Acts 5:1-11
Ananias and Sapphira Hide the Truth
Acts 5:12-23
Effective Church Ministry
Acts 5:24-32
Obedience to God and Man
Acts 5:33-42
Gamaliel Convinces the Council
Acts 6:1-15
Deacons Chosen To Serve
Acts 6:8-15
Stephen Summoned before Synagogue Leaders
Acts 7:1-8
God’s Covenant of Circumcision
Acts 7:9-19
Abraham’s Promised Descendents
Acts 7:20-29
Moses Identifies with God’s Chosen People
Acts 7:30-43
Moses’ Mandate From God
Acts 7:44-60
Stephen Stoned to Death for His Faith
Acts 7:54-60
Stephen Stoned to Death for his Faith
Acts 8:1-13
Persecution Scatters Believers
Acts 8:14-25
Simon is Denied the Gift of Healing
Acts 8:26-40
Ethiopian Eunuch Evangelized by Philip
Acts 9:10-22
Ananias’ Availability
Acts 9:23-31
Barnabas’ Encouragement
Acts 9:32-43
Peter Used by God in Joppa to Heal Beloved Dorcas
Acts 10:1-8
Cornelius on a Mission for God
Acts 10:9-22
God’s Message to Peter through a Vision
Acts 10:23-33
Peter Meets Corneilius
Acts 10:34-48
Peter Preaches to Cornelius’ Household
Acts 11:1-18
Peter’s Defense to the Legalists
Acts 11:19-26
Barnabas Seeks Saul to Help with Discipleship
Acts 11:27-2
Antioch Believers Send Encouragement to Jerusalem
Persecution Scatters Believers
Acts 8:1–13
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“Westerners, 2,000 years removed from the first Christmas, are tempted to assume that there could hardly be anything more innocent, non-threatening, and “non-political” than a baby in a manger. Yet the birth of a baby that first Christmas resulted in a horrific wa … More
The death of Stephen brought on a wave of persecution against the Jerusalem church (vv. 1-2). One of the chief persecutors was Saul, from Tarsus (Acts 22:3), a “Hebrew of the Hebrews” (II Corinthians 11:22), the “son of a Pharisee” (Acts 23:6) and a Roman citizen (Acts16:37). In fact, he was one of the most promising young Pharisees in Jerusalem, who was on his way to becoming a great leader of the Jewish faith. Saul "made havoc of the Church” (v. 3), going from house-to-house persecuting and arresting Christians, until the prisons overflowed. Warren Wiersbe says, “Persecution does to the church what wind does to seed: it scatters it and only produces a greater harvest.” This persecution in Jerusalem caused the believers (God’s seed) in Jerusalem to scatter throughout Judea, Samaria, and other parts of the world (v. 4). This was the beginning of a worldwide witness.
Next, we are introduced to Philip, another young man who was one of the seven deacons chosen by the Jerusalem church (v. 5). Philip would go on to become one of the architects of the Christian Church. God directed him to become an evangelist in Samaria, a small province north of Judea. He declared God’s Word and demonstrated God’s power by performing miracles (vv. 6-8).
Wherever God sows His true believers, Satan sows his counterfeits. Satan’s tool in this passage was a sorcerer named Simon. He practiced witchcraft, and because of his ability to exercise control over nature and people through his demonic power, many people thought he was great (vv. 9-11). When Philip came along preaching Christ and displaying God’s power, Simon started to lose his following. Many of the Samaritans listened to Philip’s messages, believed on Jesus Christ, and were baptized (v. 12). Simon, seeing the great miracles, professed to believe, and was baptized (v. 13). However, it appears that his faith was not in the Word of God, but in the miracles.
Application
Sometimes God must force me out of my comfort zone to share my faith with others. I know that persecution may be a part of my being a good witness for Christ.
Acts 8:1-13 (English Standard Version)
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