Now  when  they  heard  these  things  they  were  enraged,  and  they  ground  their  teeth  at  him.  But  he,  full  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  gazed  into  heaven  and  saw  the  glory  of  God,  and  Jesus  standing  at  the  right  hand  of  God.  And  he  said,  “Behold,  I  see  the  heavens  opened,  and  the  Son  of  Man  standing  at  the  right  hand  of  God.”  But  they  cried  out  with  a  loud  voice  and  stopped  their  ears  and  rushed  together  at  him.  Then  they  cast  him  out  of  the  city  and  stoned  him.  And  the  witnesses  laid  down  their  garments  at  the  feet  of  a  young  man  named  Saul.    

And  as  they  were  stoning  Stephen,  he  called  out,  “Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit.”  And  falling  to  his  knees  he  cried  out  with  a  loud  voice,  “Lord,  do  not  hold  this  sin  against  them.”  And  when  he  had  said  this,  he  fell  asleep.  

And  Saul  approved  of  his  execuHon.  

Acts  7:54-­‐8:1  (ESV)  

1.   Stephen’s  Welcome  

1.   Stephen’s  Welcome  2.   You  Will  Be  My  Witnesses!  

And  Saul  approved  of  his  execuHon.  And  there  arose  on  that  day  a  great  persecuHon  against  the  church  in  Jerusalem,  and  they  were  all  scaIered  throughout  the  regions  of  Judea  and  Samaria,  except  the  apostles.  Devout  men  buried  Stephen  and  made  great  lamentaHon  over  him.    

But  Saul  was  ravaging  the  church,  and  entering  house  aLer  house,  he  dragged  off  men  and  women  and  commiIed  them  to  prison.  

Now  those  who  were  scaIered  went  about  preaching  the  word.  

Acts  8:1-­‐4  (ESV)  

The  church  was  “sca>ered”  

διασπείρω  [diaspeiro  /dee·∙as·∙pi·∙ro/]    Three  occurrences;  translated  as  “scaIer  abroad”  three  Hmes.  1  to  sca>er  abroad,  disperse.  

1.   Stephen’s  Welcome  2.   You  Will  Be  My  Witnesses!  

3.   “So  there  was  great  joy  in  that  city.”  

Philip  went  down  to  the  city  of  Samaria  and  proclaimed  to  them  the  Christ.  And  the  crowds  with  one  accord  paid  aIenHon  to  what  was  being  said  by  Philip  when  they  heard  him  and  saw  the  signs  that  he  did.  For  unclean  spirits,  crying  out  with  a  loud  voice,  came  out  of  many  who  had  them,  and  many  who  were  paralyzed  or  lame  were  healed.  So  there  was  much  joy  in  that  city.  

Acts  8:5-­‐8  (ESV)