Nathaniel R. Martin

What Prevents Me From Being Baptized: Acts 8:26-40

Sermon Idea: God advances the gospel through obedient servants who go to the nations equipped with the Word and Spirit. 

Introduction: “Last words are lasting words.” This was the frequent reminder that Dr. Danny Akin, the president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, where I have the privilege of being a student, would give us in chapel regarding the Great Commission. I believe he borrowed it from the late Howard Hendricks. 

In Jesus’ final days before his ascension, he said many things of great importance, the most vital of which have been recorded in the New Testament for us. Jesus’ last words are lasting words for the church. They serve as a compass that never fails to direct us on the way of faithful ministry. 

God’s work through Philip to save the Ethiopian Eunuch is a glorious account of God’s grace. And it shows that Jesus’ last words had a lasting impact on the church. 

Jesus taught the disciples to read Scripture with Christ at the very center of their interpretation. In Luke 24, Jesus gave what I can only believe was the most significant Bible study of all time. We read in Luke 24:27 that the risen Lord Jesus, “…beginning with Moses and all the Prophets…interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” (Lk 24:27)

Jesus gave the church a clear mission in Matthew 28:19-20. The church’s mission is not any work that it might do, but the specific work of making disciples of all nations.  

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Mt 28:19–20)

Then there is, of course, the last words of Jesus in Acts 1:8. 

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Ac 1:8)

All three of these converge in the book of Acts in many places, and very clearly here in Acts 8. The gospel has spread in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria. The gospel reaching the Ethiopian eunuch marks the beginning of its advance to the ends of the earth. 

And how does it happen?God advances the gospel through an obedient servant who goes to the nations equipped with the Word and Spirit.

In obedience to God, Philip goes to the desert of Gaza equipped with a Christ-centered view of Scripture and filled with the Holy Spirit.  

There is much that we can learn from this passage—about the nature of God’s plan, the makeup of God’s people—but what I want to press upon us is the work of God through obedient servants to advance the gospel. 

God is still at work to build his church, and we, the saints of Waldo Baptist Church, should be obedient servants immersed in the Bible, filled with the Spirit, and ready to be used as God wills for the advancement of the gospel in Massac County, Southern IL, and wherever our resources may reach. 

To do this, the first truth I want you to see in this passage is that God’s Spirit advances the gospel among the nations.  

I.) God’s Spirit advances the gospel among the nations (Acts 8:26, 29, 39-40) 

From beginning to end, this entire narrative is marked by God’s sovereign providence and divine initiative. First, notice that it is the angel of the Lord who commands Philip to go to the desert of Gaza. 

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.” (Ac 8:26)

Twice more, we see God’s Spirit leading the way: when the Spirit pressed upon Philip to speak to the man in a nearby chariot in vs. 29, and when the Spirit took Philip away to preach the gospel in every town from Azotus to Caesarea in vs. 40. 

God, through the reign of the risen Jesus and the power of the Spirit, is assuring his people will be witnesses for Christ to the ends of the earth.

In this case, God wants to send Philip to Gaza for reasons Philip does not yet know. God is going to reach an outcast in the middle of the desert.

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. (Ac 8:27–28)

The details are extensive, aren’t they? Indeed, we are meant to learn something about God and his ways from them. We can learn about God’s promises and his providence in fulfilling those promises. Both of these support the idea that God is the one who leads in advancing the gospel. 

The details surrounding the man in the chariot are not inconsequential. He is an Ethiopian (Cush in the OT), a eunuch (an emasculated/castrated male), an official treasurer of the Queen, and someone who worships the God of Israel. Oh, and he happens to have a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. 

The word eunuch has a range of meanings in the ancient world, referring to those who were impotent from birth, those who were castrated, or, sometimes, simply to treasurer, becasue the practice of appointing eunuchs to serve as treasurers was so widespread. 

In Acts 8, Luke draws attention to the fact that he is both a eunuch and a treasurer, indicating that this man was truly a castrated male. This is significant because, although he was a worshipper of the God of Israel, he could never become a full convert. Men like him were not permitted to enter the temple under the Old Covenant. 

“No one whose testicles are crushed or whose male organ is cut off shall enter the assembly of the LORD. (Dt 23:1)

Here is the cool part! Ready? In Isaiah, just a few chapters after the eunuch is reading, there is a new covenant promise that God will welcome foreigners and even eunuchs to be among his people. 

 3 Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, “The LORD will surely separate me from his people”; and let not the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.” 4 For thus says the LORD: “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant, 5 I will give in my house and within my walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off. (Is 56:3–5)

God is sending Philip, unknownst to him, to the Gaza desert so these promises can now be fulfilled. He was prohibited from the temple and was not genuinely a member of God’s people under the Old Covenant, but through faith in Jesus, he can be a full member of God’s temple in the New Covenant. 

Consider with me how God works by his providence in the details. This eunuch holds a position that gives him access to something few people have: a scroll of Scripture. He has a scroll of Isaiah, a book rich with God’s new-creation promises. The early church fathers called it the fifth Gospel. 

God ordains the ends, and God ordains the means. If we have received the gospel of Jesus Christ, we have experienced the benefits of God’s gracious providence. Considering this would be a fruitful exercise, wouldn’t it? 

I wonder how encouraging it would be if you took time to sit and try to note all the details, people, events, and their consequences that led to you hearing the gospel and being saved. 

There is one final point I want to draw out before turning our attention to Philip. Evangelism and Missions are God’s idea. He cares about the nations, and so should we. I wonder if so much of the discontentment, bickering, and division in local churches has its root, at least in part, in an apathy toward or neglect of the great commission. A congregation focused on evangelism and missions won’t be perfect, but they will have fewer problems.

Philip was not apathetic toward the great commission, and his obedience proved it.  God works through obedient servants who go to the nations equipped with the Word and Spirit. Now, as we’ll see when we study Jonah, God can advance the gospel through disobedient servants as well,  but there are storms and whales involved. It’s a mess. Let’s not go that route. Philip obeys, and so should we. 

II.) Philip obeys, equipped with the Word to share the gospel with the nations (Acts 8:27, 30-35)

It is easy to pass over these statements of obedience quickly without much thought, but listen to how Philip responds to the commands he is given. 

27 And he rose and went (Acts 8:27) 

29And 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?” (Ac 8:29–30)

Before we get to Philip’s question and the quotation from Isaiah, let’s revisit one detail. Up to this point, Philip has no idea why God is sending him down the road into the desert. He obeys, and he goes, but he knows not why.

Beloved, you may not always know what God is doing or why. You can, though, choose obedience and faithfulness where God has you for as long as he has you there. God is at work in your life and will use your faithfulness for the good of others and for his glory.  

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

Philip obeys, and as he stumbled upon the chariot, he could hear the man reading from Isaiah. I have to wonder if, at this point, Philip is starting to understand why he’s on this journey. 

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. (Ac 8:30–31)

Questions are such a powerful way to open the door for spiritual conversations. 

The Eunuch is reading from the Servant Song of Isaiah 53, one of the Old Testament’s richest messianic chapters. The verses quoted in Acts 8 it refer to the servant’s humiliation. 

“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.” (Ac 8:32–33)

The Eunuch wants to know who this refers to: the prophet or someone else?

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. (Ac 8:34–35)

Philip connects the Scripture to Jesus. The lamb silent before its shearer was the spotless lamb Jesus Christ, who opened not his mouth in defense before his crucifixion. 

No doubt Philip referred to the rest of Isaiah 53 in his answer. As Jesus was humiliated and suffered on the cross, he suffered not becasue of his own sin, but becasue of our sin. 

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. (Is 53:5)

No doubt Philip appealed to later portions of the text that promised that the suffering servant would be vindicated through the resurrection, and how through the suffering servant’s death, many will be made righteous. 

11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of man and makes intercession for the transgressors (Is 53:11–12)

This is how Philip shared the gospel. He showed how passages in the Bible were connected to and about Jesus Christ. In the desert, Philip is a reservoir of living water. 

This is what we should prayerfully aim for. We want to be so filled with a Christ-centered reading of Scripture that we are like reservoirs of living water. 

The church cannot quench sinners’ spiritual thirst if we minister from dry wells. We want to be full, overflowing, and ready to pour the good news of the gospel into others. 

Let’s be a people that truly love the Word and the Christ who is revealed on every page of the Word. May we become a people who can begin with a passage of Scripture and share the good news of the gospel. 

God advances the gospel through obedient servants who go to the nations equipped with the Word and Spirit.

III.) Philip obeys, equipped with Water to make disciples among the nations (Acts 8:36-38)

Philip not only shares the good news of the gospel but is also prepared to obey Jesus in making a disciple of the Eunuch. Look with me at verses 37-38. 

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. (Ac 8:36–38)

As Philip shared the gospel, he must have done a good job of explaining what the proper response is. That is precisely what we should aim to do.

Baptism is a way that truly repentant and believing people respond to the gospel. Baptism is the way that we publicly profess our faith in Jesus, identify ourselves with Christ, and with his people. It is the initial sign of becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ. 

If in our gospel sharing, people don’t understand how to respond and, in particular, the importance of baptism in the Christian life, and their regular observance of the Lord’s Supper, then we have failed to obey Jesus, who told us in the great commission, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. 

“Last words are lasting words.”

The saints of Waldo Baptist Church should be guided by the lasting words of Jesus, just as Philip was. We want to be a people who love the Word, immerse ourselves in it, and obey God in evangelism and missions. We want to be disciple makers who baptize, teach, and send because the church is God’s plan A for fulfilling the great commission. 

What about individually? Might God be calling you to commit your life to take the gospel to unreached peoples? 

Let’s do it together, for the glory of God, the good of our church, and for the sake of the lost. 

Nathaniel R. Martin

Even the Samaritans: Acts 8:4-25

Sermon Idea: God works extraordinarily through evangelism to build his church and create one people united in Jesus Christ. 

Introduction: In one of the earliest defenses of the Christian faith, Tertullian, writing around AD 200 in his Apology, argues that the Roman authorities were unjust in persecuting and mistreating Christians. In it, he responds to slanderous charges, defends the faith, and makes a positive case for Christianity. 

One particular point made by Tertullian has resonated with many believers throughout church history. The reality of persecution, painful as it was, could not prevent the spread of the gospel and the building of Christ’s church. 

He wrote, “The more you mow us down, the more we grow: the blood of Christians is seed.”

This certainly is not intended to glamorize persecution nor encourage the pursuit of martyrdom. It is intended to magnify the sovereign providence of God, whose redemptive work and building of Christ’s church cannot be prevented. 

How fitting this image is for our text this morning, as Stephen’s blood has been shed as the first Christian martyr, and the church scatters, taking the gospel into Samaria. 

Stephen’s blood being shed is exactly how Paul remembers Stephen’s death in Acts 22:20. We read, 20 And when the blood of Stephen your witness was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving and watching over the garments of those who killed him.’ (Ac 22:20)

When you consider that image with verses 1 & 4 of chapter 8, you’ll quickly see how Tertullian’s words describe well what we see in Acts. 

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. (Ac 8:1)

4 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. (Ac 8:4)

If the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church, then the proclamation of the Word is the water that nurtures its growth. It is the ordinary work of evangelism through which God works extraordinarily to save sinners and build his church. 

In fact, one New Testament scholar summarizes our passage in this way: “In effect, Luke unfolds a theology of evangelism here.”

God works extraordinarily through evangelism to build his church and create one people united in Jesus Christ.

This morning, we are going to learn about how the gospel advanced beyond Jerusalem into Judea and Samaria, how God works through the Word, and how He uses ordinary people like you and me in that work. We will also see that this work is not without its challenges. Being aware of the potential difficulties we may face in gospel sharing will only prepare us to endure those challenges and think rightly about them. 

In all, I want to show you four related truths: proclaiming the Word is the work of evangelism, false religion competes with evangelism, a unified people in Christ is the fruit of evangelism, and false conversions are the challenge of evangelism. 

I.) Proclaiming the Word is the work of evangelism (Acts 8:4-7, 12) 

The work of evangelism is not just any work of the church, but a particular type of work. Look how it is described in verses 4-5. 

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 (Ac 8:4–5)

In both instances, it is the proclamation that is central to evangelism. In the first instance, it is preaching the word, i.e., the good news of the gospel. In the second instance, it is proclaiming Christ, who, of course, is the center of the gospel’s good news. 

Yes, signs and wonders are mentioned in verses 6-7, but the word is central. Consider how prominent proclaiming the word is in this passage. 

In verse 12, we read that Phillip, “….preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ.” 

In verse 25, we read that the apostles “spoke the word of the Lord…preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.”

As I reflect on these verses, I see the importance of what is proclaimed and who is proclaiming. Let’s take those one at a time. 

Consider the very related, yet different ways Luke describes the message we are to share in evangelism. 

The message of evangelism is the word (vs. 4) about Christ (vs. 5). It is the good news of the kingdom of God (vs. 12) and about the name of Jesus Christ (vs. 12). Put together, and the details parsed out, these ways make up the gospel (vs. 25) we are to share in evangelism. 

Phillip is preaching the name of Jesus, so that they’ll know it is Jesus of Nazareth who fulfills the Scriptures and is the promised Messiah. Of course, since it is Jesus of Nazareth, the gospel is about the Messiah who was crucified and raised from the dead and in whom forgiveness of sin is available to those who repent and believe in Jesus Christ. 

Today, if we were to try to share this message of the gospel, including these elements, we might say something like this.

The one true and living God is holy and the creator of everything, including you and me. We were created in God’s image to know him, worship him, and live with him in his kingdom. But we have sinned against God and have been banished from his good presence and kingdom. That’s what’s so wrong with the world. Our sinful rebellion against God has made all that was good wrong, and there is no way for us to make it right again. 

In God’s great love, he makes a way for everything to be made right. God becomes a man in Jesus Christ, who lives the life we were supposed to live, he died on the cross paying the penalty for our sins, and was raised from the dead, showing that God accepts Christ’s sacrifice for sin. Now forgiveness of sin and reconciliation with God are given to all who turn from their sin and trust in Jesus. Jesus is the king, and we should give our allegiance to him. All who do will not only have their sins forgiven and be right with God, but will be given eternal life to live with God in his good kingdom forever. 

This is the good news of the gospel, and it is good news that must be shared using words. Living well before people is not evangelism. Defending the faith is not evangelism. Sharing your testimony is not evangelism.

Proclaiming the good news of the gospel with the aim to persuade sinners to repent and believe in Jesus is evangelism. 

Now notice who is doing this work of evangelism. Is it just the apostles? No, it is ordinary, unnamed believers like you and me, 4 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.

We all have received the great commission from the Lord Jesus to make disciples by sharing the gospel. We can do that by sharing the gospel with a friend and by supporting and investing in a healthy church that is centered on the gospel—ones that reproduce, plants churches, and sends missionaries that they support well. 

J.I. Packer, in what is one of my favorite books on evangelism, writes, “The truth of salvation has been made known to us, not for us simply to preserve (though we must certainly do that), but also, and primarily, to spread. The light is not meant to be hidden under a bushel. It is meant to shine…He who does not devote himself to evangelism in every way that he can is not, therefore, playing the part of a good and faithful servant of Jesus Christ.”

Friend, do you believe that God can use you for the spread of the gospel and the advancement of his kingdom? This is not the work of a select few. It is our work together.

What if God has brought lost people close to you, so that they may hear about the good news of the gospel in your conversations with them? 

II.) False religion competes with evangelism (Acts 8:9-13)

As the gospel spreads into Samaria, it does not do so among a culture with its own beliefs and even a recent fascination with dark spiritual practices like magic. 

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.” (Ac 8:9–10)

The magic that they are amazed by is not a mere illusion or trick, but acts associated with spiritual powers. This is not an innocent way of getting to God, but a demonic means of Satan to distract people from God and distort the truth of the gospel. Paul speaks of Idol sacrifice really being sacrifices to demons in 1 Corinthians 10. John tells us to test the spirits, becasue many false prophets teach errant things about Jesus and so are not from God. 

Both the Old & New Testaments condemn the practice of sorcery and witchcraft just as they do every other form of idolatry. Deuteronomy 18:10-12 is a good example. 

10 There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer 11 or a charmer, or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, 12 for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD. (Dt 18:10–12)

The Bible never speaks of false religion and practices as innocent and neutral spirituality, but as demonic competitors to the truth of the gospel. 

In a Gospel Coalition article from 2023, a sister named Jordan Taylor shared her conversion from witchcraft and New Age spirituality to Christ. As I read a portion of it, I want you to listen to how she reflects on her former practices. 

For more than 10 years, I was entrenched in mysticism and self-discovery.

I practiced witchcraft and performed spells. I became an oracle-card reader and enrolled in classes to sharpen my psychic abilities. I was a certified Reiki master and yoga teacher. I used crystals as a means of healing, protecting, and manifesting. I believed in astrology, manifesting under a new moon and cleansing and recharging my energy under the full moon. I worshiped nature and worked with goddesses. I found my spirit guides and let them lead the course of my life. I’d talk to “Spirit/Source/Universe” and believed I was speaking to my “higher self.” I believed I created my own reality and I was my own god, in control of my life. I thought I finally knew my purpose—to heal the collective, raise the vibration of the planet, and help others heal and do the same.

I was wrong about all of it. What I was actually doing was laying down a welcome mat for darkness and deception—and all that comes with it. The very practices I believed protected me and connected me to something divine were only pushing me further into darkness, further away from God.

We are not doing evangelism in a neutral culture. We are doing evangelism in a culture where false beliefs and practices compete for the hearts and minds of every person. Behind these false beliefs and practices is not a mere difference of ideas, but a work of Satan and spiritual powers that seek to blind people to the truth of the gospel. 

Whether it’s New Age spirituality, heretical cults like Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormonism, false religions like Islam, or the progressive ideology that’s taken over American culture regarding gender and sexuality, evangelism is a form of spiritual warfare.

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. ( Eph 6:12)

4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Co 4:4)

Notice how the text talks of Simon’s magic and Philipp’s gospel preaching as if they compete with one another. By that I mean, they both long for the attention and allegiance of the Samaritans. 

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. (Ac 8:11–12)

I say that false religions compete for the hearts and minds of others, but when God acts, it is not a competition. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation, and it is through the preaching of the gospel that these Samaritans turn from magic to Jesus Christ. 

It is by centering the gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives and ministry that we find the best way to shine the brightest light into a world blinded by darkness. 

Don’t miss that the Samaritans are welcome in the kingdom of God through Jesus Christ, but they can’t bring their syncretism and magic with them. One of the errant beliefs of our culture that has unfortunately made its way into some churches is that to love is to be all-affirming and all-accepting. This is love in word only and is empty. It ignores God’s holiness and righteous law. It ignores his goodness and grace. God loves the Samaritans, and so he calls them out of the love of magic through the gospel. They are welcome; these beliefs are not. 

This will be important for our final point: notice that Simon is also said to believe, but note carefully how it’s described. 

13 Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed. (Ac 8:13)

It is in the following few verses that we get the fullest expression of the meaning of this passage. Salvation coming to the Samaritans teaches us that the fruit of evangelism is a unified people in Jesus Christ.  

III.) A unified people in Christ is the fruit of evangelism (Acts 8:14-17, 25)

Word has reached Jerusalem that the Samaritans have received the gospel, so Peter and John are to see to the start of this young church. We then get an interesting note in verses 15-17. 

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. (Ac 8:15–17)

This is a description of a unique moment in redemptive history. As we read the rest of the New Testament, we can see how this is irregular and not the normative experience for the church today. 

The question remains, however, why did the delay in sending the Holy Spirit to a group of people who had repented and believed the gospel?

Once we remember that the gospel is being preached to Samaritans, we begin to put the pieces together. Do you remember what the Gospel of John tells us about the relationship between Jews and Samaritans? 

In John 4, Jesus asks a Samaritan woman for water at a well. Listen to how she responds. The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) (Jn 4:9)

The dislike between Jews and Samaritans has a long, complicated history. After Israel was divided into two kingdoms, King Omri named the capital of the Northern Kingdom Samaria. When Israel is captured and exiled by the Assyrians in 722-721 BC, they ship off the strongest Israelites, leaving behind the weak and the poor who intermarry with the foreigners who resettle Samaria. 

24 And the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the people of Israel. (2 Ki 17:24)

Over time, there was a mixing of pagan worship with Judaism, so that when Israel finally returns, the “Samaritans” are viewed with disdain as a mixed people who practice a mixed and polluted form of Judaism. The Samaritans even built their own temple for worship on Mount Gerizim. All of this results in a long, mutual disdain (Neh. 4:1-2) for one another. 

So why does God wait to give the Spirit? In his wisdom, he delays until the apostles can be present to see with their very eyes the Spirit of God, the same Spirit promised in the New Covenant that indwells them, has been given to Samaritan believers. They are to see and know that through Jesus Christ, they are full members of the new covenant community, just as the Jews are. The apostles can then bear witness to their place in the church. 

In Jesus Christ, God is creating one, unified people.

We will see something very similar when the gospel reaches the Gentiles. The laying on of hands and a dramatic display are not necessary or regular, but God does so as the gospel expands to new places and among people outside of Israel (Acts 8:38; 10:44). 

It is the gospel alone that can create a community that’s both unified and diverse. All the other efforts will fail. The gospel tears down barriers that keep us from one another, as we are united in Jesus Christ our Lord.

The church of the Lord Jesus Christ is unlike any other. It is a community that only makes sense becasue the gospel is true. That’s what Paul says displays the wisdom of God. As God creates one people in Christ out of Jews, Samaritans, and Gentiles, “…the manifold wisdom of God is made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. (Eph 3:10)

IV.) False conversions are the challenge of evangelism (Acts 8:18-24) 

Unfortunately, there is one more thing to consider in our study of Acts 8 and the theology of evangelism it offers. We have to learn from the church’s response to Simon, who is an example of one who professes faith with his mouth but whose heart is far from him. 

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.” (Ac 8:18–19)

The text does not allow us to read this positively. He was a man who spoke of himself as great, and even after his profession of faith, it is the signs and wonders he was amazed by. He wants to regain his influence in Samaria. He wants this power not for the advancement of the gospel, but for the advancement of his own name. Not only that, but he knows so little of God and his grace that he thinks he can purchase power with money that only God has the authority to give.

If there was any doubt about this reading, the apostle’s response clarifies exactly how we are to think about Simon.   

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.” (Ac 8:20–23)

Verses 21 and 23 are as strong an indictment of his spiritual state. He has neither part nor lot in the gospel, because his heart is not right before God.  The language of gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity does not describe a mistake or temporary moral mistake, but a heart enslaved to sin and the desires of the flesh. 

Even his response lacks signs of a contrite heart. It reads more like someone wanting to evade the consequences of their sin rather than someone grieving the reality of their sin to repentance. 

24 And Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.” (Ac 8:24)

Simon’s story, and so many others throughout church history, remind us that although the gospel will advance, it will do so amid challenges. We must be diligent in watching out for those who wrongly believe they are saved and implore them to repent and believe in Christ alone. We should not be a cynical or pessimistic church, but we can’t afford to be a naive one either. False conversions will happen, but we should strive to do ministry and worship in ways that expose the emptiness of their hearts and call them to true saving faith. 

God works extraordinarily through evangelism to build his church and create one people united in Jesus Christ. 

The passage ends with this emphasis again, 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. (Ac 8:25)

This is the work God has called us to. We are to share the gospel, aiming to persuade people to repent and believe in Jesus Christ. May we be faithful to prayerfully proclaim the gospel in Massac County, Southern Illinois, and wherever the Lord takes us. 

Nathaniel R. Martin

Stephen, Saul, and Stiff-necked People: Acts 6:8-8:3

Sermon Idea: Stephen’s ministry and death bear witness that God’s transcendent presence is not restricted to one people group, place, or thing but is found in Jesus Christ. 

Introduction: I trust that you are familiar with the seven sayings of Jesus on the cross. No doubt you are familiar with, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Or the most often referenced saying, “It is finished.” 

These are the most memorable words of Jesus on the cross, but they are not the only words. Jesus also prayed for those who were crucifying him. 

34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. (Lk 23:34)

Just before taking his last breath, Jesus entrusts himself to the Father by saying, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this, he breathed his last. (Lk 23:46)

Jesus dies on the cross with unwavering trust in the Father, so he can forgive those crucifying him and willingly surrender his life in hope of the resurrection. 

Stephen was a faithful follower of Jesus Christ and a friend of the apostles. We learned in Acts 6:5 that he was a man, “…full of faith and of the Holy Spirit.” Like Jesus, who came to serve, not to be served, Stephen was a man who gave his time and energy to serving the weak and vulnerable. 

His name means “crown,” and he was the first martyr of the Christian faith.  Familiar as we are with Jesus’ last words, you may not have ever thought about the last words of Stephen. 

59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. (Ac 7:59–60)

Stephen’s example is one of Christ-likeness in life, ministry, and even death. One of the reasons I wanted to take this whole unit together rather than dividing it over several weeks is that taken together, you can get a picture of a faithful witness to Christ whose ministry reflects Jesus Christ, whose reading of the Bible is centered on Jesus Christ, and whose last words resemble Jesus Christ. 

Jesus is at the center of it all for Stephen, and Jesus should be at the center of it all for us. 

At one level, this text advances the story of Acts by transitioning from the mission in Jerusalem to the planting of churches in Judea and Samaria. Jerusalem or the temple will not limit God’s presence and work, because Jesus Christ is the ascended Lord and the cornerstone of a new temple. The presence of God and the worship of God can be found wherever the people of God are. 

You might capture the meaning of this section as follows: Stephen’s ministry and death bear witness that God’s transcendent presence is not restricted to one people group, place, or thing, but is found in Jesus Christ. 

That is the central message, but it is communicated by a messenger whose life, ministry, and death resemble our Lord Jesus Christ. I want to keep the message and the messenger in view, because both lead us to Jesus Christ. 

To do that, we’ll follow the narrative in four movements: Stephen’s Christ-like ministry, Stephen’s Christ-centered biblical defense, Stephen’s Christ-likeness in the face of death, and Stephen’s church-scattering sacrifice. 

I.) Stephen’s Christ-like ministry (Acts 6:8-15)

Stephen is described as a man “full of grace and power.” These are characteristics not natural to Stephen nor ones he cultivated with time or practice. They are the result of God’s grace and the indwelling work of the Holy Spirit. 

Stephen is one of three individuals, apart from the apostles, who perform signs and wonders. As a reminder, the signs and wonders point beyond themselves. They are displays of power to authenticate and validate the message of the gospel that the apostles preach. Stephen, then, must have been making much of Jesus Christ and the new covenant that he brought. 

His ministry brings him into conflict with fellow Hellenistic Jews, who have taken issue with what Stephen is preaching. 

9 Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen. (Ac 6:9)

As the Pharisees and Sadducees often attempted with Jesus, these Jews debated with Stephen with no success, “…they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit which he was speaking.” (Acts 6:10) 

This is precisely what Jesus promised to his disciples. 

15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. (Lk 21:15)

Unable to defeat Stephen in a public debate, they conspired among themselves to bring serious accusations of blasphemy against Stephen. This alone is reminiscent of Jesus’ suffering, but we also have the added element of false witnesses. Stephen is walking the path of his Lord. 

11 Then they secretly instigated men who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 12 And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council, 13 and they set up false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law, 14 for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.” (Ac 6:11–14)

The charges are first introduced generally in verse 11 and then detailed in verses 13-14. They are accusing Stephen of blaspheming Moses and God because he allegedly spoke against the law and the temple. It appears that Stephen was probably preaching that Jesus was the Messiah who fulfilled the law and ended the Old Covenant sacrificial system. 

If this is what Stephen was doing, he was not blaspheming Moses or God, but showing how the law and the temple pointed forward and found their fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The new covenant has come, so that the old covenant is passing away. 

13 In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. (Heb 8:13)

There would have been a grain of truth in what these false witnesses said, but it would be a twisted and exaggerated truth to paint as bad a picture of Stephen as possible. 

For any who has eyes to see and ears to hear, God gives them a clue as to who really represents him in this moment. Stephen’s face shines brightly. 

15 And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel. (Ac 6:15)

Moses’ face shone brightly after meeting with God. Jesus was transfigured, shining brightly before his disciples, revealing his divine glory. For Stephen’s face to shine brightly like an angel is a sign that he is God’s messenger, a representative of heaven. Far from opposing Moses, Stephen is like Moses, speaking the will of God about the law and the temple. 

Can you imagine communing with God so closely that you reflect his glory? Can you imagine following Jesus so closely that your life resembles his in visible and tangible ways? 

Stephen is captivated by a vision of the glory of God in Christ that is so real to him that he shines brightly.

Several months ago, we had the privilege of having Paul Washer with us, who preached a really edifying sermon on a Wednesday evening. What has stuck with me the most about him being here was not necessarily what he said while preaching, but what he said afterward. There were only a few of us left here. He was encouraging one of our young men to pursue the Lord through the Word and prayer, to experience God’s presence truly. And speaking of his own experience, he said of God, “He is more real to me in this moment than the three of you put together.” 

I have thought about that a lot since. For Stephen, the glory of God in Jesus Christ was more real to him than all these false witnesses put together. 

It is this communion and experience of God that leads Stephen to speak so authoritatively in his sermon in Acts 7: Stephen’s ministry is Christ-like, and his defense is Christ-centered. 

II.) Stephen’s Christ-centered biblical defense (Acts 7:1-53)

The high priest’s question prompts Stephen’s sermon, “Are these things so?”

Stephen then responds with a robust biblical and theological defense against these false charges. This is the longest speech in Acts, and it is filled with numerous details. There is, though, a discernible structure and two themes that are developed. 

That is how we are going to tackle this together. I want to show you how the structure might be understood and then explain the two themes. This way, we can get the meat and meaning of the sermon without commenting on every verse and every detail. 

The sermon has four major sections that focus on the covenants God made with Abraham (vv. 2-16), Moses (vv. 17-43), David (vv. 44-50), and the New Covenant (vv. 52-53). 

With this structure, Stephen then develops a primary theme and a secondary theme. 

Stephen’s primary point is that the presence of God cannot be limited to one people group, place, or structure, such as the temple. Beginning with Abraham, Stephen shows that God was present and at work among his people outside Jerusalem, even before the Temple was built.   

The second theme of Stephen’s sermon is the rejection of God’s prophets. Throughout Israel’s history, God’s prophets were rejected, just as they are rejecting Stephen this very moment. 

I want to survey these four sections, noting these two themes as they occur. 

Abrahamic Covenant 

The glory of God appeared to Abraham in a foreign land long before God brought the people into the promised land. 

“Brothers and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, 3 and said to him, ‘Go out from your land and from your kindred and go into the land that I will show you.’ (Ac 7:2–3)

This is a promise that God would fulfill to Abraham’s offspring, but after they endure slavery in Egypt, God promises to rescue his people, so that they might worship God in the promised land. 

7 ‘But I will judge the nation that they serve,’ said God, ‘and after that they shall come out and worship me in this place.’ (Ac 7:7)

The point? God appeared to Abraham in a foreign land, and worship of God can occur without a temple. 

Stephen then mentions Joseph, thereby introducing the theme of rejection.  Joseph was rejected by his brothers and sold into Egypt. However, this also allows Stephen to focus on God’s presence. Why? God was with Joseph in Egypt. 

9 “And the patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt; but God was with him 10 and rescued him out of all his afflictions and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made him ruler over Egypt and over all his household. (Ac 7:9–10)

God not only used Joseph mightily while he was in Egypt (vv. 11-15), but also blessed and multiplied the people there. 

17 “But as the time of the promise drew near, which God had granted to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt (Ac 7:17)

Eventually, a Pharaoh arose who did not know Joseph and who harshly enslaved Israel. Stephen then moves to the second section, Moses and the covenant God made with Israel. 

Mosaic Covenant 

The presence of God was with Moses in Egypt. Look at verse 20, “At this time Moses was born; and he was beautiful in God’s sight.” 

Eventually, Moses would see the harsh treatment of Israel by the Egyptians. He became so enraged by it that he killed an Egyptian in vengeance. The Israelites did not receive this well. His own people initially rejected Moses. 

27 But the man who was wronging his neighbor thrust him aside, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? 28 Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’ (Ac 7:27–28)

So Moses fled into the wilderness to the land of Midian. Why is this important? God’s presence is with Moses in Midian, just as it was in Egypt. 

30 “Now when forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush. 31 When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight, and as he drew near to look, there came the voice of the Lord: 32 ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob.’ And Moses trembled and did not dare to look. 33 Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. (Ac 7:30–33)

God was also with Moses on Mount Sinai as Moses heard from God and received the law. Although God met with Moses, the people rejected Moses and turned away from God to worship idols. 

36 This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in Egypt and at the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years. 37 This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers.’ 38 This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. He received living oracles to give to us. 39 Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him aside, and in their hearts they turned to Egypt (Ac 7:36-39)

In verse 44, Stephen reminds them that God met with his people in the tabernacle, which was a mobile structure until David’s son, Solomon, built the temple. 

44 “Our fathers had the tent of witness in the wilderness, just as he who spoke to Moses directed him to make it, according to the pattern that he had seen. (Ac 7:44)

47 But it was Solomon who built a house for him. 48 Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says, 

49  “ ‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is the place of my rest? 50 Did not my hand make all these things?’ (Ac 7:47–50)

We cannot overstate the importance of this last point. Even when the temple is built, God tells us that God does not dwell in houses made by hands. He gives his glory to the temple, but he is not restricted by it or limited to it. 

Everything comes together in vv. 51-53, when Stephen transitions to the new covenant and the rejection of Jesus Christ. 

51 “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. 52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, 53 you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.” (Ac 7:51–53)

Stephen provides a biblical theology of God’s presence and of the rejection of God’s prophets, both of which culminate in Jesus Christ. Stephen knows God and the ways of God, so he is able to respond to these charges and show that it is them who blaspheme Moses and God, not Stephen. 

This is how we are meant to read and reflect on Scripture. We are to read it to know God and his ways better. Our Bible reading grows cold and stale becasue we often open it looking for ourselves or for some other end that concerns us. 

But the Bible is not about us; it is about God. It is the revelation of God’s redemptive work throughout human history, interpreted for us so that we might know him and what he is like. 

There is no greater end of our lives than to know God rightly. J.I. Packer, in his classic book Knowing God, says it this way. 

“What makes life worthwhile is having a big enough object, something which catches our imagination and lays hold of our allegiance; and this the Christian has in a way that no other person has. For what higher, more exalted, and more compelling goal can there be than to know God?”

And how do we grow in our knowledge of God? We grow in our understanding of God through the Word of God. We need to give ourselves to reading, reflecting, and meditating on the whole counsel of God, Genesis-Revelation. Scripture is not a collection of 66 separate and fragmented writings with no relation to one another. Far from it! 

The Bible is one, unified story of God’s redemptive work in the world.  At the center of that work is Jesus Christ. As I’ve shared with you before, I love the delightful phrase by Dr. Mitchell Chase, “Jesus treasured the Old Testament, and at the same time he was—and is—its treasure.”

Beloved, follow the example of Stephen. Don’t settle for a superficial understanding of the Bible. Don’t dip in and out with little to no knowledge of Scripture’s grand story. The more you understand the big picture, the better you’ll appreciate and benefit from individual books, chapters, and verses. 

III.) Stephen’s Christ-likeness facing death (Acts 7:54-60)

As those listening are filled with rage, Stephen is filled with the Holy Spirit and is gifted a glimpse into the glory of God in Jesus Christ. 

55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” (Ac 7:55–56)

This is the final straw. These words sealed Stephen’s fate as those surrounding him stoned him, and Saul looked on with approval. 

What I want us to take special note of is vv. 59-60, as Stephen echoes the words of Jesus from the cross. 

59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. (Ac 7:59–60)

In his ministry, in his reading of Scripture, and now in his death, the most formative influence on Stephen’s life is Jesus Christ. This is what it looks like to follow Jesus faithfully even in the most difficult of circumstances. 

Stephen exemplifies what Peter calls us all to in 1 Peter 2. 

21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly (1 Pe 2:21–23)

Who are the most formative influences in our lives, friends? As we think, speak, and act, who do we resemble? Can other people see and hear Christ-likeness in us? 

IV.) Stephen’s church scattering sacrifice (Acts 8:1-3) 

Stephen was the first martyr of the Christian faith, and his sacrifice was not in vain. The killers may have thought they were stifling the growth of this movement and killing its momentum, but what they did instead, by God’s providence, is scatter the church to take the gospel into Judea and Samaria. 

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. (Ac 8:1)

Beyond that, is the impact Stephen’s death would have on Saul, the young man who approved of it and continued to persecute the church (Acts 8:1, 3) 

Later, when Paul is giving his testimony, he mentions Stephen. 

20 And when the blood of Stephen your witness was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving and watching over the garments of those who killed him.’ 21 And he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles. (Ac 22:20–21)

We don’t want to say more than the text does, but I don’t think Paul brings this up unless it had a lasting impact on his own understanding of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. 

Stephen was a faithful witness to Christ whose ministry reflected Jesus Christ, whose Bible reading centered on Jesus Christ, and whose last words resembled Jesus Christ. 

Jesus was at the center of all Stephen did, and Jesus should be at the center of all we do.