ACTS Go Tell the Good News Lesson 8

ACTS Go Tell the Good News! Lesson 8 Acts 8

Severe Persecution Arises (Acts 8: 1 -4) • Devout men bury Stephen, and great lamentation is made for him. (8: 2, 1 Thess. 4: 13) • A great persecution arises against the church, and disciples are scattered throughout Judea and Samaria, except the apostles (cf. 1: 8) • Saul makes havoc of the church • Entering EVERY HOUSE Acts 26: 9 -11 “…many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities. ”

Philip preaches in Samaria (Acts 8: 4 -8) • Those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word! • Philip preaches Christ in Samaria • Was Philip an apostle? • How did he receive this miraculous ability? • How did the miracles Philip performed influence the reception of his preaching? • What was the reaction in the city?

Simon the Sorcerer Believes (Acts 8: 9 -17) • Simon had a great following among the people because of his sorcery. • But the people believed Philip’s preaching about Jesus and the kingdom, and they had been baptized. • Simon also believed and was baptized. • He was amazed at the signs and miracles done by Philip • When Peter & John came to Samaria, they imparted the miraculous measure of the Holy Spirit to believers.

Simon’s Sin (Acts 8: 18 -25) • Simon tries to buy the power to impart the Holy Spirit. • Peter informs Simon that his thinking and his heart are not right in the sight of God. • What does Peter tell Simon to do? • With what had Simon been poisoned? • By what was he bound? • What did Simon request? • What did the apostles do on their way back to Jerusalem?

Philip Preaches to the Ethiopian Eunuch (Acts 8: 26 -40) • An angel instructs Philip to go toward the south along the road from Jerusalem to Gaza. • An Ethiopian who had come to Jerusalem to worship was returning home. • The man is described as a eunuch of great authority; the treasurer in the court of Candace, queen of Ethiopia.

Philip Preaches to the Ethiopian (Acts 8: 26 -40) • The Spirit instructs Philip to overtake the chariot. • The Ethiopian is reading from Isaiah (Isa. 53: 7 -8) • When Philip asks if he understands what is reading, the Ethiopian says he needs guidance. • Philip starts in Isaiah 53 and preaches Jesus!

Philip Preaches to the Ethiopian (Acts 8: 26 -40) • As they are going down the road, they come to some water and the Ethiopian asks, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized? ” • How does he know he needs to be baptized? • According to Acts 8: 37, what does Philip answer, and what is the Ethiopian’s response? • Is Acts 8: 37 in your Bible? • “And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. ” • What does this illustrate about the mode of baptism? • The Ethiopian went on his way rejoicing! • Did the “good news” spread to Ethiopia at this time?

Philip evangelizes from Azotus to Ceasarea (Acts 8: 40) “But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea. ” (Acts 8: 40)