Bible study on Acts of the Apostles- Chapter 8

Bible study on Acts of the Apostles – Chapter 8

Dear brothers and sisters,

In the Bible study on the 8th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles I will discuss:

• The church scattered and persecuted
• Philip in Samaria
• Simon the sorcerer
• Philip and the Ethiopian

The church scattered and persecuted

Here we read about Saul that approved of the killing. See how wicked people can be and kill people just for the fact that they serve our almighty Lord. But luckily we will see that Saul’s life is also a true blessed story of God’s amazing power.

Furthermore, it was not only enough to kill Stephen, but the devil hardened the heart of Saul and his men so much that they began persecuting all Christians. Know that if you decide to serve our Lord, that it is possible that you will be persecuted. Ask God for guidance and strength to stay true to Him in those time!

Philip in Samaria

Although the church was scattered by this persecution, see how these men did not let them stop them from sharing the Word of God. No matter what you are going through, don’t let anything stop you from do your work for God! One of them, called Philip, went to the town of Samaria and performed a lot of miracles in the name of God and people were amazed and healed. Amen!

Simon the sorcerer

Philip’s ministry in Samaria was not in vain, because the word of his healings / miracles through the guidance of God soon reached the apostles. They sent Peter and John to go there to see what was happening, but also to let the new Christians receive the Holy Spirit, because Philip only baptized them. This shows that it is vital for our life’s that we are not only baptized, but also receive the Holy Spirit. Don’t ever think that you do not need the Holy Spirit in your life. God makes it very clear that you cannot be a Christian and not be filled by the Holy Spirit.

At that time there was also a sorcerer called Simon performing all kinds of miracles, claiming that he received it from God. This is impossible, because God will never gives us wicked gifts! This Simon followed John and Peter and was amazed how God worked through them and offered them money to receive those gifts/miracles. They directly rejected this and told him that money would perish him. Luckily he understood that they only right thing to do was to ask God for forgiveness. He asked Peter and John to ask God to do it for Him. Although it is not mentioned how his life continued, I do believe that he needed to ask God for forgiveness himself and stop his wicked work. I truly hope that he came to God.

Philip and the Ethiopian

Here we read how God was really working through the life of Philip. He told Philip to go to a road to Gaza, where he would meet an Ethiopian eunuch on a chariot. And indeed on his way there he indeed met this person, so he started talking with him. If God tells you to do something specific than God will make sure that that person of thing is exactly where God tells Him.

This Eunuch was reading the prophecy of Isaiah and the Ethiopian asked him to teach him. We now see why God sent Philip to this man to let Him receive Christ and to be baptized. After this we also see that God doesn’t want us to stay somewhere for to long when He needs us somewhere else. So all of a sudden Philip was taken away by God to another place where he needed to continue his ministry for God!