Acts.4

The Gospel in Judea and Samaria - Acts 6:1-8:40

Bible Passage: Acts 6:8-10, Acts 7:51-56, Acts 7:58, Acts 8:1-8, Acts 8:30-31

Summary: This passage highlights the early Christian community's courageous witness in the face of persecution and adversity. God uses trials and transformations to expand His Kingdom; therefore, we must remain faithful and bold in proclaiming the Gospel. Remember God rewards those who suffer for His Kingdom. Challenges and persecution can become opportunities for God to reveal His glory and strengthen the church. Here we focus on two individuals; Stephen and Philip. Stephen exemplifies how God honors the preciousness of sacrifice. Philip shows what God can do with faith. Put on your νικη running shoes there’s a lot to cover!

God orchestrated the movement of the early church. Were they not paying attention the Great Commandment? The gospel was to go out to the world.

Acts 1:8 “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.””

This was the direction the gospel took and also the contents of the Book of Acts.

It was spread partially due to persecution, but also due to the zeal of the disciples. God uses many means to accomplish His will. Notice the apostles did not leave Jerusalem, Acts 8:1 “Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.”. Were they reluctant due to the “gentile issue” (Mt 10:5-6)? They had seen great miracles when Jesus sent out the seventy (Luke 10:1-17) these prepared the way for Jesus’ visit. Was it owing to this that God raised up Paul, the apostle to the gentiles (Rom 11:3; Gal 2:8; 2 Ti 1:11)?

Stephen's Spirit-Filled Strength - Acts 6:1-15

After the disputing between the Hebrews and the Hellenists (Acts 6:1) the church chose Deacons to serve and manage in these areas. It is no different today, Deacon’s roles in the church are vital for a properly functioning body. Out from the seven Stephen and Philip went on to perform a much greater mission.

Acts 6:8–10 “And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia), disputing with Stephen. 10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.”

Acts 6:11–15 “Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 12 And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; and they came upon him, seized him, and brought him to the council. 13 They also set up false witnesses who said, “This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law; 14 for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us.” 15 And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel.”

Stephen not limited in his ministry. (see Philip the evangelist). God was about to use this deacon as the first martyr to enter heaven. But first he must expose some conspiratorial evil and give a powerful message of grace.

This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law. These conspirators were accusing Stephen of the very thing God was accusing them of. The temple was being desecrated and would be destroyed, and they were mishandling the law and would answer for it.

They try to destroy the messenger so they didn’t have to listen to the message. The message of grace is more powerful than the opposition. Hold fast.

1. Stephen’s Message to the Sanhedrin - Acts 7:1-60

Acts 7:37 ““This is that Moses who said to the children of Israel, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear.’”

This Prophet was Jesus. Stephen gave a detailed historical accurate account of Israel’s failures to repent and come to God and their refusal to accept Jesus as Messiah.

Acts 7:51–56 ““You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. 52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, 53 who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.” 54 When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. 55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, 56 and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!””

they were cut to the heart - The Greek word here is different from the one in Acts 2:37 (κατανύσσομαι katanussomai means pierced - the word was a sword that stabbed them causing remorse and leading to faith).

These men in Acts 7:54 were not saved but were angry (see same Greek word in Acts 5:33 “When they heard this, they were furious and plotted to kill them.”). The word here, διαπρίω diaprio, means to be inwardly infuriated. The root πριζω prizo means to saw in two (their emotions were sawn in two).

Stephen gave a powerful recounting of Israel’s redemptive history and their rejection of God. He also showed God’s unrelenting pursuit of man.

Jesus’ reaction of standing to welcome Stephen is a great encouragement to believers struggling to persevere. A NT principle of being with the Lord in death and the special rewards that await the faithful.

2. A Young Man Named Saul

Acts 7:58 and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.”

How do we know that this is the same Saul that became Paul the Apostle? When Paul was preaching to the crowd in Jerusalem he says,

Acts 22:20 “And when the blood of Your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by consenting to his death, and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’”

Exactly what Luke writes in Acts 8:1. The story of the fascinating transformation of the life of Saul/Paul we will examine next week.

3. Saul the Persecutor / Philip the Evangelist - Acts 8:1-40

Acts 8:1–8 “Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. 3 As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison. 4 Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. 5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. 6 And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. 8 And there was great joy in that city.”

Now Saul was consenting to his death. As for Saul, he made havoc of the church. The period of relative peace was over. The Jewish leadership was determined to extinguish the flame of the church. They employed a Pharisee named Saul to accomplish this. Little did they know that that flame was none other than the Holy Spirit. Gamaliel’s words were going to come back to haunt them. Jesus is building His church, and nothing is going to stop Him.

The direct result of persecution was they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles,(:4) Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. Among those who went was the deacon, Philip.

The gospel is moving to Judea and Samaria and with it great joy!…………

Ministry of Philip the Evangelist

Acts 8:26 “Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is desert.”

Acts 8:29–31 “Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot.” 30 So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him.”

The Evangelist Philip is directed first by an angel of the Lord and then by the Spirit. This was indeed a divine appointment. The Ethiopian, a eunuch and head of the nation’s treasury, had visited Jerusalem for Passover probably a Jewish convert. This man was going to be a missionary himself to his country.

Acts 8:35 “Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.”

Notice what Philip did, He used the Scriptures to preach Christ. Philip explained that the prophesy from Isa 53 was a description of the Messiah Jesus Christ. It was a simple gospel. Who is Jesus, not a distracted gospel of a lot of words, just Jesus. Jesus ought to be the central theme of every message we share.

An aside:

Acts 8:37 “Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.””

:37 The NKJV follows the Textus Receptus here. However, both the Majority and Critical Texts (NU) exclude this verse. NIV correctly leaves this verse out.

Philip translated - to Ashdod later he went to Caesarea (Acts 21:8).

Next Week!

Saul’s Stunning Salvation - Acts 9:1-19