SCATTERED

THE SCATTERED CHURCH

ME A few years ago an old friend visited our church for several weeks while working here in El Paso. One day he asked me why a church, he had been a part of, had split. I responded with what came up in my heart, “Man is in the gathering business, but God is in the scattering business!” I then went on to lists the multiple churches that had been birthed or strengthened by various members from the split, not just one, but many!

WE Right now the church is scattered. Not just our church, but virtually every church in this country is meeting virtually, not in person. Although all of us are looking forward to the time when we can worship together again, we cannot miss this opportunity to touch people’s lives in new and exciting ways.

There are two Greek words in the NT that are pertinent right now. One is ecclesia: the assembly, the congregation, the body, the gathered church. Another word is diaspora: scattered, the church in exile, the scattered church. This is the word Peter used when he wrote about suffering in his first letter.

1 Peter 1:1–2 (MSG) I, Peter, am an apostle on assignment by Jesus, the Messiah, writing to exiles scattered to the four winds. Not one is missing, not one forgotten. God the Father has his eye on each of you, and has determined by the work of the Spirit to keep you obedient through the sacrifice of Jesus. May everything good from God be yours!

This scattering was God’s doing. Of course, persecution was the cause, but God was the architect. In the same way, this pandemic may be the cause, but God is the architect with a master plan to touch the world!

This scattering happened in the book of Acts. Let’s read about it in Acts 8 and Acts 11.

First, a little background. The church at Jerusalem was growing by leaps and bounds, now numbering several thousand. The apostles and other leaders were preaching and teaching, healing and ministering. Stephen, one of the brand-new deacons of the church, has just been stoned to death for preaching Jesus. A man named Saul watches it all and then congratulates the killers.

Acts 8:1–4 (MSG) That set off a terrific persecution of the church in Jerusalem. The believers were all scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. All, that is, but the apostles. Good and brave men buried Stephen, giving him a solemn funeral, not many dry eyes that day! And Saul just went wild, devastating the church, entering house after house after house, dragging men and women off to jail. Forced to leave home base, the followers of Jesus all became missionaries. Wherever they were scattered, they preached the Message about Jesus.

Acts 11:19–21 (MSG) Those who had been scattered by the persecution triggered by Stephen’s death traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, but they were still only speaking and dealing with their fellow Jews. Then some of the men from Cyprus and Cyrene who had come to Antioch started talking to Greeks, giving them the Message of the Master Jesus. God was pleased with what they were doing and put his stamp of approval on it—quite a number of the Greeks believed and turned to the Master.

In these two passages, we see the beginning of the fulfillment of Acts 1:8.

Acts 1:7–8 (MSG) And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world.

God was scattering the church to take the message of Jesus across the world to people who have never heard the good news of salvation. God is doing that again today. The church has moved from inside a building to the homes and communities of believers everywhere. The message of Jesus is not inside four walls but is being broadcast on the four winds. This is a day of amazing opportunity. Let’s not miss it.

YOU When the church is scattered, things happen.

1.     People who would never have come to a building are coming to God through new means.

2.     The church finds new ways to minister to those around them.

3.     Believers grow personally by not being able to depend on someone else to do for them what they should do for themselves.

4.     Believers become missionaries and take Jesus to their family, friends, and neighbors.

Do you remember the parable is the Sower? A sower went out to sow and scattered seed. In much the same way you becomes the scattered seed in the highways and byways of the world. In fact, the word used has a agrarian connotation. New seed is being planted in new ground. Be the seed of Jesus in places where He is not known. The old expression goes: Bloom where you are planted!”

Oral Roberts was a healing evangelist from Oklahoma when God spoke to him to build a university that would take the gospel to the nations. Here is the word God gave him.

Raise up your students to hear My voice, to go where My light is dim, where My voice is heard small and where My healing power is not known. To go to the uttermost bounds of the earth. Their work will exceed yours and in this I am well pleased.

WE God is doing the same thing in churches all over the world during this time of separation. This a good time to put some things into practice in your life.

1.    Learn to hear God speak to you.

2.    Take Jesus with you as you go.

3.    Heal bodies, souls, families, communities, towns, nations.

4.    Be used right where you are.

Let me remind you: you are not forgotten. God knows right where you are and He is using you right where you are. Let’s read verses one and two for 1 Peter 1 again.

1 Peter 1:1–2 (MSG) I, Peter, am an apostle on assignment by Jesus, the Messiah, writing to exiles scattered to the four winds. Not one is missing, not one forgotten. God the Father has his eye on each of you, and has determined by the work of the Spirit to keep you obedient through the sacrifice of Jesus. May everything good from God be yours!

Prayer