Scattered, but still Preaching

Baptist Daily Devotional
Jun 24
2 min read

Rev. Charles Oppong-Poku | June 24 2025 | Acts 11:19

KEY VERSE:

“Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed travelled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews." Acts 11:19 (NIV)

MESSAGE:

Persecution scattered the early believers, but it didn’t silence them. Instead of retreating in fear, they carried the gospel wherever they went. Acts 11:19 reveals how God used a painful moment (Stephen’s martyrdom and the resulting persecution) as a launching pad for gospel expansion. Even in hardship, the mission continued. Some lessons from this devotion are: God uses scattering to spread the gospel; every believer is a witness, and the gospel advances but not fully outward.

What seemed like a tragedy (persecution) became a strategy in God's hands. The gospel spread beyond Jerusalem - into Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch - because ordinary believers were on the move. Sometimes God allows discomfort to move us into our calling. These were not apostles or church leaders - they were unnamed believers, yet they shared the message of salvation wherever they went. Evangelism is not reserved for the pulpit; it’s lived in everyday conversations and all places. You don’t need a title to share the truth - just a testimony of knowing Jesus Christ and obedience to His command. They preached “only among Jews.” The full inclusion of Gentiles was still unfolding. Even faithful believers can have blind spots in mission. We don’t have to limit the reach of the gospel based on comfort or familiarity.

FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE:

Has God placed you in a “scattered” season for a greater purpose? Are you willing to share Jesus Christ wherever He sends you - even if it’s uncomfortable? Your place of disruption may be God’s plan for gospel distribution. When your plans are broken, His mission still advances. Like the early believers, let’s choose faithful presence over fearful silence.

PRAYER:

Lord, help me to be faithful wherever You send me. Whether by choice or by circumstance, let my life always carry Your gospel. Break every limitation in my mind that keeps me from reaching others. Use every scattering for the spreading of the gospel. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING.

SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

The 365 DAILY BIBLE READING Day 175: 2 Samuel 9 - David and Mephibosheth

DAILY word study: SCATTERED

The word scattered comes from the Greek diaspeirō, meaning “to sow throughout” or “to disperse abroad.”

In God’s hands, scattering is not wasteful. It becomes a divine sowing. The early believers didn’t plan their movement—persecution pushed them out. But that displacement turned into expansion. They didn’t scatter in silence; they scattered with seed. Every step became a planting ground for the gospel.

Reflection:

When life feels disrupted, ask: “Where is God sending me with this?” Scattering may feel like loss, but in God’s plan, it can produce fruit.