One Church, One Spirit, One Lord
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TAKE PASSPORT
Claim (of the passage) God sovereignly confirms the inclusion of the Samaritans by giving them the same Holy Spirit, showing that His gospel creates one church and His Spirit cannot be bought or manipulated.
Focus (of the sermon) To rejoice in the gospel’s boundary-breaking advance and to heed the warning that God’s gifts come only through grace, not transaction.
Function (for the congregation) To celebrate the Spirit’s unifying work in the global church and to examine our hearts for any attempt to use God for gain, repenting and resting in Christ’s free grace.
PRAY
I got a new passport this week, here it is.
Nice and blue - although I preferred the marron colour.
You need a passport - on the whole, to cross a border.
Some borders are obvious—rivers, fences, passport checks.
This summer we travelled along a border that simply had a white post every 20m.
But still, you took a great risk in crossing over without permission.
During a more politically unstable time in Lesotho, where we used to live, we had an emergency evacuation plans in place that would mean crossing borders, at night, at a low point in a river, just in case - you know.
But my point - is that crossing a border is almost always a significant thing. It means something.
There are other types of significant borders, much less visible ones;
but just as real—
old hatreds,
inherited suspicion,
deep wounds between peoples.
For centuries Jews and Samaritans were divided by all of these invisible and visible borders.
They shared ancient history but accused each other of corrupt worship.
Jews would avoid Samaritan soil if they at all could.
Samaritans returned the favour with equal contempt.
And yet, in Acts 8, the gospel, the good news of Jesus, crosses that border - from the Jews to the Samaritans. Both geographically and culturally.
We started briefly thinking about it last week and it’s all as a result of persecution of the Jewish Christians - driving them out of the Jewish areas.
Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said.
and v12
…they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptised, both men and women.
You can imagine the Jewish Christians seeing their Gospel message, there hope, their Lord Jesus, slip quietly across the border!
We’re not talking Wales into England with some old jokes about being enemies, but basically no-one really cares - unless the rugby is on.
We’re talking more Israel into Pallestine!
Or South Korea in North Korea.
Who authorised this?
Was the paperwork in order, did the poeple who took it have the right permission,
Were their passports stamped or did they sneak over the border at night? Metaphorically speaking.
Is this really happening - the unclean, dogs of Samaria, those blasphemous, idolitrous half-breeds…receiving the Gospel?
Well Let’s find out:
1. God guards the unity of His church (vv. 14–17)
1. God guards the unity of His church (vv. 14–17)
Given the cultural back drop of animosity between Jew and Samaritan, v14 isn’t a surprise:
When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria.
I don’t think the text suggests the apostles were doubtful of the reports, or annoyed or concerned. Simply that this sort of news needs checking up on.
There is no sense or reason they doubted the message Philp had taken to Samaria,
And if they recalled what Jesus had told them before he ascended to Heaven, they shouldn’t be too surprised at all:
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’
Well the Gospels hit Jerusalem, it’s spread out to Judea, and Samaria is the next of Jesus’s tick list.
And not that they knew it of course,
but Samaria better get ticked off soon,
because the Gentiles are going to be included by chapter 10 of acts.
What makes the Samaritans of specific interest to the apostles
is the very fact that they have this divisive cultural and theological border.
The Samaritans are not Gentiles (meaning foreign nations) in their view
- they do share a Jewish heritage, but they have not kept themselevs pure.
To the Jews, being a Samaritan is worse than being a Gentile in terms of their relationship with God
They have interbred with other nations from all around the known world
When many were forcibly resettled in the northern part of Judah during the Assyrian occupation of Israel.
Pause
‘SO’ they think, We better go see if this is really happening!
This is a high value mission, so the Jerusalmn church send two of its leading apostles.
And this is what they find and do:
When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Now, Normally in Acts, belief and the gift of the Spirit go hand in hand,
Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
or
While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message.
So Why the delay here?
Some have argued this proves Christians need a later, post conversion, special experience or baptism of the Spirit.
But that contradicts the rest of Acts and the letters of Paul.
And more importantly misses the point here.
Imagine for a second, the Gospel reaches Samaria, they believe and recieve the HS and the apostles don’t go to see what’s happening.
What would that change in Jewish Samaritan relationships?
Not a lot - not even amoung the Christians.
Previosuly they both claimed to be the true Israelites, but they were utterly divided.
Now they would both claim to be true Chrtsians, but they would remain divided.
For the apostles to arrive and be directly involved in their regenration by the HS, they can be nothing but utterly united.
Samaritans have to accept the Jewish, apostolic message and authority,
and the Jewish Christains and apostles have to accept their faith as true.
They are united as one by the HS.
Just as the Disicples themselves had a waiting period between witnessing the resurrection of Jesus, believing in Him, and the actual gift of the HS at pentecost,
so to did the Samaritans.
A one off event, to unite the worst of enemies to be ‘
‘one church, in one spirit, under one Lord.’
The border is crossed and the one church of Jesus Christ is publicly, undeniably united.
This is the Pentecost of Samaria—a once-for-all step in salvation history showing that outsiders are insiders through Christ.
Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
For us this is helpful to remind us firstly
- that we are to be grateful to God that he opened the Gospel beyond just a people group of geographic Israel into a people group of spiritual Israel.
Any person from any and every tribe tongue and nation can be called by God into his people group.
God pours out his Spirit to convert according to his will and grace.
We owe Him praise for his undeserved grace towards us.
It’s also worth remembering that God is jealous for the unity of His church.
Many errors in history have bene made by claims from people groups or churches to be the only, or the primary church of God.
There is no place for racisim, or elitism, or competitvism!
OF course there are ‘true churches and Christians’ and ‘false churches and false Christains’.
But it is never defined by race or education, or culture, or background.
It is only defined by the presences of the HS in peoples hearts or not!
The HS who convicts of sin,
and opens our hearts to believe that Jesus died for our sin,
paid the price before God,
so we might inherit his righteousness and be at peace with our creator.
We must, as the apostles did, overcome any cultural, racial, class or otherwise ‘isms’,
and actually make an effort with one another.
The apostles went, and they prayed, because they shared Jesus - despite their cultural baggage.
There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one Spirit.
God guards the Unity of the church
2. God guards the purity of His Church (vv. 18–24)
2. God guards the purity of His Church (vv. 18–24)
It’s interesting that woven into this account of the Samaritans
we have this ongoing saga with Simon the Magician.
Last week we saw Simon boastfully considering himself the ‘Great Power of God’ in v10.
But despite his pride and self-interest
- he cannot help but be amazed with the true signs and wonders that Philip brought to confirm the gospel message.
Simon himself believed and was baptised. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.
ANd woven into this weeks narrative
When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money and said, ‘Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.’
There are several reasons this narrative of Simon is mixed into the bigger story.
But they can be mostly summarised by seeing that ‘God Guards the Purity of the church.
The first reason is to see the reality of
1. Spiritual Warefare
1. Spiritual Warefare
God “withheld the Spirit for a time” so that the apostles would personally affirm the Samaritan believers, so that unity was clear,
and yet - the very first thing that happens is an attempt to buy God’s Spirit.
Calvin writes, “Satan never rests when the gospel advances.”
→ Whenever the church crosses a new border of inclusion, Satan is ready to pounce on the new church.
And how do we gaurd against Satan’s attack in missions and our own evangelism?
Peter answered: ‘May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart.
We return to the truth - we recall God’s Gospel,
and assess peoples hearts by their actions and words.
And we as always, keep calling one another to repentance.
the 2nd reason we have Simon’s story mixed in is so that the
2. Apostolic Foundational Authority Is Affirmed
2. Apostolic Foundational Authority Is Affirmed
I know that points sounds very grande but it’s very simple and very important.
The H Spirit waits until Peter and John arrive,
confirming that the Jerusalem apostles are the Christ-appointed foundation of the church (cf. Eph 2:20).
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.
In their life time they travelled, authorised and directed the oversight of the expanding church.
What they taught, and decided was treated as sure and certain
- and the signs wonders, and authority to bring the blessing of the HS through their prayers and laying on of hands was final and authoritative for all time.
Today we still have the apostles eye witness accounts, in the NT.
And their message was affirmed by their signs and wonders.
We dont’ need the same signs and wonders to confirm the message, becasue there is no new message.
They do not pass on their miracle working, God revealing work to successive apostles trhough the ages,
such as the Cathlic church view the Pope,
or some charistamtic moevements still think their are living apostles.
No, our faith is and was built of the foudation of the apostles as we read in Eph2. FOudnations are one off permanent things.
The Word of God is now final, sufficent and authrotitive in all things.
Simon’s attempt to purchase the work of the Holy Spirit is therefore not just greed; it is a challenge to apostolic authority.
Peter’s rebuke defends the unique role of the apostles at the very moment their ministry embraces Samaritans.
The faith must remain pure.
The next reason:
3. True Inclusion vs. False Profession
3. True Inclusion vs. False Profession
The Samaritan believers show genuine reception of the word and Spirit,
while Simon represents superficial belief that seeks the benefits of the kingdom without submission to the King.
By putting these side by side, Luke teaches that outsiders can be truly inside,
while someone who looks or calims to be inside can remain outside.
You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God.
Simon believes - he has a head knowledge of the Gospel - but his heart is not submitted to the authroity of God’s word through his apostles,
and his heart has not realised salvation is by grace alone - he thinks it’s for sale!
Today, The porsperity Gospel is a tragic blasphemy - people basically claiming you can buy health, wealth and happiness from God.
Send us your money and God will bless you.
Well God is not for sale - these false teachers may preach things that sound right - but their hearts are not right before God.
We must likewise be careful not to think we can buy God’s favour or power. Or that anything we do can save ourselves.
Grace alone though faith alone, and we are called to obedience and praise in response - not expectation or demand of God’s power or action as we think he should act.
If you like the two episodes are two sides of the same coin.
Positive side: The Spirit waits for the apostles so that the whole church sees that Samaritans share the same gospel and the same Spirit.
Negative side: Simon’s attempt to buy the Spirit reveals what the gospel is not—it is not a commodity, not magic, not humanly controlled.
The church must remain pure.
Wherever the gospel goes, God Himself safeguards both its unity and its purity.
SO what should we be careful of?
Theologically, Simon’s offer is absurd:
The Spirit is gift, not a product.
Grace is free, not merchandise.
To think otherwise is to attempt to control God rather than worship God.
But there are too many Modern Parallels
But there are too many Modern Parallels
Churches that market the Spirit as a spectacle to attract people.
But Even ordinary Christians like us who bargain with God—serving, giving, or praying primarily to get something back.
We have expectation upon God based on our desires, or thinking.
The form changes, but the impulse is the same:
Using God instead of loving God.
We’re all guilty of that at times, and so v23 is often true of us
For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.’
The real question is then ,how do we respond to Peter’s apostolic instruction”
Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart.
The door of grace always remains open - what a God we worship.
But Simon’s reply is troubling:
“Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.” (v.24)
He fears punishment more than he hates his own sin.
Luke leaves his story unresolved, as a sober warning:
Do we fear judgement, but aren’t prepared to do anything about it,
or will we live lives of repentance because we loath our sin,
and come again to the foot of the cross for the grace and free gift of Jesus.
If you have the HS - you will repent - if you don’t - you wont.
Do not settle for outward profession.
Come to Christ with empty hands and a sincere heart.
But in repentnace we have the HS in our hearts!
The HS was bought at a price,
but it was the blood of JEsus who bought him for us.
He’s a free gift for us.
The HS is our ultimate passport that we share in comon with all believers.
He is our passport into eternity and life with God Almighty.
Where we will truely see that we need no money or bargaining to enjoy him:
‘Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.
Because Jesus paid the price, the Spirit is free.
The gospel that unites Jew and Samaritan, Brit and Syrian, neighbour and stranger, is the gospel that saves you—not by silver or gold, but by the precious blood of Christ.
Pray
