Conversion of the Samaritans
Acts 8:1-25

 Today, the word Samaritan might stir fonder thoughts of people than it did during New Testament times due largely to our Lord’s parable about the “Good Samaritan.” That parable had a huge impact because His Jewish audience did not think very highly of the Samaritans. In fact, they considered them less than human beings. It is however, interesting that until the rise of Assyrian power in the ancient Near East, the tribes of Ephraim and the western portion of the tribe of Manasseh occupied Samaria. Also, many of the sites in Samaria held important places in Israelite history. Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal was the scene of the covenant renewal ceremony in Joshua’s time Josh 8:30-35. Shechem, situated near Mount Gerizim, was an ancient Canaanite town that regained its earlier prosperity during the monarchy. The Samaritans at the time of the beginning of the church were a "mixed race" contaminated by foreign blood and false worship. The Jewish historian Josephus indicates that the Samaritans were also opportunists. When the Jews enjoyed prosperity, the Samaritans were quick to acknowledge their blood relationship. But when the Jews suffered hard times, the Samaritans disowned any such kinship, declaring that they were descendants of Assyrian immigrants. These were the people of Samaria, the people a gospel preacher by the name of Philip preached to. A great persecution was taking place against the church, which was at Jerusalem, and the brethren were being scattered.  We see the fulfillment of Acts 1:8 which tells us that the gospel would start in Jerusalem and reach out to the remotest part of the earth.

Preaching Christ

The apostles remained in Jerusalem but others were scattered and preached the Word of God as they went. Philip was one of those who left to preach the gospel. When Philip entered Samaria he began to preach.  The Bible tells us what he preached, he…”preached Christ to them” Acts 8:5. We learn from the 25^th verse of this same chapter, that preaching Christ is equivalent to preaching the gospel and preaching the word of the Lord.  It is one and the same. In order to preach Christ you must preach Him fully. Notice Acts 20:20, 27, “how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, (27) For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.” We must not use the gospel as we do a “smorgasbord” eating what and how much we want. When I occasion a smorgasbord I don’t bother with eating vegetables and salad. I head straight for the meat and potatoes. Give me the things I like, forget the peas, give me beef! Christ must be preached in His entirety. That includes what we like to hear and what we don’t like to hear. Not only should we hear of the spiritual blessings available to the faithful, but also we need to hear about the punishment to the disobedient. Christ needs to be preached as a Savior Titus 2:13-14, as saving the obedient Heb 5:9, as God’s prophet Acts 3:22, as High Priest Heb 3:1, as King 1 Tim 6:15, and as judge Acts 10:32.

Results of Philip's Preaching

The people of Samaria had been previously exposed to magic from the local sorcerer and heeded him because of his trickery. Not the most favorable conditions for the gospel. However, the people heard the gospel being preached, it was confirmed by the miracles performed by Philip and there was great joy in the city (vs. 8). Why? The people believed and were baptized (vs. 12). If the Bible tells us that a gospel preacher preached Christ to a group of people and the result is baptism, there must be a connection.  Well, there is. Jesus told his disciples before ascending to heaven what people must do to become disciples of His. Mk 16:15-16 says, “And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”

There is another example of this connection in the same chapter of Acts.  Later on Philip was preaching to the Ethiopian Eunuch.  After meeting the eunuch and asking him about the scripture he was reading the Bible says, “Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him” Acts 8:35. Notice the result, “So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him” Acts 8:38. Notice also this similarity. Acts 8:39 says, “Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.” People rejoice when they obey the gospel knowing they have obeyed the will of God and been added to the family of God, washed of their sins and starting life as new creatures. The Samaritans rejoiced because of their newfound position in life. They too, are new creatures in Christ. No matter how diverse their background, no matter how much they had strayed from God’s will. They were now converted.

Won’t you become a new creature?

 Carlos Aguilar

Home and Family:

Teaching And Training Our Children

"I'll not teach my child anything about religion yet," stated a man as he walked along with the English poet, Samuel Coleridge. "I'll let him grow up; and when he is old enough to judge, he can see and choose for himself." As they stopped at his garden plot, Coleridge said, "I thought I wanted to set out strawberry slips here this spring, but you've given me a new idea. I'll wait until August, and then I'll see whether this garden really prefers strawberry plants or whether it would rather have weeds in it."

Like a garden, weeds will grow in the heart of a child unbidden. Solomon said, "Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction will drive it far from him." Prov 22:15. This isn't to run down children, but that's just the character of them. Even when an adult acts in an immature manner, we say that he or she is childish, don't we? These weeds of foolishness can only be driven out by proper discipline. And it's never too soon to root out the weeds, and to plant the good seed instead.

It's the responsibility of parents to teach their children to know, love, and obey the Lord. It's always been that way. God said of Abraham, "For I know him that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment.” Gen 18:19. In Deut 6:5-7 Moses commanded Israel, "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children…” Eph 6:4 says, "And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.”

We parents are responsible to God for the children He has placed in our hands. We are to mold them as best we can into instruments of glory and honor for the Lord. We are responsible for what we turn loose on society. We must pull up the weeds of worldliness as they appear and instead plant the pure seed, the word of God. "Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.” Prov 22:6

~ Written and/or Compiled by Tom Sutherland

How To Change People

The mission of the church is to change people. Our object should never be that of just winning an argument or making a point. Our goal should never be just to "put down" someone; rather, we want them to change their minds and their lives to conform with the saving gospel of Christ. To this end, all of our collective and individual efforts should be devoted. It therefore behooves us to consider how we might get people to change. There are only three possible ways by which men have ever been changed:

By Force; 
By Purchase;
Or By persuasion.

Men and even nations have been changed by the use of physical force. When a person's life or physical welfare is sufficiently threatened by the use of force, he will usually submit to the will of another. The history books are full of examples of this kind of change. Likewise, if a sufficient price or consideration is offered to most people, they will change their lives to conform to the will of the purchaser. This is readily recognized in the area of wages or even bribes. Man's conduct is also changed by the power of persuasion. When compelling reasons are given for a different course of action, a person may frequently be convinced to change both his mind and his conduct.

Now, of these three ways by which man can be changed, which is/are acceptable for use by Christians? It should be obvious that neither Force nor Purchase is acceptable in trying to change others. Neither one of these methods has anything to do with changing the mind of the individual. These methods might change his actions. But they will not change his convictions. Belief in what is right cannot be imposed on the human mind by either force or money. Even the change in conduct wrought by these methods lasts only as long as the force or the money holds out.

The only tool, therefore, left to the Christian is the power of Persuasion. This is precisely as God has ordained it:

"Therefore knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men..." -- 2 Cor 5:1
"...and he was explaining to them by solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God, and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening." -- Acts 28:23

Our Lord is not interested in forced service or bribed obedience. He is interested in people being persuaded to "obey from the heart" Rom 6:17. God desires a transformation of the whole man which begins with "the renewing of your mind" Rom 12:2.

While the power of persuasion is all we have, it is enough! The only thing that renders it ineffective is our refusal or negligence to use it. May God always find us busily engaged in using the power of persuasion to change men.

~Bob West in The Milpitas Messenger

"Give a man to fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will eat for the rest of his life."
-Chinese Proverb