Lesson #12

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RETURN TO THE SYLLABUS

ACTS 8
LESSON #12
GOD’S PLAN VS. SATAN’S ATTACKS ON THE CHURCH: EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL

• MEMORY VERSE: ACT 8:4

• REMEMBER THAT THE APOSTLES WERE TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL TO JERUSALEM, JUDEA, SAMARIA, AND THEN TO THE UTTERMOST PARTS OF THE EARTH. (ACT 1:8)
• THE APOSTLES HAVE DONE VERY WELL IN THE FIRST AREA OF JERUSALEM. THE GOSPEL HAS TURNED THE CITY UPSIDE DOWN, AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE COME TO KNOW THE LORD FROM 33 TO 35 AD. STEPHEN WAS MARTYRED AROUND 35 AD.
• WITH CHAPTER 8, A NEW PHASE OF GOD’S PROGRAM BEGINS IN THE YEAR 35-36 AD.

• READ ACT 8:1-4 THE CHURCH SCATTERED
• UP TO THIS POINT THE CHURCH IN JERUSALEM HAS GROWN TO BE A VERY LARGE CHURCH DESPITE SOME PERSECUTION AND THE DEATH OF STEPHEN.
• ACT 8:1 TELLS US THAT SAUL (PAUL) WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN STEPHEN’S DEATH.
• WHEN THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT THE FALSE WITNESSES AGAINST STEPHEN PLACED THEIR CLOTHES AT SAUL’S FEET (7:58), IT MEANS THAT SAUL (PAUL) WAS IN CHARGE OF SEEING THAT THE STONING OF STEPHEN WAS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED.
• ACT 8:1 TELLS US NOT ONLY THAT HE WAS IN CHARGE AND JUST OBEYING ORDERS, BUT THAT HE AGREED WITH THE SENTENCE.
• PUBLIC LAMENTATION OVER STEPHEN (2)
• A PUBLIC DISPLAY OF GRIEF OR HONOR OVER SOMEONE WHO WAS AN EXECUTED CRIMINAL WAS UNLAWFUL UNDER JEWISH LAW. HOWEVER, BECAUSE THE SANHEDRIN TRIAL OF STEPHEN WAS UNLAWFUL, THE CHRISTIANS DEFIED THE SANHEDRIN IN ORDER TO BURY HIM PUBLICLY.
• THIS PROBABLY MADE SAUL (PAUL) ALL THE MORE ANGRY.
• SAUL (PAUL), THE GREAT PERSECUTOR:
• SAUL (PAUL) HAD PROBABLY HEARD STEPHEN PREACH MORE THAN ONCE AND WITNESSED HIS DEATH.
• SAUL (PAUL) MAY HAVE BEEN PRESENT IN THE SYNAGOGUE OF THE LIBERTINES.
• SAUL (PAUL), A PHARISEE, MAY HAVE BEEN PRESENT WHEN STEPHEN WAS ON TRIAL IN FRONT OF THE SANHEDRIN.
• SAUL (PAUL) WAS FILLED WITH ZEAL FOR JEHOVAH GOD.
• HIS MISGUIDED DESIRE WAS TO KEEP JUDAISM PURE FROM FALSE DOCTRINES AND BREAKAWAY CULTS. HE THOUGHT THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT WAS TO COME DOWN HARSHLY ON THOSE WHO PERSUADED THE PEOPLE AWAY FROM THE TRADITIONAL DOCTRINES OF JUDAISM.
• HOWEVER, WE CAN SEE THE UNIQUE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD AT WORK:
• WE KNOW WHAT GOD’S PLAN WAS IN REGARDS TO THE SPREAD OF THE GOSPEL TO JUDEA AND SAMARIA.
• IN TWO YEARS THERE IS NO MENTION THAT THE APOSTLES REACHED OUT TO OTHER PARTS OF JUDEA AND SAMARIA.
• SAUL (PAUL) INTENDED HIS ZEALOUS PERSECUTION WOULD PURIFY JUDAISM.
• SATAN MEANT THIS ZEALOUS PERSECUTION LED BY SAUL (PAUL) AS A WAY TO DEFEAT THE SPREAD OF THE GOSPEL.
• THESE PERSECUTIONS ARE SATAN’S NEW TACTICS IN CHAPTER 8.
• SATAN COULD NOT BREAK THE UNITY OF THE CHURCH FROM WITHIN BY USING ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA, NOR BY USING THE PROBLEM WITH THE DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD AMONG THE GREEKS.
• SEVERE EXTERNAL PERSECUTION IS SATAN’S NEW TACTIC.
• HOWEVER, WHAT SATAN MEANT FOR EVIL BY USING SAUL (PAUL), GOD WILL USE FOR GOOD TO FULFILL HIS PLAN. HOW?
• SAUL’S (PAUL) PERSECUTION CAUSED CHRISTIANS TO FLEE JERUSALEM TAKING THE GOSPEL WITH THEM TO OTHER GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS. (4)
• READ WHAT PAUL WROTE ABOUT GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY IN THIS SITUATION IN PHI 1:12
• SAUL’S (PAUL) PERSECUTIONS:
• EVIDENTLY SAUL (PAUL) HAD LEADERSHIP OVER A GROUP OF JEWISH SOLDIERS FROM THE TEMPLE. HE USED THIS BAND OF SOLDIERS TO RAVAGE THE HOMES OF CHRISTIANS, HAULING MANY OF THEM OFF TO PRISON, AND MANY TO THEIR DEATHS. (ACT 22:4-5)
• NOTICE THAT SAUL (PAUL) DID NOT ARREST ANY OF THE DISCIPLES WHO REMAINED IN JERUSALEM.
• THE THRUST OF SAUL’S (PAUL) PERSECUTIONS WAS PRIMARILY AGAINST GREEK-SPEAKING JEWS WHO WERE LOOKED DOWN UPON BY HEBREW SPEAKING JEWS.
• WHAT ARE THE RESULTS OF THESE NEW TACTICS?
• THE GOSPEL SPREADS TO JUDEA AND SAMARIA.
• READ ACT 8:5-25 PHILIP
• LUKE INTRODUCED US TO PHILIP PREVIOUSLY. HE WAS ONE OF THE 7 DEACONS CHOSEN TO ADMINISTER THE DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD IN CHAPTER 6.
• PHILIP, LIKE STEPHEN, WAS A PREACHER AS WELL AS AN ADMINISTRATOR IN THE CHURCH.
• PHILIP TAKES THE GOSPEL TO SAMARIA.
• SAMARIA WAS A PIECE OF LAND IN THE CENTER OF ISRAEL INHABITED BY THE HATED SAMARITANS. WHO WERE THE SAMARITANS?
• WHEN THE JEWS WERE TAKEN CAPTIVE BY THE ASSYRIANS AND THE BABYLONIANS, A SMALL GROUP OF JEWS WAS LEFT IN SAMARIA. THE BABYLONIANS IMPORTED OTHER CAPTIVE PEOPLES INTO THE PROMISED LAND. THESE ASSYRIAN PEOPLE INTERMARRIED WITH THE SAMARITANS.
• WHEN THE JEWS RETURNED TO THE PROMISED LAND AFTER THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY, THEY FOUND A MIXED BREED OF SAMARITANS IN SAMARIA. (NEH AND EZR)
• DISTRUST AND HATRED BETWEEN THE JEWS AND THE SAMARITANS BEGAN TO GROW FROM THIS TIME TO THE POINT THAT JEWS WOULD NOT EVEN TRAVEL ACROSS SAMARITAN LAND BUT WOULD TRAVEL FAR OUT OF THEIR WAY TO AVOID SAMARITAN LAND. (JOH 4:9)
• HOWEVER, JESUS HAD NO SUCH HATRED FOR THE SAMARITANS. HE TRAVELED THROUGH SAMARITAN LAND AND SPOKE WITH THE SAMARITAN WOMAN AT THE WELL IN JOH 4.
• IT IS PHILIP, ONE OF THE GREEK-SPEAKING JEWS, WHO OBEYS CHRIST’S COMMAND TO TAKE THE GOSPEL TO SAMARIA BY FOLLOWING JESUS’ OWN EXAMPLE.
• WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT PHILIP?
• PHILIP MEANS = HORSE LOVER.
• THIS IS NOT THE PHILIP WHO WAS ONE OF THE 12 DISCIPLES.
• INSTEAD HE IS A GREEK-SPEAKING JEW, ONE OF THE SEVEN CHOSEN AS A DEACON TO DISTRIBUTE FOOD TO THOSE IN THE CHURCH.
• PHILIP, THE DEACON, TRAVELED AND PREACHED IN SAMARIA, GAZA, AZOTUS (ASHDOD), AND CAESAREA.
• PHILIP HAD FOUR DAUGHTERS WHO PROPHESIED. (ACT 21:9)
• MIRACLES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AT THE HANDS OF PHILIP: (6-8)
• PHILIP PERFORMED MANY HEALINGS, DELIVERANCES, AND MIRACLES IN SAMARIA.
• BECAUSE PHILIP WAS A GREEK-SPEAKING JEW MAY EXPLAIN WHY HE WAS READILY RECEIVED BY THE SAMARITANS. THEY REJOICED AT HIS PREACHING.
• SIMON, THE SORCERER:
• BEFORE PHILIP ENTERED SAMARIA WITH THE GOSPEL, SIMON, THE SORCERER DID MIRACULOUS FEATS OF WITCHCRAFT. THE PEOPLE OF SAMARIA THOUGHT HIGHLY OF HIM, AND THOUGHT HE WAS FROM GOD.
• THE ENTRANCE OF PHILIP INTO HIS TERRITORY WAS DISTURBING TO SIMON. SIMON SAW HIS INFLUENCE WITH THE PEOPLE BEING TRANSFERRED TO PHILIP. SIMON WAS JEALOUS OF PHILIP.
• SIMON BELIEVES: (13)
• SIMON SEEMS TO BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST AND SEEMS TO BE SAVED BY THE GRACE OF GOD. HE CONTINUES TO REMAIN IN THE PRESENCE OF PHILIP OBSERVING THE MIRACLES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
• PETER AND JOHN JOIN PHILIP IN SAMARIA:
• NEWS OF THE NUMBER OF SALVATIONS AND WATER BAPTISMS IN SAMARIA REACHES PETER AND JOHN IN JERUSALEM. PETER AND JOHN TRAVEL TO SAMARIA TO SEE FOR THEMSELVES THE MOVE OF GOD THERE.
• NOTICE THAT BY THE TIME PETER AND JOHN ARRIVE ON THE SCENE:
• THE PEOPLE HAD RECEIVED THE WORD OF GOD (14)
• IN OTHER WORDS THEY WERE BORN AGAIN.
• THE PEOPLE WERE BEING BAPTIZED IN WATER (13, 16)
• WATER BAPTISM WAS A PUBLIC TESTIMONY OF THE FACT THAT THEY WERE BORN OF THE SPIRIT.
• WHY DO PETER AND JOHN NEED TO PRAY FOR THE PEOPLE TO RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT? (15)
• AN EXPLANATION OF VERSES 15, 16, AND 17:
• RECALL OUR LESSON IN ACT 2:1-13 (LESSON #04) CONCERNING THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT.
• PETER AND JOHN PRAYED FOR THOSE WHO HAD BEEN SAVED TO RECEIVE THE FULLNESS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT) SO THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE POWER IN THEIR CHRISTIAN LIVES TO SERVE CHRIST. (17)
• SIMON, THE SORCERER’S DESIRE FOR THE FILLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT:
• WHEN PETER AND JOHN PRAYED FOR THOSE WHO WERE SAVED THROUGH PHILIP’S MINISTRY, SIMON DID NOT RECEIVE THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT AS OTHERS DID. WHY?
• REMEMBER THAT THE FILLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS GIVEN ONLY TO THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN BORN AGAIN.
• THEREFORE, THIS PASSAGE TELLS US THAT SIMON WAS NOT REALLY BORN AGAIN. HE ONLY MADE A VERBAL PROFESSION OF FAITH WHEN THERE WAS NO FAITH IN HIS HEART.
• THIS IS THE REASON THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO BUY THE GIFTING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. HE ONLY WANTED THE POWER. (19)
• EVIDENTLY THERE WERE OBSERVABLE SIGNS THAT FOLLOWED THE FILLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, ELSE SIMON WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SO INTERESTED IN RECEIVING THE SPIRIT.
• PETER VERIFIES IN VERSE 21 THAT SIMON WAS NOT A TRUE BELIEVER.

• “…Thy heart is not right in the sight of God.”

(21)

• IN OTHER WORDS, HE NEVER REALLY REPENTED OF HIS WITCHCRAFT AND SORCERY, AND HE NEVER REALLY RECEIVED JESUS CHRIST INTO HIS HEART AS HIS SAVIOR. IF HIS HEART WAS NOT RIGHT WITH GOD, HE WAS STILL LIVING WITH HIS SIN. (22-23)
• SIMON’S RESPONSE TO PETER’S CALL FOR REPENTANCE. (24)
• SIMON DOES NOT REALLY REPENT. HE JUST DOES NOT WANT PETER’S WORDS TO COME TO PASS, “…thy money perish with thee.” (20).
• HE REQUESTS PETER TO PRAY FOR HIM THAT HE WILL NOT PERISH.
• WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO SIMON FROM THE BIBLE, BUT OTHER SOURCES SAY HE STARTED HIS OWN CULT GROUP CALLED, “THE SIMONIANS” WHICH BECAME THE GNOSTIC CULT. HE ASSUMED THE NAME, SIMON MAGNUS, AND DIED A HERETIC.
• DISCUSSION:

WHY DO YOU THINK THE STORY ABOUT SIMON THE SORCERER IS IMPORTANT?

• THIS STORY ABOUT SIMON TELLS US THAT SATAN WILL NOT ONLY MOVE PEOPLE TO ATTACK THE CHURCH FROM THE OUTSIDE BY PERSECUTION, BUT HE WILL ALSO ATTEMPT TO INFILTRATE THE CHURCH AND ATTACK ON THE INSIDE.
• THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE IN CHURCHES TODAY WHO ARE NOT TRUE BORN-AGAIN BELIEVERS. SOME HAVE MADE ONLY A VERBAL PROFESSION OF FAITH LIKE SIMON WITHOUT HAVING HAD A HEART CONVERSION.
• WHAT IS IT THAT IS SO UNUSUAL ABOUT VERSE 25?
• PETER AND JOHN PREACH AND TEACH IN SAMARITAN CITIES ON THEIR WAY BACK TO JERUSALEM.
• NOTICE THAT THE FILLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS CHANGED THESE JEWISH CHRISTIANS SO THAT THEY HAVE NO RESERVATIONS ABOUT TRAVELLING THROUGH SAMARITAN LAND OR PREACHING TO SAMARITAN PEOPLE.
• READ LUK 9:51-56
• READ ACT 8:26-40 PHILIP AND THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH
• THREE IMPORTANT FACTORS ARE NECESSARY TO BRINGING SALVATION TO A NON-BELIEVER.
• =1= A PERSON OF GOD WHO IS WILLING TO SHARE THE GOSPEL:
• GOD HAS GIVEN THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PREACHING THE GOSPEL TO PEOPLE, NOT TO ANGELS. (MAT 9:37-38)
• AN ANGEL TELLS PHILIP TO GO SOUTH TO GAZA. (26)
• THERE IS NO EXPLANATION GIVEN TO PHILIP WHY, BUT HE IS OBEDIENT TO GO.
• GOD DID NOT SEND THE ANGEL TO GAZA TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE ETHIOPIAN.
• =2= THE WORD OF GOD
• PHILIP SEES THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH READING OLD TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES.
• WE HAVE ALREADY DISCUSSED USING OLD TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES, ESPECIALLY ISA 53, TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO JEWS. (SEE LESSON #07 OF ACT 3)
• WHO IS THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH?
• HE IS BLACK MAN FROM ETHIOPIA.
• HE IS EUNUCH, WHICH IS A CASTRATED MALE, USUALLY IN CHARGE OF A KING’S HAREM OR ON SERVICE TO A QUEEN. THIS EUNUCH IS IN CHARGE OF QUEEN CANDACE’S TREASURY.
• THIS WAS A VERY PRESTIGIOUS AND IMPORTANT POSITION.
• A MAN OF THIS POSITION WOULD BE TRAVELLING IN HIS OWN PRIVATE CHARIOT WITH AN ENTOURAGE OF SERVANTS.
• HE IS TRAVELLING HOME ON A WELL-TRAVELED TRADE ROUTE BETWEEN EGYPT AND DAMASCUS, SYRIA, HAVING GONE TO JERUSALEM TO WORSHIP.
• IT IS POSSIBLE HE WAS ONE OF THE BLACK JEWS DESCENDED FROM KING SOLOMON AND SHEBA. HE IS A JEW BECAUSE HE IS READING THE JEWISH SCRIPTURES. HOWEVER, BECAUSE HE WAS A EUNUCH, HE WOULD BE EXCLUDED FROM TEMPLE WORSHIP ACCORDING TO DEU 23:1.
• WHAT IS THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH READING?
• HE IS READING ISA 53, BUT HE DOES NOT UNDERSTAND IT.
• ACTS 8 QUOTES ONLY ISA 53:7-8.
• THE ETHIOPIAN IS READING A GREEK TRANSLATION OF THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES CALLED THE SEPTUAGINT VERSION.
• =3= THE HOLY SPIRIT
• THE HOLY SPIRIT GUIDES PHILIP TO THE ETHIOPIAN. (29)
• THE ACTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT USES THE WORD OF GOD TO REVEAL JESUS TO THE HEART OF A PERSON.
• IT IS THIS COMBINATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE WORD OF GOD THAT CONVICTS THE HEART AND LIFTS UP JESUS CHRIST TO BRING A PERSON TO SALVATION.
• PHILIP BAPTIZED THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH AS A PUBLIC TESTIMONY OF BEING BORN AGAIN AND HAVING RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT WHEN HE WAS BORN AGAIN.
• THE EUNUCH’S TESTIMONY: “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” (37)…THIS TESTIMONY IS EXCLUDED FROM MANY NEWER VERSIONS OF THE BIBLE.
• PHILIP IS “CAUGHT AWAY”!!! (39)
• THE WORDS, “CAUGHT AWAY”, IN THE GREEK ARE THE SAME WORDS USED FOR THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH IN 1THE 4:17.
• IN PHILIP’S CASE HE SUDDENLY DISAPPEARS FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE ETHIOPIAN AND SUDDENLY APPEARS IN THE CITY OF AZOTUS (ASHDOD).
• PHILIP PREACHES FROM AZOTUS TO CAESAREA WHERE HE SETTLED.
• WE WILL NOT SEE PHILIP AGAIN IN ACTS UNTIL PAUL AND LUKE STAY WITH HIM IN CAESAREA AFTER PAUL’S THIRD MISSIONARY JOURNEY.
• SUMMARY AND APPLICATION:
• IN THIS CHAPTER WE HAVE SEEN SATAN’S PLAN AND GOD’S PLAN SIDE BY SIDE.
• A PERSPECTIVE OVERVIEW OF SATAN’S PLAN:
• SATAN ATTEMPTS TO DISRUPT UNITY IN THE CHURCH IN ACT 5 AND 6.
• SATAN’S PLAN FAILS AND THE GOSPEL GOES FORWARD.
• SATAN ATTEMPTS TO STOP THE SPREAD OF THE GOSPEL BY EXTERNAL ATTACKS OF PERSECUTION THROUGH SAUL (PAUL) IN ACT 7 AND 8.
• INSTEAD THE CHRISTIANS ARE SCATTERED TAKING THE GOSPEL WITH THEM.
• A PERSPECTIVE OVERVIEW OF GOD’S PLAN OF SALVATION:
• ACTS 8 TELLS US ABOUT THE SALVATION OF AN ETHIOPIAN BLACK MAN, WHO IS A DESCENDANT OF HAM.
• ACTS 9 TELLS US ABOUT THE SALVATION OF SAUL (PAUL) OF TARSUS, A DESCENDANT OF SHEM.
• ACTS 10 TELLS US ABOUT THE SALVATION OF CORNELIUS, A ROMAN CENTURION, WHO IS A DESCENDANT OF JAPHETH.
• HAM, SHEM, AND JAPHETH WERE THE THREE SONS OF NOAH IN THE BOOK OF GENESIS WHO POPULATED THE WORLD AFTER THE FLOOD. THE HUMAN FAMILY IS DIVIDED INTO THESE THREE FAMILIES.
• THE BOOK OF ACTS IS TELLING US THAT THE GOSPEL NOT ONLY SPREAD GEOGRAPHICALLY ACCORDING TO GOD’S PLAN IN ACTS 1:8, BUT IT IS ALSO GOD’S PLAN THAT THE GOSPEL SPREAD THROUGH ALL ETHNIC MEMBERS OF THE HUMAN FAMILY.

HOMEWORK
ACT 9:1-31
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.

• APPLICATION OF ACT 8
• HOW COOPERATIVE ARE YOU TO THE GUIDANCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT?

• HAVE YOU EVER HAD AN EXPERIENCE LIKE PHILIP’S WHEN HE WAS LED BY THE SPIRIT TO PREACH TO THE ETHIOPIAN?
• PRAY AND ASK GOD TO GUIDE YOU AND USE YOU THIS WEEK TO SPEAK TO SOMEONE ABOUT JESUS CHRIST.

• PREPARATION FOR ACT 9:1-31
• READ ACT 9:1-31
• WHAT DOES VERSE 5 MEAN WITH THE PHRASE, “IT IS HARD FOR THEE TO KICK AGAINST THE PRICKS”?
• WHAT WAS THE EXPERIENCE OF THOSE WITH SAUL (PAUL)?
• WHY DO YOU THINK GOD MADE SAUL (PAUL) BLIND FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME?
• WHY DID GOD NEED TO USE ANANIAS IN SAUL’S (PAUL) CONVERSION?
• WHAT KIND OF MINISTRY DOES GOD SAY THAT SAUL (PAUL) WILL HAVE?
• WHAT DO YOU LEARN IN THIS CHAPTER ABOUT THE CARE OF NEW CONVERTS?
• MEMORY VERSE: COL 1:25