The writer continues writing about Saul and the related persecution of the church. It scatters the believers around the known world. The persecution meant to destroy the church actually causes its global growth. What the enemy means to destroy you, God can use it to bring about increase.
Philip goes to Samaria to preach Jesus there. We saw Philip earlier in the choosing of the “deacons” of the church. If Philip and Stephen are any indications these weren’t just political positions within the church. These guys preached the gospel. Philip saw revival happening as the results of his efforts. People were being set free and getting baptized. It’s interesting that this was happening in Samaria. I’m sure that the seeds were planted when Jesus passed through and preached to the woman at the well. Jews looked at Samaritans as half breeds and unclean. God was truly showing He was no respecter of persons here.
Even a sorcerer named Simon got saved. The church heard about what was happening in Samaria and sent Peter and John to the believers there. They prayed for the believers to receive the Holy Spirit and they did. Simon wanted to buy the power of God and Peter rebuked him. Peter and John returned back to Jerusalem and preached in the villages on the way home.
Philip was lead by God to go another way. Along his way he ran into a eunuch of Ethiopia who was a treasurer for the Queen. He was reading a passage in Isaiah where he is talking about the coming of Jesus. Philip explains the gospel to the man and he baptizes him. What a divine connection. I pray that I have divine connections with people who are ready to hear and believe the gospel. Philip was miraculously caught up and found himself in another town where he shared the Good News.