The physician Luke shared after Simon saw Peter and John pray for the Holy Spirit to fall upon the believers in Samaria, Simon desired to purchase the power they demonstrated. However, “Peter said unto him, Your money perish with you, because you have thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. You have neither part nor lot in this matter: for your heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. For I perceive that you are in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity. Then answered Simon, and said, Pray to the Lord for me, that none of these things which you have spoken come upon me”, and in chapter eight and verse twenty-five of the book of Acts Luke shared how the apostles, “returned to Jerusalem , and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans”, where we read:
And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem,
and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.
The verse begins, “And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, ...” Luke began with the words, “and they” which means “and Peter and John”, “when they had testified” or “at the time and moment Peter and John bore witness and and earnestly attested” “and preached the word” which means “and heralded, spoke and proclaimed the speech, sayings, decrees and mandate” “of the Lord” or “belonging to the One to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, and the title to God the Messiah”, “returned to Jerusalem” which means “went back to the city of Jerusalem whose name means set you double peace and is the capital of Palestine”. Luke shared how “Peter and John” bore witness, proclaimed God's word and went back to Jerusalem.
The verse continues, “... and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.”. Luke added the words, “and preached the gospel” which means “and heralded, spoke and proclaimed the good news of Jesus Christ” “in many villages” or “in a large, great and abundant number of towns, habitations, and dwelling places” “of the Samaritans” which means “belonging to the inhabitants of Samaria”. Luke shared how “Peter and John” also proclaimed the “good news” of Jesus Christ in an abundant number of “towns and dwelling places” located in the “Samaritan” region.
When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we learn how “Peter and John” continued to spread the “gospel” as they traveled through the region of “Samaria”. God's word was expanding, and people were being given an opportunity to receive Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord”. God wants a personal relationship with everyone, and when they yield themselves to His Son Jesus, He will forgive their sins and grant them everlasting life. Let everyone who is reading these words hear and respond to the “good news” of Jesus Christ and surrender themselves to Him.
Next time Luke shares how an angel tells Philip, “Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goes down from Jerusalem unto Gaza”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
No comments:
Post a Comment