Acts 8: Cru Message

Intro- Tell who I am….talk about set backs in my life….

Setbacks in our life are often the beginning of set-ups for God’s plans and purposes.

Big Idea: God uses scattering, the Spirit’s prompting, and obedient witnesses to carry the gospel across every barrier.

1️ -Scattered… and Sent (8:1-4)

New International Version (2011) Chapter 8

On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2 Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 3 But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.

New International Version (2011) Chapter 8

4 Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. 5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. 6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city.

Philip not the apostle

Persecution → propulsion. What looked like a setback became strategy.

“Those who were scattered went about preaching the word.”

Truth: Scattered isn’t sidelined—it’s assigned.

Application: Where has God “scattered” you this week? See that place as a mission field.

2- Revival in Samaria (8:5-13)

Acts 8:5–13 NIV

5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. 6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city. 9 Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, 10 and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is rightly called the Great Power of God.” 11 They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his sorcery. 12 But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13 Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.

Philip preaches Christ; healing brings great joy to a divided land.

The gospel breaks ethnic, religious, and personal borders.

Truth: The gospel goes where we usually won’t.

Application: Who is your “Samaria”? Take one step of proximity—listen, serve, invite.

3️- Power vs. Posture (8:14-25)

Acts 8:14–25 NIV

14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. 15 When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money 19 and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20 Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! 21 You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. 22 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. 23 For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.” 24 Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.” 25 After they had further proclaimed the word of the Lord and testified about Jesus, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages.

Simon tries to buy the Spirit’s power. Peter rebukes: grace can’t be purchased.

Truth: The Spirit is received, not controlled.

Application: Check your motives—am I seeking God’s power for His mission or my platform?

4️- A Desert Appointment (8:26-40)

Acts 8:26–40 NIV

26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.” 30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. 31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.” 34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. 36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” 37 38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40 Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

Philip obeys the Spirit’s nudge to the desert road.

The Ethiopian official is reading Isaiah 53—perfect setup for Jesus’ story.

He believes and is baptized; the gospel reaches a new continent.

Truth: Availability beats ability.

Application: Pray daily, “Here I am, send me.” Look for divine interruptions.

Availability beats ability.

The Spirit is received, not controlled.

The Spirit is what pushes us to persevere through whatever if throw our way.

Setbacks in our life are often the beginning of set-ups for God’s plans and purposes.

Questions To Discuss

Where do you feel scattered or set back right now in your life?

Is there someone or somewhere you believe God is positioning you to be able to share the Gospel with? Share about that. (If specific person, stop and pray for them together)

What is one thing you are thanking God for this week and what is one thing you are asking God to help you with this week?

Take-Home Practices

Pray: “Here I am, send me” each morning.

Cross a border: Engage someone different from you.

Share your story: 2 minutes—before Jesus / how you met Him / life now.

Open Scripture: Offer to read a chapter (Isa 53 or Mark 1) with a friend.

Next step: Baptism or invite someone to church.

Key Verse: “Those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.” — Acts 8:4

Summary Line: When life scatters you, the Spirit sends you—so stay open, stay ready, and share Jesus wherever you land.