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The Acts of the Apostles
When they were scattered by persecution they went forth filled
with missionary zeal. They realized the responsibility of their mission.
They knew that they held in their hands the bread of life for a famishing
world; and they were constrained by the love of Christ to break this
bread to all who were in need. The Lord wrought through them.
Wherever they went, the sick were healed and the poor had the gospel
preached unto them.
Philip, one of the seven deacons, was among those driven from
Jerusalem. He “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 spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he
did. For unclean spirits ... 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.”
Christ’s message to the Samaritan woman with whom He had
talked at Jacob’s well had borne fruit. After listening to His words,
the woman had gone to the men of the city, saying, “Come, see a man,
which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? They
went with her, heard Jesus, and believed on Him. Anxious to hear
more, they begged Him to remain. For two days He stayed with them,
“and many more believed because of His own word.”
John 4:29, 41
.
And when His disciples were driven from Jerusalem, some found
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in Samaria a safe asylum. The Samaritans welcomed these messengers
of the gospel, and the Jewish converts gathered a precious harvest from
among those who had once been their bitterest enemies.
Philip’s work in Samaria was marked with great success, and, thus
encouraged, he sent to Jerusalem for help. The apostles now perceived
more fully the meaning of the words of Christ, “Ye shall be witnesses
unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto
the uttermost part of the earth.”
Acts 1:8
.
While Philip was still in Samaria, he was directed by a heavenly
messenger to “go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from
Jerusalem unto Gaza.... And he arose and went.” He did not question
the call, nor did he hesitate to obey; for he had learned the lesson of
conformity to God’s will.
“And, behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority
under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her
treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, was returning,