Salvation in Samaria

The church was under fire. It seemed to be open hunting season in Jerusalem. Christians were being hunted and thrown in prison. This forced the church to scatter and go underground. When a plant is cut off on top it is forced to grow its root deeper and broader. Instead of dying some plants sprout new shoots and start to spring up all over. The church in Jerusalem by scattering suddenly began to minister in new areas and in this way the church spread.

Today we will look at the effects of the scattering, the salvation that came to Samaria and one of the Samaritan's named Simon who tried to buy the Holy Spirit.

When Stephen was killed and the Jews were not punished for their crime so they seemed to decide that this was the way to remove Christianity from Jerusalem. Saul was one who was a real strong Jew who hated the Christians. He was one of the greek speaking Jews who had studied under Gamaliel. His view of the Christians differed greatly from that of his teacher. It seems that the church was not following the commands of Christ. They were not moving out to Samaria and the uttermost parts of the earth. God allowed this persecution to come and test the Christians but it also spread their witness to many new places.

About 450 years ago, Christians began to study the Bible diligently and realize that some of the teachings of the Catholic church were not right. The new Christians taught that you must believe and be baptized. They were persecuted and they moved from place to place hiding in villages and in the country. Where ever they went they told people about the true way to God.

In Japan about the same time there was a persecution against the Christians. The Christians in Kyushu were scattered and instead of getting rid of all the Christians the government found Christians all over the country. In China, Christians have been persecuted. During the cultural revolution about 20 years ago many christians were killed and Christians were scattered into many new parts of China. The Christians shared their faith with others and now instead of 1,000,000 christians there are about 50,000,000 Christians. No one likes persecution but we see many times in history that when there is persecution the church is strengthened and grows. Today many Christian leaders are concerned about the change of emperors. Perhaps Christians will be asked to worship the emperor when he dies and when Christians cannot worship a man they may be persecuted. Even in schools children will probably be asked to worship before the picture of the emperor. Christians cannot do this as the second commandment tells us that we are not to make any image or worship any images.

Persecution seemed directed at the greek speaking community in Jerusalem. The leaders at Jerusalem were all Hebrew Jews and they did not have to leave Jerusalem. Two weeks ago we learnt that seven leaders were choosen to serve the greek speaking widows. These were all greek speakers. Of these was Philip.

Philip also was one who like Stephen used his spiritual gifts to the maximum. As we use what God has given God gives us more. As Philip was faithful in serving the widows in Jerusalem God blessed him more. Philip became an evangelist. We read about him in Acts 21:7. We read that Saul (Paul) stopped in to visit with Philip and stayed there some time. The one who once caused persecution became a brother and they fellowshipped. There may be times in your life when someone is very cruel to you but God can save and transform that person to become a very good friend.

The Jews did not like the Samarians so many Christians went to the north and were very safe there because the Jews would not go there to persecute them.

Some also went as far as Damascus which is out of the territory of the Jewish leaders but Saul went after them there as well.

Philip was a spiritually strong person filled with the Holy Spirit. Do you experience the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Do you allow the Holy Spirit to control you. Do you try to control your own live so that the Holy Spirit cannot work through you? We need to give everything, every part of our hearts and lives over to God and then he will use us in a wonderful and marvellous way.

Philip preached the word of God and those who had been oppressed by the evil one were freed. God drove out the evil spirits and people who were lame and paralytic could were healed. Let us pray that God would pour out his Spirit upon all flesh and that we might see the mighty power of God at work here in Japan. When people are healed both spiritually and physically there is great joy.

I can remember when I baptized a 60 year old man and his wife. When he came up out of the waters of baptism the wonderful joyful expression on his face. Verse 8 says that there was much joy in that city. When you read about some of the spiritual awakenings that happened in England and America and other countries there is a transformation not just in the hearts of one or two people but in the lives of many so that whole families experience the joy of the Lord. My prayer is that this could happen not just here in Hiroshima but throughout Japan.

One of the people who experienced a great change in his life was Simon. He had practised sorcery but when he heard the message of Jesus his life was transformed. He had great power and he had amazed many people but he realized that the power of Jesus was much greater that which he possessed. He followed Philip around amazed at the miracles God did through Philip. These miracles were not just amazing feats of strength to show off but they were spiritual and helped people.

Reports got back to Jerusalem that many people were being saved in Samaria and Peter and John travelled to Samaria to encourage and strengthen the believers. Many people had believed and been baptized but the fullness of the Holy Spirit was not experienced by the believers until the apostles arrived in Samaria. The apostles placed their hands on those who had believed and they received the Holy Spirit.

The laying on of hands is a token of fellowship and solidarity. It is a sign of responsibility to do the work of the Kingdom in Samaria as the apostles were in Jerusalem. Some make the same mistake as Simon. That is that the gifts and power of the Holy Spirit can be bought with money. There only one way to receive the Holy Spirit and the gifts which the Holy Spirit will bring into our lives: that is by our dedication and service.

Even after we have experienced the love of God and received his forgiveness, we still have difficulty with old thought patterns. God's ways and thoughts are different and greater than our thought and ways of doing things.

We need to constantly study the word and allow the Bible to transform our lives as we learn and obey.

Peter rebuked Simon for his materialistic way of thinking. When we misunderstand and and make mistakes in this way we need to repent and ask God to forgive us. I John 1:9 says that "if we confess our sin, God is faithful and just and will forgive our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Simon asked that Peter pray on his behalf that the curse would not come upon him as Peter had said it would. Jesus had given the disciples this kind of authority in Matthew 16:19. Let's read this verse. "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." Thus Peter's prayer could loose Simon from this judgement.

Peter and John travelled back to Jerusalem and on this return trip they proclaimed the Good News in the Samaritan villages along the way.

The church was moving out from Jerusalem. It had proclaimed the gospel in Jerusalem, Judea and now in Samaria. But the believers were scattered even farther than that so we will continue to see that church expanding to new areas. We too need to have a larger vision. Of course we need to help many people become Christians here in Itsukaichi but we need to have the bigger vision of what God is doing around us.

If you have not yet believed on Jesus and experienced his forgiveness and love do not wait. This morning give your life to him and follow and obey the Lord so that he can bless you. If you want to receive the filling of the Holy Spirit and experience his work in your life we will pray that God will fill you and the Holy Spirit will work through you. Let us pray.

WHC 11/6/88 CFC 1982

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