ACTS 8:1-8; 9-25
"WHAT DID I MISS?"
After spending several days with my bride up in Canada, including last Sunday, I popped my head in Fred's office on Monday morning and asked, “What did I miss?” It was like the guy who was running late to the ball game, but in spite of that stopped at the concession stand on the way in to buy a souvenir and something to eat. By the time he arrived at his seat the place had cleared out save for one woman sitting nearby, to whom he asked, “What did I miss?” Lots!
That's kind of what's going on in Acts 8. Peter and John are sent to Samaria to follow up on Phillip's amazing ministry there, including miraculous healings and demons being cast out, and ask in effect, What did we miss? Actually, more accurately, they wonder aloud, what have y'all missed?
I reminds me of a young bride who wanted to do something special for her hubby and, though she lacked experience, she decided to make him breakfast. She watched as her husband slowly savored each forkful. "How was it, Honey?" she asked. 'Well,' he said, wiping his lips, 'you probably could have beaten the eggshells a little longer.....but on the whole, it was a good start'
Scripture refers to believers as the bride of Christ, and like a new bride, we may be inclined to skip some steps in the ole’ recipe book – some times inadvertently and other times, deliberately. In the Book of Acts we see men and women, striving to follow Jesus' lead, broken shells and all!
We've seen how the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit and began spreading the Good News of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ and how this 'witnessing' began with Peter and John healing and preaching in Jesus' name. Later, Seven men who, are full of the Spirit and wisdom, are chosen , of which two stand out. One is Stephen, “a man full of God's grace and power, who per-formed amazing miracles and signs among the people.” (Acts 6:3, 8)
Stephen shines as a powerful preacher, one who pushes the buttons of the powerful Jewish leaders. They arrest him and with the consent of a certain religious leader, a pharisee named, Saul, the crowds stone Stephen to death making him the first martyr of the early church.
Stephen's death sets off a chain of events starting with widespread violence as “a great wave of persecution swept over the church in Jerusalem, and all the believers were scattered through Judea and Samaria....and they preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went.” (Acts 8:1,4) In doing so they were fulfilling Jesus' prophecy from chapter one: “You'll be my witnesses telling people about me everywhere – in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, even Samaria....” (Acts 1:8) !
So it is that another one of the seven, next generation believers rises to distinction: “Philip went to the city of Samaria and told them about the Messiah. Crowds listened intently to Phillip because they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did.” (Acts 8:5-6)
So why Samaria? You recall how the Jews feel about Samaratins? In his gospel, Luke conveys the feelings of Jesus' own disciples: “James and John said to Jesus, 'Lord, should we call down fire from heaven to burn them up?” (Luke 9:54) How subtle is that?! The Jews avoided Samaria at all cost! What did the apostles do – play rock, paper, scissors and Phillip lost? Maybe it was like when we got our internship site assigned during seminary and my roommate got.....North Dakota?!
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However it happened, Phillip is in Samaria casting out demons, healing those who are lame or paralyzed and proclaiming that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah. It's caused quite the stir! In short order people trapped in darkneness or who couldn't walk are dancing and singing Jesus' name...!
Apparently, though, there's some confusion among some. Peter and John are sent to help these new believers in Samaria make up what is still missing as they seek to follow Jesus. Five critical ingredients in Jesus' kingdom recipe are identified: believing in Jesus, repenting of wayward living, being baptized, belonging to a family of believers and being filled with the Holy Spirit.
Luke tells us that in response to Phillip's preaching, healing ministry “The people believed Phillip’s message of Good News concerning Jesus Christ.” (Acts 8:12) They made a shift in their worldview. They saw that salvation was possible not through the keeping of rules...but in a life-giving relationship with God thru his anointed one, the Christ! As a result, “there was great joy in the city!”
(Acts 8:8)
Luke goes on to tell us that as a result of their new faith these new believers were baptized: “Many men and women were baptized – even Simon (the sorceror) believed and was baptized.” (Acts 8:12-13)
Baptism was their response to coming to faith. Some wonder how they can experience more of God in their life. Phillip made it clear that one does so by opening one's heart to the message and person of Jesus the Christ. But some times we need to revisit a step, to ask, Did I miss something?
In seeking to discern if any steps have been missed Peter and John quickly realize that not everyone had repented and turned away from the sinful behavior and life choices of the past. This Simon character, for one, has skipped a crucial step. “Your heart is not right with God!” they tell him. “Repent of your wickedness...for you are full of bitter jealousy and are held captive by sin!” He’s still being motivated by worldliness, pride and pursuit of personal gain. He wants to cut a deal!
(Acts 8:21-23)
There's a similar tendency alive today. We try to cut a deal by picking & choosing what works for us and discarding the rest. The idea of sin & repentance is old school. Skipping a step in Jesus' recipe for kingdom living is like Simon & the guy sitting in the empty sports stadium. What did I miss? Alot, as it turns out!
As for his neighbors, they've come to believe in Jesus, are baptized in His name and as a result have begun meeting together evident in that when Peter and John appear on the scene the Samaritan church is gathered together in one place to meet them, just as the disciples had been doing. As Luke notes: “On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place.” (Acts 2:1)
The Samaratin believers also met together; they belonged to one another as a family of faith. Its why we encourage everyone to attend a new member lunch and make such a commitment....
Believing, baptizing and belonging to Jesus means that your life is dynamically united to His, his mission and his people – that you trust your life to him knowing that he gave his life for you.
So how do we trust Jesus whom we cannot see..? If believing is, as scripture testifies, primarily about a relationship with God in Christ Jesus, how do we relate to a “life-giving Spirit”? (1 Cor 15:45)
That questions bring to mind three-year-old Martha. Martha was showing her new friend her house. Pointing to a picture of Jesus she said, "That's Jesus. I say 'hi' to him but he doesn't say 'hi' back to me." "Do you expect him to?" her friend asked. "Well, see that picture? That's my grandpa who died. Whenever grandma is here I can hear her in here arguing with him."
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The kind of life you live as a Christian hinges on how you expect Jesus to fulfill his promise to be with you always... Jesus sent the Holy Spirit so that he may personally guide, encourage, and help you carry out the Father's will and purpose in/for your life. Believing in Jesus has to do with what we expect him to do - and what he does is what he's always done – equip, heal, liberate & transform!
Luke tells us that Peter and John were sent to Samaria to follow up on Phillip’s missionary work there. When they arrive they find not only has Simon skipped a critical ingredient of following Jesus, but that all the believers still lack something vital: “As soon as they arrived, they prayed for these new Christians to receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them, for they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John laid their hands upon these believers, and they were filled with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 8:15-17)
I don't know about you but I used to get nervous about such passages: “Oh my, what have we here? This is charismatic, holy-roller stuff! This’ll just weird us out and I’m weird enough already!”
All the references to the Holy Ghost had me a bit spooked. I didn’t want to be filled with a ghost. As one church lady put it: “Pastor, we don’t want anything supernatural happening here!”
Then again, don’t we often pray regularly for loved ones to be healed? Aren’t we asking for something supernatural to happen when we do so? Didn’t Luther teach that we receive Jesus’ body and blood in the bread and the wine? That’s certainly supernatural! How are lives to be changed and hearts set on fire for the Lord if the Holy Spirit is not given free rein in our hearts and lives?
Jesus promised to fill his followers with the Holy Spirit. He promised this so that some would be healed, others would be set free..., and still others would experience the life-changing power of His love. Have you ever experienced it? I remember one occasion when I did. I was worshipping at HTB in London. The preacher, Sandy Millar, was preaching on John 3 where Jesus speaks of the Spirit moving like the Wind, and of our need to be born again, to be born from above. Sandy talked about how this becomes powerfully personal when when our faith moves from our head to our heart as God pours his love into us by the Spirit, of our experiencing his radically unconditional love for us, love that we can not earn....but simply experience, that we are loved because we are loved because He loves us!
As Millar proclaimed this truth the sun broke out through the rain clouds and a ray of sunshine lit up the place where I was sitting and suddenly I was overwhelmed – but in a wonderful way – with an experience of what Millar had just been talking about. Tears flowed His love for me....filled me!
A few months ago one of you told me of your own experience here when we concluded the morning message by inviting God to fill us. You said, “I've never experiences anything quite like it...!”
Jesus' promise is articulated and experienced no less than eight times in the first 8 chapters of Acts. Jesus promised: “John baptized with water but...you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Peter echoed that promise: “The promise is for you…and for all whom the Lord will call!” And later “Simon saw that the Spirit was given to the Samaratins when the apostles laid their hands on them.”
(Acts 1:5; 2:39; 8:18)
Something truly exraordinary, yes, even supernatural must've happened that day for Simon to have seen it and wanted it so bad he was willing to pay big bucks for it! Right? So here's my question:
Is this, or any other Jesus' kingdom ingredient, missing in your faith walk? Are you clinging to jealousy, grudges or personal indulgence? Are you still hanging in the wings, hesitant to commit to any one family of faith? Or are you, like the Acts 8 Christians, still as yet to be filled with the Holy Spirit?
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If the Spirit brings to life the promises of God in Christ Jesus, if it is by the Spirit that Jesus brings renewal to tired believers or transformation to those stuck deep in sin, if it is by the Spirit that we experience His love, then how can you go about having your tank filled for the long journey ahead?
And the answer is:…. (bing, bing, bing!) Ask for it! As Jesus promised: “Keep on asking and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened… If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children how much more will your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:9-13)
So..., shall we ask again? Let's pray....!