Missionary to Samaria
When Philip reappears in the biblical record, we find him in Samaria, the area north of Judea. Jesus had predicted that His followers would become missionaries not only in Jerusalem but " 'in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth' " (Acts 1:8, NIV). Now Philip is part of the fulfillment of this prophecy but perhaps not in the way he and the other believers would have predicted.
The leaders did not send Philip to Samaria as a missionary. He was not part of the early church's Global Mission plan to reach unentered areas.
Read Acts 8:1-5. What events caused Philip to flee to Samaria? What did the scattered believers do when they fled?
After the stoning of Stephen, Saul's persecution of the Christian church grew stronger, and all the believers, except the 12 apostles, scattered. This is the first example we see in history of the underground church. Many times since then we have seen God's faithful followers driven into hiding for their faith. Even today, in many parts of the world, Adventist believers are forced to worship in secret.
As they scattered, these believers "preached the word wherever they went" (Acts 8:4, NIV). Ironically, persecution ensured that the good news spread more widely. What other examples of this happening can you think of?
The key word is defile, which in Hebrew means just that, to "pollute, defile." Thus, for these young men, the issue was not just healthful living or a mere preference. It was a moral issue.
What kind of excuses could they have made to themselves to justify eating the food?
This was a terrible time for the early Christians—forced from home, scattered to foreign areas, living in fear of further attacks. Philip was the father of four daughters, and no doubt this would have been a stressful time for his family (Acts 21:9). And yet, despite their difficult circumstances, Philip and the other Christian believers continued to share the good news of Jesus faithfully.
| Despite the trials, the believers worked hard to spread the message. Why? Because they had a sense of mission, of purpose. Why are so many of us lacking that same sense of mission? Could it be because we are too busy looking inward and not outward, too busy thinking of our own needs and not the needs of a lost world? Think about this and be prepared to discuss your thoughts on Sabbath. |
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