Before Jesus ascended to heaven, he told his followers that the Holy Spirit would come upon them and they would be his witnesses in a specific order. They would begin in Jerusalem and then spread outward.
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
The first seven chapters of Acts record the ministry in Jerusalem. Now, in chapter eight, we see the witness spread to the Samaritans.
The early church began to move away from Jerusalem because of persecution. Saul, who later became Paul, led the persecution against these early followers of Jesus (Acts 8:1-3).
After Mao’s brutal rule in China, some church leaders met with Henry Blackaby. They told him, “We believe the Chinese church did better under persecution than the American church has done under prosperity.”
While I don’t wish persecution on anyone, we must recognize that Paul’s words are true even in the midst of oppression and opposition.
“We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
Why the Samaritans?
The Samaritans had long been enemies of the people in Jerusalem. They were seen as mixed-race outsiders whose worship was suspect. Yet, this was the first destination for the witness after what took place in Jerusalem.
“Now those who were scattered went from place to place proclaiming the word. Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them. The crowds with one accord listened eagerly to what was said by Philip, hearing and seeing the signs that he did.” (Acts 8:4-6)
More than 40 years ago, I attended a seminar led by one of our denominational leaders on friendship evangelism. What he taught changed how I spoke to people about Jesus throughout the rest of my ministry.
One thing he said stayed with me: We are most effective in sharing the gospel when we first become friends with people, then invite them to know our best friend, Jesus.
He stressed that Jesus taught us to go to our enemies. In the first century, the enemies of the people in Jerusalem and Judea were the Samaritans.
“Why would you go to your enemy?” he asked. The answer was that even though they did not like each other, they still had a relationship.
Then he shared something very personal with us. He spoke about the difficult relationship he and his father had throughout his adult life. The Holy Spirit led him to go to his father and apologize for his part in the broken relationship.
What happened next was a work of God. After he apologized, his father’s heart softened. He was ready to hear that Jesus could be his best friend. Before his father died, my friend was able to lead him to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.
Philip is our example. He followed Jesus’ instructions and served the life-long enemies of the Judeans. The result was a joyful response.
“So there was great joy in that city.” (Acts 8:8)
God Loves the Outsiders
The Samaritans were considered the ultimate outsiders by the people of Jerusalem and Judea. They were part of a hated group believed to be beyond God’s love. Yet Jesus sent his disciples to them, and they gladly received God’s love and mercy.
A friend once called me “the pastor to the drunks.” He meant it as a joke, but I received it as a great compliment.
For the past 20 years in ministry, God has allowed me to pastor people whom society often sees as outsiders. I am friends and a pastor to many who have been incarcerated or who damaged their lives through drugs, alcohol, and crime. Yet God set his love on them.
Through Jesus Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit, he gave them a Savior and welcomed them into his kingdom. Some of my happiest days have been watching former outsiders become insiders in the kingdom of God.
The good news is that God does not give up on anyone. He loves every person. He sent his Son into the world to die for our sins, rise from the dead, and give us the Holy Spirit. We can praise God because he loves everyone, including us.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed Acts 8:1-13 on YouTube today.
