8 So there was GREAT JOY in that city. Acts 8
We saw yesterday that ‘great persecution’ Acts 8:1 broke out against the heart of the new Church in Jerusalem, but the scattering of the believers led to ‘Great Joy’ elsewhere.
9 Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, 10 and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed…” 11 They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his sorcery.
The Bible names a practising wizard, Simon, who was at work in the city where Philip was preaching. The occult couldn’t prevent the Gospel, nor stop the miracles! The people were amazed by Simon, ‘both high and low’ were deceived by his occult acts but Peter and John were about to arrive in Samaria.
12 But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13 Simon himself BELIEVED AND WAS BAPTISED. And he followed Philip everywhere, ASTONISHED BY THE GREAT SIGNS AND MIRACLES HE SAW. Acts 8
The occult has some power e.g. the magicians in Egypt, but Simon was amazed at the miracles performed by Philip and he believed and was baptised.
14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria.
Apostles are SENT, a travelling ministry and they set things in order. (Derek Prince said that apostles who serve in one place become elders) Peter and John also travelled as a pair, just like Jesus sent out the disciples. Even after the people had believed and been baptised and seen miracles, the apostles were still sent to establish the work among the recent converts. The Book of Acts sets out protocols and guidance for the new Church.
15 When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, (First recorded thing the apostles did)16 because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then Peter and John PLACED THEIR HANDS ON THEM, and they received the Holy Spirit.
When Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given at the laying on of hands, he wanted to buy the gift, but Peter rebuked him.
20 Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! (Simon wanted what he’d had before, trying to keep part of his past alive) 21 You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. 22 Repent of this wickedness … 23 For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”
We can’t manipulate God to have things our way in the Christian life, we’re His servants, though many may not live that way.
25 After they had further proclaimed the word of the Lord and testified about Jesus, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, PREACHING THE GOSPEL IN MANY SAMARITAN VILLAGES.
Peter and John, these two apostles, preached the Good News in many other places in Samaria. They fulfilled Jesus words to the woman at the well of Sychar, John 4, people would worship God everywhere, no longer just in Jerusalem.
May God bless and keep you today.