Objective: To consider how God guides and discern the
difference between the authentic and counterfeit ministry.
1. A Zealous Persecutor : Saul the
Pharisee 8:1-3
2. A Faithful Preacher : Philip
the Deacon 8:4-8
2.1 Servant Heart 6:1-6
2.2 Tolerant Attitude 8:4-5
2.3 Boldness in Evangelism 8:5
3. A Clever Deceiver - Simon
the Sorcerer 8:9-25
3.1 Simon's Background:
Counterfeit Miracles 8:9-11
3.2 Simon's Belief: Superficial Faith 8:12-13
3.3 Simon's Behaviour : Questionable Motives 8:18-24
4. A Concerned Seeker : An
Ethiopian 8:26-40
4.1 Philip Heard God's Voice
8:26
4.2 Philip Obeyed God's Will 8:27
4.2.1 Specific Guidance
4.2.2 General Guidance
4.2.3 Divine Appointments
4.3 Philip Took the Initiative 8:30
4.4 The Lord Honoured Philip 8:34-39
"There is one thing stronger than all the armies in
the world," wrote Victor Hugo, "and that is an idea whose time has
come." Christianity was much much more than an idea. It was dynamite! The
events in Acts 8 centre around four different characters caught up in the spread
of the most revolutionary idea in the world: Saul, Philip, Simon and the unnamed
Ethiopian. Lets look at them briefly, then focus in on the encounter between
Philip and the Ethiopian which takes up the bulk of Luke's record.
1. A Zealous Persecutor : Saul
the Pharisee 8:1-3
We know from later on in Acts that Saul was one
of the elite young Pharisees, a Roman citizen, educated in Jerusalem by Gamaliel,
well on his way to becoming a great leader for the Jewish faith. What makes
the opening verses of chapter 8 so horrifying, is that Saul was zealous not
only in destroying fellow Jews who had become followers of Christ, but was doing
it all in the name of God. He did it with a clear conscience, convinced that
it was God's will to eradicate these heretics.
When it says in verse 3 that he began to "destroy"
the church, the image Luke uses is of a wild animal attacking its prey. In later
life, Paul describes his former life in Acts 26 as being obsessed, a blasphemer,
who went as far as using torture to try and get Christians to recant. For now
we leave him still unconverted, Saul the Pharisee, a zealous persecutor.
2 A Faithful Preacher : Philip the Deacon 8:4-8
Persecution does to the church what wind does
to the seed. It scatters it and only produces a greater harvest. The believers
in Jerusalem were like God's seed, and the persecution was used by God to plant
them in new soil which could bear fruit. Three things that we can pick out about
Philip's example.
2.1 Servant Heart 6:1-6
Philip was one of the seven chosen by the Apostles
to look after the meals on wheels service for widows in Acts 6. It says he was
recognized as a man "full of the Spirit and wisdom" 6:3, and must
have had a practical caring heart for the elderly and needy. But as in the case
of Stephen, the Lord had other ideas. The first time we meet Philip in ministry
is in Acts 8:4.
2.2 Tolerant Attitude 8:4-5
It is noticeable in verse 4, that it was not
the established leaders of the church who were scattered but the congregations
that had to get out of town. Philip was one of them. His first stop was Samaria.
That is quite significant. Orthodox Jews looked down on Samaritans (see John
4 for details) Ever since the Assyrians had deported the middle class Jews into
exile and left the farmers and labouring class to look after the land, there
had been tension between the two groups. The returning Jews turned up their
noses at those who'd stayed behind because they had intermarried with the surrounding
peoples. The Samaritans had also evolved their own temple and priesthood at
Samaria, in competition with Jerusalem. Today there are only around 200 ethnic
Samaritans left. Because of the Arab-Israeli tensions, it isn't possible for
tour groups to visit them. By the time Philip arrived the cold war had been
going on for at least 400 years. Philip had no such qualms. He was open to the
needs of Samaritans, and brought a kind of spiritual glasnost that softened
their hearts. He had a servant heart, and a tolerant attitude.
2.3 Boldness in Evangelism 8:5
Philip didn't
retreat to Samaria to escape persecution. He went to talk about Jesus. The very
thing that had got them into hot water in Jerusalem. He displayed a courage
and boldness that was not afraid of the consequences of sharing his faith.
Like Stephen, Philip had a unique ministry of "miraculous
signs", similar to that of the Apostles, which involved the healing of
paralytics and cripples. It says as a consequence there was great joy in the
town. Essentially Philip is a model, an example to us in these three areas -
his servant heart toward the needy, his tolerant attitude to other nationalities,
and his boldness in witnessing. He was not afraid of the likes of Saul the Pharisee,
the zealous persecutor. But there were other dangers closer to home within the
church....
3. A Clever Deceiver - Simon the
Sorcerer 8:9-25
Read 9-13, 18-23. "Philosophers have merely
interpreted the world in different ways. The real task is to change it."
Those are the words of Karl Marx, a man who had little time for ivory tower
academics or armchair dreamers. He was a revolutionary, and 'Revolution,' he
said, 'requires action.' You do not change the world just by theorising. You
have to get up and do something. The big question is: what? The revolutionary
praxis of Marx and his disciples, as we have witnessed in many places in the
last 150 years, is one of violence, class conflict and political authoritarianism.
That such tactics have changed the world no one can question, but whether they
have succeeded in changing the world for the better is much more debatable.
The recent collapse of communism in the Soviet Union is not particularly encouraging
in that respect.
Without a clear moral basis for society and government, their society is merely
imploding. The very real fear is of the rise of another autocratic dictator.
We can surely ask whether there is not some better way to change the world;
some methodology of revolution which is superior to guns and bombs? The Book
of Acts believes shows that there is indeed an alternative: the revolution of
Jesus. In the very first chapter, the risen Jesus set out his agenda of world
conquest: 'Wait until you have received power from on high and you will be my
witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the
earth' Tonight we have reached Samaria and the story of Simon. If you remember
our look at the story of Barnabas and Annias and Sapphire in chapter 5, we discovered
that it is a basic principle in Scripture that wherever God sows His true believers,
Satan will eventually sow his counterfeits (Matt. 13:24-30, 36-43). This was
true of the ministry of John the Baptist (Matt. 3:7ff) and Jesus (Matt. 23:15,
33; John 8:44), and it would be true of Paul's ministry also (2 Cor. 11:1-4).
The enemy comes as a lion to devour, and when that approach fails, he comes
as a serpent to deceive. Satan's tool in this case was a sorcerer named Simon.
3.1 Simon's Background: Counterfeit Miracles 8:9-11
The word translated "amazed" in Acts
8:9 and 11 means "astounded or confounded." It is also translated
"astonished" in Acts 8:13. The people were
amazed at the things that Simon did and, therefore, they believed the things
that he said. They considered him "the great power of God." From this
we learn a profound lesson. Not all claims to miracles or the supernatural are
divine in origin. We are specifically warned in Scripture of false signs and
wonders. There is one simple way of distinguishing the authentic from the counterfeit.
Simon's sorcery was energized by Satan (2 Thes. 2:1-12) and was used to magnify
himself, whereas the miracles Philip performed were empowered by God and were
used to glorify Christ. When ever people dwell on or talk about supernatural
power without reference to Jesus Christ, the alarm bells should start ringing.
Even dwelling on the ministry of the Holy Spirit at the expense of a Christ
centred faith can be deceptively dangerous. Jesus is quite explicit that the
role of the Holy Spirit is to glorify Jesus. He will take of what is mine and
make it known to you. The Holy Spirit points people to Jesus, because it is
only through Jesus and his death on the cross that our sins can be forgiven,
that we can be born anew. Counterfeit miracles. Simon started to lose his following
as the Samaritans listened to Philip's messages, believed on Jesus Christ, were
born again, and were baptized. Simon's background, counterfeit miracles.
3.2 Simon's Belief: Superficial Faith 8:12-13
What does it mean that "Simon himself believed"?
(Acts 8:13) We can answer that question best by asking
another one: What was the basis of his "faith"? His faith was not
in the Word of God, but in the miracles he saw Philip perform; and there is
no indication that Simon repented of his sins. He certainly did not believe
with all his heart (Acts 8:37). His faith was like that of the people
of Jerusalem who witnessed our Lord's miracles (John 2:23-25), or even like
that of the demons (James 2:19). Simon continued with Philip, not to hear the
Word and learn more about Jesus Christ, but to witness the miracles and perhaps
learn how they were done. Simon's Background - Counterfeit Miracles. Simon's
Belief - Superficial Faith.
3.3 Simon's Behaviour : Questionable Motives 8:18-24
The wickedness of Simon's heart was fully revealed
by the ministry of the two apostles. Simon not only wanted to perform miracles,
but he also wanted the power to convey the gift of the Holy Spirit to others
and he was quite willing to pay for this power! It is this passage that gives
us the word simony, which means "the buying and selling of church
offices or privileges." It was this that sparked off the reformation for
Martin Luther. Disgusted that Roman Catholic priests were selling indulgences
- that is promising time off in purgatory, for a fee, it was simony that sparked
off the reformation for Martin Luther. Simony is not as rare today as we might
hope. When television evangelists promise to pray for you if you send them a
donation, when they promise you blessing, prosperity or healing if you send
them a donation, don't believe them. As you study the Book of Acts, you will
often find the Gospel in conflict with money and "big business." Ananias
and Sapphira lost their lives because they lied about their gift (Acts 5:1-11).
Paul put a fortune-teller out of business in Philippi and ended up in jail (Acts
16:16-24). He also gave the silversmiths trouble in Ephesus and helped cause
a riot (Acts 19:23-41).
The early church had its priorities straight: it was more important to preach the Word than to win the support of the wealthy and influential people of the world. Peter's words to Simon give every indication that the sorcerer was not a converted man. "Thy money perish with you!" is pretty strong language to use with a believer. He had neither "part or share in this ministry" ("this word") and his heart was not right before God. While it is not out of place for believers to repent (see Rev. 2-3), the command to repent is usually given to unbelievers. The word thought in Acts 8:22 means "plot or scheme" and is used in a bad sense.
The fact that Simon was "fulll of bitterness and captive to sin" indicates that he had never truly been born again. Simon's response to these severe words of warning was not at all encouraging. He was more concerned about avoiding judgment than getting right with God! There is no evidence that he repented and sought forgiveness. A sinner who wants the prayers of others but who will not pray himself is not going to enter God's kingdom. This story shows how close a person can come to salvation and still not be converted. Simon heard the Gospel, saw the miracles, gave a profession of faith in Christ, and was baptized; and yet there is little evidence that he was ever born again. He was probably one of Satan's clever counterfeits; and, had Peter not exposed the wickedness of his heart, Simon would have been accepted as a member of the Samaritan congregation! Read 8:25.
But God was in control, and despite the counterfeit, His
church continued to grow. Even though the persecution was still going on, Peter
and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the Gospel in "many villages
of the Samaritans" as they went their way. They lost no opportunity to
share the Good News with others now that the doors were open in Samaria. Oliver
Cromwell was another, like Karl Marx who started a revolution...
4. A Concerned Seeker : An Ethiopian
8:26-40
Read 8:26-31. The Ethiopian represents many people
today who are religious, read the scriptures, and seek the truth, yet do not
have saving faith in Jesus Christ. They are sincere, but sincerely lost. They
need someone to show them the way. Lets look at how the Lord provided that someone.
In this passage we see how the Lord was able to utilize Philip's abilities and
more important still his availability.
4.1 Philip Heard God's Voice 8:26
This assumes Philip was listening and recognized
God's message whether the messanger, the angel was visible or not. Through the
angel the Lord spoke to Philip. The message was personal and specific. The Lord
is sovereign in the way He chooses to communicate with us. It is rare that he
uses angels! Most commonly He uses the scriptures and our consciences. If we
are to hear God's will we must be listening and discerning. That assumes a familiarity
with His word, and a sensitivity in our consciences. Philip heard God's voice.
4.2 Philip Obeyed God's Will 8:27
This assumes not only that Philip was listening
to the Lord but also that he was willing to do what the Lord asked. This raises
the question of guidance, of how God guides.
4.2.1 Specific Guidance
He was told specifically where to go but not who
to talk to. Nor was he told what to do when he got there. Why? Because what
we have here is the combination of the general and the specific guidance of
God. The Lord did not need to tell Philip what to do or who to talk to at this
stage. Why?
4.2.2 General Guidance
Because the Lord had already
given them the Great Commission before His ascension, "Go into all the
world making disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father
and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey all I have commanded
you, and I will be with you." Matthew 28:18-20 It comes in all four gospels
and the beginning of Acts, so its a five fold command. All five emphasize something
different so they are worth comparing.
Matthew : Discipleship Matt 28:18-20
Mark : Universality of Gospel Mark 16:15
Luke : Repentance & Forgiveness Luke 24:47
John : Authority of Believer John 20:23
Acts : Power and Strategy Acts 1:8
There is a lesson in guidance here. Do not expect
the Lord to give specific guidance on matters he has already made his will known
in scripture. You do not need guidance for example that you should not marry
a non-Christian. Its a waste of time asking him. He has already said through
Paul, "Do not be yoked with unbelievers" (2 Corinthians 6:14) We don't
have to ask Him whether or what we should say to unbelievers. He's told us.
"Tell them about Jesus".
4.2.3 Divine Appointments
The founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, Bill
Bright has an unusual definition of a "Divine Appointment" For him
if you spend more than five minutes with a person, that is a Divine appointment.
An appointment to talk about Jesus with the person. With me it takes more like
a few days... Like us, Philip had been commissioned to take the Gospel to all
nations, to anyone he met who was willing to listen. Verse 5 shows he had proven
his reliability in being willing to share the gospel with unpopular Samaritans,
so the Lord used him again to reach someone even more un-liked by Jews, this
Gentile leader. The Lord had the Ethiopian in mind for this "Divine appointment"
but he didn't tell Philip. Verse 27 suggests that it was as Philip was on his
way he met this Ethiopian official. Once Philip was in the right place, the
Holy Spirit told him what to do. I liken this to the inner prompting we receive
through our conscience. It takes sensitivity to recognize what is the Lord's
leading and not our own desires. Check out this one...
If I said, "I believe the Lord guides me to talk
to every attractive girl I see, therefore I believe I have a ministry to young
women", I expect you would question my motives. As a general principle,
if you are unsure whether the Lord is prompting you or not, ask yourself two
simple questions.
1. Does this confirm or contradict his general revelation
?
2. Who gains most out of this situation ? The Lord
or me ?
The Ethiopian was a key contact, just the man to take
the Gospel back to his country. He was part of the Lords strategy, as much as
Philip was, in fact just as much as you and I are to reach those people who
live around us, and especially those of different nationalities we come in contact
with. Who might be the equivalent to "Samaritans" or "Ethiopians"
for us? Philip heard God's voice, and obeyed God's will.
4.3 Philip Took the Initiative 8:30
Philip had been led by the Holy Spirit to walk
by the Chariot. It would have been usual for people to travel together on roads
such as this for fear of ambush. When ever I travel on a train and notice someone
is reading a book, I'm always fascinated to know what its called. You can tell
a lot about a person by the books they read. Near enough to see the title on
the cover of the Ethiopian's book, Philip took the initiative. He asked a question.
A very simple question. An innocent, open question. An inviting question. "Do
you understand what you are reading?" Read 8:31-35
The Lord's timing is always perfect. Not only had Philip been guided to this stranger of another race, of a different social class, and colour, but Philip asked his question just as the Ethiopian was pondering the passage in Isaiah 53 where the prophet pictures not only the Messiah but the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. Philip was invited into this man's chariot to explain to him about the Cross of Christ. As we step out in faith and take opportunities to talk to people about Jesus, we find the Holy Spirit has been there before, preparing peoples hearts. Very often they are longing to understand about Jesus if only someone will explain it to them. Step out in faith and take the initiative. One of the best ways is to ask people questions first. "Do you believe there is any meaning in life?" "If you were to die tonight what where would you go?" "Who do you think Jesus was?" "If you could know God personally would you want to ?"
It was because Philip was open to the Lord, through prayer
and the reading of the scriptures that he could be God's man in God's time.
Philip heard God's voice, obeyed God's will, and took the initiative...
4.4 The Lord Honoured Philip 8:34-39
Through that one question, the Ethiopian opened
up his heart. Philip had the opportunity to tell him
about Jesus. We would call the Ethiopian "ripe fruit". Ready for picking.
So keen was he to become a Christian that he wanted to stop the chariot and
be baptised in the nearest drop of water ! Philip had fulfilled his responsibility.
The Lord must have arranged someone else to call and do the follow-up Bible
studies.... Philip got a free 'air' flight to Azotus, and the Ethiopian went
home rejoicing..... Every day can be an exciting adventure if we dare to risk
living it like Philip. Yes, we will make mistakes, yes, occasionally we will
appear foolish in the eyes of the world, but never to the Lord. Today we do
not know the future or what the Lord has for us to do. Although may not know
where we are going, one thing we do know for sure, who it is we are going there
with. Lets Pray.
This
seminar draws on material from Warren Wersbie, Be Daring - The Acts of the Apostles,
John Stott, The Message of Acts; the Holman Bible Dictionary, the Nelson Bible
Dictionary, Unger's Bible Dictionary, the IVP Bible Dictionary and the International
Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
IBS Seminar 8 : Acts 8:1-40 : Seminar Questions
Open
1. What is your favourite road and why?
Dig
2. How might the scattering of the believers be good for the church?
3. How do you think God used the evil in Saul's heart for good?
4. What did Simon and Philip have in common (8:9-11)?
5. What does Peter's rebuke in 8:20-23 tell us about Simon and his motivation?
6. Does Simon's reply indicate a change of heart? On what basis?
7. Why would the Ethiopian have gone to Jerusalem to worship?
8. How would this have prepared him to receive the gospel?
9. Make a list of the things which God did in this passage to prepare the way for his message.
10. What is the relationship between preparation and human initiative in this encounter?
11. What is the relationship between God's sovereignty and human responsibility in this encounter?
Reflect
12. What is the worst thing that has ever happened to you? How did God use it later for good?
13. What did you learn about God in this situation?
14. What was your primary motivation in receiving Jesus Christ as your Saviour?
15. In what ways is Philip's style of evangelism similar or different to yours?
16. What are the barriers to you sharing your faith? What have you learnt from this passage that will help you overcome them?