Acts 8

Happy Chinese New Year!  May the blessings of the Lord be abundant in your life and you and your family continue to live and serve in the will of the Lord.

The CNY celebrations are often marked with gatherings with families and friends, some whom we may not have seen since the last new year celebrations.  In the midst of all the merriment and festivities, I find a good reminder for me when I read today’s passage.  Let’s rd it first and see if you share the same sentiments as me.

Bible Passage: Acts 8

In all the previous chapters of Acts, the believers were all still in Jerusalem.  With the down pouring of the Holy Spirit, miracles and signs and wonders accompanied the believers.  The apostles were boldly preaching the Gospel and many came to believe.

But there was still one problem.  It was mostly in Jerusalem and certainly quite different from the beginning of Acts where we learned that the believers were to be the witnesses of Jesus, first in Jerusalem, then Judea, Samaria and then to the ends of the world (Acts 1: 8).  This chapter marks the start of that plan being fulfilled as due to persecution, the believers started to move out of Jerusalem to other parts of the world.  And as they fled, they brought the gospel along with them.  Today, we read about how the Gospel spread to Samaria and to a person of great importance from a far off land.

Called to Be Witnesses

Acts is a book about witness.  Instead of being intimidated by persecutions that caused them to flee their homes, they preached the Word wherever they went.

Situations considered bleak, hopeless, and less than ideal for evangelism was transformed into fertile opportunities for the services to the Lord!

Some of the scattered converted went to Samaria – a region typically avoided by the Jews because of their ethnic and moral prejudices.  The Samaritans were relatives who unfortunately have chosen or forced to be mixed the Assyrians and other races.  Hence, they were no longer considered to be true worshipers of God.

But Philip had a fruitful ministry there (Acts 7:5-8).

In an unexpected encounter with an angel, Philip was commanded to leave his effective ministry in Samaria to embark on a 50 mile hike to Gaza.  On his way there, he met an Ethiopian eunuch reading about the prophecy concerning Jesus which he could not understand.  Philip’s attempt to answer he Ethiopian’s question gave him an opportunity to present the gospel.

And Philip baptized this foreigner who he had just met! (Acts 7:26-39).

I am not sure how or what your family gatherings are like for the new year.  I have a large family on both of my parents’ side and typically, we would gather at one place for a big meal together.  Despite both sides of my family growing up in the True Jesus Church, sad to say, some of my relatives no longer come to church.

Some have lost their faith.  Some still retain some bit of faith but because of various reasons, they have not stepped back to church for a long long time.  Some were married to the family but were not yet introduced to the church because their spouses do not come to church.

The reminder for me today is this… will I make use of the opportunities provided for me during this new year to be a witness for Christ?

I may not have been persecuted because of my faith but I have been called to make a stand for it in the past in front of my relatives.  But I do know some members who have been shunned or spoken ill of because of their faith in Jesus and this time of the year can be a little bit difficult.

Some have tried over many years and the situation remains bleak – where there has been no response.

Some of us have relatives who have drifted away from church for so long that we no longer know what to say to them.

For some of us, we may meet with strangers for the first time or it may be a relative whom we do not really know because we never actually talked to them before.

These are all opportunities for us to open our mouths and speak.

I know, I know.  You are scared to open you mouth as you are not sure what the response would be and if it would lead to some unhappiness.

Let me tell you this… so am I!

But boldness begins with a decision to obey the call to witness.

Did you notice the result of the preaching in just this chapter alone?

Go and read it again and underline the word “joy” or similar words.  The result of the gospel preached was joy in the lives of all… not just the recipient but also the messenger!   And JOY is something we all would like to have in this new year isn’t it?

May God be with us in this joyful new year!