Acts: To The Ends Of The EarthSample

The early Christian Tertullian said, "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church."  The church scatters out from Jerusalem (Acts 11:19 ff.) and Saul initiates a thorough search for believers. There is nothing here of the open-mindedness of Gamaliel.

The body of Stephen was treated with respect and his loss was keenly felt (v. 2).

One of those who was scattered was Philip. He went to a city in Samaria. Through God’s blessing, great joy came to the city. It is significant that Christian repentance is a turning from sin and a turning to God. In Thessalonica they turn away from the synagogue (Acts 17:1–9), in Athens from idols (Acts 17:34), and in Ephesus from superstitious sorcery (19:19). The "turning from" may vary. Here, the people turn away from the flashy and spectacular emptiness offered by Simon and turn to the Lord Jesus and all that is involved in His kingdom (v. 12). The proclamation of Christ and His kingdom is what changes people.

Even Simon the sorcerer, astonished by what he saw, believed and was baptized (v. 13). (The Samaritans had an unusual experience of the Spirit, dealt with in tomorrow’s reading.) Simon’s motivation for believing, however, is apparently commercial. In verse 18 he offers to pay for the Holy Spirit. He is a reminder to us that not all who profess faith and are baptized are truly converted. A person can look good, have all the trappings, and still be "full of bitterness and captive to sin" (v. 23). Simon’s problem was that he understood neither the nature of Jesus’ messiahship nor the person and role of the Holy Spirit. He thought of both as spiritual forces that could be used to gain control of people and make money, a common attitude of the world to "the force" of Christianity.

God is about to authenticate true faith in the Samaritan believers (Acts 8:14–17), but at the same time Peter declares the truth about someone who is playing a game (Acts 8:20–23). Peter is exercising this ministry of authentication and exposure; he is exercising the ministry of keys (Matt. 16:17–20).

Reflection

How did Simon’s unregenerate heart show itself? Do people still desire the Spirit, and how do they receive Him, according to Acts 19:1–6 and Acts 2:38–39?