Acts 8:5-14 - Great Joy in the city - Part 2

Introduction

What sets this scene in motion is Acts 8:5 “Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.”

Great joy does not occur in the Samaritan city if Philip did not go! - Philip was moved by the Holy Spirit to go and the “go” was within the framework of the Great Commission. For Philip it was Samaria for most of us it is here!

We need to be filled

Sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s moving

And spread the Gospel.

Dr Evans also said fans don’t pay big bucks to see grown men “huddle” but to play. We don’t mind watching you gather in a circle for 30 seconds as long as you can execute the play assigned by the coach. BUCKLE UP: Satan doesn’t mind you going to church on Sunday as you “huddle” gather and commune for an hour or two but the moment you actually have the audacity to execute the game plan from God all Hell will break lose. Are you complacent or commited in your walk with God?

Israel’s purpose was to be a beacon of God’s glory.

Genesis 12:1-3 “Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”

Sad and tragic that Israel failed to achieve this purpose through much of her history.

Wickedness

Isolationist in their faith.

Based upon Ephesians 3:21, the churches purpose is to be a beacon of God’s glory. The very concept of a beacon is to have the authentic source of light, beam out, so that others outside of the presence of God know where to come.

Sometimes we will use adjectives or adverbs as hyperbole. Not so much with Luke. If he used an adjective or adverb to describe a noun or verb it was essential for the reader to get the sense of what was happening.

It was not just joy the city experienced. It was big, large, mega and great joy. Whatever the average joy looks and feel like, this joy exceeded that joy.

How did this city experience great joy? There are four answers - not independent from one another but interconnected.

The Gospel has the power to turn walls into rubble.

Preach Christ unto them.

Derek Thomas - There is a deliberate contrast established in the passage: the church in Jerusalem is being ravaged, and the city of Samaria is experiencing “much joy” (Acts 8:1, 8)....The trials of one community had brought blessing to another. (Ibid)

Just becasue the Gospel of Christ is preached does not mean great joy will break out within the city.

Work of God

God does not always work the way we want Him to work.

Consider, there needed to be a universal rejection of Jesus Christ, in order for Him to be crucified.

Israel's rejection brought the Gospel to the Gentiles

Acts 8:6 “And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.”

Context

The Jews persecuted them

The persecution led Philip going to Samaria

The Samaritans disliked the Jews as much as the Jews disliked the Samaritans.

The Samaritans have heard all their life by the Jews how they were wicked, corrupt, hybrid faith that mixes worldliness with Godliness, which means worldliness with Godliness. Their only hope was a bunch of do’s and don’ts that no one could keep.

Here comes Philip a Jew, preaching how they are wicked, corrupt and dishonoring God in the religious affections. Yet, the difference in Christ. Jesus is the hope and Savior. He is the one who did all the do’s and followed up by not doing to don’ts.

Yet, the people who heard were in one accord in their listening to Philip.

We have already seen how the church was in one accord in prayer, direction, evangelism, leadership, and discipleship.

However, the last two times we have come across the phrase has to do with the world’s response to the Gospel

Acts 7:57 “Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,”

Acts 8:6 “And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.”

You can say it was becasue of the miracles

They heard and saw the miracles

Unclean spirits came out of many

Palsies and lame were healed.

The miracles created the platform for them to hear but not heed.

Stephen did miracles and was stoned to death - Acts 6:8 “And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.”

Jesus fed five thousand men, plus women and children - John 6:66 “From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.”

Yet, why was Stephen stoned and why did the followers of Jesus leave Him in the midst of miracle working? The message of how they are corrupt and Jesus is the solution.

There was a divine work behind the scenes.

His preaching arrested this Samaria village.

Acts 18:9-10 “Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.”

Cornelius - Needed the Gospel of Jesus Christ preached.

Liberation

Great Joy in the city - Acts 8:8 “And there was great joy in that city.”

Liberated from sorcery

Acts 8:9-12 “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: To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God. And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries. 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.”

But is a term of contrast

The contrast change of direction from being influenced(bewitched) by the darkness of sorcery to surrendering to the light

Simon the sorcery who proclaimed himself

Phillip proclaimed another - Jesus the Christ!

How were they liberated, which brought Great Joy?

Believed Philip - Acts 8:12 “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.”

Kingdom of God

The name of Jesus Christ - Imagine all of your life being taught that you are a compromiser, traitor, wicked, unworthy to worship God, and unworthy to be God’s people, by the Jews. Then you hear someone say, though this is true, there is hope in Jesus Christ!

Baptized - They followed in believers baptism - a public declaration that says, I am following Jesus!

They had received the word of God - Acts 8:14 “Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:”

Significant statement

Acts 2:41 “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.”

Acts 11:1 “And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.”

Salvation.

Received middle voice - The subject is being affected by their action.

C. H. S.

There was joy in Samaria because the gospel was preached there.

But there was still more joy in Samaria because there were signs of blessing going with the gospel.

Once more, there was great joy in Samaria because so many believed, and were saved.

There was also great joy in Samaria because of the changed lives of those who believed.

Conclusion

The devil stole man's true joy in his successful temptation in the Garden (cf Ps 16:11), but the glorious Gospel received restores supernatural joy to our soul (cf Gal 5:22+).

God makes persecution to serve missions