Bible Study Notes 7/28/2026

WORD ALIVE! BIBLE STUDY ^©2026

Journey To Bethlehem and Beyond – Spring/Summer Series

Concord Baptist Church of Boston in Milton – Conley Hughes, Jr., Senior Pastor

Quiet Time: Max Lucado, Because of Bethlehem:  Love Is Born, Hope Is Here, 2020

Lesson 27

 28 July  2026

Acts 8:1-17 NLT: The Holy Spirit has come, as Jesus said, “to lead us into all truth.” At he core of that truth is to reach all people through the teachings of Jesus Christ. Bringing people into an understanding of the Good News is the great task of the Christian faith. As saved followers of Jesus Christ, collectively we represent the visible body of Christ whose spirit lives in us. This is why the  Apostle Paul refers to Christians as the body of Christ, Being witnesses of Jesus Christ is not always easy. We see evidence of this in the Scriptures and in life. In Acts 8 we witness believers under persecution for lifting the Name of Jesus above every name. This persecution caused the believers to flee to less intolerant places. As they “scattered” the believers grew in number. A larger and more diverse group of believers joined the ranks of the initial Jerusalem Church. They persevered! 

Verses & Explanations for Acts 8:1-17, NLT:

Observe     Interpret     Apply

(Verses 1-3): Persecution of the Church:

¹ Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria. ² (Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.) ³ But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison.

(Verses 4-8): Stronger witness of a scattered Church:

⁴ But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went. ⁵ Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about the Messiah. ⁶ Crowds listened intently to Philip because they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did. ⁷ Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed. ⁸ So there was great joy in that city.

(Verses 9-11): The Danger of misleading influencers:

⁹ A man named Simon had been a sorcerer there for many years, amazing the people of Samaria and claiming to be someone great. ¹⁰ Everyone, from the least to the greatest, often spoke of him as “the Great One—the Power of God.” ¹¹ They listened closely to him because for a long time he had astounded them with his magic.

(Verses 12-13): The integrity in teaching the Good News:

¹² But now the people believed Philip’s message of Good News concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. As a result, many men and women were baptized. ¹³ Then Simon himself believed and was baptized. He began following Philip wherever he went, and he was amazed by the signs and great miracles Philip performed.

(Verse 14): The Lord’s leaders must affirm all believers:

¹⁴ When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had accepted God’s message, they sent Peter and John there.

(Verses 15-17): God’s leaders must discern through prayer and the Holy Spirit the spiritual needs of believers:

¹⁵ As soon as they arrived, they prayed for these new believers to receive the Holy Spirit. ¹⁶ The Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them, for they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ¹⁷ Then Peter and John laid their hands upon these believers, and they received the Holy Spirit.”

The Key Idea:

What We Believe!    

1. “Your word is a lamp to my feet  and a light to my path!” – Psalm 119:105