Saul agreed with this death. At that time there was a whole lot of persecution going on towards this church in Jerusalem, and they were scattered all over the place, in Judea and Samaria, except for the apostles who were hanging in Jerusalem. Devout men carried Steve’s body to be buried and they really mourned him. As for Saul, he was causing a ruckus entering every house and sending folks to prison. That’s why they had to scatter to preach the word.
Philip went down to the city Samaria and preached Christ to the. The people starting following what he was saying, they were seeing and hearing about the miracles he was doing. He was banishing the unclean spirits from people, healed the folks with palsies, and the lame. This brought great joy to the city.
But there was a certain man, named Simon, who used to use sorcery and bewitched the people of Samaria, trying to convince people that he was the great one. And I thought that was Wayne Grezsky. But the people believed Philip’s preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, it the name of JC and he baptized both men and women. But don’t worry Simon as it turns out wasn’t a wicked sorcerer, he was baptized and he join Phil, marveling at the miracles Phil could do.
Now the apostles in Jerusalem heard the people of Samaria was receptive to the word of God so they sent Peter and John to help spread the word. Word up! When they came down they prayed for the folks in Samaria to receive the Holy Ghost, because they Holy Ghost only visits the folk who are baptized. So they lay their hands on them and they were able to receive the Holy Ghost.
When Simon saw that he was really impresses so he offered them some money so he could have the power to give people the Holy Ghost. Well I guess you aren’t supposed to offer someone money for that mad skill because Peter gets mad about it and tells him his money can die with him, just for thinking the gift of god could be bought. Although clearly god values money from that story of Ananias and Sapphira. Pete goes on telling Simon that he could have no part in the baptizing because his heart wasn’t right in the eyes of god. But if he repents his wickedness and prays to God his hearts thoughts might be forgiven. Peter could sense bitterness and an evil bond in Simon. Simon asked Peter to pray to the Lord for him, so none of the bad thing peter foretold would happen. When they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem and preached the good news in the many villages of the Samaritans.
An angel of the Lord spoke to Philip and told him to go south form Jerusalem to Gaza which is desert. He went and saw a man from Ethiopia, not just a man, one of Candace’s, the queen of Ethiopia, eunuchs who was in charge of her treasure and had come to Jerusalem to worship. Well this guy was returning from Jerusalemm and was sitting in his Chariot reading the prophet Esaias. The Spirit told Phil to go talk to this guy. Phil, ever obedient ,ran over and asked the guy if he understood what he was reading. The eunuch was really nice about it, and not at all insulted, he just asked Pete how he could understand it without a guide. Ha! I feel that way about half the stuff I’ve read in this book! Well, the eunuch invited him up into the chariot to sit with him.
The confusing passage was as followed “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.”The eunuch asked Phil who the prophet is speaking about, himself? Someone else? Phil begins with the same scripture and preaches to him about JC. Wow, way to make that clear for the rest of us. Now I’m curious too.
As they went along they came to a certain water and the eunuch asked him if there was anything that would hinder his being baptized? Phil tells him if he believes with all of his heart he can be baptized. The eunuch declares his belief that JC is the Son of God and Phil baptized him. When they came out of the water the Spirit of the Lord took Phil away and he the eunuch went of rejoicing. Phil winds up in Azotus and he preached in all of the cities until he came to Caesarea.
Is Saul, my Paul? I don't get why he's throwing people in jail. He's not even a fan of law, believe me, he goes on and on about it.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I'm with the eunuch, I can never understand who is being referred to in the quotes. The writing is just terrible. I'm glad that even two thousand years ago they were having the same problem. That means it's not just the multiple translations.