Acts 8 – Persecution Spreads the Gospel
Saul was there at
Stephen’s death and gave his approval.
Persecution officially began against the church. Saul began to destroy the church. He went from house to house and dragged off
men and women and put them in prison (Acts
8:1-2). The apostles and the early
church were persecuted for their belief in Jesus. We today as Christians can expect
persecution. Though the apostles were
persecuted, it did not stop them. Even good
things happened. This persecution united
them even more. They were scattered
throughout Judea and Samaria. (Acts 8:4)
- They preached the word wherever they went. By being scattered they could now preach to
more people.
When facing
hard times do you talk about what God is teaching you?
Philip went to
Samaria where the apostles had already proclaimed the Christ there. When Philip performed miraculous signs, they
listened. Many people received Christ
and were baptized. Preaching the word to
them was a new outlook for the Jewish Christians. The Jews and Samaritans did not get along at
all. The Jews thought they were special,
since they had the law and were God’s chosen people. Samaritans were thought to be the lowest of
people and were despised by the Jews.
They were probably the last people the apostles thought they would ever
preach to.
Do you let
your prejudices stand in your way of telling others about Jesus?
Simon
The apostles
came face to face with the occult. Simon
was a sorcerer and had many followers.
He boasted that he was someone great.
When he heard Philip’s preaching of the good news and saw his great
signs and miracles, Simon believed and was baptized. To believe doesn’t always mean saving
faith. (Even Satan believes.) When he saw Peter and John giving the people who
believed the Holy Spirit, Simon offered them money and said “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my
hands may receive the Holy Spirit” – Acts 8:19. Peter explained
that he cannot buy this gift of God and he had no part in this ministry because
your heart is not right before God.
Peter told him to repent of this wickedness and pray for forgiveness. (Acts 8:20-23) Simon was amazed by the power of the Holy
Spirit and not interested in salvation.
Simon was awed
by the miracles he saw Philip do, but his faith was not real. His heart was not right. He never truly repented. This shows that God knows your heart and you
cannot deceive the Holy Spirit. You
cannot manipulate Him for your own purposes.
Salvation is a
matter of God changing your heart. (Acts
8:21). He makes you a new creation
in Christ. Believers don’t live for self
like Simon, but for God and His glory.
Living for God’s glory is a live long process. Believers struggle daily, but continue to
repent and trust God.
The Ethiopian
An angel of the
Lord told Philip to go south toward Gaza.
On this way he met an Ethiopian who was going to Jerusalem to
worship. He was sitting in his chariot reading
the book of Isaiah. The Ethiopian didn’t
understand the Isaiah passage. He was
dedicated to God, but didn’t know Jesus Christ.
God knew the Ethiopian’s heart and sent Philip to witness to him. Philip did not question God, he just
went. God prepares the person and makes
all the arrangements of time and place.
Philip was prepared. A student of
the scriptures and he knew Jesus Christ.
Philip explained Isaiah 53 to him.
This passage is talking about Jesus and how He was led to the cross as
the sheep to slaughter. Jesus didn’t try
to talk His way out. He was humiliated
and deprived of justice and His life was taken.
God sends just the right person just when we need them as He did for the
Ethiopian.
Principle:
God evangelizes the world through obedient Christians.
How much are
you really seeking God?
How willing
and available are you to go where He’s directing you?
How willing
are you to cross over boundaries like life style, race, etc.?
Are you
willing and ready or intimated to share the gospel?
Acts 9:1-30 – Saul’s Conversion
Saul was a
highly religious and educated man. He
was the leading persecutor of Christians.
He believed he was working for God.
Saul was threatening the disciples and persecuting them and their
followers. One day on the road to
Damascus a bright brilliant light from heaven slashed all around him and he
fell to the ground blinded. He heard a
voice (Jesus) saying, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute
me?” – Acts 9:4. To
hurt any Christian is to hurt Jesus Himself.
The voice replied, “I am Jesus, whom you are
persecuting. Now get up and go to the
city and you will be told what you must do.” – Acts 9:5. The men traveling
with Saul led him to Damascus and for 3 days he was blind and didn’t eat or
drink anything.
Who are you
persecuting?
Then a disciple
named Ananias (this is a different Ananias that the one in chapter 5) was told
by the Lord to go and minister to Saul.
Ananias is not described as a pastor or of anyone special. He was afraid and for he had heard of Saul’s
reputation for persecuting Christians, but Ananias overcame his fears and obeyed
God. By the time he arrived, Saul was
ready to receive God’s gift of the Holy Spirit.
He placed his hands on Saul and immediately Saul could see again. Saul believed and was baptized. God turned his mission of hate to a mission
of heaven.
Saul (later
known as Paul) then preached in Damascus.
Then he went to Jerusalem and to all Judea to the Gentiles, preaching
that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their
deeds. He never lost sight of the glory
of God throughout his life. He endured
many types of persecution, but continued to do God’s will.
We must follow
God’s will and obey whatever He asked, even if we are afraid. What if Ananias had said “No”? What a privilege he had to lead Saul to
Christ. God used Saul to evangelize to
most of the unknown world. He wrote much
of the New Testament.
Principles: No
heart is too hard for Jesus Christ to change.
Who do you
identify with?
Philip – trusting, going without
question and doing what God says
Ethiopian – seeking God, but
clueless
Ananias – feeling fearful and overwhelmed
of what God is asking you to do
Saul – showing a hard heart
Do you have a
Saul in your life?
Are you willing to minister and pray for
them?
God wants all of
us to be ready, willing and available to help someone else to have life in a
new direction.
Join me here
next week for our next study in the book of Acts. -- I encourage you to trust in Jesus.
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