the Third Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
Day by Day Devotional - Year 4 of 5
Acts 8:1-25
The Lord had commanded the disciples, "Ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8). Up till now they had only accomplished the first part of this order. In order to make them pass on to the next stage the Lord resorts, in His wisdom, to painful means: persecution (of which the death of Stephen had given the signal). This resulted in scattering believers and in consequence the gospel was carried elsewhere. Thus an ill wind often has the happy effect of sowing useful seed far away.
Philip, the evangelist, (named in Acts 6:5) comes to Samaria to preach "Christ" – not a doctrine but a Person (v. 5; cf. Acts 8:35). What power our witness would have if, instead of only presenting truths, we were to speak to those around us of Him of whom our hearts are (or ought to be) full!
So these Samaritans, detested and scorned by the Jews, share from now on with them in the baptism and gift of the Holy Spirit. Neither birth, nor merit, nor money – as Simon the sorcerer imagined – give access to such a privilege. All results from the pure grace of God.
