Our studies in Acts have helped us understand that: the cross and the empty tomb formed not only the basis of the church’s message, but also gave shape to their identity. as this message began to take root in Jerusalem and people began to come to faith in Christ, opposition also grew towards the church. this opposition was led by a man by the name of Saul of Tarsus, who will very shortly begin to play a crucial role within the book of Acts.

“Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went “Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. So there was great joy in that city.” - Acts 8:4-8

Finding Philip He was chosen along with Stephen and five other men to help ensure that the daily food distribution of the early church was handled fairly and consistently. Philip was most likely a Greek speaking Jew. Philip was a man “full of the Spirit and wisdom” (Acts 6:3). Philip was a person held in high regards within the early church.

Following the dispersion of the early church from Jerusalem, Philip “preached the word wherever [he] went”. Saul of Tarsus began literally ripping men and women from their homes and imprisoning them because of their faith in Jesus Christ, so the early church fled Jerusalem as a result. If you woke up one morning and learned of an approaching persecution, would you worry about preaching the Good News of Jesus wherever you went or would you simply just hightail it for the safest place you could find? The members of the early church must have really believed in their call to act as witnesses of Jesus as even intense persecution doesn’t dissuade them from following through on it.

“You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth”. (Acts 1:8) Up until this point in the book of Acts, the early church has been particularly active in what area? “A great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria” (Acts 8:1). Where was the church scattered throughout in Acts 8:1? Through persecution, we see the church fulfilling her mandate and mission in the world.

Judea is the province or region that surrounded Jerusalem – like East Gwillimbury is to Mount Albert. Judea was populated by ethnic Jews, was not very ethnically diverse, and was a religiously conservative region. Judea was as Jerusalem was, only on a much larger scale. When the fleeing Christians took the gospel into Judea, there were simply spreading the message of Jesus Christ regionally. By evangelizing Judea, the early church ensures that the message of Christ began to traverse boundaries of distance as it expanded regionally.

Philip moved out from Jerusalem and into Samaria. There was a long history of animosity between the Jews and the Samaritans. Historically, the Samaritans had rebelled against Israel, engaged in idol worship, and intermarried with non-Jewish peoples, bringing all kinds of pagan and impure practices into their worship of God. By the time of Christ, Jews would not travel through Samaria, preferring to travel a large, sweeping arc like route around Samaria instead. Philip, then, goes to this ethnically different, religiously profane, culturally aberrant people with purpose – to preach the word and proclaim Jesus as the Messiah.

To this point, the church has been exclusively preaching to Jerusalem based Jews, with the message that Jesus is the Messiah and the fulfillment of all that Judaism taught and practiced. What is Philip doing preaching to impure Samaritans? “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons.” (Matthew 10:5-8) A shift is occurring within the church … could a ministry to the Samaritans be a part of the call of the church?

There is some Scriptural precedence for ministry among the Samaritans in both John the Baptist’s and Christ’s ministries. We have these beautiful interruptions where the work of God spills over to the people of Samaria, but what Philip engages in is quite different. It is a direct invasion of the gospel into Samaria; it is an intentional extension of the witness of the church into a non-Jewish environment. The gospel has begun to traverse ethnic boundaries.

I believe that two things motivate Philip’s mission: The early church viewed Jesus as one who could reunite the anciently divided Israelite people groups. Jesus was the hope through whom all of Israel – even Samaritans - could be saved. The charge of Christ in Acts 1:8 clearly directs the church to act as witnesses in Samaria. Philip’s activity, then, is the result of a glorious hope and a clear obedience to Jesus.

Notice that in our passage today, there is no mention of the Samaritans accepting Christ or believing in the message Philip was preaching yet. While this is true, “there was great joy in that city”. The message of Philip generates great joy. Philip arrived in Samaria to a rejected and despised people with the message of a Risen Saviour and the result of this good news is that great joy fills the city. How is it possible that the words of one obedient man can fill a city with joy? Philip was “full of the Spirit” and he came with good news.

Some Questions Is there “great joy” in our city and are we at the centre of it? Does our good news bring great joy to our community? Is there “great joy” among the rejected and despised of our world because the church is bringing good news to them? Is there “great joy” in our church, among His people, within our homes, because we get to revel in the ongoing proclamation of the good news of Jesus Christ? Are we full of the Spirit and overflowing with joy? Is there great joy in your heart this morning because of the good news of Jesus?

Is there then a lack of joy in our churches and homes because there’s a lack of joy in our hearts at the message of Christ? Is there a lack of joy in our community, because we’ve ceased to see the message of Jesus as good news?