Great Joy In the City

Great Joy In the City

(No. 2352)

A SERMON INTENDED FOR READING ON LORD'S DAY, MARCH 18, 1894.

DELIVERED BY C. H. SPURGEON,

AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE, NEWINGTON. ON LORD'S-DAY EVENING,
JANUARY 22, 1888.

"And there was great joy in that city." Acts 8:8.

"Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them,"
and the result of his preaching was that "there was great joy in that
city." He had a very speedy and very remarkable success. He scarcely
opened his mouth without gaining attention and had not long proclaimed
his message before people willingly received it and many were converted
to Christ, so that, "there was great joy in that city."

What was the explanation of this wonderful blessing? Something had been
done, years before, to prepare the way for Philip. There had come to
that region a weary Man who sat on the well at Sychar and spoke to
Samaria's daughter concerning the Living Water! And she had heard,
believed and been saved. And she, fallen woman as she had been, had
gone back to the city to tell the men that she had met the Messiah,
which is called Christ. In all probability, the work done by our Lord
at Sychar had affected the whole district, so that, when Philip went to
the city of Samaria, he found there a people prepared of the Lord.
Jesus sowed the seed–Philip came and reaped the harvest!

Learn, therefore, that no good work for God is ever lost. If you have
labored in a village or town and have seen no great success, someone
else may see it. If you have prayed especially for the salvation of any
person and labored to win that one for Christ, and yet have not brought
that soul to a decision, someone else may do it. We are workers
together, as well as workers together with God–and what one man
begins, another may finish! Paul plants. Apollos waters. Someone else
may come in to gather the increase–and if God gets the Glory, what
matters it to you what part you have had in it? If your Lord and Master
was satisfied with sowing the good Seed of the Kingdom, leaving Philip
to reap the harvest, can you not be satisfied if you are called to do
work that will not yield an immediate return?

Often, during my winter's holiday, year after year, I have seen the
carts coming down towards the breakwater at Men-tone, bringing huge
masses of stone, weighing many tons, which were thrown into the sea.
For a long time, I saw no result whatever of this effort. Tremendous
blocks of stone were cast into the sea and covered by the waters. Yet I
felt persuaded that something was being done out of sight, though
nothing was visible to the eyes. After a while, the piles of stone
began to show above the surface of the water and then we saw that the
great foundation-work had been done. Now that the structure is nearly
finished and they begin to square up, and put everything in order, we
say, "how quickly the work goes on!" Yes, but it really went on just as
quickly when we could not see anything of it! Those thousands of tons
of stone were not lost–they all went to make the underwater
foundation–and whatever is built upon it, afterwards, is not to have
the credit of usefulness any more than that which lay down deep at the
bottom of the sea.

Some of us may have to work on for years and never see any result of
our toil. Let us not faint for a moment, nor be disheartened–some
other person may come, by-and-by, and all men's mouths may be filled
with wonderment at the great work that he does! And yet, after all, He
who reads history aright, even the great God who writes it, will know
that this man who seems to be so successful owes much of his usefulness
to the work of other persons who labored before him. We cannot tell how
much the Master's own service prepared the way for Philip's success
when he went down to Samaria.

And I believe that, in this great London, we shall see better and
brighter days than these, because of all the work that has been done
here in years gone by. Do not tell me that the preaching at Paul's
Cross by men who became martyrs for the faith were lost efforts! I do
not believe that those declarations of the Word of God in Smithfield,
by men who were burnt,

there, for their fidelity to Christ, will ever be lost! Let us not
imagine that the glorious testimony for Christ of the long succession
of Puritan preachers, who occupied yonder Churches across the water,
will ever be lost! Neither shall it be that the witnessing in later
times of John Newton, Romaine, Whitefield and the other faithful
preachers of the Gospel shall be in vain, and that all they did shall
be lost! No, London may be, at this time, far from what we want it to
be, but, as surely as the labors of the Christ were not lost, so the
Seed sown by those who came and labored for Him, and have now gone to
their reward, shall spring up and bring forth fruit on some happier and
sunnier day than this! When, perhaps, some of us shall sleep with our
fathers, there shall come a day when there shall be great joy in this
city as the direct result of our service for our Lord. In Cromwell's
time, if you had walked down Cheapside at a certain hour of the
morning, it is said that you would have seen every blind down because
in every house there was family prayer. And at that hour, every
morning, you might have gone from window to window and have heard the
singing of a Psalm at almost every merchant's house in the city. It is
not so, now, but it may be so again! Let us have faith in that Seed
which lies still in the ground–it only needs someone to turn it up and
it shall germinate and grow to the praise and Glory of God!

That is a long preface, you will say, for me to have. Well, put up with
it for once and let us now come to the text, "There was great joy in
that city."

I. And, first, it was A JOY BORN OF A GREAT SORROW. Usually, that is
the best kind of joy. Joys of that sort are like Jabez who was more
honorable than his brethren–and his mother called his name Jabez, that
is, sorrowful, because she bore him with sorrow. The good which comes
to us through that which is apparently an evil is usually the best of
all good things.

Now, the great sorrow out of which this joy in Samaria came was this.
There had been persecution in Jerusalem, terrible persecution. Saul and
other enemies of the Truth of God were making havoc in the Church. Good
men were taken to prison, excellent Christian Sisters were shut up in
jail as evildoers. Some were cruelly treated–numbers were put to
death. Thank God, we do not know, in the real sense, what persecution
is, for they cannot do much to us, nowadays, except expose us to the
trial of cruel mockery, and there is not much in that to hurt us. But
in Jerusalem the Church of God had to bear fierce persecution. Yet it
was that persecution that made the disciples go abroad, everywhere
preaching the Word!

The second sorrow that they had was scattering, for it is a great grief
to people who have lived together in holy fellowship to be divided, for
families to be broken up, for good men who used to meet at the same
place for prayer, to be able, no more, to see one another's faces. Men
naturally cling to their homes, but those good folk had to flee from
their homes and go wherever they could, to escape from the edge of the
sword. But it was through this scattering that the blessing reached
Samaria.

Worse than that, death itself came into the Church at Jerusalem.
Besides others who were put to death, Stephen, the first martyr, fell a
victim to the persecutors' rage. He was a good man and true, a worthy
leader of the host of God. He died a dreadful death, but through the
scattering that followed his death, Philip was made to go down to
Samaria and so, "There was great joy in that city." Sometimes, dear
Friends, it is a blessing to a Church to have a great trial. I am
persuaded that it is a good thing for some men to have to encounter a
great difficulty. I confess that I owe almost everything to the forge,
the fire, the file and the hammer. How little good we get out of our
sweets–and how much we extract from our bitters! This Church at
Jerusalem, by sore travail, became the mother of the saints in Samaria,
and it was not without hard trials and dire struggles that she became
useful to others.

I want this Church, at this time, to feel that it is called upon by God
to awaken itself before any great and overwhelming trial comes. Let us
begin to feel for the vast city in which we dwell–and if any of you
are under the pressure of the present distress, or if you are tried by
the loss of some dear one at home–just as these trials worked on the
whole Church at Jerusalem, so let them work, in their measure, upon
you, stirring you up to seek the souls of men and to bring others to
know and love our Lord Jesus Christ! Oh, that there were such a heart
in the thousands of our Church members that everyone desired the
conversion of his neighbor! Oh, that we began to feel an inward anguish
for those about us who are perishing through sheer
indifference–perishing while the glorious Gospel is proclaimed so near
to them! Oh, that the great sorrow that some of us have had to bear of
late might become the mother of a great joy to many others! It was so
in Philip's day–there was much joy in Samaria because there had been
much grief in Jerusalem.

II. But now, secondly, IT WAS A JOY OCCASIONED BY ONE MAN'S
PREACHING–"there was great joy in that city." It was one man's
preaching that caused it. Philip went down to Samaria and preached
Christ–and the great joy was the result of his preaching.

Notice who it was that preached–it was Philip. Now Philip was a Jew
and he might have said–perhaps he did say– that he was a very
unlikely person to succeed in Samaria, for the Jews had no dealings
with the Samaritans–and the Samaritans did not care to have any
dealings with the Jews. They were nations remarkably like one another
and yet strongly antagonistic to one another. They could not stand each
other and yet, you see, it was the preaching of a Jew that was blessed
to the people of Samaria! Never say again, dear Friend, "I must not go
there. I am not a proper person for that place." How do you know? The
most unlikely person in the esteem of men may be the very person who is
the special choice of God. Jew or no Jew, Philip is sent to preach the
Gospel and to preach it to every creature and, therefore, he goes to
Samaria! It must have seemed strange to him that this door of utterance
was opened to him, that he was welcomed by the Samaritans who were so
hostile to the Jews. I say again, dear Friends, never let us keep back
from trying to do good anywhere, and everywhere–and never let any one
of us say of any people, "I could not speak to them." Why not? Go, and
try. "They are too cultured," says one. Cultured people are often
impressed by natural, wild bird notes. "Oh, they are too ignorant,"
says another. It may be your ignorance that makes you think so, but do
not, because you have been better educated than they, be so proud as to
disdain to speak to them, for if so, it will prove that you are not
very well educated, yet, and need a great deal more of the right kind
of training. "Oh, but I know that my profession and my trade, and so
on, are against me!" Never mind what is against you–go and do your
duty–and God will bless you.

The next thing about Philip was that he was not a regular minister. He
was one of the seven deacons chosen by the Apostles and by the Church
at Jerusalem to look after the poor members, that the Apostles might be
able to give their whole attention to the ministry of the Word and to
prayer. Yes, but then anybody may preach the Gospel, anybody who can
preach ought to preach! And instead of its being the business of a few
select gentlemen to go and preach the Gospel, is it not written, "Let
him that hears, say, Come"? All you who have heard the Gospel should
endeavor to tell it to others! And the question of every Christian man
should not be, "May I preach the Gospel?"–That you may certainly
do–but, "Can I preach the Gospel? Have I such power of preaching it
that anybody will listen to me? If nobody will listen, it is clear that
it is of no use for me to preach. But if I can so speak that others
will hear. If I have the gifts, I am bound to use them, and I ought to
try to see whether I have the gifts, or not, for, perhaps I have them
and do not know it." It was Philip, the deacon, whose preaching brought
joy to this city! Therefore, preach away, my Brothers! Speak in the
name of God as best you can on behalf of the Lord Jesus, for in these
days there are many who are speaking against Him. This is an additional
reason why no tongue that can speak a word for Him should remain
silent.

But we are also told that this deacon, Philip, was a man of excellent
character. When the deacons were to be chosen, the Apostles said to the
members of the Church at Jerusalem, "Look out among you seven men of
honest report, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint
over this business." Philip was one of the seven and, therefore, we
know that he was a man of sterling character. That is very essential to
the preaching that will make a city glad. He was also a man full of the
Holy Spirit and that is the chief qualification for a preacher of the
Gospel. All the learning in the world is not worth a penny to a man
unless he is filled with the Holy Spirit! When the Spirit of God rests
upon any man, He enables the preacher to speak with the power that
reaches the heart and the conscience. Without that power, nothing can
be done–therefore seek it, my Brothers. When you try to labor for God,
do it in the power of the Holy Spirit.

But really, I do not care to say much more about who the preacher in
Samaria was because that does not signify much. I wish that people did
not so often take notice of who the preacher is–the principal question
is, What is preached?

What did Philip preach? We are not left in doubt about this matter, for
we are told that, "Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached
Christ to them." Yes, that is the preaching that brings great joy to a
city! "He preached Christ to them." He told them that Jesus of
Nazareth, who was born at Bethlehem, and who died on Calvary, is the
Son of God, the Messiah, the Sent One! That Jesus is, Himself, both God
and Man, and that He has come here as a messenger of peace from God to
man.

Philip preached Christ to them as the one Sacrifice for sin, telling
them that Jesus died, the Just for the unjust, to bring them to God. He
preached to them of the great Substitution of Christ for sinners and of
all the grief He bore in the place of guilty men–and he bade them
believe in this Christ that they might obtain the pardon of all their
sins, full justifi-

cation in the sight of God and power to become the children of God! He
preached Christ, also, as their Sanctifier, telling them that Jesus
could change their natures, take the stony heart out of their flesh and
give them a heart of flesh, so that they would love that which once
they hated, and hate what once they loved. Philip preached Jesus Christ
of Nazareth as the great Heart-Changer, the true Moral Reformer, the
Man who turns things upside down and puts evil where it ought to
be–under men's feet–and implants His Grace as a reigning power for
holiness within their souls. Thus he preached Christ to them. He did
not preach up what they could do– he preached what Christ had
done–and he bade them come and accept the work of Christ, all finished
and complete! He bade them quit all other confidences and come and
confide in the Lord Jesus Christ. He did not so much try to preach them
to Christ, as to preach Christ to them–and there is a distinction
between these two things, though the great end in preaching Christ to a
sinner is also to preach the sinner to Christ.

Beloved Friends, I delight to preach to you all the doctrines which I
find in God's Word, but I desire always to preach the Person of Christ
above the doctrine–the doctrine is but the chair in which Christ sits
as a Prophet to instruct us. Christ Himself is still alive! He has
risen from the dead! He has gone into Heaven, but He is observant of
all that is going on here, below–He is making intercession for sinners
and if you trust that living Savior, He will save you. Oh, that you
would do so! This is the Gospel we have to preach to you, and this it
is which, if it is received, will make you glad. It was this that
caused great joy in the city of Samaria!

Thus, you see, it was a joy that was born of a great sorrow, and a joy
produced by the preaching of one man. You have heard who he was and
what he preached.

III. Now, thirdly, IT WAS A JOY WHICH HAD ABUNDANT CAUSE–"There was
great joy in that city."

First, there was joy in Samaria because the Gospel was preached there.
If men did but know it, the greatest gift a city can have is to have
the Gospel preached in it. Remember the old motto of the city of
Glasgow, "Let Glasgow flourish by the preaching of the Word." No city
flourishes so well as that which has a clear, powerful Gospel bell
ringing in the midst of it! It is a famishing city which has not the
Bread of Life, but it is a flourishing city which has the Bread of Life
freely dispensed from the pulpit every Sabbath by loving hands.

But there was still more joy in Samaria because there were signs of
blessing going with the Gospel. Unclean spirits were driven out of
those who had been possessed by them and lame and paralyzed persons
were made to walk! We work no such miracles, now, in the physical
world, but we work them in the spiritual realm–out of many men have we
seen the evil spirits go as the cup of devils has been abandoned!
Filthy blasphemy has been given up and their speech has been seasoned
with salt! Fornication has been forsaken, uncleanness of life has been
hated and left, theft and dishonesty of every kind have become
detestable! We have seen these miracles worked again and again. We have
some among us at this time to whom we might say, "And such were some of
you, but you are washed." The Gospel has washed, cleansed and changed
them–and it is going to do the same for others, for Jesus Christ has
come to cast unclean spirits out of those who are possessed by them,
and to make some receive Divine strength who have, up to now, been
palsied so far as any holy action is concerned–that they may,
henceforth, run gladly in the ways of God and give up their whole lives
to His service and Glory. Oh, that it might be so with many here,
tonight! If it is so, there will be great joy in this city!

Once more, there was great joy in Samaria because so many believed and
were saved. He that believes in Jesus Christ is saved! The moment that
he believes, his nature is changed, his sins are forgiven and his heart
is renewed. This great work is done in a moment, but it is never
undone! The new life commences with the miraculous, regenerating work
of the Holy Spirit and that miracle is of such a character that it
continues to thrill throughout the entire man until, at last, he is
brought safely to Heaven, made perfectly like the Lord Jesus Christ.

There was also great joy in Samaria because of the changed lives of
those who believed. When a man is converted, he does not doubt the
power of the Gospel that converted him. And when men see the changed
lives of well-known sinners, they are made to believe that the Gospel
that works such transformations must be true or, if they doubt it, they
do so in the teeth of the most plain evidence. If our preaching does
not turn men from drunkenness to sobriety, from thieving to honesty,
from unchastity to purity, then our Gospel is not worth a button! But
if it does all this, then this shall be the evidence that it comes from
God, seeing that in the world so sorely diseased by sin, it works the
wondrous miracle of curing men of these deadly evils!

O my dear Friends, what a happy city Samaria was when it was full of
men healed, saved, converted and rejoicing in

Christ!

IV. And this is the point I am trying to reach in concluding my
discourse. THIS IS THE JOY WHICH WE DESIRE TO SEE REPEATED IN
LONDON–"There was great joy in that city."

We long to have this great joy in London! We want to see desperate
souls made happy. My friend over yonder, who has been indulging dark
thoughts about whether he can manage to live any longer–his hand
almost feels for the fatal knife– live, poor Soul, live! There is
hope, there is joy even for you! Jesus Christ is willing to forgive the
chief of sinners! He is ready to renew the most debauched and depraved
of men! He is able to make a saint of you! He can, at this moment, take
the burden from your heart and commence a work in you which shall make
you a totally new man! What do you say to this? If you can believe in
Jesus, there will begin to be joy in this city, for there will be joy
in your heart! I remember the day when I despaired of finding
salvation, when I could not think that my sin would ever be forgiven,
but that voice, "Look unto Me, and be you saved, all the ends of the
earth," was a word of life and love to my soul! And I would repeat it,
tonight, to those in this audience who are in the depths of despair. Do
not give yourself up–God has not given you up! Do not sign your own
death warrant–God has not signed it. "Come unto Me," says Christ, "all
you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Were
you, poor sinful woman, almost hiding away for very shame? Come along
with you! Remember what Luke wrote concerning Christ, "Then drew near
unto Him all the publicans and sinners to hear Him," and He preached to
them the blessed Word of Life! Oh, hear it tonight! Believe in Him and
live! And there will begin to be joy in this city when despairing souls
are made happy by a holy confidence in Christ!

Well, then, dear Friends, suppose, also, that some sinful men and women
should be changed in character–what joy there will be in this city!
The man who used to swear and curse, goes home like a lamb. What a joy
for his wife as well as for himself! The man who was known to the
police–better known than one might like to be–suppose that he should
become known as much for his integrity and uprightness as he has been
for his wrong-doing? What a change for him and what a change for all
around him! It is amazing what an amount of misery some men cause to
others. O you wretched creatures, it is a marvel that God Almighty
should let you live at all when you beat your wives and blast your
children's lives almost from the day of their birth with your
drunkenness and blasphemy! But if the Lord comes and changes you, and
you give up the drink, and you become Christians, truly following
Christ, what joy there will be in this city!

Why, there are some men whom I have known, whose wives would hardly
recognize them if they became kind and spoke tenderly to them! If they
were to bring home all their wages on Saturday night, the wife would
say, "Whatever has come over Charlie? I cannot imagine what has caused
such a change as this." And if, instead of a word and a blow, or a blow
without a word, such a man were to become gentle, kind and amiable–ah,
well, it would not matter that you had lived in one room, it would not
matter that you had but scanty wages–all that would soon be altered!
But even if it were not immediately changed, there would come rays of
sunlight through that dirty window and the house, itself, would
speedily become clean and bright! And when there is a happy father and
a happy mother, there would soon be happy children! Yes, there is joy
in a city when such a change as this is worked in men and women who
have gone far into sin.

Now you suppose that I am speaking only to the poor, but I am doing
nothing of the kind! Why, there are some men who are rolling in riches,
yet they are grumpy, stingy and quarrelling with everybody in the
house–from the youngest servant right up to the wife! They make
everybody unhappy by their wicked ways. The Lord have mercy upon you
poor rich people who do not know what you want, but are always wanting
something or other! May God give you new hearts and right spirits–and
teach you the sacred art of living according to the law of love! When
you once get that word, "love," thoroughly worked into your nature, and
into your lives, there will be joy in your house and, as houses make up
a city, by-and-by, this wondrous work of Grace will make great joy in
this city! The practical effect of Christianity is happiness, therefore
let it be spread abroad everywhere! Let men begin to think about one
another and care for one another and minister to one another's comfort
and, before long, the sure result of the Gospel, faithfully preached,
and cheerfully accepted, and lovingly manifested, will be great joy in
the city!

Oh, but what great joy there is because of the heavenly hopes which
true religion creates within the soul! The man who is a believer in the
Lord Jesus Christ has many joys even now, for–

"'Tis religion that can give Sweetest pleasures while we live," but he
has much more bliss in reversion, for it is also true that–

"'Tis religion must supply

Solid comfort when we die. After death its joys will be Lasting as
eternity. Be the living God my Friend, Then my bliss shall never end."

What a number of Christian people there are who are very poor and, what
is worse, perhaps, very sick and often suffering great pain. But they
say to themselves, "It is not for long. We shall soon see the face of
the Well-Beloved." I do not suppose that there is a man in London
suffering more than our dear brother and deacon, William Olney. His
pain is such that if I were in his place, I would prefer death to life,
yet, if there is a happy man anywhere, he is to be found down the New
Kent Road! If there is one Brother whom I envy more than another–I do
not think I envy anybody–it is that one man. Even in the midst of his
pain, he is always peaceful, always joyful, always as merry as a
cricket because he is looking for the coming of his Lord, abiding His
will, and expecting to be with Him, soon, where He is!

Oh, dear People, if you do but get a good hope through Grace, that will
make you rich, that will make you joyful, that will make you strong! I
wish that you all had it–my very soul keeps longing within me that you
might all be converted to God! I cannot work that great miracle–it is
only the Spirit of God who can do it, but He works in answer to prayer.
I wish that all God's people would silently breathe this prayer to Him,
now, "Lord, save every sinner in this house! Bring every unconverted
one to Your feet!" He can do it, you know. Only let us cry to Him,
pleading His own promise, "I will yet for this be enquired of by the
house of Israel, to do it for them: I will increase them with men like
a flock." So let us cry to Him, "Lord, save this people! Lord, save
this people, for Jesus Christ's sake! Amen."

EXPOSITION BY C. H. SPURGEON: ACTS8.

Stephen had been stoned to death, but with his latest breath he prayed
for his murderers. Then this chapter begins– Verse 1. And Saul was
consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great
persecution against the Church which was at Jerusalem and they were all
scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except
the Apostles. Saul, having tasted blood in the murder of Stephen,
became more and more furious in his persecution of the Church of Christ
at Jerusalem–and the Brothers and Sisters had to escape for their
lives. They all did so, except the Apostles, who were specially cared
for by Divine Providence.

2. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial and made great
lamentations over him. As well they might, for his death was a serious
loss to the Church. He was one of the best workers for Christ of that
day and when he was thus put to death by the judicial murder of
stoning, the devout men who were spared to mourn his loss "made great
lamentation over him."

3. As for Saul, he made havoc of the Church, entering every house and
dragging off men and women, committing them to prison. At first, we can
hardly believe that this was the very man who later became the greatest
preacher of the Gospel and the most successful builder of the Church of
Christ, but it was even so. He was always earnest in whatever he did.
When he persecuted, he did it with all his might–and when he became
converted he preached with all his might. He was a thorough-going man.
I like these thorough-going men–they are worth saving! When they are
converted, they bring great Glory to God. The next verse tells us one
effect of the havoc worked by Saul–

4. Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching
the Word. They might have stayed at Jerusalem and made a comfortable
and strong Church, there, if they had not been persecuted, but, being
scattered abroad, they were like seed in every furrow of the field!
"They went everywhere preaching the Word." Now, out of this Church,
there is a continual drain of Brothers and Sisters who leave their
native land to go to distant colonies. Such are the pressing end of the
times, that many have to go abroad. I charge you, wherever you go,
carry the Holy Seed with you. Be yourselves a seed for Christ in every
land!

5-11. Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ
unto them. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things
which Philip spoke, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For
unclear spirits, crying with loud voices, came out of many that were
possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame,
were healed. And there was great joy in that city. But there was a
certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used
sorcery and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that he,
himself, was some great one: to whom they all gave heed, from the least
to the greatest, saying, this man is the great power of God. And to him
they had regard, because for a long time he had bewitched them with
sorceries. And there are those in all ages who set up to be
prophets–and who seek to draw men after them–of whom it is well to
beware.

12- 13. But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning
the Kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized,
both men and women. Then Simon, himself, believed, also. Simon believed
after a certain style and fashion. He saw that there was a real power
about Philip which he did not, himself, possess, and he was obliged to
bow down before the manifest Presence of God.

13- 17. And when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and
wondered beholding the miracles and signs which were done. Now when the
Apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the
Word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: who, when they were
come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit:
(for as yet He was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in
the name of the Lord Jesus). Then laid they their hands on them and
they received the Holy Spirit. That is to say, they received a share of
those miraculous gifts which attended the introduction of the Gospel of
Christ. It has therefore been supposed that certain superior persons
should visit the churches and lay their hands upon people. So they
should, if they have the power to bestow such a gift as Peter and John
gave–but to lay empty hands on the heads of men and women is a vain
ceremony! When the Apostles laid their hands on these converts in
Samaria, they received the Holy Spirit.

18-26. And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the Apostles'
hands, the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, saying, Give
me, also, this power, that on whomever I lay hands, he may receive the
Holy Spirit. But 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 you to
the Lord for me, that none of these things which you have spoken come
upon me. 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. And the angel of the Lord spoke unto Philip, saying,
Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goes down from
Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. Philip, who had been so useful to
the multitude, must now be of service to a solitary individual! My dear
Brothers, if you can gather a crowd of people together, preach the
Gospel to them! But if you cannot do that, preach the Gospel to one
person, if you can only reach one! It was a desert, but the angel of
the Lord bade Philip go there.

27. And he arose and went. Not hesitating, but at once obeying. If the
Lord should send you to the wilderness, depend upon it that He will
send somebody else there for you to bless! Go, therefore, without fear.

27, 28. And, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority
under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her
treasury and had come to Jerusalem to worship, was returning, and
sitting in his chariot read Isaiah the Prophet. He was a devout man, a
studious man, a Bible-reading man. We do not often find such persons in
great authority under queens–but here was one.

29-31. Then the Spirit said unto Philip, go near, and join yourself to
this chariot. And Philip ran there to him and heard him read the
Prophet Isaiah, and said, Do you understand what you are reading? And
he said, how can I, unless someone should guide me? And he asked Philip
to come up and sit with him. See how God honors the Christian ministry
by making even His Word to be, in some respects, insufficient for some
men! At any rate, they need that some living voice should come and
guide them into the meaning of it. Oh, that He would bless our voice,
tonight, that some who have gathered with us in this Tabernacle might
be brought to understand the Scriptures through our guidance!

32-35. The place of the Scripture which he read was this, He was led as
a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before His shearer, so
opened He not His mouth: in His humiliation His judgment was taken
away: and who shall declare His generation? For His life is taken from
the earth. And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray you, of
whom speaks the Prophet? Of himself, or of some other man? Then Philip
opened his mouth and began at the same Scripture, and preached unto
him, Jesus. It seems that, wherever Philip went, he had but one
subject. When he went down to the city of Samaria, he preached Christ
to them, and now that he talks to this Ethiopian eunuch, he preaches
Jesus to him.

36, 37. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water:
and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what does hinder me to be
baptized? And Philip said, If you believe with all your heart, you may.
And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of
God. That is the great confession of faith that is to be made by all
who have believed in Jesus!

38, 39. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they both went
down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord
caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his
way rejoicing. The Holy Spirit will not permit us to depend too much
upon men as our teachers. The Spirit of the Lord did not take away the
Bible–that was left for the eunuch. He only caught away Philip after
the Evangelist had furnished the enquirer with the key with which he
could open the Scriptures–then he could unlock the Word, himself. That
he did so, if history is to be believed, is very clear. He went home to
Ethiopia, perhaps to Abyssinia, and the people there heard the Gospel
from him–and to this day there are some traces of our holy faith in
that

land!

40. But Philip was found at Azotes: and passing through he preached in
all the cities, till he came to Caesarea. We know quite well what "he
preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea," although it is
not mentioned here. Wherever he went, he had but one theme–"the things
concerning the Kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ." So may it
be with us wherever we go!