1. Acts 8 offers an example of how God often works in surprising and unexpected ways. As you think about your own experiences, can you think of a time where God moved in a way you didn’t expect? Have you ever seen God use a situation that appeared to be negative to bring about something really good?
2. Acts 8:4 says that “those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went”.

• a. Who is this verse talking about, and why did they scatter? (hint: read Acts 7:54-8:3)
• b. Why is it surprising that they preached the word wherever they went?

   3.  Reflect on the significance of the gospel reaching people in Samaria:

• a. Read Acts 1:8. Discuss the significance of Samaria in light of this verse
• b. Read Luke 10:25-37 (The Parable of the Good Samaritan) and John 4:4-42 (The Samaritan Woman at the Well). What do these gospel accounts reveal about Samaritans?
• c. What did the expansion of the Church into Samaria signify? Why is it important?

  4.  Throughout the Acts series, we’ve talked a lot about the call for Christians to proclaim the good news of Jesus. In Acts 8, God brought about a surprising and unexpected opportunity for the gospel to be proclaimed to the Samaritans. The believers in Jerusalem did not have to create their own plan to make this happen.

• a. Discuss the idea that as we pray and cultivate a willingness to share Jesus with others, we can trust God to open up opportunities for the gospel to be shared. Do you believe this? Why or why not?
• b. The Samaritans were quite open to receive the good news that was shared. This suggests that God was already at work, preparing their hearts to receive the message. In what ways does this hold the potential to lift the pressure Christians might feel about sharing the gospel with others?

  5. Acts 8 introduces an interesting character to the story – Simon the Sorcerer.

• a. What do you make of what the text tells us about his sorcery or magic?
• b. The Samaritans were quite captivated by Simon’s magic. What parallels do you see in our world today? In your own life, or in the lives of others, what false powers are people sometimes captivated by?
• c. What does both the Samaritans’ embrace of the gospel, as well as Simon’s dramatic interest in Philip’s ministry, reveal about the power (or lack thereof) of Simon’s sorcery?

  6.  In Samaria, an outpouring of God’s Spirit did not happen immediately. Why was it significant for the Apostles, Peter and John, to come to Samaria from Jerusalem?

  7.  Simon, seeing that the Spirit was given when the Apostles laid hands on the Samaritans, offered money to the Apostles hoping to get the same ability so he could bestow God’s Spirit on others by laying hands on them.

• a. What was wrong with this request?
• b. God’s Spirit cannot be bought, manipulated, or controlled for our own purposes. In what ways are we possibly at risk of being like Simon?

  8.  It is right for us to long for more people to come to know Jesus, and to hunger for God’s Spirit to move in our midst. But we must remember that this is His work in people’s lives, and not something that we can control or manipulate, and God often fulfills His plans and purposes in surprising and unexpected ways.

• a. What steps can we take to keep ourselves from trying to rely on our own plans, rather than trusting in God’s plans?
• b. In what ways can you cultivate an openness and willingness to proclaim the good news?
• c. If an opportunity arose, what would you want to share with others about who Jesus is, and the impact He has had on your life? What do you think the world needs to know about Jesus?

Prayer Item:

Pray for one another out of the things that you have shared. Pray especially for God’s help and guidance as you seek to be open to His plans and ready to share the hope of Jesus with others. Pray for continued boldness and courage to live out the mission to proclaim Jesus to the world. Pray for God to help you wholeheartedly seek after His will, rather than your own.