
4. Why did Herod Agrippa kill James?

Objective Questions

1. It was generally known that Paul studied under a great teacher called (a)Agrippa (b)Annas (c)Cornelius (d)Gamaliel (e) Philip
2. Saul was on his way to to the city of …………. to persecute the Christians there when the lord arrested him (a)Corinth (b)Damascus (c)Joppa (d)Judah (e)Rome
3. All the following happened to Saul when he became converted EXCEPT (a)He became the preacher of Jesus himself (b)he changed his country (c)he change his name (d)the Jews attempted to kill him (e)the Jews attempted to kill him
4. Who among these was more prominent in persecuting the early church (a) Agrippa (b)Ananias (c)Gamaliel (d)Pilate (e)Saul
5. What is the process by which by which we change from one religion to another (a)baptism (b)confirmation (c)conversion (d)soul winning (e)transformation