Acts, Chapter 8
© Copyright 2007 Darroll Evans, all
rights reserved
Acts 8:1-3
1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great
persecution against the church which was at
2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over
him.
3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and
haling men and women committed them to prison.
Saul (of
About that same time there
was a great persecution against the church in
Church growth did not come as
a result of the Apostles going out. It
was the result of the average Christians’ work following the dispersion that
resulted from persecution.
Saul, the Apostle Paul, did
more for Church growth and the teaching of the gospel than all other Apostles combined! In Church history,
most growth has come as the result of persecution.
Church persecution is NOT the persecution of the
saints. It is the persecution of Christ
Jesus---personally!
On the road to
The voice did not ask, “Why
are you persecuting My Church?” It was
Christ asking, “Why are you persecuting Me?”
Those who persecute the Church are persecuting Christ Jesus personally!
Following Stephen’s death, several Christian men took his body for burial. They
followed normal Jewish burial protocol. There was a great expression of grief
concerning him.
As for Saul, he created
confusion, and devastation within the church.
Saul went so far as to enter the homes of Christians, and throwing them
into prison.
Acts 8:4-8
4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the
word.
5 Then Philip went down to the city of
6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip
spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.
7 For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were
possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were
healed.
8 And there was great joy in that city.
Consequently, they that were scattered!
But, as they went, they preached the word.
At that time, Philip, one of
the seven original Deacons, went to a city in
With one accord (unity), the
people took note of the things Philip spoke.
They heard what he said and saw the miracles he did.
For instance, unclean spirits came out of many---crying with loud voices. It
seems that many were possessed with those spirits. Many others were ill with
paralysis, and were lame. They were
healed! Due to the work of the Holy
Sprit through Philip, there was great joy in that city.
Acts 8:9-13
9 But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city
used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was
some great one:
10 To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man
is the great power of God.
11 And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them
with sorceries.
12 But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of
God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
13 Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued
with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.
In
From the greatest to the
least in the town, they paid him special attention. They all thought that he had great power with
God. He had amazed them for several years
with his conjuring.
However, when they believed
Philip’s teaching about the
Even Simon himself believed and was baptized.
He attached himself to Philip, and was in awe concerning all the
miracles and wonderful workings he saw.
The real deal will amaze even conmen.
According to the false
teaching of regenerational baptism, Simon was saved and spiritually safe. And, yet he had experienced no change of
heart.
The act of baptism will not
save. Salvation requires a change of
heart. That change is brought about by
the Holy Spirit.
1 Cor 12:3b
no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
Without a spirit-led change of heart, being baptized is just getting wet with no
positive spiritual results!
Acts 8:14-25
14 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had
received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the
Holy Ghost:
16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the
name of the Lord Jesus.)
17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy
Ghost was given, he offered them money,
19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may
receive the Holy Ghost.
20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast
thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in
the sight of God.
22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the
thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of
iniquity.
24 Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of
these things which ye have spoken come upon me.
25 And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord,
returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the
Samaritans.
When the apostles at
And, when they were arrived, they
prayed for them, so that they might receive the Holy Ghost. (Because until that time, the Holy Spirit had
not fallen on any Samarians. They had
only baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
The baptism in the Holy Spirit is a separate event.)
John the baptizer said, “I
indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is
mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with
the Holy Ghost, and with fire” (Matt 3:11).
When they laid their hands on the people, they received the Holy Ghost.
Consequently, when Simon saw that it was through the laying on of the Apostles'
hands that the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money for that power.
He told them, “Give me this
power, so that I too may lay hands on whomsoever, and he may receive the Holy
Ghost.”
However, Peter admonished
him, “Your money shall perish with you, because you thought that the gift of
God may be purchased with money. You
have nothing to do in this matter. Your heart is not right in the sight of God!
“So, repent and pray to
God. Perhaps the thoughts of your heart
may be forgiven. I see that you are filled with resentment, and still in the
bonds of sin.”
Simon pleaded, “Pray to the
Lord for me so that none of these things which you have spoken may come upon
me.”
Simon’s version of repentance
was a false, self-serving non-repentance.
Then Peter and John testified
and preached the word of the Lord, and returned to
Acts 8:26-40
26 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip,
saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from
Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.
27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great
authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her
treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,
28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.
29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and
said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired
Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to
the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his
mouth:
33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and
who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.
34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the
prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?
35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached
unto him Jesus.
36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the
eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he
answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into
the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught
away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.
40 But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the
cities, till he came to
It was about that time that
an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip. He
said, “Arise, and go south to the highway that goes from
Philip arose and went. He found a man
from
At that time, as he was
returning home, he was sitting in his chariot, and reading the Isaiah scroll.
The Holy Spirit told Philip,
“Go to that man in the chariot.” So, Philip ran up to him, and heard him
reading the prophet Isaiah.
Philip asked, “Do you
understand what you are reading?”
The man replied, “How can I
understand unless someone teaches me?”
He asked Philip to come and
sit with him.
The man was reading the part of
the scroll that said, “He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep
before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from
prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? For He was cut
off out of the land of the living” (Isa 53:7-8).
The eunuch asked Philip, “Of
whom is the Prophet speaking? Is it
himself, or another?”
Philip began to expound the
Scripture! He preached Jesus to the eunuch!
As they went along, they came
to some water, so the eunuch asked, ‘Do you see that water? What hinders me from being baptized?”
Philip answered back, “If you believe with all your heart,
you may be baptized.”
And, the eunuch answered in
response, “I believe that Jesus
Christ is the Son of God!”
He commanded the chariot to
stop. They went down both into the
water, and Philip baptized him.
This is a believer’s baptism.
When they came out of the
water, the Spirit of the Lord took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him
again. The eunuch went on his way rejoicing.
Philip was found at Azotus, a
city near the Mediterranean coast. And, passing through the area, he preached
in all the cities, till he came to