v1 The great persecution came against the church, and they were scattered throughout Samaria and Judea. EXCEPT the apostles. They remained in Jerusalem.
v4 “Therefore ‘those who were scattered went EVERYWHERE preaching the word’.”
v5 Phillip was the first apostle to leave Jerusalem. He went to Samaria. Ungers has this as the city of Samaria rather than the region.
v6 “AND THE MULITUDES WITH ONE ACCORD HEEDED THE THINGS SPOKEN BY PHILIP, HEARING AND SEEING THE MIRACLES HE DID.”
This is a key. We MUST have miracles to get people to listen to us. Words without God’s power released just dont get it done. So, Lord, how do we get You to release more of Yourself into us and what we do so that the words we speak move the multitudes?
v7 “For UNCLEAN SPIRITS, cyring with a loud voice, CAME OUT of MANY who were POSSESED; and MANY who were PARALYZED and LAME were HEALED.”
It is most interesting that paralysis and being lame were tied in the same sentence as demon possession. We have the release of God’s power, mulitudes coming to Christ, demons being cast out and healings.
v8 “And there was great joy in that city”. Freedom from captivity brings joy. The WORD brings joy. Healing brings joy. Bless God
v14 Word got back to the apostles that Samaria had received the word of God, so they sent John and Peter.
v15 Peter and John prayed specifically that all the folks would receive the HOLY SPIRIT
v16 “For as yet He had fallen upon NONE of them. They had ONLY been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
v17 “Then they LAID HANDS on them, and THEY RECEIVED the HOLY SPIRIT.”
Key notes:
1) baptism in the NAME of Christ does not bring in the Holy Spirit
2) those already baptised in the Spirit can pray and lay hands on believers not yet baptised in the Spirit and bring Him down upon them
3) It does not say that the new believers had to ask for it. Peter and John came down to impart the Spirit upon them.
v18 “And when Simon (the believer who practiced sorcery and wanted to buy his way into being able to release the Holy Spirit) saw that THROUGH THE LAYING ON OF THE APOSTLES’ HANDS the HOLY SPIRIT WAS GIVEN…”
Lay the hands on … HE will come.
v20 The Holy Spirit is a gift from God.
v23 “For I see that you are ‘poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity’.” This dude practices sorcery. He became a believer, but he was still poisoned and bound. Peter’s charge was for him to repent and pray (v22).
v29 “Then the Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go near and overtake this chariot’.”
v30 “SO PHILIP RAN to him…”
When the Spirit commands, run into obedience.
v35 “Then Philip opened his mouth and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.”
When proclaiming the Word, start with wherever the person is. In this case, the eunuch was reading Isaiah and couldnt understand it. Often, people will not understand the things of God. Ask them, as Philip did, what’s going on, and use that as your basis to commence things. That allows you to establish a foundation to work from based upon where they are and their understanding rather than where you are and your understanding.