BiblicalMastery Buddy's bible blog

Lesson 13

Making Lemons into Lemonade

Acts 8:1-23

 Over the years while working for the International Mission Board my boss would often encourage me to take an overseas mission trip.  My standard answers were.  First, I had not been called to serve as a missionary.  Secondly, I always fell back on the verse found in 1 Samuel 30:24 which talks about the two hundred men who watched over the baggage.  While others went to the mission field, I believed that my task was to stay at home with the baggage and lend support and encouragement to those going. 

All of the arguments disappeared as I was able to make four trips overseas, one to Venezuela and three to Russia from 2000 to 2003. I learned a great lesson from those experiences.  I must be prepared to be used by God to reach those who do not know His Son.

It is so easy for all of us to get wrapped up in whatever becomes our “baggage” to watch.  The kind of excuses I used can keep us from missing out on the exciting and challenges things God has for us to do.  Our lesson today will talk about men who were prepared to take on new tasks as God opened the doors of opportunities for them.  The question we might ask ourselves, Am I truly being sensitive to what God desires for me or am I closing my mind and heart by always staying by the stuff?

 Acts 7:58-8-1

There are a couple items to be addressed before beginning chapter 8.  In verse 58 Saul is mentioned for the first time. His task at that early event was to watch the robes while the others did the dirty work of stoning Stephen.  Secondly, with the death of Stephen there was a shift in the strategy in dealing with the church by the Jews.  Up until this point the apostles had been the focal point of all the persecution.  Now a new tactic came into play.  The Jews broaden it to include the seven and then the entire church in Jerusalem.

1. What did they hope to accomplish with this new tactic?
2. What influence did witnessing the trial and murder have on what Paul was about to do?
3. Why would one who had watched the robes become so involved in the persecution of the church?
4. Why did Saul agree so strongly with the actions of his fellow “Freedmen”?

Acts 8:1-2

The treatment of the apostles was tame in comparison to what took place against the church after the death of Stephen.  Luke described it as a “great persecution”.  It was so intense that many of the believers fled from Jerusalem and were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.  The one group that seemed impervious to what was taking place was the apostles.  Acts 8:1 tells us that they remained in Jerusalem.

1. Why did Saul and the other men who had killed Stephen leave the apostles alone?
2. Why did these twelve men not leave Jerusalem?
3. Why did God allow the persecution to take place in the first place? 
4. Why did the dispersed believers go to Judea and Samaria and not beyond those two regions?

One last thought as we leave these verses.  Let us consider the possibility that the day that Saul began to persecute the church set in motion the events which would very soon lead to his dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus.

While havoc was taking place in the life of the church Stephen was buried by some men.

1. Why do their actions at the time of his burial seem strange?
2. How would you expect them to react?

Acts 8:3

The persecution of the church reach new heights as Saul now became the chief protagonist.  We are told that he ravaged the church.  In the Greek ravaging is to exercise brutal and sadistic cruelty.  These are actions we might expect of a madman or fanatic.

1. Why did Saul attack the church so viciously?
2. What impact did Stephen have on Saul in the way he faced death?
3. What impact did the history lesson Stephen presented have on a man like Saul?
4. In what way might a man of Saul’s education and religious background take the words of Stephen as a personal attack?
5. What did Saul and the others hope to accomplish with their treatment of the men and women who followed Christ?
6. What resulted from the persecution?

Acts 8:4-8

We begin to see the answer to the last question as we see the believers leaving Jerusalem and were preaching in all the places they went.  Even though Saul and others sought to destroy the church the persecution actually had just the opposite effect.  In verse 5 we find Phillip travelling to Samaria.  Remember this was part of Jesus’ command to the apostles to go into Judea and then into Samaria in an ever widening sphere where the gospel was to be proclaimed.  Phillip was a perfect candidate to bridge the gap between Jews and Samaritans since he was a Christian from a Greek background.  Thus he would not have all of the prejudices of the Jews to overcome as he shared the gospel. 

1. From their reactions to Phillip what could say about the kind of people that he encountered in Samaria?
2. How did the Samaritans respond to the good news that was brought to them?
3. What was the importance of performing signs and wonders among these people?
4. What did the types of signs help in his sharing about Jesus?
5. Why was it so important that the healing taking place go beyond just the physical?

Acts 8:9-11

Simon, the magician now enters the picture. He is described as one who claimed to be someone great.

1. What was the source of his supposed greatness?
2. How does an individual like Simon hold sway over people?

Acts 8:12-13

When Phillip began to preach and heal the people believed the message Phillip brought about the kingdom of God and Jesus Christ and were baptized. We are told that even Simon believed.

1. What was the difference between the two messages being presented to the people?
2. Why did they turn from Simon to the message of Phillip?
3. What was it about what Simon saw that convinced him to believe?
4. What might be some red flags for us when we see someone like Simon saying that they believe in Jesus Christ? 
5. What are individuals like him really believing?
6. What was still missing in the lives of all of the Samaritan believers?  Verses 14-17 will answer that question for us.

Acts 8:14

Only when the apostles heard that something was taking place in Samaria did any of them venture out of Jerusalem to see what was happening.  Peter and John, two of the leaders, were sent to investigate.  Notice upon the arrival of these two men that Phillip faded into the background.  His work, for the time being, was done. 

1.  Why did the apostles wait until someone else had done the ground work before deciding to leave Jerusalem?
2. What situation did the apostle find when they came to Samaria?
3. Why had Phillip not completed the task of helping them receive the Holy Spirit?
4. How can a person believe and baptized and not receive the Holy Spirit?
5. What did it mean for the people to finally receive the Spirit?

Acts 8:18-19

Simon is a prime example of one who may believe enough to be part of a fellowship.  They may even be actively involved in the work of the church but who have not genuinely been willing to totally commit themselves to Christ.  I am afraid that churches are full of people who think they are saved based on the fact that they are members and may have even been baptized but have never truly come to Jesus and accepted the Salvation He wants to give them.  The church does these individual a terrible disservice by allowing them to remain in their unsaved condition.

How do we know that Simon was such a man?  All we have to do is to see the reasons he joined the church in the first place and the fact that he was willing to buy the privilege of laying hands on others, probably for profit and power, that the selected people could receive the Holy Spirit.

1. What was the difference between what the apostles were doing and what Simon wanted to do?
2. What did Simon not seek?  There is no indication that he desired to receive the Holy Spirit himself.   
3. What was the real reason that Simon wanted the ability to give the Holy Spirit?

Acts 8:20-25

Peter responded to Simon very emphatically.  He told him:

• The gift is now for sale
• Your desire shows that you are an unregenerate sinner
• You are going to perish
• You need to repent
• You need to seek God’s forgiveness

Let us think about how Peter responded to Simon

1. What does it say about the character of Peter?
2. What could have been the worse thing he could have done in this situation?
3. Why did he leave it up to Simon to pray?
4. What do you think about Simon’s response to Peter in verse 25?
5. What did indicate about him?
6. In what ways do we need to be like Peter in his handling of this situation?

 Each of you know from your own experiences that difficult times have either already taken place in your lives or will at some point.  The question each of you need to answer is how will you respond to your situation?  Will you see difficult times when things are not going your way as an opportunity to be a witness for Christ or hide behind your problems?  Sometimes when you are going through trials it will open your eyes to all of the suffering and those who are lost who need what Christ has to offer to them.

The early church took advantage of a very bad situation and used it reach out to others.  As a result the church continued to grow in a way that could not have happened if all the believers had remained cloistered in Jerusalem. 

The final lesson that can be learned this morning is let all of us to begin to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit to be aware of those even among our members who may have never made a decision for Jesus Christ.  It is so easy for us to assume that those who have been a part of the fellowship truly have an understanding of what it means to be saved.  How can we as a church make sure that this does not happen?

1. Pray for discernment
2. Try to make sure that each person is involved in a small group
3. Provide a loving atmosphere where people are able to be open and honest  about their walk with the Lord
4. There should never be an attitude of condemnation but a willingness to guide others into a true relationship
5. We should also never condone false doctrine
6. We are to be willing to pray with someone, like to Simon, who is caught in the throes of sin.  Sometimes people may even feel incapable of praying for themselves because of a deep hurt in their lives.

Next week we will see Phillip at work again.  The Ethiopian will provide us with a contrast to Simon.

Additional Random Notes:

C-The Jews began from that point to persecute the church.  It was so severe that many of the believers left and went to other regions in Judea, Samaria and beyond even into Syria.    (Acts 8:1)

DM-The day Paul began to persecute the church set in motion the events that would lead to be his dramatic conversion. (Acts 8:1, 3; 22:4)

RT-Faced with being marginalized by society may the church use this subtle form of persecution to become insurgents into the world full of spiritual darkness.  It is to spread the word of God under of the authority of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 8:1-5)

C-Paul became an integral part of the persecution that was taking place as he ravaged the church and putting many of the believers into prison. (Acts 8:3)

RT-As persecution began against the church those who were driven out of Jerusalem “went about preaching the word.”  They were not defeated but spiritually energized.  As Paul would say later, “They knew whom they believed. (2 Tim. 1:12)  Philip, one of the seven, even carried the message to the despised Samaritans. (Acts 8:4-5)

C-Philip went to Samaria when the persecution came upon the church at Jerusalem.  He began preaching there.  The crowds were attentive to his words and he was able to heal and cast out demons.  “There was much rejoicing in that city.”  Not since the visit of Jesus had the people had such a reason for hope and joy as when they now heard the good news from the lips of Philip. (Acts 8:5-8, 12)

DM-Philip took to heart the command of Jesus to go into Samaria.  When he did he found people waiting to hear the good news and many believed. (Acts 8:5-8, 12)

GC-With the proclamation of Christ there is rejoicing in the lives of the people touched by His saving power. (Acts 8:5, 8, 39)

C-Simon, the magician, who had been viewed as someone great by the Samaritans also became a believer upon hearing the words of Philip and seeing the miracles he performed.  Somehow Simon understood that these acts were genuine and beyond anything he had been able to do with his slight of hand. (Acts 8:9-11, 13)

DM-To Simon salvation and the receiving the Holy Spirit was a greater magic than he had been able to perform.  He was so impressed that he was willing to pay money to have it.  Peter saw through his scheme and admonished him to repent of his sinful ways or perish. (Acts 8:9-13, 18-24)

GC-One who comes to Jesus turns away from what is false and believes in that which is true.  We believe when the word was preached and were baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Acts 8:12, 37)

RT-John went from wanting to call down fire from heaven to destroy some of the Samaritans to proclaiming the good news of Christ to them. (Acts 8:14-15, 25)

C-The people who had believed received the Holy Spirit as the apostles laid hands on them. (Acts 8:15-17)

C-Simon, the magician, sought the authority to lay hands upon those he chose to bestow the Holy Spirit.  He offered Peter money to purchase this power.  Peter invoked a curse on him. Simon thought that what God gave as a gift could be bought like some commodity.  Seeing that his plan was a detriment to his own eternal destiny he pleaded with Peter to pray that he might receive forgiveness for his actions. (Acts 8:18-24)

RT-The request of Simon may make us wonder if he was truly saved.  We know by what is said about all of the Samaritans that he had not received the Holy Spirit. (Acts 8:15-17)

GC-The Holy Spirit cannot be purchased but is bestowed through God’s grace on those who truly commit themselves to Jesus. (Acts 8:18-20)

RT-Isn’t this what the whole idea of a religion based on works is all about, being good enough to buy God’s favor? (Acts 8:20)

GC-Our hearts are to be right before God. (Acts 8:21)

 GC-Peter’s reaction to Simon’s request was to admonish him to pray that the sinful intent of his heart be forgiven. (Acts 8:22)

GC-Because of his predicament Simon asked Peter to make intercession for him.  There may be instances when we might be called upon to pray for someone else or have them pray for us in this way because we may feel inadequate to speak to God at that time.    (Acts 8:24; 12:5)