When the author opens up 1st Samuel, he gives us a character that graces its first pages and fades behind her son Samuel, but Hannah reminds us that we have a King who cares. We have a King who is the Lord, Yahweh, the One True God revealed in the Bible, the eternally existing One, the One who ultimately is going to bring about the Savior of not just Israel, but the World. And we have the Lord of Hosts, who has hosts of angels, people, places, power all at His disposal, because He is Sovereign and He closes and open wombs. And He cares.

Through these verses we see two themes that work in our lives like two pedals on a bike. The left pedal and right pedal. For one pedal we have the Providence of God. The plans of God. The inevitability of God's events. but then on the other pedal, we have the urgency and danger that’s right there about to happen. We have the persistence of man, and in our case today, namely Joseph. His being obedient. His propensity and track record to be an example of trusting the angelic commands at their words, and obeying, even when obeying means very real, and often arduous tasks.

Censuses were likely paternal things. Mary was betrothed, in other words: basically married. This meant that Joseph could’ve, if he wanted to, gone alone to Bethlehem. I just imagine Mary antsy, and wanting to be with her husband. I just imagine these two loved each other. And I imagine Mary volunteering to go with Joseph, because she loved him.

Joseph is the best kind of theologian. The kind that doesn’t talk, he just does. Do you know that Joseph in the Bible, nowhere is recorded a word from him? We hear a few words from Mary in Luke, in fact a whole song, but as for Joseph, no words. Just action. For a theology-brain like me, I should take a hint. Joseph just does. He trusts, and he obeys. Joseph was sleeping, and it said when he woke from the very same dream, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him.

It’s quite likely that Joseph’s peers would rather have Joseph expose such an adulteress in however way he could here. But Joseph resolves to divorce Mary quietly. This righteousness honed in and directed by compassion and mercy... we just think about the babe in Mary’s womb when He grows up and gives His Sermon on the Mount, what does Jesus say? Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

We see the great, supernatural lengths, the amazing moving of heaven and earth, the breaking of the world’s laws and physics, and the calling of one man to walk a long journey all the way from Samaria going down to Gaza… for just one man. This isn’t Jonah and the big city of Nineveh. This isn’t Paul and the intellectuals gathering on Mars Hill. This isn’t calling Abraham out of a foreign people to begin heading out into the promised land. Or Moses delivering the Israelites. All this is is the very Spirit of God supernaturally calling Philip to rise and go, and the Holy Spirit inspiring Philip to say the very words he did… all for one man.

Two controversial topics crop up in Acts 8. We meet a sorcerer named Simon of whom Luke writes “believed” the Gospel, only to see that this sorcerer thinks he can buy the Holy Spirit’s power in a transaction from the Apostles. And then, another interesting happening in today’s text - while an entire city in Samaria. believes and is baptized, it wasn’t until Peter and John came down from Jerusalem to Samaria and laid their hands on them, then the Holy Spirit came upon their lives. This of course begs the question, is this still happening? Is it possible for anybody to come to saving faith in Christ, but not receive the Holy Spirit at the same time?

Many people just appreciate Paul and his books of the Bible. Sometimes knowing the rest of the Scriptures can then minimize, overshadow, make small who Paul was before as Saul of Tarsus. Saul the ravager. Saul the church-hater. Make no mistake, the language here depicts Saul as the number one persecutor to be feared. Saul was not content to debate in synagogues or public places, he went to private homes. Furthermore, women usually didn’t suffer persecution, but Saul showed no mercy.

NOTE - The following is made reference to in the sermon, see times 19:35 - 21:47 at https://youtu.be/--guYTHO-eQ?t=1175

I don’t think we fully grasp or appreciate the magnitude of Stephen’s words of conviction for his audience. It’s insulting and offensive when heard by Stephen’s hearers, but it’s meant to convict because its true. These are the highest authorities of the Jewish religion. And they’re hearing from little deacon Stephen, “uncircumcised in heart and ears,” For Christians that’s hearing, “You hell-bound hypocrite who really isn’t saved.” Uncircumcised means they’re covenant breakers!

You and I are in the Bible, and it’s not just in the New Testament, it’s all the way back in Genesis when God is saying to Abraham, “I’m giving you an offspring.” Who is that offspring? According to Paul, according to Stephen, according to the Holy Spirit -, you and I are covenant people! We’re the offspring of Abraham. We’re inheritors of the Promise!