The God Who Fills Every Space

“Preaching the Gospel to Many Villages”

(Acts 8:25, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, November 13, 2011)

25 Now when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord,

The apostles were an unlikely group of men to build a new world. It is interesting that we can't even remember all their names, and yet they were chosen by Jesus as foundational leaders of his church. In the top tier of four apostles we have the men we hear most about, Simon Peter, the sons of Zebedee, James and John, and Peter's brother Andrew – all fishermen.

Two of these top tier apostles, Peter and John, had been sent from Jerusalem, where they had enjoyed a phenomenal ministry, but with persecution. They were sent north to Samaria based on reports that many Samaritans had believed the preaching of Christ by a deacon named Philip.

During their time in Samaria, which could not have been very long, they were used in a powerful way that drew the attention of a famous sorcerer named Simon. This man was so intrigued that he wanted to buy into the apostolic group. What impressed him was what happened when the apostles laid their hands on the new Samaritan converts. They received the Holy Spirit in a way that Simon and everyone else could not deny. We are not told here what that looked like. It was certainly out of the ordinary. It was noted that the Samaritans had not received the Holy Spirit. Then the apostles laid their hands on them. Then it was noted by everyone, including this famous Samaritan sorcerer, that they had received the Holy Spirit.

Now in this final verse of this account of the Jewish Christian apostolic mission to Samaria we find out that the apostles did more than lay their hands on the new converts. They “testified” and they “spoke the Word of the Lord.”

They testified to what they had seen with their eyes and heard with their ears, even what they touched with their hands concerning the Word of life. See 1 John 1. They also spoke the Word of the Lord, no doubt using the Hebrew Scriptures to show that the same Jesus that had chosen them was the true Messiah.

As a result of their visit, many in Samaria could now testify to others. Simon had seen and heard noteworthy things. If he had not, he would not have tried to purchase what he could never buy. And as they learned the Word of the Lord, they could also speak about these things to others.

What is your testimony? What have you seen, heard, and felt? What Word do you bring?

they returned to Jerusalem,

The church in Samaria was very new. Exciting things had taken place in just a short period of time. Yet Philip did not remain there, and the apostles did not stay very long. They had to trust.

The apostles returned to Jerusalem. They came to Samaria when God wanted them to, and they returned when God wanted them to return. They learned the lifestyle of trusting God.

This is the only way to live as servants of the Lord that will not crush you. Paul, a later apostle, wrote of the burdens of all churches. He felt those burdens, but he, like Jesus, told us that we should be anxious for nothing. We need to cast our cares upon the Lord. He will do it.

God would keep this new work in Samaria going. That trust allows us to do what we need to do, and to keep on going in such a way that we will not be overcome by the weight of the unknown.

They went back to Jerusalem. Each day has enough trouble of its own. It is also true that each place has enough trouble of its own. You can't live in two days at the same time. You can't live in two places at the same time. If you try to you will eventually split apart.

preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.

Wherever you are, you can serve Him. What the Apostles did on the way back to Jerusalem is worth considering. They preached the good news of Jesus Christ to many villages of the Samaritans. As they went, they made disciples. They were not content to see a great work in just one city up north. They expected that work to spread to all the villages.

Jesus did the same thing. Luke 4:43- “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” Later on at the end of Acts 8 regarding the deacon Philip: “Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.” We see this throughout Acts and the gospels. Luke 4:37 says of Jesus that “reports about him went out into every place in the surrounding region.”

It is God's determined plan that grace-proclaiming and grace-living communities should be established everywhere. I have an acquaintance in Thailand who wrote recently that he had received notice from a supporting church. “Just lost another supporting church, citing economic difficulties. They still want to pray for us, of course, but can't promise any money in 2012.”

I was especially touched by that since our Portsmouth church just started giving to his efforts. Next week will be the last Sunday morning worship service for Hope Presbyterian in Portsmouth for a while. We are going to try to continue to support the missionaries that the church has been supporting, and there are funds in the Portsmouth work to do that. But we are not only concerned about what Karl is doing in Thailand. We are concerned about Portsmouth.

Out of the remains of the Portsmouth church two small groups have begun. One group hopes to plant a church in Rochester, NH. Another is trying to start something new in Portsmouth, or at least contribute positively to the Lord's good work that is already happening in that city.

The church is not just a convenient place of worship. It is a community of faith that cannot be contained. It takes over whole regions with the testimony of a living Christ who has touched us in ways that we have seen, heard, and touched. The gospel goes forth in our testimony and word.

Put your head on the bosom of the risen Jesus, the same Jesus who died for you. What do you hear?

Do you hear God's heartbeat for this entire region?

Do you feel what God feels about your whole extended family?

Do you sense the intention of the Lord to completely fill your own heart and life?

The church fills whole spaces with light that comes from Jesus Christ. Jesus speaks and people hear. He says, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” He will use even the smallest surrender that you sincerely bring before Him this day. But He will be all in all.

1. How could the apostles and Philip leave Samaria?

2. What is the significance of the return of the apostles to Jerusalem?

3. What did they do on the way to Jerusalem?

4. Is there a pattern throughout Acts that this verse exemplifies? What are the implications for New Testament age missions?

OT Passage: Isaiah 54:1-3