The Unlikely Advancement (Acts 8:4-25)

Introduction

We would expect that Stephen’s death would halt the gospel’s advancement. One of Christ's faithful servants had been murdered, and the gospel agitators grow in boldness. The church is being persecuted. Yet what looked like defeat was actually another step in the fulfillment of Christ's promise. Christ promised that the Gospel is to go from Jerusalem, to Judea, to Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. This is exactly what is happening. Clearly, Christ is standing and ruling at the right hand of God as Stephen testified and witnessed. Does this defeat silence Christ’s mission?

Preaching to Unworthy People

We were just outside Jerusalem where Stephen was executed by a brutal mob. So, Philip went down to Samaria. This is unsettling because Samaria historically mixed pure worship with pagan worship. They have also shown hostility to the Jews and vice versa.

Why so much tension between Israel and Samaria? This is a place that was resettled by foreign peoples who mixed the worship of the Lord with the worship of their own gods (2 Kings 17). This is a place that not only refused to help rebuild the temple, but actively opposed it (Ezra 4). So, it is safe to say that we would not expect Samaria to be receptive to the Gospel.

We are reminded that the unworthy hear the Gospel. So often we can forget how unworthy we ourselves are. We can look at our upbringing, our knowledge of Scripture, our membership in the church, or the blessings we have received and begin to think that we are somehow more deserving of God's grace. However, we must remember that the gospel came to us as an unworthy people. The Lord has been gracious in progressively purifying or sanctifying us, but he receives the credit. We must always remember that his work in our sanctification does not make us worthy of his grace. It is his grace that is at work in us.

Preaching to Apparently Receptive People

Acts 8 also reminds us that outward reception of the gospel is not necessarily the same thing as genuine faith. Simon the magician heard Philip, witnessed the signs, and appeared to believe. In fact, Luke reports that he believed, was baptized, and was even amazed at what he witnessed (8:13). Luke is only reporting his observation. He does not know if Simon really embraced Christ or not. Simon only professes to believe.

Eventually, his fruits exposed his heart. Luke reports Simon's profession and baptism, but the subsequent events reveal that his profession was not genuine saving faith. Understand that Simon was not amazed by the Lord’s power, but by what the apostles possessed. He tried to buy their power, but man does not control the Holy Spirit. The Apostles could not sell the Holy Spirit even if they wanted to. Man cannot sell what man cannot control. Peter rebukes Simon harshly. Simon misses that the apostles not only bear witness to Christ’s work but also to the gospel going out. This is why Peter says that the Holy Spirit falls just as at the beginning. (11:15). The apostles do not bring the Holy Spirit as the norm. Rather, they testify to the Spirit’s work. They are testifying that this place, which should be hostile, has received the Spirit. You could almost hear the Jewish apostles report that if the Samaritans can be saved, how much more the Gentiles.

That is a danger for us as well. We can be around the things of God without truly submitting ourselves to God. We can admire Christianity, enjoy the blessings of the church, know our Bibles, and even make a profession of faith, while still wanting our lives to revolve around ourselves. We can want Christ's blessings without wanting Christ himself. Simon wanted the power of the Holy Spirit, but he did not want to truly surrender to Christ’s yoke.

Preaching with Principle

Peter therefore does not offer Simon a technique for obtaining spiritual power. He calls him to repentance. Peter says, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift