Acts 8 ~ The Word of the Lord †

 

Acts 8

8 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. 2 Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. 3 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.

4 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the Word. 5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. 6 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. 7 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. 8 So there was much joy in that city.

9 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. 10 They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called Great.” 11 And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic. 12 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. 13 Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed.

14 Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the Word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, 15 who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 for He had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. 

18 Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, 19 saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 

20 But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the Gift of God with money! 21 You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. 22 Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.” 

24 And Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”

25 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

26 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. 27 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 28 and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” 30 So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 

32 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.

33 In His humiliation justice was denied Him.

    Who can describe His generation?

For His Life 

is taken away

 from the earth.”

34 And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the Good News about Jesus. 36 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?” 38 And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. 

39 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. 

40 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

Almost all of us know the Hymn, “Were You There When They Crucified My Lord?”

It was made famous, in these years, by Johnny Cash. But really it is called Public Domain. “Were You There (When They Crucified My Lord)” is an African-American spiritual that was first printed in 1899. It was likely composed by enslaved African Americans in the 19th century. It was first printed in a Southern Hymnal.

If I were to write another verse on this Hymn, it would come from Acts 8.

Sometimes, it causes me to wonder, wonder, wonder. 

WONDER

The distance from Jerusalem, the beginning of The 8th Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, is Jerusalem to Caesarea 74 miles. 119 km. Azotus is 35 miles from Jerusalem. Three and a half days journey. Three days of finding food, shelter, a place to truly rest and renew. Safety, being alert. Diligence. Three Days. Three Days.

So soon, 3 days after the Victory of Jesus Christ over death.

For a man who has walked for almost 4 years with the Ministry of Jesus Christ, it's probably not the usual 8 miles a day. It is probably, 10 or 12 miles a day easily.  A seven-day walk and Disciple Philip finds himself in Caesarea. 

I wonder if Acts 8 is parallel to John 6. 

16 When evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened.

 20 But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 

21 Then they were glad to take Him into the boat, 

and 

immediately

 the boat was at the land 

to which they were going.

13 Miles Sea of Galilee. Immediately. Notice how many times the word, “Now” speaks of the immediacy we find only in the Gospels. Now. Now. Now. 

The Scriptures don't guess and leap. The Word of God, Jesus Christ says, is for us to live on every Word of God. Jesus says the dots and the iota of The Word of God are so important, He comes to fulfill the dots and iota. 

Not a Coincidence, Simon the mistaken magician is part of Acts 8. Who needs an incantation when God parts the Red Sea, or moves Philip 74 miles when he would need to eat and sleep and have safety. 

People become very upset about God not being St. Nicholas.

 Trouble, sorrow, hardship, the burden of Grief.  We see the Chapter opens with more of the news of the execution of Stephen. John the Baptist was killed. James the Lesser, brother of Jesus' favored Disciple John, will die.  We find so many of the hidden disciples will give their lives to proclaim Jesus, The Christ of God, The Messiah. Savior of the world.

And Jesus won't just move Philip 74 miles, inexplicably away from a newly baptized Christian. Jesus is saying in this world, we will have trouble, and Jesus overcomes the world. Saul is going on to be, the best known and most learned teacher of the next 2 Millenniums. Jesus is going to overcome the murder of Stephen.

And the story of the Magician. God isn't just knocking about with dominoes, God is creating His Story of Salvation through Jesus Christ.  What we do not understand, God does understand.

John 3:8 

The wind blows where it wishes, 

and you hear the sound of it, 

but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. 

So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.

Paul understood.

Philippians 2:19-24

I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. 20 For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. 21 For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know Timothy's proven worth, how as a son [child] with a father he has served with me in the gospel. 

23 I hope therefore to send him just as 

soon 

as I see how it will go with me,

 24 and I trust in the Lord that 

shortly 

I myself will come also.

Philip, we don't always think of Philip. He wasn't Peter and not John, the Beloved Disciple living in the 2nd Century and fighting the Good Fight. John, the new son of Mary, gifted by The Lord.  Not Paul, traveling everywhere and in the path of His travels and to the “New World” of America, so very many hospitals and schools, cities and people think of Paul and his amazing life. 

Philip was important to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit given by Our Father. 

If we pull all the stops out and think of Philip being transported

Exactly like Jesus did in John's Gospel in the 6th Chapter.  Really, wonder.  We could think of the 40 years of the Exodus travels, in the desert, so many miracles even of clothing sustained and shoes held together. Women who had birth in the dusty, dusty desert.  

Philip, the miracle of Acts 8, gives us a whisper of wonder

Quite profound.  The Lord caused a strong wind to blow from the east, and the bed of the Red Sea became completely dry. Moses announced the Way of God by holding up his rod over the sea.  6,000 feet deep, the Red Sea at the Sinai Peninsula. About 2.5 miles wide. 

The Exodus

The distance from the Gulf of Aqaba to Jerusalem, traversing through the Sinai Peninsula and into Israel, is roughly 537 kilometers, which is approximately 333 miles. 

40 Years.

Wonder. Was the Lord suggesting faith, could have put the Exodus 40 years ahead?

The New Covenant and the timing of Acts 8. Out of Egypt, I took My Son. 

The New Covenant was giving an Eternity that did not exist for Moses. Jesus said He saw Satan fall from the sky of Sheol. Sheol. Described as a shadowy, silent underworld where all the dead, regardless of their righteousness or wickedness, resided. Sheol is not a place of punishment or reward, but rather a realm of separation from the living world. 

We've traveled to the Exodus and Moses with this conversation, so Sheol also takes us to The Book of Job. Wonder does this. We travel the millenniums and the depths of Heaven. 

Acts 8 is Wondrous. The Lord and His Immediacy. Now, what will we do with this wonder.  The Miracles of today.

Perhaps the New Pope will open The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (formerly known as the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith) is the Vatican office responsible for discerning the authenticity of miracles, apparitions, and other supernatural phenomena. This Dicastery also oversees the process of saint canonization, including the approval of miracles attributed to saints.

Miracles

Are actually when God changes the fabric of what exists and this becomes something we only prayed for. 

The man lowered through the roof to Jesus, his body was not physically connected to his brain. God created a Way. The Lepers, Jesus spoke Healing upon their rotted away flesh. Nose, ears, jaws and fingers restored.  The widow of Nain and the great crowd following Jesus witnessed the dead son rise to life, instead of burial, as Ezekiel spoke life to dead bones.  The man, healed of blindness, said he saw trees walking and knew they were people, but his mind couldn't connect to a lifetime of blindness. So Jesus put His Hands back on the man and he could see.  The lame were told to pick up the sleeping mat and carry it as they walked. 

The ear cut off and restored in The Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus is Grace upon Grace.

Miracles. Suddenly being 3 days journey away. And another 3-mile journey attained miraculously.  As happened to St. Rita when she wanted, as a poor widow, to attain being a nun. And miraculously, she was placed behind a locked door, miles from her prayer in front of the right Bishop worshiping privately in Church.  Jesus was known to walk through crowds in Nazareth, unseen and safely. To appear inside locked rooms.

Bishop Robert Barron, Catholic Priest and Bishop of Word on Fire reports mysticism and miracles seen when people he meets in speaking engagements, like the Graduation for the Naval Academy, tell him about their faith. 80 Percent of the people pray and 2/3rds will tell you of an absolute miracle to prayer being heard by Our Father. 

Perhaps, like Philip, we need more Baptisms.

Why? If we believe with our hearts, confess with our mouths and have a party, then we might see more and more Heaven on earth.

Our God. God of Love. God of encouragement. Our God is a Fire of the Holy Spirit. 

Moses certaintly believed. So did Pentecost!

Abba, Father,

Very much a work of the Lord.

When the 

Events of

Easter

coincide

We remember

John Wesley said, “The Work of God 

continues 

His workers go home”

Coinciding

John Wesley never left the Anglican Church

and The Anglican Church

never left

The Roman Catholic Church.

One God,

One Plan

As we think of the Sacrifice

of Jesus Christ

His Love

as He Forgave

We realize 

a Thousand Years 

are a Day to You.

And Give You Thanks

for

our

Salvation.

God of Light

You are in all things

You are Light of the world

Light of mankind

Light of Heaven

In all Things, You Create

You have given us Jesus Christ

Holy is

the Highest Name

Above

all others

Your Kingdom come

Your Good Will be done

we pray for more

on earth

just as it is in Heaven.

Give us This Day

Our Daily Bread.

Jesus the Living Bread.

Forgive us our Trespasses

as

we forgive those

who Trespass 

Against us.

Lead us not into temptation

Deliver us from Evil. 

Remove Evil.

For Thine

is the

Kingdom

and 

the Power

and 

the Glory.

Amen in Jesus Christ 

John 21

Thank you, Jesus our Lord Christ

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Yes Bless the Lord Jesus

Thank You Jesus