Lessons From Acts
Lesson 3: Gospel spreads to Judea and Samaria
(Chapters 8-12)
Gospel spreads to Judea and
Samaria (Chapters 8-12)
• Review of Acts 7
– Stephen: one of the 7 that were chosen
– Did great signs and wonders
• Jewish leaders could not resist him
• Set up false witnesses
– Covered the full Jewish history and brought it
home to them.
– Stoned with the consent of Saul
– What Stephen saw
Gospel spreads to Judea and
Samaria (Chapters 8-12)
• Preview of Saul
– 7:58 – witnesses laid their coats at the feet of
young man named Saul
– 8:1 – Saul consented to the death of Stephen
– Persecution begins and scatters disciples
throughout Judea and Samaria
– Saul at the forefront of this persecution
Gospel spreads to Judea and
Samaria (Chapters 8-12)
Philip (one of the 7 chosen) went down to Samaria
Gospel spreads to Judea and
Samaria (Chapters 8-12)
• Philip preached Christ to them (8:5-8)
– ‘Seeing the miracles’ which Philip did
– They heeded the things spoken by Philip
– Great joy in the city
• Simon the Sorcerer (8:9-13)
– Previously well known and was thought a man
with the power of God
– He believed and was also baptized
Gospel spreads to Judea and
Samaria (Chapters 8-12)
• Peter and John sent to Samaria (8:14-25)
– Laid hands on those there so they could receive
the Holy Spirit
– Simon saw this and tried to buy the same ability
and was rebuked by Peter
• Philip sent by the an angel of the Lord to the
road from Jerusalem to Gaza (8:26)
Gospel spreads to Judea and
Samaria (Chapters 8-12)
Gospel spreads to Judea and
Samaria (Chapters 8-12)
• Philip met an Ethiopian eunuch of great
authority under Queen Candace of Ethiopia
(8:27-34)
– He was returning from worshipping in Jerusalem
– He likely had seen or heard of the great things
happening there
– He was reading in Isaiah 53 (9:32-33)
• Philip taught him Christ from that scripture
forward (8:35)
Gospel spreads to Judea and
Samaria (Chapters 8-12)
• Ethiopian man said “see, here is water…”
– Where did Philip mention baptism?
• “If you believe, you may”
• The good confession: “I believe that Jesus
Christ is the Son of God” (8:37)
• Eunuch baptized and went on his way
rejoicing.
• Philip “caught up” by the Spirit and found in
Azotus (miles away)
Saul goes to Damascus
Gospel spreads to Judea and
Samaria (Chapters 8-12)
• Going there with letters from the high priest
to bind and bring those of “the Way” to
Jerusalem (9:1-2)
• Jesus had a different plan (9:3-16)
– Bright light, Jesus speaks to him and gives him
instructions
– Paul led (blind) to Damascus
– Ananias fearful but obedient to his vision
– Saul a “chosen vessel” to the Gentiles, kings and
Israel.
Gospel spreads to Judea and
Samaria (Chapters 8-12)
• Ananias meets Saul (9:17-25)
– Saul fasting and praying for 3 days before they
meet
– Ananias speaks to and touches him and his vision
returns
– Immediately he was baptized and begins
preaching, proving Jesus was the Christ
– Disciples skeptical at first, Jews eventually plot to
kill him but he escapes with help
Gospel spreads to Judea and
Samaria (Chapters 8-12)
• Saul comes to Jerusalem (9:26-31)
– Disciples would not receive him
– Barnabas took Saul to the apostles
– He spoke boldly in the name of Jesus
• Brethren sent him to Caesarea and on to
Tarsus for his safety
• Churches throughout Judea, Galilee, and
Samaria had peace and were edified
Gospel spreads to Judea and
Samaria (Chapters 8-12)
• Peter’s ministry in the areas surrounding
Jerusalem (9:32-43)
– Went to Lydda, healed Aeneas
– Then called to Joppa where Dorcas had died,
raised her
– Many believed on the Lord
– Peter stayed many days in Joppa with Simon, a
tanner
Gospel spreads to Judea and
Samaria (Chapters 8-12)
• Vision of Cornelius (10:1-8)
– Vision to a Gentile
– Devout, generous, God-fearing man and
household
– Prayers heard and answered
– Told to send for Peter which he did
• Peter’s vision (10:9-20)
– Vision of lawfully “unclean” animals
– Peter told to kill and eat
Gospel spreads to Judea and
Samaria (Chapters 8-12)
• Peter’s vision (cont’d)
– Peter refuses saying they are unclean but is told
God has cleansed them and not to call them
“unclean”. Repeated 3 times
• Servants of Cornelius arrive and Paul leaves
with them (10:17, 21-24)
• Upon meeting Peter, Cornelius bows and
worships him but Peter quickly corrects him
Gospel spreads to Judea and
Samaria (Chapters 8-12)
• Peter explained his hesitance based on the
law, but also what he learned from his vision
• Peter preached “the Message” but used “they
killed Him” here
• While preaching, Holy Spirit came on all of
them. The Jewish among them were amazed
at this
• Peter commanded they be baptized and they
were
Gospel spreads to Judea and
Samaria (Chapters 8-12)
• Peter has now truly learned that “the
Message” is for both Jew and Gentile
• Now others need to learn this.
• Jews in Jerusalem confronted him about
associating with these Gentiles (11:2-3)
• Peter recounts his vision and what happened
there (11:4-15)
• “Then he remembered” (11:16)
• “…who was I that I could withstand God?”
Gospel spreads to Judea and
Samaria (Chapters 8-12)
• Gospel continues to spread now to Phoenicia,
Cyprus, and Antioch (to Jews mostly) and
great numbers are believing
• Barnabas is sent to Antioch (11:22-24)
– He encourages the brethren
• Barnabas goes to Tarsus to get Saul and brings
him to Antioch (11:25)
• Disciples called Christians first at Antioch
(11:26)
Gospel spreads to Judea and
Samaria (Chapters 8-12)
• Agabus, from Jerusalem, comes to Antioch
and prophesies about the famine to come.
• Saul and Barnabas chosen to take collected
“relief” to Judea
– Pattern
• Each gave of their own ability
• Sent via trusted messengers
• Given to the elders
Gospel spreads to Judea and
Samaria (Chapters 8-12)
• Herod caused trouble with the church
– Kills James the brother of John
– Seized Peter and put him in prison with 16
soldiers to keep him until after the Passover
• Constant prayer offered for Peter by the
church (12:5, 12)
• Angel of the Lord woke Peter, the chains fell
off and he was led out of the prison
• Peter thought it was a vision until he was out
Gospel spreads to Judea and
Samaria (Chapters 8-12)
• Lessons/Patterns
– Evangelism
• Not for selfish gain (Simon)
• Opportunity (Ethiopian eunuch)
– Zeal
• Can be misplaced (Paul) if not of truth
– Gospel is for all (Jew, Gentile…everyone)
• Peter and Jewish Christians in Jerusalem
– Giving
• Pattern for financial relief collection and
delivery (Judea)
Gospel spreads to Judea and
Samaria (Chapters 8-12)
– Prayer
• Church earnestly/constantly praying for Paul
• Many gathered for the purpose of prayer