“So there was great joy in that city.”
Acts 8:8 (NLT)
Acts 8 opens with a tsunami of persecution that scattered the church out of Jerusalem and into Judea and Samaria. And what hits me today is this: the apostles stayed in Jerusalem, but the good news didn’t stay with the apostles. Philip—one of the seven chosen to serve in food distribution—shows up in Samaria doing ministry that looks a lot like Jesus and a lot like the apostles.
Crowds listened intently to Philip. Not a one-time conversation—this happened repeatedly. And God backed the message with visible proof: unclean spirits came out with screams, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. The gospel wasn’t just explained; it was confirmed. God was making it undeniable that this message is real and authentic.
Then Luke says, “So there was great joy in that city.” That joy makes sense when I connect it to Mark 16: miraculous signs will accompany those who believe—not just the apostles or pastors. Philip is a picture of that promise. He’s an everyday believer like you and me, preaching the good news, asking in Jesus’ name, and watching God move.
And it also takes me to John 16—Jesus promised sorrow would turn into a joy no one can take away, and that we would ask the Father in Jesus’ name and receive. The God who saves us also changes us, and he brings abundant life here and now. So here’s the question I’m sitting with: do I expect the good news to stay as words, or do I expect the God of the good news to deliver the blessing of it? Not just eternal life later, but his real, confirming work now—proving his message is true and setting people free. Lord, let there be great joy in our homes, workplaces, and cities as we share Jesus and trust you to confirm the truth of the message.