Acts 8:14

Acts 8:14 says, Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:  When the apostles heard what was going on in Samaria, they wanted to find out the truth.  They did not rely on secondhand information.  They sent Peter and John to investigate. Verse fifteen states, Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:  When they got there, they prayed for the Samaritans. Whenever we are looking for the truth, we need to start with prayer.  The discussion of the next few events will be based on my understanding of what the Bible is stating. Peter and John prayed that the people might receive the Holy Ghost.  Of course, once we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, we are immediately indwelled by the Holy Spirit. Verse sixteen adds, (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)  Baptism is a sign of our identification as a part of the followers of Christ. It is not necessary for salvation or receiving the Holy Spirit but is a sign of obedience to God's instruction.  Verse seventeen continues, Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.  As stated in an earlier post, my understanding is that we as Christians are indwelled with the Holy Spirit, and no one can control our receiving of the Holy Spirit.  We never will need any to represent us before Christ or to endow us with the Holy Spirit.  Each person must go to Christ for themself, and God alone endows us with the Holy Spirit.  No man controls either.  Verse eighteen declares, And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,  When Simon saw what Peter and John were doing, and he perceived or thought that they were in control of the giving of the Holy Spirit, he wanted to buy this gift from them.  Verse nineteen adds, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.  We are told that he believed and was baptized.  He was continuing to travel with Phillip, but he still had some spiritual growing to do. We do a great injustice to new believers today when we don't ground them in the Gospel.  This is especially true, I believe, if they have come to Christ because of some miracle or great work that they have seen.  It may lead them to the belief that the gifts of God are for material blessings or self-glorification.  Simon evidently thought the gifts of God could be bought.  Verse twenty continues, But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.  Peter quickly corrected him.  Verse twenty-one declares, Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.  Simon was told his heart was not right.  If we think that we can buy the things of God, our heart is not right.  Verse twenty-two adds, Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.  He was told to pray for forgiveness, for his heart was in the bond of iniquity.  Even though we are saved once and for all time by Christ's death on the cross, we can and too often do let iniquity into our heart.  Verse twenty-three continues, For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.  Peter told Simon that he perceived that he was still in the bond of iniquity.  Not everyone who professes to accept Jesus Christ really does and some who do profess to don’t really understand what all this implies and until they do, they are still in the bond of iniquity.  Verse twenty-four concludes, Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.  Simon asked for their prayers that he might be forgiven, and they prayed for him.  Simon could have found forgiveness through his own prayers, but sometimes it is good to know that others are praying for you, especially for a new believer.  There is no evidence that Simon was ever saved, but he was still just going through the motions for show, since he himself did not pray for forgiveness.  We may make a public show of accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, but until we pray for forgiveness, it will never happen. 

When we move into Acts chapter eight, we read a little more of the young man Saul. Even if we would like to hear that after watching Stephen's death that Saul had become a follower of Christ, he instead was still wreaking havoc on those who followed Christ.  We might like to believe that someone witnessing such a display of faith would immediately decide to follow Christ, but that isn't always the case. Some will go away even more determined to do away with those who follow Christ.  This does not mean that Stephen's death was meaningless.  We don't know how the others around him reacted, but we do know that Stephen was faithful to the death.  We need to be just as committed to our faith in Christ.  We may never know the results of our witnessing, and in Stephen's case we can certainly say that he saw no results in this world from his death, but we must always be faithful in following Christ, even to our death.  Likewise, we cannot really say how much his death ultimately affected Saul on his journey to becoming Paul.  We are only called on to be obedient to the call of God no matter the cost on this earth.  Stephen, like Jesus, was not left in the grave. Whatever sacrifice we make for God will be insignificant in the light of the reward.  If our death even had a small impact on reaching the next Paul, as he became known, what a small price to pay, as we celebrated with those in heaven.  We do know that the church was severely persecuted and this led to their being scattered abroad.  What the religious leaders had done to silence the gospel had only spread it.

Acts 8::9

Acts 8:9 says, But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:  There was a man named Simon there who was a sorcerer who made himself out to be some great one.  We need to be wary of anyone who makes themself out to be some great one.  We should always give God the glory.  Verse ten adds, To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.  People from the greatest to the least said Simon was the great power of God.  People are still often fooled by the actions of someone who seems to do great things for God but claim the glory for themself.  Verse eleven continues, And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.  They gave him regard because they were bewitched.  We should never allow ourselves to be bewitched by anyone today.  Verse twelve states, But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.  Still, when the gospel was preached by Philip, they believed and were baptized, both men and women;  The gospel is clear enough that even if we have been bewitched by the world, we can still understand it.  Verse thirteen adds, Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.  Not only were those whom Simon had bewitched saved, but Simon himself was as well.  No matter how lost a person may be, God can still redeem him or her. 

Aaron helped the people mold a golden calf for them to worship, since they insisted on something visible to bow down to. When Moses returned, Aaron said they had only thrown the gold in the fire, and the golden calf miraculously formed.  We want our idols to be miracles of themselves, but they are always only made by human hands.  Aaron, God's priest, joined in the rebellion against God.  Stephen was pointing out that even those who are supposed to represent God can be working against Him. He was speaking to the religious leaders at this time, and he told them that they weren't the first religious leaders to be wrong.  God had provided a tabernacle for the people, but they wanted something more.  Stephen recounted how much later, after the people were established in the Promised Land that David wanted to build temple to God.  The building of the temple actually occurred when Solomon was king, but even then God reminded His people that He did not reside in temples made by hand. Yet, the temple had become more important to the religious leaders than the God it was built to worship.  God doesn't dwell in temples, or church buildings, but in the hearts of His people.  When people are not in the church building, it is just a building, but when two or three are gathered in His name, it becomes a house of worship.  We must never let the building become more important than the God that it represents or it can become our golden calf.

Acts 8:5

Acts 8:5 states, Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.  Philip, another of the deacons, was preaching in Samaria. This must have really enraged the religious leaders trying to stop the spread of the gospel.  Not only were the disciples disobeying the religious leaders, but they were also preaching salvation to the despised Samaritans.  We need to be careful that we don’t start believing that we are superior to certain groups of people.  Verse six adds, And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.  In Samaria, God was able to perform many miracles through Philip.  We must understand that we can never perform miracles.  We can only be the instrument through which God performs miracles.  Verse seven continues, For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. Unclean spirits were cast out and people with palsy and those who were lame were healed.  There is no evidence that Phillip was nearly overpowered by the evil spirits.  It is simply stated that crying with a loud voice they came out.  When we are acting in God's power to do His will, the battle is already won.  It is interesting how many times in these few chapters of Acts that the believers were said to be of one accord. There is a message there for all the followers of Christ today.  We need to be of one accord in the will of God.  Verse eight concludes, And there was great joy in that city.  There was great joy in the city.  In Jerusalem, God's city, the religious leaders were so angry about Christ they were gnashing their teeth.  Yet, in Samaria, that city despised by the religious leaders of Israel, they were full of great joy because of that same Jesus. 

Stephen continued to remind the religious leaders of the work of Moses in chapter seven, verses thirty four through thirty seven.  Remember, Stephen was still answering their to their charge of blasphemy, and he was reciting Jewish history.  As he closed out the story of Moses, the next fact that he related was that God saw the affiliation of His people.  God had come to deliver them, and He was sending Moses to Egypt to be His spokesman.  I wonder if he thought of the reason he had left Egypt.  We may at times not feel comfortable doing what God asks, but we must be willing to follow His leadership without question.  Moses asked who was he that the people would listen to him, and God said He would be with Moses.  God's proof to Moses was to be after the fact.  It would be proven once Moses led them out.  Not that it was started here, but when Moses asked Who was he to say sent him, God replied, "I am that I am."  I am sends you.  There is no explaining the existence of God in earthly terms, only the acceptance that He is the great I am.  Now, back to what Stephen was reminding the religious leaders of, just as proof that Moses was who he said he was occurred after the fact, so it was with Jesus.  Only after the death, burial and resurrection was there undeniable proof that Jesus was indeed Who He said He was. We either accept Him by faith or reject Him outright.  He can be nothing less than what He said He was.

Acts 8:1

Acts 8:1 says, And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.  We also find Saul, who would later become Paul, consenting to Stephen’s death.  Our past does not limit our future as Christians.  Verse two adds, And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.  Some devout men took Stephen’s body for burial.  They could have been putting themselves in danger by doing so, especially since Christians were being killed at that time.  Verse three continues, As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.  We see a good example of the fact that those burying Stephen possibly putting themselves in danger due to Saul’s actions.  Still, we should never be intimidated as we witness for Jesus Christ.  Verse four continues Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.  Because of the persecution, the gospel began to be spread everywhere as believers fled persecution.  Even if we were to become scattered, we still need to simply continue to spread the gospel. 

Acts 7:51

Acts 7: 51 says, Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.  Stephen reminded the religious leaders of the continual rebellion of the nation of Israel.  Now, those Stephen was talking to were stiff-necked and uncircumcised of the heart and ears.  They were resisting the Holy Spirit as their ancestors did.  They had become so caught up in doctrine that men had created that they would not hear what God was telling them through the Holy Spirit. Stephen was being falsely accused of blasphemy when the religious leaders were themselves guilty of it. They attributed what God had done through the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ to the actions of a mere man.  Verse fifty-two adds, Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers. They were told they were like their fathers who had stood against the prophets in their day.  They were determined to stop the influence of Jesus Christ in the world, especially their world, just ss their fathers had killed the prophets that spoke of His coming.  They were the religious leaders of Israel, and nothing was going to stop their influence, not even God Himself.  Sometimes today, we can become so mired in tradition or halfhearted dedication to God's word that we stand against Him.  Verse fifty-four continues, Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.  Stepehen said even though they had received the law by the disposition of angels, they had not kept it.  We have received the fulfillment of the law by the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, but too many people refuse to hear about it.  Verse fifty-four states, When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.  Upon hearing what Stephen was saying, the religious leaders were cut to the heart and gnashed their teeth at him.  Stephen had justly accused them of murdering the Just One.  Verse fifty-five adds, But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,  While their anger ruled them, Stephen "being full of the Holy Ghost looked steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God."  When everyone around us is filled with hate and anger, we need to look steadfastly to God.  Verse fifty-six continues, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.  Stephen was not focused on the mob, but on Jesus Himself.  If we are a dangerous situation today, as Christians we need to keep our focus on Jesus Christ. Verse fifty-seven says, Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,  As Stephen saw the heavens opened and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, the religious leaders saw only in anger.  They stopped their ears and of one accord rushed Stephen.  They were all in agreement that they didn’t want to hear what Stepehen was saying, and people today are still united at times in refusing to even hear the gospel.  Verse fifty-eight adds, And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. They took Stephen out of the city and stoned him.  They laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.  I have to wonder at the impact this might have later had on Saul, who became Paul.  We may never know what impact our life may have on others.  Verse fifty-nine continues, And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.  What would be our reaction as we were being stoned?  Stephen first asked God to receive his spirit.  He knew that this was not the end of life but only the beginning of his everlasting life with God.  We need that same assurance in our life today.  Verse sixty concludes, And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.  Stephen was praying for their forgiveness as he was dying.  We should likewise hate evil but pray for the evil doer.  After kneeling and praying, Stephen died.