God’s Sovereignty and Suffering in Acts:

God’s Sovereignty and Suffering in Acts:

Reading the Bible causes one to realize that they are in the hands of a sovereign God (Prov. 16:33).  What makes such a statement controversial is the mystery that surrounds God’s sovereignty and human responsibility.  To be clear, this post will not explain away this mystery.  What becomes troubling for some, is God’s sovereignty in relation to suffering and tragedy.  This post will also not explain away the mystery present in this conundrum, either. The goal here is to widen the perspective of the believer and help some understand that God can be glorified and bring about good in these times that cause heartache.  In the book of Acts, Luke the physician records the acts or history of the Apostles after Jesus' sacrificial death on the cross.  The Holy Spirit enters into Luke’s account and plays a pivotal role throughout the narrative.  Suffering and tragedy in Acts also functions as a constant in Luke’s account.  Bad actors, such as Herod (Acts 12:1-5) and Demetrius, the silversmith, (Acts 19:24) cause tragedy, but despite their actions, God is glorified.  Luke does not spare the reader from the gritty hardships that the Apostles faced.  The suffering they experienced was recorded by Luke for a reason.  The believer must train their heart and mind to search for the good in tragedy.  This post will focus on a couple of examples of this concept in Acts.

Peter and John are arrested by Jewish leaders while at Solomon’s portico (Acts 3:11; 4:3-4).  Despite being arrested, many believed in Christ after Peter laid out a compelling Gospel argument from the Old Testament (Acts 3:11-4:4).  The Jewish leaders were then forced to release Peter and John.  When Peter and John returned to their friends, they lifted up their voices in prayer and praise to God.  The congregational prayer captured in Acts 4:24-30, begins with a statement of God’s sovereignty and then focuses on the greatest tragedy, which was the torture and murder of Jesus, who was without sin.  The prayer states, “For truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place” (Acts 4:27-28).  These verses explain that the tragedy of Jesus’ death on the cross occurred according to God’s sovereign plan.  Peter had previously stated this reality in his sermon at Pentecost (Acts 2:23). A great tragedy occurred and the result of that tragedy was one of the greatest victories, which is salvation for believers. 

Another example is when a great persecution arose against the church in Jerusalem (Acts 8:1).  Saul was one of the leaders of this persecution (Acts 7:54-3).  Luke records Saul ravaging the church and going from house to house in search of believers (Acts 8:2).  Jewish leaders probably perceived this persecution as a victory, but in actuality, their persecutions led to believers being dispersed throughout Israel (Acts 8:1).  Believers were scattered as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch (Acts 11:19).  This tragedy led to these dispersed believers sharing the Gospel in diverse areas (Acts 8:4).  For example, Philip found himself in Samaria spreading the Gospel and baptizing new believers (Acts 8:5-13).

The now converted Paul was beaten with rods and thrown in to jail with Silas (Acts 16:22-23).  Still suffering from their wounds, Paul and Silas sang hymns that landed on the ears of fellow prisoners (Acts 16:25).  While in prison, their jailer and his family became believers and were baptized (Acts 16:33-34).  There is a solid biblical argument here for modern prison ministries, because Paul and Silas had an impact on the prisoners, as well as the jailer, for the good of the Gospel.  With the right perspective, one can see how God can be glorified in these tragedies and suffering.  If someone is in the midst of tragedy, there is comfort in the fact that though it might not be readily apparent, God can use it for His Glory and bring about good for others.  With this perspective, one can see this theme played out from Genesis to Revelation.  There is also comfort in the fact that one day Jesus will come again and there will be no more suffering, no more hunger, no more thirst, and God will wipe away every tear (Rev. 7:16-17).