Acts 8:1-25 PREACHING Instead of responding to the command to take the Gospel everywhere, the believers were reluctant to leave Jerusalem. There is a natural inclination to resist change and when we have the encouragement of the fellowship of believers, we want to stay with them. The persecution that arose under the leadership of Saul forced the Lord's people to move to other places, but they were not silenced in any way as far as the Gospel was concerned. They "went everywhere preaching the word." In spite of what we know is right, we like to settle down into a comfortable pattern. Discomfort may be the best thing for us. When we have to move to some other area because of work or some other considerations, it is important that we also preach the word. That practice has made the work of God spread all over the world. It is not done only by a few missionaries or those who spend all their time preaching Christ, but by those believers who know the value of their own salvation and want other to have the same blessings they have received. Intense persecution scattered the believers from Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria. We may not be scattered by persecution as much as by economic necessity, but for whatever reason, let us all commit ourselves to the preaching of "things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ."
Philip, the deacon (Acts 6:5) was one of the Greeks entrusted with meeting the needs of the saints in the distribution of food and finances. This was probably a different Philip than Philip, the apostle (Jn.1:43,41). Philip the deacon, and now the evangelist, went beyond the Jews to the Samaritans in spite of age-old prejudices. The Assyrian conquerors (722 B.C.) left the poorest people of the northern kingdom of Israel in the land. Then they resettled it with foreigners and they intermarried with the Jews who were left. Samaritans were considered "half-breeds" by the "pure" Jews of the southern kingdom, and there was intense hatred between the two groups. But Jesus went there and commanded His disciples to take the Gospel there. The evangelist has an implacable enemy, Satan - the adversary, and when God is working in a place where souls are being saved, we can expect difficulties of one kind or another. When a whole city is stirred and there is "great joy in that city," the adversary may use tactics of deception rather than opposition.
Unfortunately, there are times when the words people say and what is within them cannot be differentiated. Often at the beginning of a new work there are those attracted by the enthusiasm and evidence of change that they want to be a part of. They are inclined to be a part of it for different reasons. Some envision themselves taking a leadership role in a new church. Others want to interface with people for business reasons hoping to make some gains among this group of people. The power of the Holy Spirit became evident as the Lord opened the door of faith to the Samaritans and the apostles used their authority to make this baptism of the Spirit real to the new saints. When the apostles, Peter and John, came this spiritual gift was given by those apostles who were the foundation of the work. This wasn't done to the Samaritans on their own but by apostolic authority. The unbeliever, Simon, the sorcerer, wanted the same power as the apostles. He probably wanted to add to his dark powers of darkness. The wickedness of his own heart was revealed. Occasionally we have had the unfortunate experience of baptizing some who were never true children of God. How we long for understanding, lest we lead some into a false profession of faith, or allow deception to go undetected.
The response in Samaria was immediate and great. We can't pick and choose where we go. It was a crucial moment when Peter and John went to Samaria (John had wanted to call down fire from heaven to destroy a Samaritan village at a previous occasion) because it kept them from being separated from other believers. They were able to evaluate the work and got involved themselves in it. They were assured that the Holy Spirit worked through all believers: mixed races, Gentiles, and Jews. They preached the word of the Lord to the saints in Samaria and on the return of the two apostles to Jerusalem, they preached the Gospel in many "villages of the Samaritans." There is great benefit in many ways when we support each other in the work and maintain a strong fellowship between the people of the Lord no matter what nationality or culture they might be.