Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. Now when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.
-- Acts 8:4-5, 14-17, 25, ESV
Dark days had descended upon the disciples of Christ in the early church. Stephen, the first deacon, had been stoned to death for proclaiming the gospel. Saul of Tarsus, a prominent Pharisee, was hunting down Christians like a Nazi going after Jews. But out of this darkness, a light began to shine.
The first hand to carry the torch of the gospel out of Judea and into Samaria was Philip, the second deacon mentioned after the late Stephen. He would be aided in shining the light by Apostles Peter and John. And when Philip moved onward to Gaza and Caesarea, and the Apostles returned to their home base in Jerusalem, the light was still shining in a brand-new, Spirit-filled church in Samaria.
Fresh from those dark days in Jerusalem, Philip shows up in Samaria with the light of the gospel. "Much joy" was experienced as many "believed" and were "baptized," the proper ritual for professing one's faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The people living in the darkness of Samaria had seen a great light, the light of Christ in the light of the gospel, preached plainly by Philip.
Lost souls are like Samaria. They are darkened by depravity, sin, and separation from God. They desperately need light, not the light and laser shows of the modern megachurch, not the false light of the psychotherapeutic sermons from prosperity preachers, but the true light of the biblical gospel of Jesus Christ, shared by Christians, preached by pastors, and put on display by the sacraments of the church. The gospel is God's light to the world and Philip let it shine.
Appearances indicate that while Stephen brought the light of the gospel into Samaria, it was Peter and John who brought the light of the Spirit. Admittedly, this part of the story has caused some confusion in the church for years. Different interpretations can be offered, but what we see here is sort of a second Pentecost. At the first Christian Pentecost in Jerusalem, the believers already believed by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives. But they did receive a corporate anointing of the Spirit on that day, a confirmation and commissioning as it were, to preach the gospel to the world.
With Philip the light of the gospel came to the world of Samaria. With Peter and John, the light of the Holy Spirit commissioned the second great congregation in church history. The light of the gospel was pure, the light of the Spirit was powerful, but the light of the church, then and now, sends forth a mixed signal.
Into the dark region of Samaria, the light of the gospel came. Into souls darkened by unbelief, syncretism, and mysticism, the light of the Holy Spirit regenerated hearts and granted faith and repentance. When people who profess faith in Christ are baptized and get together for worship and the work of God, you have an established light called the church.
But when the gospel and the Spirit came to Samaria, a false believer named Simon did not want eternal salvation, he wanted earthly power. This is true of every false Christian who winds up being a bane to the church rather than a blessing. The point here is the gospel is pure light, the Holy Spirit is pure light, but the church's light will only be perfectly purified by the second coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Ex Tenebris Lux means "Out of darkness, light." Into dark and lost souls, God sends the light of the gospel. Into spiritual death and depravity, God sends the light of His Holy Spirit. Into cities, towns, and villages where there is no true church, God sends the light of a gospel, Bible-believing, Christ-centered church, marked by the preaching of the word, the right observance of the sacraments, and a disciplined church membership. Find your light today!
Chuck DeVane is the pastor of Lake Hamilton Baptist Church. Call him at 501-525-8339 or email [email protected].