Telling the Beads Bead 18 - Episode 2 Speading the Word

B18 - E2 Spreading the Word

Over the days, weeks and months that followed, the number of people who became followers of Jesus increased dramatically. Once they accepted the teaching of the apostles, they began to meet together, to pray in the temple and in each other’s houses. They would share meals and break the bread as Jesus had asked them to do in remembrance of him at the supper he had shared with his apostles on the evening before his death.

They decided to live as a community, pooling their resources and helping each other in a spirit of generosity and goodwill. This made a powerful impression on everyone who observed their way of life. God’s power was at work in the apostles themselves, not only in their preaching but also in their ability to bring healing to the sick and disabled. One event happened as Peter and John were about to enter the temple for afternoon prayer.

At the same time, a man was being carried in to beg at the entrance. He was well-known in the city because he had been crippled from birth and was brought there every day. He looked up at Peter and John expectantly and asked them for some money. They both looked at him directly and Peter said, ”I don't have any silver or gold but I will give you what I do have.” He reached down and took hold of his right hand, saying, “In the name of Jesus of Nazareth, stand up and walk.”

As he helped the man up, his legs became firm and strong and he walked along with them into the temple, jumping and shouting for joy and praising God at the top of his voice. All the people recognised him as the crippled man so they were totally amazed. Peter took the opportunity to preach to them again, about Jesus, his death and resurrection, his message and his healing powers and this brought even more people to become his followers.

The news began to reach the ears of the Jewish leaders and was enough to arouse their anger and jealousy. They had thought that by having the man they saw as their enemy put to death, they had put an end to the threat he posed to their own authority, power and influence as they saw it but now the threat seemed to be rearing its head again!

Peter and John were arrested and held overnight while the leaders met together to discuss what they should do. The next day, the two men were brought before them and asked to explain how they had been able to heal the crippled man. Peter was totally unafraid. ''This man has not been cured by our power but by the power of Jesus of Nazareth! You had him crucified,'' he declared, ''but God brought him back to life and it is through his name that this miracle had happened.'' The leaders were dumbstruck by the courage of these uneducated men and had no answer for the healing.

They sent them out while they deliberated on the matter, knowing that the people were deeply impressed by the miracle and wouldn’t accept the men being punished for what was obviously a good act. They were brought back in and warned not to preach about Jesus anymore but Peter replied, “You must judge whether we should listen to you or to God,” and as soon as they were released, they went back to rejoin their friends who were overjoyed to see them. Everyone was full of gratitude to God and the whole group prayed for the strength to continue their mission despite the threats against them.

 

In the months that followed, many of them were imprisoned for continuing to spread the word but the leaders were unsure about what to do to silence them because they knew they were held in high regard by the people. They decided to consult a well-known and highly respected scholar named Gamaliel to ask for his advice. 

He considered the situation thoroughly and came to the conclusion that they should leave them alone. “If this is their own plan,'' he said, ''it will fail in the end like every other such plan has,” giving them some recent examples, “but if it is God’s work, you won’t be able to destroy it and could find yourselves fighting against God.”

As soon as they were released, the disciples continued their preaching and people began to bring their sick and suffering family members and friends to stand in the street so that Peter’s shadow might pass over them and they would be healed. The community continued to share their possessions and wealth for a long while, distributing them as needed but, human nature being what it is, quarrels and disputes began to arise and cracks began to show. 

As their numbers increased, some of the Greek members of the group complained that their widows were being neglected in the distribution of food in favour of the Hebrew widows. The apostles called everyone together and spoke to them all. “It wouldn’t be right for us to neglect our mission of prayer and preaching to organise these everyday matters so choose seven men from amongst yourselves to see to them. They need to be wise and prayerful and everyone should respect them so choose  carefully.” 

The solution was accepted and seven men were chosen. The apostles prayed for them as they took up their responsibilities. The men were known as deacons and began to carry out the day-to-day matters of the community. One of them, named Stephen, became very well known for his holiness and the work he did for the people but this aroused the jealousy of a group within the Jewish community who stirred up hatred against him and had him brought before the council where witnesses were bribed to give false evidence, accusing him of blasphemy.

Stephen spoke with such power and conviction that the members of the Council were enraged and sentenced him to be stoned to death, that being the penalty for that crime. He was dragged out of the city and while they were stoning him, they put their cloaks down at the feet of a young man named Saul. As he was dying, Stephen prayed out loud to Jesus, “Receive my spirit, Lord, and forgive these men for what they have done.” Saul had watched everything that happened and was in complete agreement with the council's actions.

From that time on, the community began to suffer even more persecution, much of it organised by Saul, who was so zealous for the Jewish faith that he saw the followers of Jesus as a direct threat against it and searched Jerusalem looking for men and women to imprison. The apostles stayed in the city but most of the followers fled throughout the country, spreading the message of Jesus as they went. 

Wherever they travelled, along the highways and byways of their land, the footpaths of the countryside and the alleyways of villages, towns and cities, they found people who opened their doors - and their hearts - to them. The lives of many of the people who did so had already been touched by Jesus when he was alive, through his stories, his teaching and the power of his healing.

During these travels, one of the seven deacons named Philip happened to meet an influential Ethiopian who was travelling home. They fell into conversation about the Jewish scriptures and as Philip spoke to him about Jesus, the man could see that Jesus was indeed the fulfilment of the prophecies about the Messiah. He asked Philip to baptise there and then, taking the good news of his message back to Africa and in this way, the faith began to spread far and wide.