A first glance at chapter eight would give one the impression that the church was facing a difficult road and losing a strategic component of their ministry by dispersing. However, I learned many years ago through the trials of life that what seems as a matter of destruction by Satan, God will use for construction in His kingdom. The persecution against the early church ramped up considerably after the death of Stephen. One would think the hungry wolves dressed in sheep’s clothing had tasted blood and were out for much more. Because the religious leaders, which included Saul of Tarsus. This organized and systematized attack on the early Christians spread the apostles throughout Judea and Samaria. While there move did disband the early church which had grown strong and large, the flip side shows the Gospel being spread to people of Judea and Samaria who had not yet be converted to the Christian faith.
Two specific examples are mentioned in chapter 8 regarding these conversions. The first is a man by the name of Simon. While scripture records that Simon did believe in the name of Jesus and was baptized in His name also, one has to wonder if his motive was pure since we see him attempting to secure favors and abilities from the apostles by means of his wealth. Many people misconstrue their relationship with Jesus and think their wealth is sufficient to buy them any means which they desire. Peter and John take time to rebuke Simon, even to the point of pronouncing a judgment upon him unless he became repentant of his corrupted heart. The second example is the Ethiopian Eunuch which the Spirit of the Lord led Philip to encounter. As the man was reading scripture, he could not understand the context or meaning. As Philip approached and asked if the Eunuch understood the passage, this opened the door for Philip to share the Gospel to a ripened heart. I wonder how many people we encounter daily which are searching for the answers to spiritual connection yet we miss the opportunity or we ignore the signs. Do we ever miss that person who is saying, "How can I understand who God is," he said, "unless someone guides me?" Oh that we would walk with such a sensitive Spirit that we would not miss the promptings of the Holy Spirit as He guides our paths.
As a side note there are two verses in this chapter which might create a bit of concern at a casual reading. In verses 15-16 Dr. Luke appears to state that the Samaritan converts did not receive the Holy Spirit at conversion, much like some denominations of today believe in conversion and then the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. These statements in Acts 8 do not refer to the presence of the Holy Spirit which renders regeneration but instead tend to align with a thought of a supernatural and extraordinary anointing by the Holy Spirit to speak in the different languages of the early disciples as mentioned earlier or of the ability to perform miracles which we saw the disciples do. We also must note that in verse 15 we read that Peter and John prayed for them to receive this anointing. This statement is indicative that the power did not rest in the disciples to disperse this gift. That came only from God and His selection and anointing.
Lessons from Acts 8:
1. What Satan intends for destruction, God wants to use for construction. (How do we see the difficulties of life? Ouch that one hurts!)
2. We cannot rely on our own resources to secure favor from God; that comes only from walking humbly before Him, committed to follow His path.
3. We must be prepared at all times for the Lord to place someone in our paths who is seeking for answers to life, to peace in confusion, or forgiveness of sin.
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