Acts 8:1-40
The Gospel, up until this time has been centered in Jerusalem. However, it is now beginning to spread to other places and people. This chapter gives us the history of how the Gospel spread to Samaria and then as far as Africa through the ministry of Philip. We will divide this into two different studies, first we will look at Philip in Samaria and then the conversion of the Ethiopian Eunuch.
THE GOSPEL SPREAD TO SAMARIA THROUGH: THE PERSECUTION OF THE SAINTS: If Satan thought that he was going to be able to squelch the Gospel through persecution, he was sorely mistaken. The persecution of the church has always been used of God to promote the spread of the Gospel. I think that believers have a very strong tendency to grow complacent in times of comfort and ease. It is easy to get caught up in all that is going on around us to the point that we don't look outside of our own little circle. We get comfortable sanctifying saints and forget about the salvation of sinners. Persecution, I believe, is God's way of waking us up and getting us out of the pew and onto the pavement.
THE PROCLAMATION OF THE SCRIPTURES: Philip left Jerusalem and entered Samaria where he began to preach. Only a few months earlier Jesus had revealed Himself to many of the Samaritans and now Philip has arrived to reveal to the the truth of the death and resurrection of Christ. Revival breaks out and throngs of people trust Christ and long to hear more. The truth of Christ as revealed in His Word is the means by which God brings people to Himself. We do not have any answers for the sins and problems of people apart from the Word of God. We must proclaim His truth with boldness.
THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT: It is the Spirit of God at work through the Word of God that transforms lives. The revival in Samaria got so big that Peter and John come to help. As they lay hands on the new believers they receive the Holy Spirit who, I believe in this case delayed His entering into the new Samaritan believers so that the Apostles could clearly see that God was moving the message of the Gospel beyond the realm of Judaism. Samaritan's were being saved and soon Gentiles would follow. God's Spirit empowered His servants to perform many miracles and proclaim the message of salvation.
THE PROTECTION FROM SIN: Simon, a former magician turned saint was astounded by the true power of the apostles and their ability to, in this instance, impart the Holy Spirit through the laying on of Hands. He tries to buy this power as if it were some sort of "magic show." Peter sets him straight and warns him that the work of God is not a show, it is real life transformation that is done for the glory of God. They show great zeal for the purity of the church and a courage to protect it from sinful intentions.
THE GOSPEL CAME TO THE EUNUCH BECAUSE: THE LORD LED: It is not like Philip didn't have anything to do, but God took this very busy man and miraculously told him to go the the desert. There are a few things that I think are important to consider about the Lord's leading. First of all we should recognize this as a special miracle and not expect that angels will always tell us what to do next. Second we notice that when the Lord does lead in this special way that He chooses someone who is already faithfully obeying the will of God. We can never use a lack of leading from the Lord as an excuse for laziness or inactivity. He has revealed what He wants us to do in His Word (make disciples of all nations) as long as we are faithfully doing this we can move forward with confidence. If God wants to direct us miraculously He is always able to do so, but we should not fold our arms and wait we should roll up our sleeves and get to work.
THE SAVED SUBMIT: One of the most amazing things I see in Philip's life is that he simply arose and went when told to leave Samaria and go to the desert. Sometime we think that we are to busy serving God that we don't have time to obey Him. I know that sounds crazy, but it happens more often than we might imagine. It is easy for us to put blinders on and focus only on the task at hand. We convince ourselves that God would never want us to face the discomfort of the desert so we insist on staying put with we know that God would have us move. When Philip felt the leading of the Spirit of God tell him to go talk to the man in the chariot he went running to catch it, and after a long three day's walk in the desert. He didn't make excuses about being to tired or about being from a different social class or belonging to a different culture. He knew what God wanted him to do and he simply did it.
THE HEATHEN HEAR: I think it is vital to understand that people get saved because they hear the Gospel explained to them by another believer. The eunuch was returning from Jerusalem where he had gone to worship and he was reading the Bible in his chariot. If sincerity and dedication could save a man, than this guy would surely have been saved. But he was not saved because he did not understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ until Philip explained it to him. If people do not hear the Gospel they will not understand it and they will not believe it so they will not be saved. God took Philip out of a revival in Samaria so that this one man might hear the Gospel and be saved. We must not fool ourselves into thinking that as long as we live good moral lives, our actions will speak for themselves. As important as a good testimony is, it is no substitution for testifying. We must open our mouths and tell others about Jesus, it is the only way that they will hear.
THE WORD WORKS: Philip explained the Scriptures and the eunuch understood, believed and was saved. Philip did not have to stand on his head or adapt the message, he simply preached Jesus to the man from the Scriptures. We do not have the power to transform lives, but God's Word does. It really works! We must not abandon the preaching of the Word in an effort to attract more crowds and keep people entertained. Sitting in church never saved anybody apart from the Spirit of God using the Word of God. Our goal must not be to pack the pews with "feel good" messages delivered as if they were some motivational speech. Our message is the Word of God and the cross of Christ and whether it is popular or not, it is the only means by which sinners can find forgiveness and true joy. The eunuch went on his way rejoicing after he was baptised because he had found hope and forgiveness in the Word of God, not because he attended an awesome service.
THE GOSPEL SPREAD TO SAMARIA THROUGH: THE PERSECUTION OF THE SAINTS: If Satan thought that he was going to be able to squelch the Gospel through persecution, he was sorely mistaken. The persecution of the church has always been used of God to promote the spread of the Gospel. I think that believers have a very strong tendency to grow complacent in times of comfort and ease. It is easy to get caught up in all that is going on around us to the point that we don't look outside of our own little circle. We get comfortable sanctifying saints and forget about the salvation of sinners. Persecution, I believe, is God's way of waking us up and getting us out of the pew and onto the pavement.
THE PROCLAMATION OF THE SCRIPTURES: Philip left Jerusalem and entered Samaria where he began to preach. Only a few months earlier Jesus had revealed Himself to many of the Samaritans and now Philip has arrived to reveal to the the truth of the death and resurrection of Christ. Revival breaks out and throngs of people trust Christ and long to hear more. The truth of Christ as revealed in His Word is the means by which God brings people to Himself. We do not have any answers for the sins and problems of people apart from the Word of God. We must proclaim His truth with boldness.
THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT: It is the Spirit of God at work through the Word of God that transforms lives. The revival in Samaria got so big that Peter and John come to help. As they lay hands on the new believers they receive the Holy Spirit who, I believe in this case delayed His entering into the new Samaritan believers so that the Apostles could clearly see that God was moving the message of the Gospel beyond the realm of Judaism. Samaritan's were being saved and soon Gentiles would follow. God's Spirit empowered His servants to perform many miracles and proclaim the message of salvation.
THE PROTECTION FROM SIN: Simon, a former magician turned saint was astounded by the true power of the apostles and their ability to, in this instance, impart the Holy Spirit through the laying on of Hands. He tries to buy this power as if it were some sort of "magic show." Peter sets him straight and warns him that the work of God is not a show, it is real life transformation that is done for the glory of God. They show great zeal for the purity of the church and a courage to protect it from sinful intentions.
THE GOSPEL CAME TO THE EUNUCH BECAUSE: THE LORD LED: It is not like Philip didn't have anything to do, but God took this very busy man and miraculously told him to go the the desert. There are a few things that I think are important to consider about the Lord's leading. First of all we should recognize this as a special miracle and not expect that angels will always tell us what to do next. Second we notice that when the Lord does lead in this special way that He chooses someone who is already faithfully obeying the will of God. We can never use a lack of leading from the Lord as an excuse for laziness or inactivity. He has revealed what He wants us to do in His Word (make disciples of all nations) as long as we are faithfully doing this we can move forward with confidence. If God wants to direct us miraculously He is always able to do so, but we should not fold our arms and wait we should roll up our sleeves and get to work.
THE SAVED SUBMIT: One of the most amazing things I see in Philip's life is that he simply arose and went when told to leave Samaria and go to the desert. Sometime we think that we are to busy serving God that we don't have time to obey Him. I know that sounds crazy, but it happens more often than we might imagine. It is easy for us to put blinders on and focus only on the task at hand. We convince ourselves that God would never want us to face the discomfort of the desert so we insist on staying put with we know that God would have us move. When Philip felt the leading of the Spirit of God tell him to go talk to the man in the chariot he went running to catch it, and after a long three day's walk in the desert. He didn't make excuses about being to tired or about being from a different social class or belonging to a different culture. He knew what God wanted him to do and he simply did it.
THE HEATHEN HEAR: I think it is vital to understand that people get saved because they hear the Gospel explained to them by another believer. The eunuch was returning from Jerusalem where he had gone to worship and he was reading the Bible in his chariot. If sincerity and dedication could save a man, than this guy would surely have been saved. But he was not saved because he did not understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ until Philip explained it to him. If people do not hear the Gospel they will not understand it and they will not believe it so they will not be saved. God took Philip out of a revival in Samaria so that this one man might hear the Gospel and be saved. We must not fool ourselves into thinking that as long as we live good moral lives, our actions will speak for themselves. As important as a good testimony is, it is no substitution for testifying. We must open our mouths and tell others about Jesus, it is the only way that they will hear.
THE WORD WORKS: Philip explained the Scriptures and the eunuch understood, believed and was saved. Philip did not have to stand on his head or adapt the message, he simply preached Jesus to the man from the Scriptures. We do not have the power to transform lives, but God's Word does. It really works! We must not abandon the preaching of the Word in an effort to attract more crowds and keep people entertained. Sitting in church never saved anybody apart from the Spirit of God using the Word of God. Our goal must not be to pack the pews with "feel good" messages delivered as if they were some motivational speech. Our message is the Word of God and the cross of Christ and whether it is popular or not, it is the only means by which sinners can find forgiveness and true joy. The eunuch went on his way rejoicing after he was baptised because he had found hope and forgiveness in the Word of God, not because he attended an awesome service.
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