The Pattern of Kingdom Growth: Acts 6 & 8

Have you ever noticed how God uses repetition to teach us? The same lessons, the same patterns, over and over. It's not because He's forgetful—it's because we are. Repetition moves truth from our heads to our hearts, from knowing to believing.

In Acts, we see a repeated pattern: tension within the church, opposition from outside, and yet—every single time—the church grew. Acts 4, Acts 5, Acts 6, Acts 8. Over and over. And then in Acts 8, something changes.

Has God Been Thwarted?

Stephen is murdered. Saul begins destroying the church. Believers scatter in fear. For the first time, it looks like God's purposes might actually be thwarted. Like maybe this is the end of the line for the disciples.

But no. Once again, in spite of opposition, the church grew. Nothing can hinder God's purposes. His Kingdom will move forward. The scattering forced the disciples into foreign lands, and the Gospel spread faster than ever.

And the man destroying the church—Saul—would later become Paul, the greatest missionary the church has ever known.

Stephen's Defense: The Temple

Before Stephen was killed, he gave a defense before the Sanhedrin—one of the longest speeches in the New Testament. He was accused of speaking against the Temple and the Law.

Regarding the Temple, Stephen quoted Isaiah 66: "The Most High does not live in houses made by human hands. Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me?"

God's presence can't be confined to a building. All of creation is His Kingdom. He's present with His followers everywhere. The Temple has always pointed us to Jesus—the Lamb of God, the ultimate sacrifice. It was never meant to contain God; it was meant to remind us of our desperate need for a Savior.

For Us Today

There's nothing special about a church building. We don't "go to church"—we are the church. We gather weekly not because that's where God can be found, but because that's where we find each other. Together, we recognize God's presence and mission in our everyday lives.

Stephen's Defense: The Law

Stephen wasn't speaking against the Law—he was speaking against misunderstanding what it pointed to. He essentially said, "The Law is good, but you've never obeyed it and you never will. The Law points to Jesus, the Righteous One who fulfilled it perfectly."

Jesus fulfilled the Law on our behalf and gave us His perfection by taking our sins upon Himself. That's the Gospel.

Jesus Standing at God's Right Hand

In Stephen's final moments, he saw "the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God" (Acts 7:56). Normally, Jesus is depicted as seated—His work is finished. But here, He's standing. Why? He's advocating. He's making His case for Stephen.

"Stephen is mine. My perfection is his. He cannot be found guilty because I've already paid the price."

As the earthly courtroom condemned Stephen, the heavenly courtroom commended him.

This Week, Try This

1. Trust God's purposes. What feels thwarted or impossible in your life right now? Remind yourself: nothing can stop God's Kingdom from advancing. He's not done yet.
2. Remember: you are the church. How can you be the church in your everyday life this week? At work, in your neighborhood, with your family?
3. Believe you're safe in Christ. Whatever accusations or condemnation you feel—whether from others or yourself—Jesus is standing, advocating for you. His perfection is yours. Rest in that truth.

Nothing Can Thwart God's Purposes

You matter more than you'll ever know. You're safe more than you'll ever know. You're loved more than you'll ever know. And because of that, you're freed to accomplish for God's Kingdom more than you'll ever know.

Nothing can thwart God's purposes for you, and nothing can thwart His purposes for His Kingdom.

At Indy Metro, we're learning together that God's Kingdom grows through both the highs and the lows, the victories and the setbacks. We're committed to trusting His purposes even when we can't see the full picture. And we'd love for you to join us. Come as you are this Sunday. Let's discover together the unstoppable power of God's Kingdom.