When Pressure Turns into Mission
ACTS , The Church on Fire • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Acts chapter 8 opens in a way no church would plan:
A faithful man has just been murdered
Persecution erupts
The church is scattered
At first glance, it looks like loss.
But heaven sees something different.
This is not the church being destroyed, this is the church being deployed.
What we might call disruption, God often calls direction.
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. 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.
They didn’t just flee, or simply run away with their tails between their legs,
They went preaching.
What we see here is encouraging and thought provoking
The early church did sit around and wait for ideal conditions
For them to take the Word to the rest of the world,
You, they weren’t sitting around considering what the political climate was of a particular country,
or what the hot button social issues were raging at the time
In other words, they didn’t wait to carry the gospel in their comfort
They carried the gospel straight into discomfort.
Illustration
It’s like seeds in a farmer’s hand—
as long as they stay gathered, nothing grows.
But when they are scattered, they multiply.
Mission Connection
Mission Connection
Anna First Baptist Church, hear this point clearly:
God has always used movement to accomplish His mission.
And sometimes, even sometimes,
The gospel spreads best when we are willing to go.
5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them.
Let’s be clear:
This is not Philip the apostle.
Rather, Philip the Evangelist.
5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch,
– Philip is one of the seven chosen to serve
8 On the next day we who were Paul’s companions departed and came to Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.
– He is explicitly called “Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven”
Why does this Matter?
Because we notice that God did not wait for an apostle to reach Samaria.
Rather, He used a faithful servant.
You see, here is the important point I don’t want any of you who are here today, or watching on on a screen to miss:
The mission of God is not reserved for titles, it is entrusted to the available and the willing.
And just look at the powerful things God did through this one man,
Who wasn’t an apostle mind you, just someone who was willing and keeping himself available to be used by God.
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.
Philip preached Christ to them—and what followed is undeniable:
Demons cast out
Bodies healed
Lives transformed
That verse ends with these words,
“And there was great joy in that city.”
I’ll bet.
Brothers and sisters here at Anna First Baptist Church, dont we want to see great joy right here in our own city?
Amen!
Praise God,
Now listen,
True gospel power doesn’t just impress, — it liberates.
But check this out,
Before Philip arrived, there was already a man claiming power:
Simon Magus
9 But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, 10 to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.” 11 And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time.
Simon:
Amazed the people
Claimed greatness
It was called “the great power of God”
When we start moving in the Spirit of the Lord, things start happening
People’s lives start changing, people get healed all of the sudden, supernatural things happen
And we must be careful,
Because, we human beings have a deep hunger to be significant it would seem.
If that hunger is not surrendered to God, — it will be fed by self-exaltation.
Let’s learn from Simon’s case
He didn’t discover greatness, or have any real powers, but he sure declared it about himself.
There is a kind of spirituality today that seems to be ruling the tide of this generation:
All of these self proclaimed spiritual people and influencers today
Want influence
they want recognition
and they wants platforms…but they are not willing to bow in surrender.
But you know false Faith Can Look Convincing
12 But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. 13 Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done.
“Then Simon himself also believed…”
—He believed
—He was baptized.
—He followed.
But something was wrong.
Simon was not drawn to Christ’s lordship, he was drawn to Christ’s power that was on full display.
Philosophical Distinction
Let me be clear
There is a big difference between:
Believing in something and
Submitting to someone
Simon believed in the reality of God, but never surrendered to the authority of God.
Consider this a Warning
You can be around the gospel, and still not be changed by it.
18 And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, 19 saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
Here, Simon even offers money for the power of the Holy Spirit.
What does this tell us?
Simon viewed God’s power as:
Transferable
Purchasable
Controllable
That is the essence of idolatry:
To take what is divine and reduce it to something manageable.
Listen, be clear about this:
If you think you can control God, you have already replaced Him.
20 But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! 21 You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. 22 Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.”
Peter responded:
“Your money perish with you…”
This is not harshness for its own sake—this is truth confronting his illusion.
Peter’s rebuke here exposes Simon’s three foundational errors:
1. A False View of God
Simon treated God as a means.
But God is not a means—He is the end.
2. A False View of Power
Simon sees power as something to possess.
But biblical power is something that possesses you.
3. A False View of Self
Simon thinks his problem is lack of access.
Peter reveals his problem and sums it up, his problem was corruption of heart.
21 You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God.
The greatest issue in your life is not what you lack externally,
Rather—it is what is disordered internally.
You see he was enslaved,
Bound up in iniquity and poisoned by bitterness as Peter said.
Simon was not free.
He was driven by desires he did not control.
Listen to me church—
You are not free just because you have power…
—You are only free when power no longer has You.
24 Then Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me.”
At first, it sounds humble.
But look closer.
What’s Missing?
No confession
No brokenness
and No surrender
Simon feared the consequences, but still did not confront his condition.
Here is the distinction:
Fear says: “Save me from the outcome”
Repentance says: “Change me from the inside”
You see, one can fear judgment, and still refuse the transformation.
Church, don’t miss the bigger picture here.
(Acts 8) is not just about Simon, —it’s about the movement.
The Gospel Crossed Boundaries
Samaria was not a comfortable place.
It was:
—Culturally different—Religiously divided—and Historically avoided
But yet, — God sent Philip there.
Mission Connection to Durango
Mission Connection to Durango
Church, We are not called to stay comfortable.
Rather We are called to go where:
People are hurting
Truth is needed
Christ is not fully known
And the same God who scattered them back then, is now calling us to go.
In Closing, there are two Responses to God we see in Acts chapter 8
There are two men we see and learn from
Philip the Evangelist
Goes where God sends
Preaches Christ
Brings joy
Operates in surrendered power
Then there’s:
Simon Magus
Seeks recognition
Wants control
Pursues power
Remains unchanged
My final challenge:
Which one are you?
Do you want:
To be used by God…
or
To use God for yourself?
Church, if Acts chapter 8 teaches us anything, it’s this:
The gospel advances — when God’s people are willing to — go.
Here’s my challenge:
Let’s not just admire Philip, let’s follow his example.
Pray for the mission trip
Give toward the mission trip
Support those of us going on this mission trip
And next year, — Be willing yourself, if God calls upon you to go yourself
God is still scattering His people,
Not to weaken the church—but to spread the gospel.
And the question is not:
“Will God move?”
The question is:—Will we go?
