Lesson 12: The Scattering of the Church & the Preaching of Philip, the Evangelist (8:1-40)

Overview of the Passage & Helpful Facts for Further Bible Study A.“A great persecution arose against the church…and they were all scattered” (8:1). 1.Enemies of the church tried threatening, imprisoning, scourging, and now murder. 2.The scattering of the church “to Judea and Samaria” fulfilled 1:8. 3.Saul, the persecutor, is introduced in this context, ravaging the church (7:58-8:3). I. A.Scattering Christians ought to be like scattering seed (8:1, 4). 1.The scattering of Christians (& killing Stephen) did not stop the growth of Christianity. 2.Rather, wherever the Christians were scattered, the seed of the gospel was scattered. II. Significant Truths from this Passage for Our Understanding

Overview of the Passage & Helpful Facts for Further Bible Study B.Philip was prominent in taking the gospel to Samaria (8:4-25). 1.“Those who were scattered went everywhere (incl. Samaria) preaching the word” (8:4). 2.While Samaria was north of Jerusalem, it was “down” (lower) in elevation (8:5, 15). 3.There was long-term, deep-seated animosity between Jews & Samaritans (cf. Jn. 4). 4.Philip “preached Christ” in Samaria, confirming his message with numerous miracles, and multitudes were converted to Christ (8:5-13). 5.The apostles imparting the Holy Spirit sparked Simon’s material instincts (8:14-24). I.

B.To “preach the word” is parallel to and inclusive of preaching “Christ” (8:5), “things concerning the kingdom of God” (8:12), “the name of Jesus Christ” (8:12), “the word of the Lord” (8:25), “the gospel” (8:25), and “Jesus” (8:35). C.The preaching of Christ (and the N.T.) involves commands that must be obeyed (8:6). 1.The people “heeded” (8:6, 35-36; 16:14) when they believed and obeyed (cf. 8:12). 2.The people “heeded the things spoken” and did so “with one accord.” D.True miracles of God are unmistakable, irrefutable & un- reproducible (8:5-13). 1.When unclean spirits were cast out and lame persons were healed, that was of God! 2.The conversion of Simon was testimony to the genuineness of Divine miracles (8:13). 3.They must never be demeaned to the level of “magic” or “sorcery.” II. Significant Truths from this Passage for Our Understanding

E.Conversions to Christ in the New Testament all looked the same (because they were)! 1.Jews on Pentecost “heard,” believed and “were baptized” (2:37, 41). 2.The Samaritans “hearing,” “believed” and “were baptized” (8:6, 12). 3.Simon the Sorcerer “believed” and “was baptized” (8:12). 4.The Ethiopian eunuch heard, believed and was “baptized” (8:35-39). 5.All heard, believed & obeyed the same. How can it be different today? F.Miraculous power of the Holy Spirit could only be imparted by the 12 apostles (8:14-19). 1.Upon baptism, the Samaritans received forgiveness & the gift of the Spirit (cf. 2:38). 2.They didn’t have the miraculous power of the Spirit until Peter & John laid hands (8:17). 3.Only through the laying on of apostle’s hands (and no other) could the miraculous gift (and powers) of the Holy Spirit be imparted (8:17-19), which demonstrated a limited distribution of the power & a limited duration (only as long as the apostles would live). II. Significant Truths from this Passage for Our Understanding

G.God has two laws of pardon: one for the non- Christian and one for the Christian. 1.Once a Christian is saved, he is not then “always saved.” He can sin and be lost. 2.Simon, who was a child of God (8:13), erred and was in need of forgiveness again (8:22). 3.For a Christian to be saved (pardoned) from sin, he must “Repent and pray” (8:22). II. Significant Truths from this Passage for Our Understanding

Overview of the Passage & Helpful Facts for Further Bible Study C.Philip was sent to convert the Ethiopian Eunuch (8:26-40). 1.Angels were never used to tell man how to be saved but only man (cf. 2 Cor. 4:7). 2.A convert to Judaism was returning from Jerusalem to his home/work in Ethiopia. 3.The Ethiopian was reading aloud Isaiah 53 & Philip joined him to teach Jesus to him. 4.Philip baptized the eunuch in a body of water along the chariot’s pathway. I.

H.The providence of God is a marvel to see at work (26-40). 1.In Acts 8, Philip met an Ethiopian riding in a chariot. 2.The Lord sent Philip from populous Samaria to an uninhabited roadside (8:26). 3.The Lord knew there was one man whose heart was searching and ripe for harvest. 4.In order to have Philip meet Ethiopian riding in chariot, the Lord: a)Had to know when Ethiopian would leave Jeru & speed of travel. b)Had to know precise time & place He wanted the two men to meet. c)Had to know exactly when Ethiopian would be reading Isaiah 53. d)Had to know Philip’s speed of travel from Samaria to destination. e)Had to know sufficient water along the roadside at needed time. f)Had to send Philip at least one full day before Ethiopian left Jeru. 5.The Lord sent Philip to this remote location for only one man to be saved (8:40). II. Significant Truths from this Passage for Our Understanding

I.It is impossible to “preach Jesus” without preaching the necessity of baptism (8:35-36). 1.Only exclusive revelation about Philip’s sermon: he used Isaiah 53 to preach Jesus. 2.The first recorded response of the Ethiopian to the sermon: I want to be baptized! 3.Why now? Why here? Because his salvation hinged on it! Only then could he rejoice! 4.Baptism was part of every completed gospel sermon to sinners in Acts! This is known either by reading the words of the sermon itself or by reading the results! J.Baptism is by immersion (8:38-39). 1.They “both…went down into the water” and “came up out of the water” (8:38-39). 2.The action & object of the verb will not allow for pouring/sprinkling— only immersion. 3.The Greek verb itself (baptizo) means “to dip, immerse, submerge, plunge.” II. Significant Truths from this Passage for Our Understanding

A.Regardless what happens to us, may we go “everywhere preaching the word”! B.Let us build our faith to be strong enough to withstand any persecution brought on us! C.Let us decide we will be used by God in any place we find ourselves & every place we go! D.We can all “preach Jesus”! That is what was preached to us, so that we could be saved! III. Practical Points of Application for Our Lives