Acts 8:1-3
And Saul approved of their killing him.
On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.
This is the first of many persecutions that have come against Jesus’ church over the centuries. This persecution drives many out of Jerusalem to surrounding towns and this actually helped the Gospel to spread. Can you imagine the families and women and children especially as households were ravaged?
Saul the persecutor played a key part. In all my life I don’t think I have ever been persecuted for being a Christian, but I have experienced a much milder version of it. Lots of times over the years I have been ridiculed for believing in God and for following Jesus.