![]() He appeared in a town about 20 miles north of Gaza.Īs for the Ethiopian, he rejoiced and returned to his country. The Ethiopian Eunuch was baptized and afterwards the Spirit caught Philip up. “ If you believe in Jesus with all your heart,” Philip replied. They drove past some water and the man asked if he could be baptized. Philip asked the man, “ Do you understand what you are reading?” This man who was great in his country and rich in influence said, “ How can I? I need someone to help me.” Philip joined him in the chariot and proceeded to preach Jesus to this man. “Candace” is the title, not the name of the Queen. This man was the Treasurer for Queen Candace, which is a title like “Pharaoh” in Egypt. The man in the chariot is called the Ethiopian Eunuch in scripture, but he probably was from a nation just below Egypt and not from Ethiopia. When Philip was close, he heard the man reading from the Old Testament book of Isaiah. The Holy Spirit told Philip to go and overtake the chariot. He obeyed right away and without question. Meanwhile, an angel appeared to Philip and told him to travel to Gaza. Simon asked Peter to pray for him so that the things Peter said would not happen. Peter looked at him and rebuked him! He told Simon that a gift of God cannot be purchased with money, that Simon was full of bitterness and sin, and that he needed to repent and maybe he could be forgiven. Simon watched this and exclaimed to Peter, “ I want the power to do that! How much can I pay you?” When they laid their hands on the people, the Holy Spirit filled them. Simon decided to believe in Jesus and be baptized as well.įor some reason the Holy Spirit had not come to these new Christians after they had been baptized. Simon followed Philip amazed at all of the miracles and wonders that happened through him. Lives were being changed and people were being baptized. Philip started preaching and people started to believe him and in Jesus. There was a man name Simon the Sorcerer, who had made, and claimed, himself great in the community by practicing sorcery so that all the people said that he had great power. Philip went to Samaria and preached Jesus to the people. ![]() ![]() All people who love Jesus are told to help spread the gospel, but sometimes God chooses specific people to totally dedicate their lives to preaching Jesus to other people. Like Stephen, he was a man of good reputation, wise, and full of the Holy Spirit. They went to Judea, Samaria, and to even farther lands.Īnother deacon was named Philip. Persecution of the early church began with the death of Stephen. He arrested men, women and children, and even had people put to death. That is what happened when Saul went after the early church. Picture a cow walking into a store that sells a lot of glass items.He knew that these people who followed Jesus were wrong and were causing trouble. He was a Pharisee, loved God, and loved God’s law. When Stephen was stoned, those who were throwing the rocks laid their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul. The only way to really know what they were was to taste them. Can we be sure that we are saved from our sins? Use this Acts 8 Bible lesson about a sorcerer and an Ethiopian to explore the idea of experiencing God and total heart change.
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