But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison. – Acts 8:3

Today's Scripture Reading (March 4, 2024): Acts 8

The murder of Alexei Navalny on February 16, 2024, started Russia watchers wondering if this was a one-off event or if it was the start of something ugly in Russia. If President Vladimir Putin could get away with one murder, what would stop him from trying to erase all opposition to his rule as he continues his plan to get the Soviet band (countries) back together? Of course, the answer only Putin knows.

That seems to have been precisely what happened after the death of Stephen. Stephen died, and then Saul began to ramp up the persecution of the early church. If the Christian movement depended on the minds and the courage of men, then this was the moment when the early church could have died.

John tells of an event that took place during Jesus's life. The event occurs on Palm Sunday when some Greeks come to Philip hoping to get an audience with Jesus. They likely chose Philip because he had a name of Greek origin. And the disciples went to Jesus and said, "Hey, this is so cool; you are now so important that people are coming to us to see if we will introduce you to them."

However, Jesus's reply was a little unexpected.

"The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me (John 12:23-26).

"Unless a kernel dies." Here, with the persecution of Saul, we have the possible destruction of the early church. But in that destruction, the seeds for everything that was to come could be found. Because the early church was ready to die, we live.

I think that we sometimes get stuff backward. When we are reborn, somehow, we believe that the death that needs to happen inside us is done. But conversion is not the end of death; it is the beginning. As scary as this is going to sound, Jesus wants to give you a new life, but before that life can take root, you are going to have to die. The reality is that all of the rumors are true. Jesus wants to ruin your life, just as he ruined mine. I wish I could describe it differently, but I can't. 

Will he give you a new life? Yes. But at some point, after you decide that you want to be a follower of Jesus, you are going to have to die, and a lot of so-called Christians never get to that point. The problem is that unless we die, we will not have the life that God promised for us, just like the church had to die in Acts 8 if it was going to have the glorious future that God had intended for it.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Acts 9