SUNDAY - JUNE 22, 2025 "Gospel Proclamation” Acts 8:4-25

If you have your Bibles, this morning we'll be in Acts, chapter 8, verses 4 through 25, as you're turning there, when I became the pastor here, I preached from 1 Corinthians when I came in view of a call, and what I told you is I want to always preach Christ and Him crucified and there's so much other things that we can talk about, but I want to focus on Christ and Him crucified and I still want to do that.

Acts 8:4–25

But also, I think it's important to recognize context and where we are living.

Most of you probably know if you don't, I'm sorry, but if you didn't know that the United States has bombed some nuclear plants in Iran.

And this morning I want us to take some time to pray.

The prayer is because there is a lot of fear and unknown right now that we don't know, and there's some things I want us to focus on when we're praying.

First and foremost, it is sad when anyone dies.

It is tragic when people die without Jesus.

So this morning I want us to pray Pray for families who have lost loved ones in this, but, god, I want us to pray also for those who are facing death, that in some way, somehow they can know a risen Savior, I want us also to pray for leadership.

I want us to pray for leadership in the United States, I want us to pray for leadership in Israel, and I want us to pray for leadership in Iran.

You know, scripture tells us all the time that God, he, is in charge.

We see all throughout Scripture that he is in charge of people who acknowledge Him and people who don't acknowledge Him, and so we want to pray that God does a work in the lives of leadership all across this world, because there are lots of decisions that are going to be made and have to be made, and we pray that God will give all of them godly wisdom.

And we pray also, though we pray with hope, because there will be a day when all will bow before him, and we pray that God works in such a way that many and we know many will, but others will come to know and be able to bow before his throne Because they have trusted him as their savior.

So let's take a moment this morning to pray.

God, I thank you for today, and I thank you for the opportunity, even in the midst of fear and unknown, that we can bow our heads before you and we can call upon you because you are God of the universe.

You are sovereign and in control.

So, god, we pray that you move and work as only you can.

God, we pray for leaders all across our world that you will give them a godly wisdom.

Even those who don't want godly wisdom, god, we pray that you will give them godly wisdom.

God, we pray for families who are fearful, families who are fearful, who face possibly impending death.

God, we pray for them that you will overwhelm them with your presence.

And for those families who don't know you, god, we pray that they can know you and trust you, god, and we pray that, even in the midst of chaos, a day is coming where death will be no more, where we can bow at your throne and worship you.

God.

In all of this, we give you glory and ask you to move, and we give you glory and ask you to move and work as only you can.

Jesus, it's in your name.

We pray Amen.

Now, if you have your Bibles, we're going to be in Acts, chapter 8.

Acts 8 · chapter mention

Just because, for coming out of a prayer like that, what I want us to do now is turn right back and focus on the scripture that we are.

So, before I do any kind of introduction or anything this morning.

Let's turn to Acts, chapter 8.

Acts 8 · chapter mention

And if you're able this morning, let's go ahead and read Acts, chapter 8, verse 4.

Acts 8:4

If you're able, I invite you to stand with us as we give honor to the reading of God's word Starting in verse 4.

Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word Starting in verse 4.

The spirits crying out with a loud voice came out of many who had them and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.

So there was much joy in that city.

But there was a man named Simon who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great.

They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying this man is the power of God that is called great.

And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic.

But when they believed Philip, as he preached good news about the kingdom of God in the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

Even Simon himself believed.

And after being baptized he continued with Philip and seeing signs and great miracles performed.

He was amazed Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.

Now, when Simon saw that the spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles hands, he offered them money, saying give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands might receive the Holy Spirit.

But Peter said to him May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money.

You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before.

God.

Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you, for I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.

And Simon answered pray for me to the Lord that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.

Now, when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, speaking the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.

Let's pray together, god.

Once again, we thank you.

God, I thank you for your word and I thank you that you have spoken to us through your word and we pray that this morning, as we study your word, that you work and move in our lives to change us for all eternity.

Jesus, it's in your name.

We pray, amen.

So I think it's important this morning that as we look at this passage, we remember kind of the theme and what's going on in Acts.

If you remember, in the Gospel of John, john told us the theme of his passage, not the passage, the theme of his Gospel.

He wrote that we may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing we find life in his name.

Luke, when writing Acts, was not quite so explicit in telling us the theme of his book.

So we must investigate a little bit Now we've done this.

So let me remind you real quickly.

Some would say that the theme of Acts is it's the actions or acts of the apostles, hence the name Right.

It is what the apostles did after Jesus' resurrection, after he ascended into heaven.

This was their actions.

This is what they did.

This is how they worked.

And some would say that, and I would contend that, yes, it is, that it does show the acts of the apostles, but I think it's more than that.

Some would go on to contend that it's not the acts of the apostles, but it's more the acts of the Holy Spirit.

It is how the Holy Spirit is moving and working after the ascension of Jesus Christ.

And I would say, yes, I believe it's that, but I think it's more than that.

A guy named Tony Morita, in his commentary on the book of Acts, he identifies the theme of Acts as this it's the acts of the Lord Jesus through the apostles and the church, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

It is the acts of the Lord Jesus through the apostles and the church, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

I'm on the side of Tony here.

I think this is a good theme and summary, because it is the acts of the apostles, but it also shows the acts of the church that we're going to see.

It is by the power of the Holy Spirit that we see all throughout, but I believe it is the continuing work of Jesus.

Here's why I think that In John, chapter 14, verses 16 and 17,.

John 14:16

John writes this and I will ask the Father and he will give you another helper to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him.

You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

Jesus says I'm going away and I will send another Down, in verse 26 or 25.

He says of John 14.

These things I've spoken to you while I am still with you.

But the helper, the holy spirit, whom the father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to remembrance all that I have said to you.

Even over, in chapter 16, verses 7 through 11, jesus again is speaking to the apostles and he says this Convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.

Concerning sin because they do not believe in him.

Concerning righteousness because I go to the Father and he will see me no longer.

Concerning judgment because the ruler of this world is judged.

What I think we see happening in the book of Acts is this coming true.

Jesus has ascended and he has gone away and he has.

He has with them not with them at this moment, because he is in heaven, sitting at the right hand of the Father and he has sent the Spirit.

Now, I think this happens because Jesus has completed the civic work of the cross.

He has brought justification to us.

He came, he lived a perfect life, he took upon himself on the cross the punishment that we deserve for our sins.

And then he arose giving us life, offering to us his righteousness, because he defeated sin and death.

And now he is seated at the right hand of the Father because the work of justification is done.

But his work still continues, because the purpose of the Father is that all nations come to know him, and so that work must continue.

And Jesus continues that work through the apostles and the church, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

We see that he does this in this passage through the church.

Remember back in verse 1.

He says and there arose on that day great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

Here's what we find happening in this passage that we read today.

The church, the scattered church, proclaimed the message of the gospel to all that they encountered, everywhere they went.

They proclaimed that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, that he is the Christ sent to save us.

Now for us, I hope that we can see this Christ as the Messiah.

We are to be proclaiming Jesus and the good news of the salvation that he offers us.

So the challenge for us today is this Do that Be about everywhere that you go, proclaiming Jesus Christ as the Messiah?

So the question that we want to answer is this how, then, was the gospel proclaimed?

If it was proclaimed, how was it proclaimed?

Well, first of all, I think we see this it was proclaimed by the church.

Now, the apostles proclaimed it.

Yes, we see that.

We've seen the apostles proclaiming the gospel.

We will see Peter proclaim the gospel.

We will see Paul proclaim the gospel, but they are apostles.

Not only, though, do we see apostles proclaiming, but we see the church proclaiming the message of the gospel.

How do we know that?

Look at verse 4.

Now, those who were scattered went about preaching the word.

So who was scattered?

Remember?

We just read it.

We just read it in chapter 8-1.

The church was scattered, not the apostles.

The apostles are still in Jerusalem.

They're still right there.

They're proclaiming the gospel, but they're still there.

What we see here is the church, the scattered church.

Because of persecution that they are facing.

They are scattered out and as they are scattered, as they are going, they are proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ.

It even gives us a specific example.

See what we have in verses uh four through eight is kind of a summary of what's going on.

What we have in verses nine through twenty five is an illustration of this.

And what, who, who we see, one of the people we see of this scattered church that is proclaiming the message is Philip.

Now, I admittedly must tell you when I used to hear this story or read in Acts before I really did a deep study in Acts when I heard Philip I always thought the apostle Philip.

There was an apostle I don't know if you remember one of the twelve, his name was Philip, and when I heard Philip here, I always thought of him.

And when you see the things that he did, I said well, of course he did all of those things.

He was an apostle.

But every commentary that I read, none of them pointed to the apostle Philip.

That means that most believe that this is not the apostle Philip, it's the servant Philip.

You've met him back in Acts, chapter 6.

Acts 6 · chapter mention

Remember, there was a group of Hellenistic widows who were not receiving their daily proportion of food.

So the apostle said, hey, pick seven guys from among you.

Here's what he said Pick seven guys of good repute, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, so that they can get their proportion of food.

They chose seven men.

One of those men was Philip.

Not an apostle, just a guy.

A guy who was serving in his church, recognized serving in his church, and chosen.

Who was serving in his church, recognized serving in his church and chosen to serve more in his church.

Just a normal guy.

And what we find here is he goes and he preaches in Samaria.

Now listen, before you get all hot and bothered by this, look, while Philip is going to stand up and preach, kind of like what I'm doing and that's going to happen throughout Acts.

That's not the only way to proclaim.

I don't think that's how the masses here are proclaiming the good news.

Here's what I think is happening.

As they are scattered, moving into new homes.

As they are scattered, moving into new homes, they meet new neighbors and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ.

As they go to the market to buy groceries for their family, they tell people about Jesus Christ.

As they go to their new jobs, they tell people about Jesus Christ With their children, who are growing up around them.

They tell them about Jesus Christ.

They're proclaiming the gospel everywhere they go.

And church.

I need you to hear this.

You can do that.

You can Listen.

Every day you talk about things that you love, and here's what I'm convinced about you you love Jesus.

You do so.

You're able to tell people about those things that you love.

You're able to tell him.

But you go, grant, I just can't.

But let me give you one other reason why I know you can do this.

These people were able to share jesus.

Remember the theme of the of the book?

It's the acts of the lord jesus, Through the apostles and the church.

By the power of the Holy Spirit, these people are able to proclaim the gospel everywhere they go Because they were reliant upon the Holy Spirit.

They were dependent upon the Holy Spirit, and that same Spirit that gave them the power To share about the Jesus that they love is the same spirit that we have when we trust in Jesus.

He's the same spirit that is given to us to empower us to proclaim the gospel everywhere that we go.

How is the gospel proclaimed?

Well, first, it was proclaimed by the church.

Second thing I think we can see here is it was proclaimed to everyone.

Listen, it tells us who Philip preached to in Samaria.

It says in verse five Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ.

Verse six and the crowds, with one accord, paid attention to what was Verse 6.

Philip proclaimed the gospel.

He proclaimed the gospel to those who were possessed.

He proclaimed the gospel to those who were sick.

He proclaimed the gospel to those who were paralyzed.

He proclaimed the gospel to everyone, even the outcasts.

There's something that every one of these people, whether they possessed, sick or paralyzed, there is something that they all had in common they were outcasts, say Grant.

There is something that they all had in common they were outcasts, say Grant.

How do you know that they were outcasts?

Let me tell you, I know because they were Samaritans.

Now you may know that Samaritans and Jews they had this difficult relationship, to say the least Didn't like each other.

You may not know why.

Here's what happened with the Samaritans.

The Samaritans lived in the northern kingdom of Israel.

Remember, israel, way back in their history, was divided into the northern kingdom and the southern kingdom.

Those in the northern kingdom.

They were conquered by the Assyrian Empire.

When Assyria conquered the northern kingdom, the best and brightest, they took out to other places in the Assyrian empire and they brought in other people to inhabit the land.

So those who were left, those few people of Israel who were left, what they began to do is they began to intermarry with the Assyrians who had been brought in and with the native Canaanites who lived there.

And so they began to intermarry with these people and they basically created their own religion, loosely based upon the laws of Moses.

So they were kind of Jewish but kind of not, and to the Jews they were outcasts, unworthy, unpossessed, unworthy.

But what we see is that they were loved.

Jesus we saw in John chapter 4, go to Samaria.

John 4 · chapter mention

We see Philip here.

Go to Samaria.

We see Jesus even tell the apostles to go to Samaria.

Do see Jesus even tell the apostles To go to Samaria.

Do you know why?

Because we all need salvation, paul tells us in Romans, chapter 3.

Romans 3 · chapter mention

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

We all need salvation.

So they went and they proclaimed.

We even a again a specific example of Philip when he is proclaiming and we see one man named Simon.

We know a few things about him.

We know that he was a magician.

And when I say magician in the new testament, it's not like magicians today.

Usually, most magicians today are not really magicians.

They're illusionists.

Right, it's sleight of hand things.

It's not really anything magical happening.

But in the New Testament it's people who are dealing with black magic.

It's demonic.

And here we have Stephen Simon I'm doing them like my kids, I have to go through all the names.

Here we have Simon, who is coming and the works that he's doing is so great that they think he's divine.

They think he must be sent from a God.

They called him great Thought.

He was this big deal.

But do know who?

Philip preached the gospel to even simon, because he needed jesus.

Listen, there is no one beyond the pale.

There is no one that we, that that doesn't need to hear.

There is no one that God can't reach.

We must be proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ to all in whom we come in contact.

Third, this morning the gospel was proclaimed by the church, and it was proclaimed with everyone in mind and to everyone.

But what was the message?

It was a message about the kingdom of god.

Look, if you will, in verse 12.

It tells us what, what philip preached, but when they?

But when they believed philip as he preached good news, that's the gospel, good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ.

He proclaimed the kingdom of God and Jesus Christ.

Here's what we need to understand about the kingdom of God.

When you look on a map and you go and you try to find borders of a land, you're never going to find the borders to the kingdom of God.

It's not a land with borders.

It is God's rule and reign in our lives.

That's the kingdom of God and that we were created for that.

We were created to live and walk in this kingdom of God.

But there is a problem with us.

We have sin.

We just talked about it, how we've all sinned and because of our sin we are unable to live in the kingdom of God.

But God loved us so much that he sent Jesus Christ and Jesus suffered the consequences for our sins.

He died on the cross and took upon himself the punishment for my sin, the punishment for your sin, and because he did that, he was then buried and three days later he arose.

And because of the resurrection, jesus defeated death, he defeated sin and now he can take upon us when we believe in him, he takes and places his righteousness upon us and because of God's righteousness and because of the righteousness of Christ we're given to us.

Through him, through the resurrection, we can now live in the kingdom of God.

That is the message they are proclaiming and here's what happens People hear it and they believe.

We need to understand what believing is.

We use the word all the time.

Sometimes I think it's overused.

We believe in all kinds of things, but belief, according to Scripture, is when we, in faith, repent of our sins and place our faith in Jesus Christ.

See, because we are dead, because we have all sinned, what we are doing is we are walking to our own selfishness and we are walking in our own sin and self.

And when we repent, what we do is we turn from sin and self and we place our life solely in the hands of God in faith.

That is believing.

And what these people were doing is they were recognizing their sin and they were turning.

They were repenting and placing their lives in the hands of Jesus Christ.

Through faith, they believed.

Then it says this they were baptized.

Now I don't believe he's saying that baptism is part of that salvation process.

Here's why I think that.

Look in verse 12.

It says but when they believed, when they believed Philip, as he preached the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, see baptism.

I believe is a mark If we are going to live, if we are believing, so it can be part of the kingdom.

Baptism is a sign that we are going to be loyal to the kingdom, that we are the kings, we are his.

So they believed and then they were baptized, and then what we find is they were filled with the Holy Spirit.

That's a little bit different how that happens here, so we need to unpack this just a little bit For them.

It says when they believed and they were baptized, they weren't yet filled with the Holy Spirit.

The apostles heard about this Peter and John and they come down and they heard what was happening.

So they come and they see what is happening and they see that it's genuine and that it's real, and what they do is they pray that the Holy Spirit comes upon them, and when they lay their hands on them, the Holy Spirit comes.

And so the question becomes is that what happens with us?

I don't think so.

Here's why Because throughout the rest of Scripture.

That's not what is happening Throughout other parts in Acts and throughout other parts of the letters of Paul.

What we see happening is when people believe in Jesus, they receive the gift of the Spirit immediately.

But we see it three times here that it happens differently.

We saw it in chapter 2.

In chapter 2, those who were followers of Jesus didn't have the Holy Spirit and he told them to go and wait upon the Holy Spirit and he said when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, then you will be my witnesses.

So in Acts, chapter 2, what we see is the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit comes upon them and he fills them.

Acts 2 · chapter mention

We're going to see it again in chapter 10.

In chapter 10, they call it the Gentile Pentecost.

Chapter 10, they call it the Gentile Pentecost Because salvation is not totally, not solely, because here in chapter 8, we see Samaritans get saved and at the end of chapter 8, we're going to see an Ethiopian unit get saved.

So it's not been totally for the Jews, but mostly for the Jews.

And so what is happening in chapter 10 is salvation goes to the Gentiles and they need a fresh pouring out of the Holy Spirit.

So the Holy Spirit comes in a dramatic fashion so that the world sees and knows hey, salvation is for the Gentiles.

I believe the same thing is happening here in chapter 8.

Some will even call it the Samaritan Pentecost, because the Samaritans were so outcast by the Jews they needed to see that the Holy Spirit could come upon them as well.

So there's this dramatic outpouring of the Spirit when Peter and John come and lay their hands upon them.

Listen, that's not what we see in other parts of Scripture, see, we don't need a Jewish Pentecost anymore.

We don't need a Samaritan Pentecost.

We don't need a Gentile Pentecost, because the Holy Spirit has already been given to believers.

What we need to do is believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and he gives us.

The Holy Spirit has already been given to believers.

What we need to do is believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and he gives us the Holy Spirit.

It's already happened.

So when we trust in Christ, we receive the Spirit immediately.

But there's still somebody that we need to look at this morning and it's Simon, see, because, understand, what it tells us is that Simon believed, he was even baptized, and he followed Philip, and he saw Philip perform these signs and he was amazed.

And then, when the apostles came and they prayed that the holy spirit would come, and he, he saw the holy spirit come upon them on pentecost he went to.

He went to peter and john and said, hey, let me give you a little bit of cash and you let me be able to do that.

Hey, let me give you some money so I can go, and when I lay my hands on people, the Holy Spirit comes upon them.

But listen to what Peter says to him In verse 20,.

He says May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money.

You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before.

God.

Repent therefore this wickedness of yours and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you, for I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.

That's what's happening.

Iniquity, that's what's happening.

I contend that while it looked like Simon believed and he went through the motions of baptism, his heart wasn't really Jesus' we see that because he's still trying to earn it, not earning it.

He's not trying to earn it in his good works, he's trying to buy it with money, but he's trying to get it in some way outside of Jesus when we need to know, you need to know Salvation only comes by believing in Jesus Christ.

There is no amount of money, there is no amount of goodwill, there is no amount of work that you can do to earn salvation.

It is only in Jesus Christ.

Amount of work that you can do to earn salvation, it is only in Jesus Christ and you need to believe in him.

So, peter, though, he tells him to repent, but yet again, simon, he says this Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.

Even still, simon doesn't repent, he doesn't believe.

Listen, I don't know where you are today, but there are some lessons we can learn here.

First is this if you have not trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior, if you have not believed in Him, repented and given your life to Him, you are not part of the kingdom of God, but he wants you to be.

Jesus came and he lived a perfect life and he died, taking the punishment that you deserve, and he arose to give you his righteousness that you don't deserve.

And when you believe in him, you find life and become part of the kingdom.

If you've never trusted in him, I pray that today will be the day of salvation for you.

Listen, here's my fear Is that there are people sitting in congregations all across this world, is that there are people sitting in congregations all across this world who someone would say, like they said of Simon, that he believed and was baptized but never truly repented.

Listen, don't miss this opportunity.

Repent, place your faith in him.

Another lesson that we can learn is this God has called the church, not just the apostles.

He has called us to be His witnesses wherever we go.

I think we miss that.

I think we miss it so often.

We think that that's the job of the preacher or the student minister or the children's minister.

It's the job of the deacons.

It's the job of anybody but me, when it was all those who were scattered who were proclaiming the gospel.

It is the church, church.

Let's not miss it.

Let's go and, out of love for our Savior and what he has done for us, proclaim the message of the gospel to all in whom we encounter as we go about our lives.

We're about to sing a hymn of invitation.

I'm going to pray for us and we're going to sing as we sing.

If you've never trusted Christ as your Savior, we invite you to come If you have.

But this morning you recognize that you have not taken the call of God seriously, that we are to be proclaiming the good news.

Maybe this morning you need to come and kneel at these steps and repent and confess that you've not taken it seriously and begin to do so.

You can do that from your seat as well, or you can come and we would love to pray with you.

Maybe this morning you're looking for a place Because, listen, it can be overwhelming to fulfill this call by yourself.

You don't have to.

God has given us the gift of the church so that together we can proclaim the gospel.

If you're looking for a church home, we invite you to come and unite with us here at DeSoto Heels and let's go and share the gospel with all of those around us, the good news of the kingdom of God and in the name of Jesus Christ as we sing.

In just a moment, whatever decision you have to make, we invite you to make it.

Let's pray together.

God, I thank you for today.

God, I thank you for today.

I thank you for the opportunity that we have to open your word.

God, I thank you for the opportunity that I have to proclaim the message of the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ that is able to save Christ that is able to save God.

I pray that by your power you work.

By the power of the Spirit you work among us.

You draw people to you, those who need the faith to respond.

Give them the faith.

God, however you are moving, help us to hear your call and respond accordingly.

Jesus, it's in your name.

We pray Amen.