5-24-15 AM An Inductive Study of Acts 8 Scripture Reading: Acts 8:4-8
How to Study Your Bible Someone recently asked me, What is the best way to get to the most solid food out of a study of the Word?
How to Study Your Bible The Inductive Method is a method whereby one reads through a passage, makes observations on that passage of Scripture, seeks the original interpretation for that Scripture, and then and only then, draws conclusions and applications for that Scripture based on those observations. So again it s a matter of: Observation, Interpretation, and Conclusions or Applications.
Observations 1) You start by Looking into the Books Background. Who is the author? Why was it written? Learn any Historical background, dates, key people, and so on.
Observations 2) Try writing a Personal Paraphrase. Starting with the first chapter, write out each verse [or section of verses] in basically your own words. This will help you understand each verse in wording that makes more sense to you.
Observations 2). Here is an example using Acts 8:1 Original Verse: Saul was in hearty agreement with putting [Stephen] to death. And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the Apostles.
Observations 2). Here is an example using Acts 8:1 My Paraphrase After Stephen s death, Saul and others began persecuting the church of Christ vigorously. But by God s providence, instead of destroying the church, it actually helped the church to spread throughout the region. Although the Apostles themselves remained in Jerusalem.
Observations 3) Write down any Questions you may have about the Passage. Q. What does the word "Apostle" mean? Using as Bible Dictionary or Greek Lexicon, write down your answer: A. The Greek word Apostolos comes from the verb apostello, which means to send forth. So to be an Apostle means to be someone who is sent forth in this case by Christ to spread His message.
Observations 4) Search out any Pertinent Cross Refs. Make a note of any similar or related passages that come to mind while you re reading, paraphrasing, and asking questions about the passage. Use a Concordance, other study guides, or footnotes to collect related passages you may not have thought of.
Observations 4) Search out any Pertinent Cross Refs. Other Passages Referencing Stephen s Death, and/or church being scattered: Acts 22:20 - And when the blood of your witness Stephen was being shed, I also was standing by approving, and watching out for the coats of those who were slaying him.
Observations 4) Search out any Pertinent Cross Refs. Acts 11:19-20 - Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the Word only among Jews. 20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus (Barnabas) and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord.
Application 5) Record Your Insights If an application occurs to you that relates to any part of the passage or its background, be sure to write it down. Example: The persecution of the church was not an accident, but an act of intervention by God in the lives of Saul (soon to become Paul) and the newly formed Jewish church, soon to become an integrated Jewish and Greek church.
Application 6) Try to Make a Personal Application Here is a possible application of Acts 8:1: God has a plan. He is in charge of His church. He will even use persecution (when necessary) to transform men s lives (Saul) and propagate His faith (Jews & Gentiles).
Interpretation Lastly, # 7) Give your reading (or Sermon) a Title/Synopsis. After completing your verse-by-verse analysis of the chapter, assign it a title and identify any key verse or verses that best define the context. This will help solidify the message of the chapter in your mind. Acts 8 Title: God Expands The Church Sermon Title: Pride and Pride and Pride, and Prejudice
Conclusion Synopsis: Divinely utilizing Saul s fervor and the increasing persecution of the church in Jerusalem, God expands His Son s church, demonstrating His rejection of human pride and prejudice, 1) by scattering the disciples, 2) promoting multiple conversions among the Samaritans, and 3) eventually converting an Ethiopian Eunuch. What Peter preached in Acts 2:39 ( for all who are far off ) was finally coming to fruition.
Conclusion Repeat the process for subsequent chaps. When the book is completed, give it a Collective Title. Possible Collective Title for Acts: The Acts of Peter and Paul in the Early Days of the Church. Does that help? I hope so. Now using this method in a much abbreviated form, let s analyze Acts. 8.
First Reading Acts 8:1-3 And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the Apostles. 2 Some devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him. 3 But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison.
First Reading Key Observation: PRIDEFUL Saul begins his reign of terror. The early disciples are greatly threatened (It is not an accident) Being a Christian is not immunity from persecution, but a promise that God will not forsake us in our persecution. (See 2 Tim. 3:12; Jn. 15:18; 1 Pet. 3:17 etc )
Second Reading Acts 8:4-8 Therefore, those who had been scattered went about preaching the Word. 5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ to them. 6 The crowds with one accord were giving attention to what was said by Philip, as they heard and saw the signs which he was performing. 7 For in the case of many who had unclean spirits, they were coming out of them shouting with a loud voice; and many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed. 8 So there was much rejoicing in that city.
Second Reading Key Observations: By God s providence the Gospel is spread beyond Jerusalem. Philip, [one of the 7 deacons chosen in Acts 6:5 for being full of the H.S. and Wisdom], has great success among the Samaritans. (See Jn. 4:7-42) The PRIDEFUL Apostles remained in Jerusalem. They apparently did not understand or accept that the Gospel was for all.
Second Reading Key Observations: Meanwhile, the Gospel finds a foothold in Interracial Samaria. It is God s Will that all men hear the Truth. And God uses the faithful (like Philip) to spread His Grace.
Third Reading [ INSERT]- Acts 8:14-17 Now when the Apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the Word of God, they sent them Peter and John, 15 who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit.
Third Reading Key Observations: The still very PRIDEFUL Apostles are (in a sense) forced by God to deal with the reality of the expanding Kingdom. God s plans are not limited to men s feeble ambitions.
Fourth Reading(s) Acts 8:9-13 & 18-25 Now there was a man named Simon, who formerly was practicing magic in the city and astonishing the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great; 10 and they all, from smallest to greatest, were giving attention to him, saying, This man is what is called the Great Power of God. 11 And they were giving him attention because he had for a long time astonished them with his magic arts.
Fourth Reading(s) 12 But when they believed Philip preaching The Good News about the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike. 13 Even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed (ENTER THE APOSTLES)
Fourth Reading(s) 18 Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the Apostles hands, he offered them money, 19 saying, Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit. 20 But Peter said to him, May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! 21 You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.
Fourth Reading(s) 22 Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity. 24 But Simon answered and said, Pray to the Lord for me yourselves, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me. 25 So, when they had solemnly testified and spoken the Word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, and were preaching the Gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.
Fourth Reading(s) Key Observations: All of the Christians in the N.T. were baptized believers, but not all baptized believers immediately lived as Christians should. Simon apparently saw bestowing the H.S. as a magic trick which he intended to exploit for personal gain. Simon needed to repent!
Fourth Reading(s) Peter and the others commanded Simon to repent. NOT BE BAPTIZED AGAIN- BUT SINCERELY REPENT that, If possible, the intentions of his heart might be forgiven him. He repents, and is restored. Even after Baptism, men need to be faithful in their walk, and when they are not, they need to repent. (NOT O.S.A.S.)
Fifth Reading Acts 8:26-40 - But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, Get up and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza. (This is a desert road.) 27 So he got up and went; and there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah.
Fifth Reading 29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, Go up and join this chariot. 30 Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, Do you understand what you are reading? 31 And he said, Well, how could I, unless someone guides me? And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this:
Fifth Reading 32 HE WAS LED AS A SHEEP TO SLAUGHTER; AND AS A LAMB BEFORE ITS SHEARER IS SILENT, SO HE DOES NOT OPEN HIS MOUTH. 33 IN HUMILIATION HIS JUDGMENT WAS TAKEN AWAY; WHO WILL RELATE HIS GENERATION? FOR HIS LIFE IS REMOVED FROM THE EARTH. (SEE: ISAIAH 53:7-8)
Fifth Reading 34 The eunuch answered Philip and said, Please tell me, of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself or of someone else? 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him.
Fifth Reading 36 As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch *said, Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized? 37 And Philip said, If you believe with all your heart, you may. And he answered, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
Fifth Reading 38 And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him.
Fifth Reading 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he kept preaching the Gospel to all the cities until he came to Caesarea.
Fifth Reading Key Observations: Philip is led by God to teach and baptize an Ethiopian. The Gospel is now spreading into Northern Africa. There is no hesitation in Philip s heart. He simply uses the Scripture to identify Jesus as the Lamb of God, (Acts 8:35), the Ethiopian Eunuch believes, and he is immersed (baptized) immediately (Acts 8:36-39).
Fifth Reading God s wants ALL of his disciples to go into ALL of the world, preach ALL of the Gospel to ALL who will listen. ALL who believe (Acts 8:37) and who are baptized (Acts 8:38) will be saved (See Mk. 16:16)
Fifth Reading In addition: Acts 8 teaches me that Baptism is essential. It is based on faith in Jesus. It is immersion in water ( See, here is water ). It is for ALL men everywhere.
What Does This Chapter Teach Me? GOD HAS A PLAN TO SAVE THE WHOLE WORLD PRIDE AND PREJUDICE DETOUR THAT PLAN. I MUST NOT BE PRIDEFUL OR PREJUDICED IN SHARING THE FAITH.
What Does This Chapter Teach Me? At least 3 times PRIDE nearly prevented men from hearing God s plan: PRIDE - led Saul to become a murderer. PRIDE - kept the majority of the Apostles in Jerusalem long after God desired them to Go into ALL the World PRIDE also caused Simon to seek to use the H.S. for personal gain.
What Does This Chapter Teach Me? PRIDE/PREJUDICE - MIGHT HAVE PREVENTED OTHERS FROM SHARING THE GOSPEL WITH AN ETHIOPIAN, but not Philip. He wasn t detoured. He obeyed God s calling, preached Jesus faithfully, and became an active part of God s plan by baptizing the first conversion of a North African (recorded) in the N.T.
My Title: Is that what you read? Because, this is a sermon, I end invitation with this What is it that is keeping you from obeying God s plan & being baptized? Is it Pride? Is it Prejudice?
My Title: Pride has been the fall of many. Prejudice has precluded many more from submitting to God s plan and being saved
My Title: Decide today to put away your pride and your prejudice & submit to God in faith today. See here is water, what hinders you from being baptized?
My Title: Or maybe you have been baptized, but to tell the truth, you have not lived up to the life of a Christian. Maybe you need to repent, and pray that, If possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you.
My Title: The Good News in Acts 8 and throughout the Word is that: God desires ALL men to be saved. Will you be one of them?