Read Acts 8:26-40

The Value Of Questions

Questions asked at the right time can be a wonderful teaching tool. When Philip met the Ethiopian eunuch, the eunuch was reading from Isaiah’s prophecy. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” (Acts 8:30). This is a splendid question for a teacher to ask a student.

The eunuch responded with a question of his own: “How can I, unless someone guides me?” (Acts 8:31). This man was humble, seeing his need for a wise teacher. “He asked Philip to come up and sit with him” (Acts 8:32). He was hospitable to a man who was willing to study with him.

As they read from the scroll, the eunuch asked Philip another question. He said, “I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?” (Acts 8:34). Philip seized the opportunity to explain how Jesus Christ fulfilled the prophecies recorded so many centuries before.

We can also infer from the eunuch’s next question that Philip taught him about baptism. “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” (Acts 8:36). Had Philip not expressed the importance of immersion, the eunuch never would have asked such a question. But Philip’s answer reinforced baptism’s place in the gospel plan of salvation. He declared, “If you believe with all your heart, you may” (Acts 8:37).

Without delay, the chariot was stopped, and Philip and the eunuch went down into the water. The eunuch died to his sins, was buried with Christ in baptism, and was raised again to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:3-4). He was immersed for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38). His sins were washed away (Acts 22:16). He believed and he was baptized, thus, he was saved (Mark 16:16).

Have you followed the example of the eunuch? Have you confessed your belief and been immersed into Christ? If not, why are you delaying?

Read Acts 8:9-25

God’s Second Law Of Pardon

Of all the Samaritans that accepted the gospel, Simon may have been the most surprising. He was a very popular entertainer as a sorcerer, “claiming to be someone great” (Acts 8:9). And he was not the only one making that claim; the people—“from the least to the greatest”—also said, “This man is the great power of God” (Acts 8:10). The people of the city “heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time” (Acts 8:11).

Things changed for Simon when Philip arrived in Samaria. Philip was not a master of the sleight of hand; the miracles he performed in the name of Jesus were legitimate. The truth he preached was powerful. The people believed him and obeyed the gospel. Even Simon heeded Philip. “Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done” (Acts 8:13).

Peter and John came to Samaria to see the good work that Philip had done. They laid hands on their new brothers and sisters, imparting upon them the ability to work miracles as well. That gave Simon an idea. “And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hand the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, saying, ‘Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit’” (Acts 8:18-19).

Simon sinned, thinking that God’s power was for sale. He sinned, missing the acclaim he once enjoyed. He thought he could reclaim some of his former popularity. Peter rebuked him and said, “Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity” (Acts 8:22-23).

Our God is a merciful and gracious God, and He wants us to obey Him and serve Him from the heart. Even when we sin, He gives us the opportunity to repent and return to Him.

Read Acts 8:4-13

Preaching Christ

Philip, another one of the seven servants Luke introduced in Acts 6, was among the Christians scattered during the great persecution following Stephen’s martyrdom. Philip went to Samaria, and despite the typical Jewish opinion of Samaritans at that time, he “preached Christ to them” (Acts 8:5).

Hearing the truth and seeing the supporting signs, “multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip” (Acts 8:6). What were those things? Luke does not leave us wondering. He taught them and “preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 8:12). He told them about the Savior of the world and the church that He established. And at this preaching, “both men and women were baptized” (Acts 8:12).

There are many things involved in preaching “the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ.” One must preach the divine nature of Jesus. He is not a created being but eternal. He is God the Son, as much Deity as God the Father and God the Spirit.

One must preach the prophecies that point to Jesus the Messiah. His advent was prophesied, as was His suffering and His power. One must preach about the church, as it is the kingdom (Matthew 16:17-19). It is to the church that one is added when he obeys the gospel (Acts 2:47).

One must preach the truth of Jesus’ return. He is coming again, but not to set up His kingdom. He already did that. Nor is He coming to rule on this earth for one thousand years. He affirmed before Pilate that His kingdom was not of this world (John 18:36). No, He is coming again to deliver the kingdom to the Father (1 Corinthians 15:24).

Have you ever heard these things? Has the truth of the gospel been preached to you, or have you only heard fanciful theories based on nothing but speculation? Be like the Bereans who “searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11).

Read Acts 6-7

Reactions To The Truth

The seven men chosen to serve the widows in Acts 6 were “men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom” (Acts 6:3). One of those men was Stephen. Luke says that Stephen was “full of faith and power” and that he “did great wonders and signs among the people” (Acts 6:8). Yet, his teaching got him into trouble with some who did not believe; they “set up false witnesses” (Acts 6:13) and accused Stephen of blasphemy.

The high priest heard the accusation and asked Stephen, “Are these things so?” (Acts 7:1). Rather than defend himself against the charges, Stephen used the time he was given to preach the good news of Jesus. He began by talking about Abraham, Jacob, and Joseph, about Moses and the wilderness wanderings, about Joshua and David and Solomon. He quoted from the prophets Amos and Isaiah.

Stephen then turned his attention to his audience. “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it” (Acts 7:51-53).

Their reaction was quite different than the reaction of the people on Pentecost. Instead of recognizing their great need, Stephen’s audience was stubborn and hard-hearted. They “gnashed at him with their teeth” (Acts 7:54), “they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord” (Acts 7:57), and then they stoned the righteous Stephen.

How do you react when you hear the truth, and that truth speaks against you? Do you seek to correct your shortcomings so that you can serve God appropriately, as He has commanded, or do you ignore the man who has told you what God expects?

Read Acts 5:17-42

They Did Not Cease

You cannot silence God. The government may oppose the truth and they may try to oppress those who speak it, but man cannot defeat God. The high priest and the Sadducees tried and failed time and time again. The apostles were arrested, then miraculously freed; instead of halting their proclamation of the good news, they did what the angel of the Lord told them to do: “Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life” (Acts 5:20).

The captain brought the apostles back to the council again. The high priest asked, “Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name?” (Acts 5:28). The rulers were growing weary of the blame being placed on them for Jesus’ crucifixion. “And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!” (Acts 5:29). But, is this not exactly what they had asked for? Had they not cried, “His blood be on us and on our children” (Matthew 27:25).

The apostles refused to be silenced though. “We ought to obey God rather than man” (Acts 5:29). No matter what the Jewish officials said, the apostles were not about to back down. Gamaliel the Pharisee advised the council, “And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God” (Acts 5:38-39). And he was right. They had no hope of defeating the will of God.

The apostles were beaten, threatened again, and commanded to stop their teaching. What did the apostles do? “So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ” (Acts 5:41-42).

May we all have the resolve of the apostles, refusing to back down in the face of intimidation and persecution.

Read Acts 4:32-37

Happiness Does Not Come From Stuff

One of the most impressive men we read about in the book of Acts who was not an apostle was a man named Barnabas. Actually, that wasn’t his name. His name was Joses, but the apostles called him Barnabas. Luke explains that the name Barnabas “is translated Son of Encouragement” (Acts 4:36). When we are first introduced to Barnabas, his grand generosity is demonstrated. Luke says that Barnabas was “a Levite of the country of Cyprus, having land, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet” (Acts 4:36-37). The man’s primary concern was to care for those in need.

This was the attitude of many in the early church, as Luke explains that they “were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common” (Acts 4:32). He further wrote that “all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need” (Acts 4:35).

How different were these followers of Jesus than the typical worldly person! So many people are focused on obtaining more things, not giving them away. But how many of those people can claim true happiness because of their material possessions?

Jesus encountered a man who was obsessed with his stuff. The young man wanted to be assured of eternal life, and he asked Jesus which commands he needed to keep. The Lord rattled off a number of God’s laws, and the man said, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I lack?” (Matthew 19:20).

Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me” (Matthew 19:21). The result was sorrow in the man’s heart, not because he had to part with his things, but because he refused to!