Unstoppable! 'Spreading a Limited Flame' — Acts 11:19

The renowned conservative scholar of the mid-twentieth century, F.F. Bruce, wrote a book on Acts focused on the Holy Spirit and the spread of Christian faith. He entitled the book, "The Spreading Flame," combining two central themes:

1. The spread of the Good News about Jesus.
2. The power of the Holy Spirit to spread that Good News to include all people.

The first part of the story in Acts could be called, "The Limited Flame." Jesus' disciples shared the Good News and included new disciples in full fellowship in only a limited fashion, only with Jews and "near Jews" (Samaritans). In general, the disciples were not spreading the Good News of Jesus to Gentiles. We are now in a crucial transition section for the book of Acts.* The Holy Spirit and good-hearted followers of Jesus' who were driven out of Jerusalem by persecution expanded the flame of Good News to reach Gentiles, as we have seen with Cornelius and will continue to see in the coming days!

* Acts: Jesus' Spirit-Empowered Witnesses to the World (Acts 1:8).
- Growing into Mission 1.8: Chaps. 1-9 - (Focus on Jerusalem) {Time of Peter}
- Deciding for Mission 1.8: Chaps. 10-15 - (Focus on Antioch) {Time of Transition}
- Carrying out Mission 1.8: Chaps. 16-28 - (Focus on Ephesus & Rome) {Time of Paul}
See also Unstoppable for June 1.