Missions Paul

Acts 8:28
“and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet.”

Where did he get the book of Isaiah from? Who gave it to him to read?
Many are in the chain of someone’s salvation, they are not reapers they may be distributors of kindness or of books.
What can you pass on to someone?
Never think a conversation about spiritual matters is something that is brand new. You may be amazed at where the person is spiritually. Their journey may have begun way before you meet them.

Acts 8:27
“So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship,”

You never know who you will meet if you just start out.
Some people want to know all the details before they say yes to God. They could have started out a long time ago but time has lapsed and now they will never know who they missed.
He has told you to GO. You don’t need another word or confirmation, you just need to start out.
Today God may want you to meet someone you have never met before. He may direct for your paths to cross. Exciting things happen to those who GO. Strangers become friends. So open your eyes today, value every opportunity to talk to people and even those outside of your culture, who perhaps you would have never met if you had not started out.

Acts 8:26
Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road-the desert road-that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.”

However Philip he heard, he was convinced where he should go next. With an almost carbon copy of Jesus post-baptism directive, Philip is focused on the desert and Gaza. Now Gaza at that time had been conquered by Alexandria and was in ruins.
Philip was to go from the heights of seeing Samaria in revival to the desert and the ruins.
Friends today you will be going to Church services and it will be wonderful and God will be gracious and will touch the lives of His people. Maybe there will be people there in your Church who will find Him for the first time. But it is really tomorrow that counts.
For tomorrow God wants you to be reaching those people who are in their deserts and their ruins. You live in a dry and dusty land amongst people who have been overcome by the enemy.
What does God want you to do? Don’t worry about that just respond to Him. So many people want the fine details from God when all He wants is for them to GO.
GO next door, Go across the street, GO to work, GO further maybe, GO to another land, but GO, GO to those dry and broken.

Acts 8:25
“When they had testified and proclaimed the word of the Lord, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages.”

So they had a great time in the city of Samaria. They had met Philip and seen the great things God was doing. Many people were converted, delivered and healed. They preached and the Spirit moved amongst the people. But now it was time to go home. They would report back that indeed the move of the Spirit was accurate and genuine.
But on the way home they continued preaching the gospel in the villages.
1. The cities need Christ but so do the villages.
Recently I advised a leader of our denomination in an African country not to look at village work as inconsequential, inferior to city work. People in villages need Jesus. Not just the finance business sector, but the poor and working class who often live in the villages (other than in the UK where the reverse is true!) On your way home don’t forget those people that can be overlooked by others.
2. You never stop working for Jesus. Even on your way home today. On the bus, walking past the same shops, saying hello to the same neighbours, opportunities await for you on your way home.
3. Who does God call you to? Some people feel they have specific ministries to a certain people group and I understand this. But the answer to that question is really another question: Who is there? Who is in front of you? Sometimes God has people ready for you for the return journey. For them it can be all about you on your way home.

Acts 8:24
“Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.”

Peter had told Simon to pray to the Lord. Simon in turn asks Peter to pray to the Lord for him.
When there is no relationship with someone it is difficult to talk to them. When you know someone you can talk for hours about anything. It is the same with prayer.
There is obviously the need for prayer support. It is right to ask people to join with us in praying for a circumstance perhaps.
But prayer mediation is something quite different. Prayer mediation is asking someone to pray for us because we are inferior.
We don’t need to ask people to pray for us because somehow their prayers are going to be listened to more than our prayers.
The Pastor doesn’t carry a special direct line to your God.
It doesn’t matter who you are or what you have done, within you is the image of God. Within you God sees something of His nature. When He looks at you He sees Himself.
Yes even in Simon the sorcerer.
This is why everyone can pray. God will listen to His image-bearers as they cry out to Him. So go on today. Don’t rely on mediation go to Jesus the Great Mediator!

Acts 8:23
“For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”

Simon was previously hurt probably because he was no longer the great one, the crowds had moved away from him towards the Church. He was experiencing a greater power than he had. It hurt his business and his feelings.
How do I know he was hurt?
I know because he became bitter. In fact he became full of bitterness.
Getting hurt is one thing but if you don’t deal with it then bitterness will set in. When bitterness takes a hold then sin is not far away and will entrap us.
Hurt, bitterness, sin. That’s the order. Deal with that hurt today.

Head and heart

Acts 8: 22

“Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart.”

So long as I don’t do the deed then it’s okay to think it. Clearly not!
Simon offered to buy with money the gift of God, it was stupid and impossible. He wasn’t being chastised for the act but the thought. Thoughts do matter. It’s not okay to think certain things.
Repent (change your mind) for you have a thought problem of the heart. Mind and heart.
I would say, desire and motive, turn from them and perhaps God will forgive you. This doesn’t sound certain but only because there is nothing certain as to whether Simon will do what is being suggested to him.
May today your desires be for Him and your motives be for His glory and for others. May you not come into the equation at all.

Heart
Acts 8:21

“You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God.”

Simon was baptised in water and he believed in Jesus and he became a follower of Philip. Now Peter says he has no part or share in this ministry.
How can someone be a worshipper within church, baptised member, learning from teachers and involved with evangelistic work and yet be outside of that what they supposedly are inside of?
The answer is the heart.
Everything on the outside, of what man sees can be right, but the heart, the motive can be wrong. Man does not see the motive, God does. But motive eventually comes through as it did when Simon requested to buy the gift of the Holy Spirits power.
Eventually the heart reveals itself. The heart is spoken of a lot on the Bible, it is he core, the centre of an individual.
How could David be a man after God’s own heart when he was a murderer, adulterer amongst other sinful actions? It is because his heart was humble, it wasn’t proud, it wasn’t self-seeking and it genuinely searched for God.
How can we make our hearts right? Only by making sure our motives are not for personal gain but for the benefit of others and the ultimate glory of God.
Love God, love others and live your life.

You can’t bargain

Acts 8:20

“Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!”

What would you give to get more?
What would you be to be blessed?
Simon still exists in the world today.
Africa is a continent which has many. People will give anything to get the anointing. Profit isn’t far from the prophet.
But in our own western culture Simon also exists.
We will chase our heroes, conference hop, download the latest etc for the reason of change, of becoming someone better than we are now. It costs, but we willingly pay for this.
And because we are not chasing after God but His gift then He is not pleased with this search and longing of our life.
You can’t buy. You can’t manipulate. You can’t bargain.
All you can do is surrender. Take your eyes off the things man wants and turn your eyes upon Jesus.

Acts 8:19

“and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

Give me.
2 words that bring nothing but misery to everyone.
Can we pray without using them?
Will we try?