[:en]SCRIPTURE READING – ACTS 8
“May your money perish with you because you thought that you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry because hour heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray tot he Lord. Perhaps He will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart” (Acts 8:20-23)
THE CHURCH PERSECUTED AND SCATTERED (vs. 1-3)
After Stephen was stoned to death, Saul was there giving approval to his death. Saul personally destroyed the church by dragging off men and women and put them in jail. Great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem. All except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.
PHILIP IN SAMARIA (vs. 4-8)
Philip was a deacon and became an evangelist. He proclaimed the gospel in Samaria and performed many miraculous signs. He healed the paralytics, the crippled and those with evil spirits. Many heard his message and believed in Christ.
SIMON THE SOCERER (vs. 9-25)
There was a man named Simon who had practiced sorcery in the city. When he heard about Philip’s power, he followed him and accepted the Word of God. When he saw the Holy Spirit was given at the laying of the hands of the apostles’ hand, he offered them money to receive the Holy Spirit. Peter rebuked him saying: “Your money perish with you” (v. 20)
PHILIP AND THE ETHIOPIAN (vs. 26-40)
An angel of the Lord told Philip to go south road from Jerusalem to Gaza. On his way, he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candice, queen of the Ethiopians. This man was sitting on a chariot on his way home from worship in Jerusalem. He was reading the book of Isaiah. The Spirit told Philip to go to that chariot. The man invited Philip to sit with him. Philip explained to him the passages in Isaiah 53:7-8 and told him the good news about Jesus. As they traveled along, the eunuch saw water and asked to be baptized. So, Philip baptized him and the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away. Philip appeared at Azotus, preaching the gospel until he reached Caesarea.
LESSON:
- The Holy Spirit cannot be bought with money
- Beware of counterfeit Christians who made a profession of faith but they are aiming for something in their hearts.
- Philip was obedient to the Spirit and went where God had led him. Let us follow the leading of the Spirit.
- The Ethiopian eunuch was convicted by reading the Word of God and he proved his faith by baptism. Let us plant the seed of the Word in our hearts. Let us not be ashamed to prove our faith.
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