Acts, Part 15

Notes
Transcript
Stephen’s message was God’s final invitation to Israel. If Israel rejected the message, God would turn elsewhere to root and ground His church. The terrible tragedy is that Israel did reject the message; in fact Israel killed Stephen and launched a savage persecution against the church, attempting to utterly destroy and stamp it out.
However, God overruled and used the persecution as a means to scatter the church all across the world. Just as Jesus had instructed, Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost part of the earth were now to hear the glorious message of the gospel.
God Uses Persecution
God Uses Persecution
1 And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.
2 Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him.
3 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.
4 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.
The persecution was launched by an inflamed man, Saul of Tarsus. The word “consenting” or “approving” (suneudokon) means to give full consent of the will; to willingly approve; to approve with pleasure; to delight in; to applaud what is being done. Saul was well-pleased with Stephen’s death. An inflamed fury had been building up in him against the church, for he felt that the preaching of Christ threatened his religion, Judaism. In fact, Saul was the leader in persecuting the church, the one who boiled more than anyone else against the church. He was apparently a leader among the religionists. The persecution was launched quickly, on the very day of Stephen’s death. The words “at that time” (en ekeinei tei hemerai) mean on that very same day. Saul wished to act and to act quickly in wiping out the church. The believers were frightened and on the run. He had to strike immediately to catch them before they could escape. The persecution was launched in fury and in violence. Note the phrase “a great persecution” (diogmos megas). The idea is that Saul hotly pursued, chased, and hunted down the believers. He was bent on violence, utterly determined to stamp out the church. The church “[was] all scattered abroad throughout Judea and Samaria” (see note—Acts 8:4 for discussion). Note the apostles remained behind.
Believer: the devout cared for the murdered. The devout must have been some of Stephen’s friends and fellow synagogue worshippers who had not embraced the faith of Christ, but cared for him. They were deeply disturbed over his death, making “great lamentation” over him. Note how God used Stephen’s burial to continue the witness:
⇒ His witness was publicly honored.
⇒ He died what might be called a hero’s death.
Paul—Church; Persecution of: the church was severely persecuted—both men and women were persecuted by Saul. (See note—Acts 8:1 for more discussion.) Saul made “havoc” (elumaineto) of the church; that is, he tried to devastate it, destroy it, ruin it, wipe it out. ⇒ It is the picture of a wild beast ravaging and tearing to bits some carcass. ⇒ The verb is continued action. He began and kept on ravaging and destroying. He was, as he later confessed, “exceedingly mad against them [believers]” (Acts 26:11). 1. He stormed the homes of believers, breaking open the doors, fiercely seeking every believer in “every house” (Acts 8:3). 2. He arrested all he could find, “hailing” them (suron): constraining and dragging them, using whatever force was necessary to arrest and subdue them. The picture is that of forcibly dragging them from their homes through the city streets (Acts 8:3). 3. He arrested women as well as men. Women were considered unimportant and insignificant in Saul’s day. Yet the fierceness and savagery of Paul was so set on destroying the church that he went after the women as well. His crime against women was to be an offense Paul could never forget (see Acts 9:2; 22:4). 4. He imprisoned as many as he could find, and he found many … • committing them to prison (Acts 8:3). • “binding and delivering into prisons both men and women” (Acts 22:4). • “many of the saints did I shut up in prison” (Acts 26:10). 5. He stormed “every synagogue” and punished the believers who were present. He tried to force them to blaspheme the name of Christ (Acts 26:11). 6. He hunted them down, hotly pursuing them even into foreign cities, persecuting all he could track down (Acts 22:5; 26:11). 7. He brought many to their death and gave his voice to the death penalty of many others (Acts 22:4; 26:10).
Witnessing—Preaching: the lay believers who were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching Christ. Note two significant facts. 1. The believers were “scattered abroad” (diasparentes): dispersed, scattered about just as seed is sown or scattered throughout a field. God was using the evil of the world to spread His followers and message all over the world. 2. Note that the scattered believers did not hide in secrecy and fearful silence. They preached the Word wherever they went. “Preaching the word” (euaggelizomenoi ton logon) means to evangelize, to declare, to proclaim, to preach the Word of God, the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Revival in Samaria
Revival in Samaria
5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ.
6 And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs that he did.
7 For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.
8 So there was much joy in that city.
9 But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great.
10 They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called Great.”
11 And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic.
12 But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
13 Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed.
14 Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John,
15 who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit,
16 for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
17 Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.
18 Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money,
19 saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
20 But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!
21 You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.
22 Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.
23 For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.”
24 And Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”
25 Now when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.
Philip: the preacher was Philip, a layman, one of the first deacons (Acts 6:5). This is important to note:
⇒ the first great evangelistic thrust outside Jerusalem was carried out by a layman.
⇒ the first time the term evangelist is used, it is used with a layman (Acts 21:8).
Philip preached (ekerussen) and proclaimed Christ. Later on he is said to preach (euaggelizomeno), to announce the glad tidings, “the things concerning the kingdom of God” (v. 12). These two great words are used in the New Testament for proclaiming the gospel. Philip, the layman, was a true servant of the Lord, a lay believer who preached Christ. He was a layman who dedicated his time and energy to proclaiming the things concerning the kingdom of God.
Revival: the essentials for revival are twofold.
1. The people must be of “one accord”: of one mind, spirit and purpose; in full cooperation; willing to hear the message and see the miracles. If people oppose and shut their ears and close their eyes to the messenger, they cannot have revival. There has to be an openness, a willingness and oneness of spirit with the preacher and his message.
2. The people must give “heed” (proseichon), keep their minds and hearts upon the message.
Revival: the evidences of revival are eightfold.
1. Evidence one: lives are changed—miraculously. People who cannot help themselves are healed. Note that people possessed with evil spirits were changed: the evil spirits were cast out (see Mk. 3:11; Lk. 4:41). People with diseased and crippled bodies were healed. The power of God was clearly witnessed.
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Cor. 5:17).
“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever” (1 Pt. 1:23).
“Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him” (1 Jn. 5:1).
2. Evidence two: great joy is experienced. A man who truly came to know Christ was filled with joy, the joy …
• of sins forgiven
• of deliverance
• of power to live
• of hope for eternity
• of knowing God’s presence
• of security and assurance and confidence
3. Evidence three: deliverance from great depths of sin, from false prophets and religion and sorcery. The depth of sin can reach no deeper than these people found themselves. They were gripped and enslaved by error, false teaching, and false hope.
a. The people had been enslaved by a false prophet, a religious imposter, Simon.
⇒ He used sorcery: magical arts, witchcraft, spirit mediums, astrology, charms, spells, divination or fortune-telling.
⇒ He bewitched people: amazed, astonished, and secured their following.
⇒ He claimed that he was “some great one.”
b. The people had been enslaved by a false religion: “all” gave heed; all followed his leadership and teaching; all “from the least to the greatest” confessed, “this man is the great power of God.”
Thought 1. Think how gullible people are in following false prophets and their teaching.
c. The people had been enslaved for a long time. They had been held in bondage to the false prophet and false religion for a long time. But now, they had been freed by the power of Christ.
4. Evidence four: believing the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, and being baptized.
a. Philip preached two major subjects.
⇒ He preached the kingdom of God (see Deeper Study # 3—Mt. 19:23–24).
⇒ He preached the name of Jesus Christ.
b. When the people heard the message …
⇒ they believed (see Deeper Study # 2—Jn. 2:24).
⇒ they were baptized (see Deeper Study # 1—Acts 2:38).
5. Evidence five: false professions. It is doubtful that Simon was making a genuine confession of Christ (see v. 18–24). When people experience true revival there will always be counterfeits. The existence of counterfeits and hypocritical professions dramatize and cause the genuine confessions to stand out even more.
6. Evidence 6: the reception and manifestation of the Holy Spirit (v. 14–17). The apostles were the leaders, the supervisors of the church. Therefore, when they heard of the revival at Samaria, they sent Peter and John to investigate. Why was an investigation necessary? Because of the bitter enmity and racial prejudice between the Samaritans and Jews (see Deeper Study # 2—Lk. 10:33 for discussion).
When Peter and John arrived, they discovered that the Samaritans had believed and been baptized, but the Holy Spirit had not “fallen upon” any of them. (See Deeper Study # 2—Acts 8:14–17 for discussion.)
7. Evidence 7: the rebuke of hypocrisy. The point is clearly seen in the incident with Simon (see Scripture and outline above, pt. 5, v. 18–24 for discussion).
Note Simon’s request for the apostles to pray for him. It seems that he did not pray himself nor confess and repent to the Lord Jesus. This was the same approach Pharaoh took with Moses, begging for prayer, but never repenting (Ex. 8:8; 10:17).
8. Evidence 8: the opening of hearts for evangelism. Note …
• how open the Samaritans were to the Jewish preachers of the gospel
• how the apostles went into the villages of the Samaritans to preach
The fruit of revival is more revival, the opening of hearts for both the preaching and receiving of the gospel.