Rethink Your Evangelistic Assumptions | Acts 8
Luke's account of Philip's ministry challenges us to rethink three false assumptions about spreading the faith: (1) the necessity of stability; (2) the popularity of power; and (3) the improbability of receptivity. This sermon is part 1 of “Spreading the Faith,” Bryan Craddock’s verse-by-verse sermon series on Acts 8-20.
Pictures from space make the earth look as smooth as a marble. Some parts are blue, others brown and green, with white clouds smeared around. The whole thing seems peaceful and easy enough to traverse. If only that were so. The world is massive, divided by deep, turbulent seas and steep mountain ranges. Of course, the invisible separations are even harder to overcome--language, culture, politics, and religion.
Nevertheless, Acts 1:8 tells us that right before he ascended to heaven, Jesus told his followers, “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” He wanted them to spread the faith everywhere around the globe, proclaiming repentance for the forgiveness of sins and making disciples of all nations (Lu 24:47; Mt 28:19). Ultimately, people will be redeemed from every tribe, language, and cultural group (Rev 5:9). So, this goal is far too big to be accomplished by a small group of church leaders or even by all the believers of a single generation. It is the mission of every Christian believer until Jesus returns.
So, how do we do it? The Book of Acts gives us powerful examples to guide us. In the first seven chapters, Luke, the author, tells us how the church takes shape in Jerusalem. I explained how that history guides us today in my series titled, “Building the Church.” In Acts 8-20, Luke focuses on how the gospel reaches people in other places. So, I have titled this series, “Spreading the Faith,” and I believe that it will inspire us and equip us all to better fulfill Christ’s mission.
We start in chapter 8 with the ministry of Philip. He was introduced back in chapter 6 as one of the seven men selected to help provide food for Greek speaking widows. But when his faithful co-worker, Stephen, is stoned to death by a Jewish mob, life dramatically changes for Philip and his fellow believers.
Luke’s brief account of Philip’s ministry challenges us to rethink three false assumptions about spreading the faith. So, as we walk through them, let’s make sure that these ideas are not hindering us from serving Christ’s mission.
The Necessity of Stability
On my recent tour of Greece, I spent nine days aboard a cruise ship. In massive vessels like that you barely feel any motion when the waters are calm. But if the seas become choppy, as they did for us one night, even a slight rocking motion makes it hard to walk or do anything. I cannot imagine what it would be like in a small boat during a big storm. But the crew on ships develop good sea legs. They carry on unphased.
To carry out Christ’s mission in our turbulent world, we need to develop the spiritual equivalent of sea legs. If we assume that stability in our society and even in our personal lives is necessary before we can focus on serving Christ, we will never do anything. The example of the early church shows us that God can use our worst times of turmoil to fulfill his mission.
Life had never been easy for the church in Jerusalem. According to Acts 4, the Jewish council arrested Peter and John, threatened them, and released them. Then Acts 5 tells us that all the apostles were arrested, beaten, and released. But the murder of Stephen in Acts 7 launches a new level of hostility driven by a man named Saul.
As others are killing Stephen, Saul is simply watching their coats, but Acts 8:1-3 tells us,
And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.
Every follower of Jesus becomes a target for Saul. They are still mourning the death of Stephen, but they must flee to Judea, the area around Jerusalem, and to Samaria, the region to the north. With the danger and turmoil, they are probably tempted to hide away and keep silent about their faith. But that is not what they do. Verse 4 says,
Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.
They are all grieving, displaced, and probably frightened, but they still manage to preach the word. The term used here could also be translated, “evangelize.” They announce the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ. Jesus had said that they would be his witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria. But it seems as if that outreach does not happen until they are forced out.
What kept them from reaching out to those areas earlier? We can only speculate. Many of them probably felt that they needed to learn more from the apostles first. They could have been hesitant to leave behind the vibrant fellowship. Some may have been life-long residents of Jerusalem who could not imagine going anywhere else away from home, friends, and family. Perhaps none of them felt called to go. Plus, there was a long history of distrust and even hostility between Jews and Samaritans whose Jewish ancestors had intermarried with other nations centuries earlier.
So, even as Saul seeks to inflict harm on believers, the Lord providentially uses this persecution to further his mission. This pattern seems to repeat itself throughout church history. Whenever Christians gain some degree of power and influence, they are tempted to settle down and get comfortable, losing any focus on outreach. This seems to be the case, for example, in the 4th century as Christianity becomes widely accepted in the Roman Empire. But the fall of Rome in the 5th century leads to the spread of the faith through Central Europe. We see the pattern again with Christians in 8th century Britain. When they are invaded by Vikings, the Vikings end up becoming Christians.
Now it is not wrong to desire peace and stability. Those conditions can be ideal for the spread of the gospel. In 1 Timothy 2:1-4, Paul says,
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
But this kind of stability is not a necessity, and it may even become a hindrance if it causes the church to lose focus on spreading the gospel. In such times, the Lord may allow us to experience persecution or other trials to wake us up. Yet Acts 8:5-8 shows how those times of hardship can lead to great joy. Luke tells us,
Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. So there was much joy in that city.
The Lord enables Philip to perform the same kinds of signs that the apostles did. These miracles confirm the saving power of the gospel to the people of Samaria and give them a glimpse of the full healing that we will all experience when Jesus returns to reign. The forgiveness and hope of the gospel give these Samaritan believers great joy. But it seems that this would not have come about apart from the grief of losing Stephen and facing persecution.
So, are we prepared for turbulent times? Are we clinging to stability, even fighting for it? We should pray for it for the sake of the gospel, not just our personal comfort. No matter what happens, we must stay focused on spreading the good news, trusting the Lord to use our griefs and trials to bring about great joy. That leads us to a second false assumption.
The Popularity of Power
Most of us began to grasp the dynamics of power and popularity on our elementary school playground. The most athletic kids are the first ones chosen when you divide up into teams. Everyone else wants to be their friend, so that they don’t suffer the abject humiliation of being picked last. As you enter your teens other types of power like beauty and family wealth also come to define who is popular.
The popularity of power (or power of popularity, it works both ways) does not diminish in adulthood. It is only magnified, determining who gets the promotion, who gets interviewed, who gets published, and who gets elected. With social media, these dynamics keep getting stronger, but they are not new. We find them at play in Samaria in Acts 8.
We saw in verse 6 that the crowds were “paying attention” to Philip. But someone else enjoyed that popularity beforehand. Luke introduces him in verses 9-11 by saying,
But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great. They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, "This man is the power of God that is called Great." And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic.
Magic was a broad heading in the ancient world. It applied to those who engaged in occult practices like trying to communicate with the spirits of the dead. But it included those who studied the stars like the magi who came to worship the newborn Christ (Mt 2:1-2). It was also used by conmen who fooled people with impressive tricks.
From Luke’s description, I suspect that Simon is part of that third group. Whatever power he seemed to possess is clearly overshadowed by the genuine miracles that God brings about through Philip. So, Simon does not want to be left out. In verses 12-13, Luke tells us,
But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed.
Is Simon’s faith genuine? It is hard to say at this point. He hears about who Jesus is and how he will bring about the kingdom of God. He claims to believe it and is baptized along with other Samaritans. But it takes time for people to bear the spiritual fruit that confirms that someone is genuinely saved.
In this case, there is a complication that might have delayed that kind of spiritual growth. In verses 14-17, Luke explains,
Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.
On the Day of Pentecost, Peter told people to repent and be baptized, and they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). Why doesn’t that happen with the baptized believers in Samaria? Luke does not tell us, but it probably has something to do with the division between Jews and Samaritans. The coming of Peter and John demonstrates that both groups are united as one in the church of Jesus Christ.
Does the laying on of hands by an apostle become a requirement for receiving the Spirit moving forward? We will see in chapter 10 that the first Gentile converts receive the Spirit before they are even baptized. But in chapter 19, some disciples of John the Baptist receive the Spirit when Paul lays hands upon them. So, these seem to be special cases that mark important transitions in the spread of the gospel. There is no indication elsewhere that the laying on of hands becomes a requirement for receiving the Holy Spirit.
Now as Simon witnesses the bestowal of the Spirit, he sees an opportunity, and his thinking reveals the condition of his heart. Verses 18-23 say,
Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, saying, "Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit." But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity."
What is Simon’s sin? Is it simply that he offers money for spiritual power? Some might say so. Later in church history a form of corruption arises in which wealthy people buy church leadership roles, and it is called simony. On the other hand, one church father in the second century claims that Simon became the first heretic, the originator of Gnosticism. But there is no indication of that false teaching here.
Peter’s rebuke shows that Simon has a distorted view of salvation. He does not grasp the gift of God and has no part in it. He is stuck in the gall of bitterness that comes from God’s condemnation. He remains a slave in the bond of iniquity.
So, Simon is a false believer. Peter calls him to repent and to pray for forgiveness, but his response suggests that he still does not understand. Verse 24 tells us,
And Simon answered, "Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me."
There is no indication that Simon repents. Rather than seeking the Lord personally, he asks Peter to pray. He still thinks that Christianity is about gaining favor with someone who has power. But the gospel declares that anyone can draw near to God through faith in Christ. Hebrews 10:19-22 says,
Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
Luke does not tell us what happens to Simon. But it is clear that the true power is in the gospel. Acts 8:25 says,
Now when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.
Do you believe in the power of the gospel to transform your life? Or do you assume that you must have the guidance, blessing, or intercession of some powerful spiritual authority figure? Some denominations are built on that false assumption. There is also an evangelical version of it that exalts celebrity as the key to winning the world.
I think that a lot of believers today would be overjoyed by the conversion of a popular person like Simon the Magician. He would have a huge following without anyone ever questioning his motives. Then we would be shocked to find him exposed as a fraud through some financial or sexual scandal. When will we ever learn?
We must keep reminding ourselves that the gospel contradicts the popularity of power and the power of popularity. Consider the ministry of Jesus. He spent his time with the outcasts of his society, not with those who were powerful and popular. We find a theological argument for this focus in 1 Corinthians 1:27-29, where Paul says,
But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.
That leads us to one more false assumption.
The Improbability of Receptivity
Do you ever find yourself judging the occupants of a home by their front door? Some are clean, bright, and welcoming. Others present the appearance of formality, wealth, and exclusion. A few might look ugly, neglected, and scary. These thoughts probably went through your head if you ever went trick-’r-treating as a kid. You just avoided some houses.
We are tempted to make similar judgments about people and their openness to the gospel. We gravitate toward the people who are most like us. But we often suspect that those who seem different or strange will not be interested. We falsely assume the improbability of receptivity.
Philip probably felt that way about the individual described at the end of Acts 8. Perhaps that is why the Lord sends him to his next ministry appointment in a mysterious and unusual way. In Acts 8:26-28, Luke tells us,
Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." This is a desert place. And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah.
A eunuch is a man who has been castrated. In ancient times, some slaves were made eunuchs so that they could guard a king’s harem and would not be able to have intercourse with the women in it. Eunuchs also came to serve as trusted court officials. Since they could not reproduce, they were unable to establish their own kingly dynasty. So, some were entrusted with great power and wealth.
The eunuch in Acts 8 is treasurer for the queen of Ethiopia whose kingdom is just south of Egypt, farther north than modern Ethiopia. Somehow he is drawn to worship in Jerusalem. I suspect that he is Jewish. I will say more about that in a moment, but either way, he would have been kept at a distance in Jerusalem. Deuteronomy 23:1-2 forbids eunuch from entering the assembly of the Lord.
So, does Philip consider this man riding along in his chariot a prime candidate for the gospel? He is reading from the book of Isaiah. But his obvious power, wealth, and foreignness probably make Philip hesitate. As a eunuch, he might have also seemed effeminate. But the Lord is at work. Verses 29-31 tell us,
And the Spirit said to Philip, "Go over and join this chariot." So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?" And he said, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
I wonder how many people that we consider unreceptive would be open to simply reading the Bible together. Some passages can be difficult to explain, but we can trust that the Lord will use his word to work in someone’s heart as he does here. Verses 32-35 say,
Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this: "Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth." And the eunuch said to Philip, "About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?" Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus.
Those words are from Isaiah 53:7-8, and they foretell the suffering of the Servant of the Lord who dies to rescue his people from their sins. So, Philip explains that Jesus fulfilled this prophecy. Then verses 36-38 say,
And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, "See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?" And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.
This is one of the rare occasions where there is a significant difference in the ancient manuscripts of the New Testament. Most modern translations, like the ESV that I am quoting here, do not include verse 37 because it does not appear in the oldest manuscripts. They move it to a footnote which reads: “And Philip said, ‘If you believe with all your heart, you may.’ And he replied, ‘I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.’” The command to believe is clearly stated elsewhere in Acts, but it may be that a later copyist thought that further explanation was needed here.
Regardless of whether verse 37 is included, it is clear that the eunuch understands baptism to be a necessary expression of faith in Christ. He wants to be baptized right away, and Philip does not hesitate. We will see that in Acts 10 and 11, Luke presents the baptism of Cornelius as being much more controversial. So, he, not the eunuch, is probably the first Gentile convert. The conversion of the eunuch could have happened after that of Cornelius, but the book seems to be arranged in chronological order.
So, I think that the eunuch is probably a Diaspora Jew who ended up serving as a slave in the Ethiopian royal court. Whatever afflictions and humiliations he experienced throughout his life, he finds hope and joy in Christ. As he continued reading Isaiah, He would come to the promise of Isaiah 56:4-5, which says,
For thus says the LORD: "To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant, I will give in my house and within my walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.
Do you believe that the Lord can save anyone regardless of their background? When we deem someone unreachable, we forget that none of us are worthy. We are all sinners saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. In 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Paul says,
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
This is the good news, and everyone needs to hear it. So, the Lord moves Philip on to spread the word to others. Acts 8:39-40 says,
And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
__________
So, do you need to rethink your assumptions about spreading the faith? Are you waiting for some feeling of stability or maturity? Early Christians shared the good news in their time of turmoil and grief. Are you leaving the work to some authority or celebrity? The power is in the gospel. Are you hesitant to reach out because you think that people will not be receptive? Believe in the God who transforms hearts!
Is there something in your past that you think is unforgivable? When you believe in Jesus, you are washed. He makes us holy and imparts his righteousness to us, so that we can draw near to God. If you have never done so, I invite you to start believing the gospel. If you would like to learn more, I encourage you to read Romans 6 where Paul uses baptism to describe how we receive new life in Christ through the death and resurrection of Christ.
If you are a believer, do you have the right outlook? Do you need to focus on changing your thinking related to one of these assumptions? Let the word of Christ transform you, and believe that it can transform others too. Would you consider offering to read the Bible with an unbelieving friend? Read one of the Gospels, or any passage in which the person might be interested. You do not need to know all the answers. You just need to point people to Christ.
May God transform our hearts and minds to think like Jesus!
Reflect
Which false assumption is the hardest for you to overcome? Why?
What practical steps could you take to better align your life with biblical teaching about that assumption?
What could you do this week to stay more focused on spreading the faith?