The Holy Spirit's Ministry Beyond Jerusalem
That day, things changed for the believers, for on that day persecution broke out, and the believers fled, except the twelve apostles who stayed in Jerusalem, as we can read in Acts 8:1b
…. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.
Someone named Philip ended up in a city in Samaria. Philip is first mentioned among the deacons, in Acts 6:5
This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.
Just as Stephen had gone beyond taking care of the distribution of food, so Philip had begun to minister in other ways when he arrived in Samaria, as we can read in Acts 8:5-8 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there. When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said. With shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and crippled were healed. So there was great joy in that city.
The apostles heard that many people in Samaria had become believers in Jesus because of the preaching of Philip, so they sent Peter and John to confirm what was happening, as we can read in Acts 8:14-17 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptised into the Name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
These believers had been born again and the Holy Spirit was residing on the inside of them. But they had not yet been empowered by the Holy Spirit through the Baptism with the Holy Spirit. That was necessary in order for them to fulfil the task that God had for them, just as it had been necessary for all the other believers to be baptised with the Holy Spirit, so they could fulfil their God-given task. Therefore, Peter and John prayed over them, so that these believers in Samaria would receive the Baptism with the Holy Spirit as well.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Question 1a. According to Acts 8:1b, what happened to the Church in Jerusalem after the
stoning of Stephen?
Answer: According to Acts 8:1b, after the stoning of Stephen a great persecution broke out
against the Church at Jerusalem.
Question 1b. According to Acts 8:1b,where did the believers flee to?
Answer: According to Acts 8:1b, all the believers, except the Apostles were scattered
throughout Judea and Samaria.
Question 2. Who ended up in a city in Samaria?
Answer: Someone named Philip ended up in a city in Samaria.
Question 3. In which bible passage is Philip mentioned first?
Answer: Philip is first mentioned in Acts 6:5
“This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of
faith and of the Holy Spirit, also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon,
Parmenas and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.”
Question 4a. According to Acts 8:5-8, what did Philip do when he was in Samaria?
Answer: According to Acts 8:5-8, Philip began to proclaim Christ there.
Question 4b. According to Acts 8:5-8, what else did Philip do?
Answer: According to Acts 8:5-8, Philip did miraculous signs as well.
Question 4c. According to Acts 8:5-8, what happened to the people Philip ministered to?
Answer: According to Acts 8:5-8, many peopled were delivered from evil spirits and many
paralytics and crippled people were healed.
Question 4d. According to Acts 8:5-8, were the people pleased with Philip’s ministry?
Answer: According to Acts 8:5-8, the people were very pleased with Philip’s ministry and
there was great joy in the city.
Question 5a. According to Acts 8:14-17, who did the Apostles send to Samaria?
Answer: According to Acts 8:14-17, the Apostles sent Peter and John to the people in
Samaria.
Question 5b. According to Acts 8:14-17, when Peter and John arrived in Samaria what did
they do?
Answer: According to Acts 8:14-17,when Peter and John arrived in Samaria they prayed for
the people that they might receive Holy Spirit because the Holy Spirit had not yet
come upon any of them; they had simply been baptised in the Name of the Lord
Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on the people and they received the
Holy Spirit.
Question 6. Were these people in Samaria born again after Philip had preached to them?
Answer: After Philip had preached to these people in Samaria they had been born again.
Question 7. Was the Holy Spirit residing on the inside of these believers in Samaria after they
had believed?
Answer: Yes, the Holy Spirit was residing on the inside of these believers in Samaria after
they had been born again.
Question 8. Had these believers in Samaria already been empowered by the Holy Spirit
through the Baptism with the Holy Spirit?
Answer: These believers in Samaria had not yet been empowered by the Holy Spirit through
the Baptism with the Holy Spirit.
Question 9. Why did these believers in Samaria need to receive the Baptism with the
Holy Spirit?
Answer: These believers in Samaria needed to receive the Baptism with the Holy Spirit in
order for them to fulfil the task that God had for them, just as it had been necessary
for all the other believers to be baptised with the Holy Spirit so they could fulfil their
God-given task. Therefore, Peter and John prayed over them so that these believers
in Samaria would receive the Baptism with the Holy Spirit as well.