- Covered In His Dust
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- Acts Chapter 8 (part 2)
"When disciples followed a rabbi, they followed him closely so they would never be out of his sight, never be someplace where they couldn’t hear him speak. They followed him so closely that his sandals often kicked up dust."
May you be covered in His dust.
If this is your first time getting Covered in His Dust, WELCOME!
👉🏽 Read Chapter 8 before reading my notes. If you don’t, my notes won’t make sense.
You can access my previous notes on Acts and Luke by signing into your account. Click 'Read Online' at the top right of this post and scroll down to find them waiting for you.
Good morning! ☀️
We had some life and ministry challenges over the last few weeks but I think we’re back on track.
It’s good to be back! I missed you.
We have a lot to cover so let’s get going.
Stephen has been martyred, and Saul approved of his execution.
Saul's reaction to Stephen's death is a pivotal moment in the Book of Acts. He witnessed something he’d never seen before—Stephen's peaceful and compassionate death.
Stephen's prayer for forgiveness, even as he was being stoned, was a powerful testament to the love and grace that filled his heart.
“Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”
Saul's intense persecution of Christians after Stephen's death might have been his way of trying to block out the impact of what he saw. Watching Stephen die with such compassion, even for his enemies, might have haunted Paul, sowing seeds of doubt that eventually led to his conversion on the road to Damascus.
It’s crazy to think that Stephen's final prayer could be what eventually gave us Paul.
Philip, also one of the seven deacons chosen to distribute food and resources to the Greek widows, is now in Samaria, boldly sharing the gospel.
I have to point out that the early believers, the founders of the early church, “boldly shared the Gospel.”
How did they do that? By the power of the Holy Spirit.
This reminds us that, as believers, we also have access to the Holy Spirit and can pray for that same boldness.
The crowd watched as Philip healed the sick and cast out unclean spirits. One of those watching was Simon,
But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great.
Who was Simon the Magician?
Simon practiced magic, but not the kind we’re familiar with. His magic probably involved using supernatural powers or sorcery connected to pagan practices, not the simple tricks or illusions we might think of today.
Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed.
Simon believed and was baptized.
Simon believed in the power and miracles he saw, but it doesn’t sound like he truly believed that Jesus was the way to salvation. His belief was more focused on the miraculous signs rather than genuine faith in Jesus as Lord.
Scripture warns about that kind of faith.
"You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!"
Even Jesus, after feeding the 5,000, said to the crowd,
"Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves."
Simon is mentioned outside of the Bible in various early Christian writings.
Hippolytus wrote about Simon in his book Refutation of All Heresies. He describes Simon as a magician from Samaria who claimed to be a divine power, calling himself the "Great Power" or "first God."
Irenaeus, an early Church Father, wrote about Simon in his book Against Heresies around 180 AD. He describes Simon as a major heretic and the founder of many Gnostic groups.
Heretic: A heretic is someone who believes or teaches things that go against the accepted beliefs of a religion, especially Christianity.
Gnosticism: A religious movement that started around the same time as early Christianity. Gnostics believed that a special kind of hidden knowledge was the key to salvation. They thought this knowledge was given only to a few people and that it helped them understand spiritual truths more deeply, often in ways that didn't line up with what Christians were being taught.
Irenaeus explains that Simon later declared himself the highest power and became a figurehead for various Gnostic teachings. After being rebuked by Peter, he continued to lead many astray with his false doctrines and practices.
True faith: Do we want Jesus or what He can give us?
Health
Success
Prosperity
Peace
Happiness
Security
Comfort
Miracles
One of my favorite books of the Bible is Job.
Job is a perfect example of wanting the Giver above the gifts. Despite losing everything, he remained faithful, showing that his love for God was not dependent on his circumstances.
We should take time to search our hearts, making sure our faith stays strong and true to the narrow path.
Peter and John travel to Samaria.
I've always believed that when someone puts their faith in Jesus—that He is the Son of God, died and rose again, that He is Lord—they would be filled with the Holy Spirit. So why did the Apostles need to lay hands on the Samaritans?"
The Samaritans and Jews had a long history of conflict and mistrust. By having the Jewish apostles lay hands on the Samaritans to receive the Holy Spirit, it showed that the Samaritans were fully accepted as part of the same church as the Jewish believers in Jerusalem.
This one act helped unify the early church and made it clear that everyone was equal in God's kingdom.
Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money,
Simon
wanted
power.
Not Jesus.
Peter rebuked him and said,
“For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.”
The phrase "gall of bitterness" means that Simon is filled with deep bitterness or resentment, like something toxic inside him. This could be because he felt his power and influence were slipping away when he saw the apostles' true spiritual power.
The "Bond of iniquity" means that Simon is trapped or enslaved by his sin. He's bound by his sinful desires and can't free himself, which shows how serious his spiritual condition is.
The story of the Ethiopian Eunuch is one of my favorite in Acts.
Philip travels the 60 miles from Jerusalem to Gaza.
And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship
"Candace" is not a personal name but a title. It was used for the queen of the ancient kingdom of Kush, located in what is now Sudan. Just as we use "President" to refer to the role rather than the individual, "Candace" identified the queen's position rather than her personal name.
"Candace, queen of the Ethiopians," is similar to saying "President, leader of the United States."
A eunuch is a man who has been castrated. In ancient times, eunuchs often served in royal courts, usually in positions of trust, such as guarding the women of the household or managing important affairs, because they were seen as loyal and not a threat to the royal family.
The Ethiopian eunuch probably traveled over 1,000 miles to reach Jerusalem, which would have taken several weeks, maybe even months, in those days. Yet, he made the long journey, showing a deep commitment to worship God.
His story is important because it shows how Jesus' message broke down barriers and reached people who were previously considered outsiders.
He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah.
At first glance, so what? I read my Bible every day.
Written copies of the Scriptures were rare and expensive. Scrolls were handwritten, often on materials like parchment or papyrus, and it would take a skilled scribe a long time to copy them.
The fact that the eunuch had a scroll of Isaiah suggests a few things:
He probably had the money to buy something so valuable, which means he was likely a person of high status or wealth.
His possession of the scroll shows his deep dedication to the Jewish faith and to studying the Scriptures.
While scrolls were rare, they were available to those who could afford them, especially in major cities like Jerusalem, where the eunuch just came from.
As Americans, we often take our Bible(s) for granted. We have easy access to multiple copies at a comparatively low cost, an immense privilege.
It seems like a divine plan, leading the eunuch to read the exact passage in Isaiah that would set the stage for his encounter with Philip and help him understand that Jesus is the Messiah.
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he opened not his mouth.
By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people?
As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?”
I love this scene!
It’s like he’s saying, “I found my true love, and I don’t want to wait another minute to proclaim it. I don’t want to spend another second apart!”
If you believe and haven’t been baptized, may this be the inspiration that sparks your heart to take that next step. Just like the Ethiopian eunuch, don't let anything stand in the way of expressing your faith and love for Jesus.
The water is ready, and so is your opportunity to publicly declare your commitment to Christ.
"And Peter said to them, 'Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'"
Where is verse 37?
Acts 8:37 is left out of many modern Bibles because it's not found in the oldest and most reliable copies of the New Testament. Many scholars think scribes added it later to clarify the Ethiopian eunuch's faith before baptism.
"Then 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.'"
You can find it in:
King James Version (KJV)
New King James Version (NKJV)
Douay-Rheims Bible (DRA)
But it’s missing in:
English Standard Version (ESV)
New International Version (NIV)
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
When I think of the Book of Acts, I almost always think about the Road to Damascus.
I think about Jesus stopping Saul,
And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
But that’s next time.
One Minute Inspiration
I love you,
George
Uncovering Scripture
George Sisneros is a full-time missionary in Guatemala and the founder of Ordinary Missionaries and the El Rosario Christian Academy for Boys.
He’s been married to his wife, Vonda, for 26 years. He’s a father to nine children, five adopted.
George and his family are expanding to Cuba in 2024.