(མཛད་པ། 8:14-25)

 

Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.” And Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.” (Acts 8:14-25)

 

News that the heretical Samaritans had believed in the name of Jesus Christ reached the church leaders in Jerusalem. What to say? However Jesus had commanded them to be witnesses in Samaria (Chapter 1 verse 8). Then could even Samaritans have true faith?

When Peter and John arrived they found that the Holy Spirit had not fallen on the baptized believers. But when they received the Holy Spirit it was a clear sign that God had accepted them into his church.

As for Simon, he is impressed; he sees the opportunity to exercise a new sort of power. Can he buy this power? In reply Peter rebukes him, ‘May eternal ruin be for you and your money.’ And Simon seems to repent.

God’s gifts are freely given to those whose hearts are right ; they are not to be bought for the purpose of self-advancement.

 

 

(མཛད་པ། 8:26-40)

Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this:

“Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter
and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth.
In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who can describe his generation?
For his life is taken away from the earth.”

And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea. (Acts 8:26-40)

 

Now a very important man from NE Africa, who had come to Jerusalem to meet the Lord God in the temple, while on his way home hears and believes the good news of Yeshu with joy.

God tells Philip where to meet him on the steppe to the south, and gives Philip the opportunity to ride in his carriage, and to explain carefully how Isaiah’s prophecy speaks of Yeshu’s suffering on the cross; and why this is good news for all who want to understand.

After the baptism God’s Spirit immediately takes Philip away to preach to all those living along 60 miles of the coast road to the North.

(མཛད་པ། 9:1-9)

 

Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.  As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything. (Acts 9:1-9)

 

Saul travels 150 miles to arrest believers in Yeshu in Damascus, but outside Damascus Yeshu stops Saul and arrests him!

During the next three days of fasting and blindness Saul has time to think how he has been going the wrong way, and of the new way that Yeshu is going to command him to follow.