Bible 101 - Acts 8-10

Presented July 10, 2006 by Phyllis Gilbert

Review: As we move through the book of Acts, we discover that the believers' boldness causes a disruption in Jerusalem which worries the Jewish leaders. They must be flashing back to Jesus; they thought they'd gotten rid of him, but they hadn't. The Sanhedrin has already dragged Peter and John before them for questioning, warning and imprisonment. And then they took Stephen, charging him with blasphemy (remember their charges against Jesus?), and after listening to Stephen condemn them as "stiff-necked people" who'd denied the truth of their own prophets and failed to recognize Jesus as the Messiah, they drag him out and stone him to death. And at that murder, we meet Saul, at whose feet the Sanhedrin had laid their coats. At the beginning of chapter 8, we read: "And Saul was there, giving approval to his [Stephen's] death." We're about to see one of the greatest miracles of the Bible as God gets Saul's attention, changes him, and through him, the world.

Acts 8: The persecution Jesus had said would come lands on the believers in Jerusalem and they scatter "through Judea and Samaria." Jesus had said: "you are to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth." Their witness is now spreading. We've seen some persecution of the leaders already; we've seen the first martyr for his faith in Christ. And now, the church at large is threatened, and so believers find other places to live - and to witness to Jesus' death and resurrection, and the salvation which his sacrifice provides. Stephen is buried, and then the spotlight returns to Saul. He is one of the prime movers in the persecution of what is now called "the church," or the "called out ones."

Who is Saul? Saul is a student of Gamaliel, the most respected and educated rabbi of his day. We met him in ch. 5 when the Sanhedrin was considering how to stop the apostles and this movement which was gaining new converts by the hour. We heard Gamaliel say "Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God" (Acts 5:38-39). The Sanhedrin recognized this as wise counsel and they let the apostles go. We know, therefore, that Saul had a wise and gifted mentor in Gamaliel.

Saul was born in Tarsus, Cilicia, which is modern-day Turkey; he was a Roman citizen (apparently his was a family of sufficient means to buy Roman citizenship). He was a star student in the synagogue school, then with the rabbinical school in Jerusalem, and finally, did post-graduate work with Gamaliel whom we're told is a Pharisee, "a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people." We also know he's a member of the Sanhedrin. Saul was a Pharisee and a man ambitious to become a leader of the Sanhedrin. He was brilliant. He knew all the Hebrew scriptures by heart, knew the traditions (rabbinical interpretations) and was zealous for God - the God of the Old Testament. Saul therefore rejected Jesus as the Messiah. He wanted to stop this group of radicals who'd been converted by Peter's teaching and the witness of the apostles. He was on fire to wipe out the church. And then he met Jesus probably in 33 A.D. We know Saul as Paul, the greatest apostle who ever lived, the man who took the Gospel all over the Mediterranean world, and who was executed in Rome in 68 A.D. Luke knew him, too, and accompanied him on two of his journeys, spending 18 years in all with Paul. So Luke's account of Saul's conversion and transformation to Paul the apostle is a mainly eye-witness report. We'll discover more about Saul/Paul as we progress through Acts.

Acts 8:3: Saul "began to destroy the church." He went door to door looking for believers and arrested them. He was a man the church feared, and with good reason. He had the authority of the Sanhedrin behind him, and he had the certain belief that the law of Moses was his foundation. He defended Judaism with every cell of his body.

Acts 8:4: The scattered church (v. 1) was not silent. Phillip is an example of this vocal witnessing. Incidentally, he is not Phillip, one of the original disciples of Jesus, but is Phillip mentioned in Acts 6 as one of the seven chosen to administer the food program. Recall Stephen was one of these men. We can infer that now with the church dispersed to other parts of the nation, the feeding program is no longer active. That frees Phillip and he travels to Samaria. (Historically, Samaria the city was the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, but in Jesus' day, it was a region in central Israel, separating Galilee and Judea. Most Jews declined to travel through Samaria, but on one occasion Jesus did, and there he spoke to a woman at the well in John 4). In a city of this territory Phillip "proclaimed Christ," and he was an eloquent and captivating speaker. Crowds responded to the message. He did miracles "in Jesus' name" as the other apostles had done, the Holy Spirit giving gifts as signs of God's stamp of authority on their ministry. A man named Simon the Sorcerer was in this city, and he'd performed amazing feats through what he called "the Great Power." He had many followers. But when he saw Phillip, and saw the miraculous healings and exorcisms which Phillip performed in Jesus' name, he listened to what Phillip said. And the message reached him; he, too, believed in Jesus and was baptized. The news of the Gospel's success in this city reached Jerusalem, and the apostles sent Peter and John to see for themselves what was happening. Convinced of the authenticity of the conversions to Christ, they prayed for the new believers to receive the Holy Spirit. And the crowd baptized in Jesus name was now baptized in his Spirit. This came when the apostles prayed for the converts and "laid their hands on them." When you were confirmed, the bishop put his hands on your head and said "receive the Holy Spirit." See where he learned this? Notice the oversight of the Jerusalem church. Peter and John are sent to the city in Samaria to see for themselves. Good church leaders care about God's work in all places and make sure it is of God and not of men.

Acts 8:18: Simon, the former sorcerer, wanted this power, too, and offered money for it. Peter and John were horrified at this, and told him the power of God was not for sale. They advised him to repent of his wickedness. He did, and the apostles prayed for him. Simon's attitude was all wrong; he saw the Holy Spirit as a magic trick rather than as a God-infused power given only to enable the spread of the Gospel. Phillip and the other apostles did not heal people just to hear "wow" or "how did he do that?" responses. No, they healed in order that people would see that God was at work, and that they, too, needed God in their lives. Faith in Jesus was more than a casual belief; it was meant to be transforming.

Acts 8:26: Peter and John return to Jerusalem. Meanwhile, Phillip has a heavenly visitor. An angel of the Lord tells him to go south from Jerusalem to Gaza. Do you see how in tune with God Phillip was? The four-fold spiritual discipline of study, prayer, fellowship and Holy Communion (Acts 2:42-43) continues to be his way of life, and he is given direct instructions from God. Phillip goes. And while he's walking, he hears someone reading from Isaiah. The Spirit of God told Phillip to get close to the man. And he does. The reader is a man from Ethiopia, an important official in the queen's household. He's on his way back home from worshiping in Jerusalem, and he's gotten a scroll to read while making the long journey by chariot. Phillip runs up to him and says "do you understand what you're reading?" And the man replies: "How can I unless someone explains it to me?" A Bible class! And so Phillip gets into the chariot with him and explains the passage in Isaiah 53 which describes Jesus being led to his death. Isaiah had been a prophet 700 years before Christ came, and yet, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, had foretold Jesus' death. Phillip not only explained Isaiah's prophecy, but its fulfillment in Jesus. And when they came to a river, the man said "here is water; I want to be baptized," and Phillip gladly agreed. After coming out of the water, the Ethiopian finds himself alone; the Spirit has taken Phillip away to Azotus where he continues to preach the Gospel. The eunuch, for that is what the man was, rejoiced in his newfound salvation and faith.

Acts 9: Until now, the spotlight has been on the original disciples/apostles and their converts in Jerusalem, Samaria and in other areas of Israel. We've seen Peter as the leader with John and the others. Now Saul, whom we met at the stoning of Stephen, is back in focus. And he will be the main character of the rest of the book. Saul is about to truly meet the Messiah, and it's a dramatic introduction. On his way to Damascus to arrest more believers, Saul is struck down by a voice and a light from heaven. We recall that God used natural means during the conquest of the Promised Land to defeat Israel's enemies: on one occasion, he provided additional daylight by lengthening a day of battle, and in that same campaign, "the Lord hurled" hailstones on the enemy (Josh. 10). God now uses a bright heavenly light and a voice that must have sounded like a clap of thunder to Saul. It's enough to knock him off his horse and blind him. The voice speaks to Saul, asking him "why are you persecuting me?" and Saul asks "Who are you, Lord?" He knows this is God; Jesus answers "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting." Saul is then told to go into the city and to wait for instructions. He's taken by the hand, this audacious warrior for God's honor, humbled and blind. For three days, he's in the dark physically. No doubt mentally and emotionally, his mind is putting all of prophecy together with the recent events: Jesus must be the Messiah; his death must be the sacrifice that ends the need for animal sacrifice; what Isaiah said about the "suffering servant" was true.

Acts 9:10: While Saul rests and ponders his experience in Damascus, God speaks to a believer named Ananias, telling him to go to Saul and pray for him. Ananias knows Saul's reputation, and he logically asks God if it's that Saul, the persecutor, that God wants him to pray for. God tells him that Saul, and adds, "This man is my chosen instrument." And so Ananias obeys God and goes to the house where Saul is staying where he put his hands on Saul's head and said "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus sent me here." Ananias prays, the blindness leaves and Saul can once again see. He sees not just the physical world but the spiritual truths he'd denied until God got his attention in dramatic fashion. Now Saul is baptized; his conversion is complete.

Acts 9:20: "At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God." An amazing transformation has occurred: Saul, on his way to arrest believers, has now joined them. From soldier for a cause that was dead, he's become a soldier for the living Christ. And with just a little fellowship and much prayer among the believers in Damascus, he begins to preach. Can you imagine their reaction to Saul? First an enemy, then a brother, they are now convinced that God can do anything. And this is just the beginning.

Acts 9:23: Saul never did anything halfway, and his powerful preaching was heard by Jews who'd thought he was coming to defend the old ways, but he is now preaching a new way. And so they conspire to kill him. A pattern has begun: Saul, who will become Paul, goes into a city, finds the synagogue, begins to teach and preach in Jesus' name, converts many, offends many, he's either arrested or beaten, and almost always, driven out of town. This then is the first of many close escapes; believers hear of the Jews' plan and they find a big laundry basket, put Paul in it, put dirty sheets over him and lower him over the city wall in the middle of the night He scrambles out and gets away.

Acts 9:26: Saul who'd once been in the power structure of Jerusalem goes back to that city a new man. In fact, he writes in II Cor. 5:17: "If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come." But because he's no longer the man whose zeal to wipe out the infant church terrified believers and thrilled the Sanhedrin, he's not welcome in the Jewish hierarchy. Nor does the church welcome him. They're understandably afraid of him. Remember Barnabas whom we met in ch. 4? His name means "son of encouragement," and here he proves why it's his name. He goes confidently to Saul and speaks with him. He then goes to the apostles and tells them "he's for real," relaying all the details of Saul's conversion. And so Saul was accepted by the church and we're told "moved freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in Jesus' name." He's found a new life, and he can't keep this news to himself. Like Peter and John who told the Sanhedrin "We cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard," Saul is testifying to Jesus' transforming power. Not surprisingly, his life is threatened, and the "brothers" took him to Caesarea and then to Tarsus. Now Saul will be off camera for a while; in fact, he goes to the desert for seminary instruction by Jesus himself (see Gal. 1:11-24).

Acts 9:31: While Saul is elsewhere, the "church enjoyed a time of peace, strengthened and encouraged by the Holy Spirit." Small groups of believers are scattered throughout Samaria, Judea and Jerusalem, and their witness in response to the Holy Spirit's work in their lives brings new converts. The church grows.

Acts 9:32: Peter does not remain in Jerusalem, but travels to various groups of believers to encourage them. In Lydda, a coastal town, he meets Aeneas who's been in bed for eight years because his legs are paralyzed. Peter commands him in Jesus' name to "get up," and the man does. This healing brings curious people to Peter and they, too, hear the gospel. Converts are made. In the nearby city of Joppa, a woman named Tabitha or Dorcas had a reputation for doing good deeds to others. She falls ill and dies, and the believers there send to Lydda for Peter. He hurries to Joppa, is taken to the room where Dorcas has been laid out, and alone with the dead body, he prays, and then calls her by name and tells her to get up. She does. What a wonderful celebration her neighbors and the believers had! Her resurrection brings in new converts, and Peter remains in Joppa ministering to the church for a while.

Acts 10: Two visions occur simultaneously: a God-fearing Roman centurion named Cornelius is praying when an angel comes to him and says "send to Joppa for Peter." At the same time, Peter, in Joppa, is in prayer and has a vision of a sheet lowered to earth from heaven. On the sheet were many animals, clean and unclean, and a voice instructed Peter to "kill and eat." Peter, a good Jew who'd never eaten anything unclean, objected: "Surely not, Lord." But the vision was repeated twice. Peter reviews this message from God - a visual and spoken message that he knows is significant. But of what?

Acts 10:19: As Peter continues to contemplate what he's seen and heard, God speaks again to Peter: "There are 3 men looking for you; they're at the door; go with them." And so Peter obeys. The men have come from Cornelius, and they take him back to Caesarea with them. In Cornelius's house, Peter meets the centurion's family and friends. Keep in mind that this is a Gentile house; for a Jew to enter such a place meant he'd become unclean. But Peter went in, and Cornelius fell at his feet. Peter is appalled: "stand up," he told him, explaining that he was not to be worshiped. Peter speaks to his host and all who have gathered, telling them that by Jewish law, he was in the wrong place. But he adds, "God has revealed to me that I should not call any man impure or unclean." Now Peter understands the vision. Asking Cornelius why he'd sent for him, Peter learns that Cornelius, too, was the recipient of a message from God. Peter needs no more evidence that God has put the two of them together and he begins to present the Gospel. He tells them all about Jesus' life and death, his resurrection and gift of the Holy Spirit. "We are witnesses of these things," he assures them. As Peter will later write in his epistle: "We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you abut the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty." (II Peter 1:16). While Peter was speaking, the Holy Spirit fell on all in the house, amazing those "circumcised believers" who'd come with Peter. Until this time, almost all of the converts had been converts from Judaism. They'd been raised in the law; they were Jews. Now, the Gentiles have clearly been accepted into the church. God's Spirit is confirmation that the Gospel is for all. After this baptism in the Spirit, the new believers are baptized in water. And Peter stays with them as teacher and encourager for several more days.

Church foundation as seen in Acts: What have we noticed as the church has been established? And what about its leadership have we learned so far in Acts? Here are a few thoughts:

1. Acts 1: shows us that Jesus taught the disciples/ apostles in the 40 days following his resurrection, preparing them to teach and preach about his life, death and resurrection. He is the church's foundation; Paul tells us the church is the body of Christ with Christ as its head (I Cor 12:27).
2. Acts 1:8: "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be my witnesses in jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Jesus commissioned them for their task.
3. Acts 1:14: they all joined together constantly in prayer. While obeying Jesus' command to wait in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit was given, they prayed together.
4. Acts 1:15: Peter emerged as a leader, and throughout successive chapters, other leaders are empowered for specific tasks, using the gifts the Spirit gives them (Philip and Stephen; Paul, Barnabas, Ananias, James).
5. Acts 2: On the day of Pentecost the Spirit fell, baptizing the apostles, who then preached without fear; 3000 became believers that day. Here we see the power and motivation to spread the Gospel in obedience to Christ's command come from the Holy Spirit.
6. Acts 2:14ff: Peter preaches. Paul tells us in Romans: "How then can they call on the one they have not believed in? and ow can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent?" (Rom. 10:14-15)
7. Acts 2:42: these first believers, the earliest body to become known as the church, "devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer." First on the list is study of the scriptures (OT and those yet to be written Gospels).
8. The early church prays.
9. Acts 4: the early church leaders defend their faith; they are bold; they are compelled to share the Gospel ("we cannot help speaking of what we have seen and heard").
10. Acts 5: The apostles confront those whose faith is not genuine.
11. Acts 6: The early church delegates responsibility: when the food program distracts the apostles from their calling to preach and teach, they appoint others, after they pray for guidance. They commission others to do the work in Jesus' name.
12. The apostles teach and preach; other apostles such as Barnabas, encourage and confirm new believers' faith. Different gifts and abilities are given to different believers.
13. Acts 9: as believers, they obey the Holy Spirit when told to do something. In this case, Ananias is told to go to Saul and pray for him; he does.

Next week: We'll hear more of Peter and much more of Saul/Paul.

Homework for those who want to go deeper:

Let's close in prayer.