A Title
Sent to preach to the ends of the world
Best Verse
Verses that show Philip being sent forth
8:5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the
Christ.
8:39 And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried
Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way
rejoicing.
8:40 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached
the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
Challenge
Is your heart right before God?
8:20 But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you
thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!
8:21 You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not
right before God.
8:22 Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord
that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.
8:23 For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of
iniquity."
Simon was severely reprimanded by Peter. Why? Because his heart and intentions were not pure before God. The Holy Spirit is a priceless gift fully given by God’s sheer goodwill and generosity - in other words, His free grace.
Simon was listening to Philip perhaps not because he sought Jesus, but because he was more amazed by the signs and miracles performed by Philip.
8:13 Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with
Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed.
A heart that is right before God is one that seeks Him for who He is. The only intention should be the love for God.
How can I understand, unless someone guides me?
The Lord knows that the Ethiopian eunuch was struggling to understand the passage from Isaiah.
Isaiah
53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before
its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.
53:8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation,
who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people?
Acts
8:32 Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this: "Like a
sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is
silent, so he opens not his mouth.
8:33 In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his
generation? For his life is taken away from the earth."
Unless we have a guide, we cannot hope to understand the word of God by ourselves. The Ethiopian man had the humility to ask for help. “How can I, unless someone guides me?”. Therefore it is extremely important to hear about the sharings from others. It gives us insight to passages that we struggle to see Christ in.
Philip was able to help the Ethiopian man see by recounting Jesus.
8:35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told
him the good news about Jesus.
For a man who have tasted Jesus, the man is filled with great excitement to acknowledge his newly discovered Lord:
Acts 8:37 And Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he
replied, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."
Difficulties
How serious was Simon’s request?
8:23 For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of
iniquity."
What exactly was the crime of Simon’s request?
Simon wanted to take for himself the power of the Holy Spirit. But it is implicit that that was the only thing that he wanted. He wanted God for God’s power, and not for God himself.
Hebrews
12:15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no "root of
bitterness" springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become
defiled;
12:16 that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his
birthright for a single meal.
The selfish desire to advance oneself is the bitterness being mentioned.
We are to receive the Holy Spirit as God’s holy and zealous people.
Essence
Saul persecuted christians
v1-4
- there was a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and people were scattered
- Paul dragged christians to prison
Philip preaches to Samaria
v5-8
- Philip preached Christ to the people
- many were healed
- the people had much joy
Philip preaches to Simon
v9-13
- Simon practiced magic and made himself famous
- But Simon believed Philip when he preached about Jesus and the kingdom of God
The apostles pray for the Holy Spirit
v14-17
- the apostles went to Samaria to pray for them to receive the Holy Spirit
- they laid hands on the people
Simon wanted to purchase the gift of God
v18-24
- Simon wanted to pay the apostles to receive the Holy Spirit
- Peter scolded Simon for wanting to obtain the gift of God with money
- Peter discerned that Simon’s heart is not right before God, and urged him to repent of his wickedness
- Simon asked to be forgiven and to be prayed for
Philip was sent to preach to an Ethiopian eunuch
v25-40
- Philip was sent to the south
- Philip found an Ethiopian eunuch who struggled to read Isaiah
- Philip guided the Ethiopian eunuch by sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ
- Philip even baptised the man because he was willing to believe with all his heart
- Philip was sent to even more places