Dispersion

1 Peter 1:1 "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the pilgrims of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia..."

Lately I have been reminded of just how scattered the early church was. Saying goodbye to Marc & Jeanne last night (going home to the Seychelles) was just another moment of realising how a small church in Mount Lawley can be so global. It follows on from Lee returning to Korea and Zach going back home to the red U, white S and blue A. Not to mention the various people who are visiting home for Christmas (hi)!

If we know our church history, we would remember that whilst some people left Jerusalem and Rome for other places, the bulk of the church moved because of persecution. Nero had a big impact on Jews and Jewish Christians and this led to the dispersion. Dispersion is a fancy word for scattering.

There are 2 sides to every coin. Whereas early Christians fled persecution to the ends of the Roman Empire, they were actually obeying Christ. Jesus said "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel..." (Mark 16:15).

So my (going deeper) questions for today are:-

• Will we go willingly or be scattered by God in an effort to take the Gospel somewhere?
• Will we view the Gospel as more important than the comforts of home, family and friends?
• Will we keep reminding ourselves that the church is far bigger than the 4 walls of our sunday service?
• Will we pray for Christians who are suffering in difficult places?
• Will we celebrate the fact that the church doesn't look or sound like me - it is varied in culture, languages, colour, creed etc., to the Glory of God.
• Will we be missionaries in our own cities, as the world migrates at record rates?

The goal is not to twist anyone's arm into leaving a particular place for another place. The goal is to get us to be people of prayer, who seek the will of God for our lives, to be people who are global in our thinking. In the face of cholera outbreaks in Harare, terrorism cells in India and Pakistan, elections in Ghana, and global economic meltdowns, we need to keep our eyes on God.

How much our world needs God...God use me.