What Spiritual Lessons Can We Learn from Acts 8:25 and the Apostles Preaching in Samaritan Villages?

What is the significance of Acts 8:25 in Dr. Lloyd-Jones' sermon?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, Acts 8:25 ("And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans") might appear to be just a simple concluding statement, but it contains profound spiritual significance. It demonstrates how Christianity consistently operates in ways opposite to worldly expectations. The apostles, instead of rushing back to Jerusalem after their important mission, took time to preach in small, insignificant Samaritan villages, showing that the gospel values what the world typically overlooks.

Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasize that the gospel is the opposite of what the world expects?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes this point because the gospel consistently reverses human wisdom and expectations. Jesus wasn't born in a palace but in a stable; He wasn't raised in Jerusalem but in Nazareth; He chose fishermen as disciples rather than scholars; and He prioritized the poor and marginalized. The gospel is designed to humble human pride and show that salvation is entirely of God, not of human wisdom or achievement. As Lloyd-Jones states, "If the modern men could understand the gospel, it would no longer be the gospel. The gospel is of God and not of men."

How did Jesus demonstrate His care for ordinary people and places?

Jesus demonstrated His care for ordinary people and places by being born in Bethlehem rather than Jerusalem, growing up in Nazareth (a place about which people said, "Can any good come out of Nazareth?"), working as a carpenter until age 30, spending most of His ministry in Galilee (considered a backwater region), choosing fishermen and tax collectors as disciples, and consistently teaching that "the poor have the gospel preached to them" - which Christ highlighted as a sign of His messianic ministry.

What change did Dr. Lloyd-Jones note in the apostles' attitude toward Samaritans?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out a remarkable transformation in John's attitude toward Samaritans. In Luke 9:51-56, John (with James) had wanted to call down fire from heaven to destroy a Samaritan village that rejected Jesus. Yet in Acts 8:25, this same John is willingly preaching the gospel in Samaritan villages. This complete change demonstrates how the gospel had transformed John from a man of prejudice and anger to one filled with love and concern for those he previously despised.

Why does God choose to work through ordinary people and places according to the sermon?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, God works through ordinary people and places for several reasons: 1) to show that salvation is entirely of God and not of human achievement, 2) to humble human pride, 3) to demonstrate that God values souls rather than worldly status, and 4) to provide equal hope for everyone. As he states, "Because the gospel is all together of God there is hope for all. You're not saved by your understanding. You are saved simply by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ."

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones critique modern approaches to Christianity?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones criticizes approaches that try to make Christianity acceptable to modern sensibilities. He particularly objects to the idea that "the modern man must understand" the gospel or that Christmas is merely about "human relationships." He states: "This idea that the gospel is something that the natural man is to understand with his learning and his knowledge... is a complete denial of the whole of the gospel." Instead, he insists that the gospel has always been counterintuitive to human wisdom and requires humble faith rather than intellectual comprehension.

What historical impact has Christianity had on the poor and marginalized?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out that Christianity has historically been the primary force helping the poor and marginalized. He notes that the church, not the state, initiated poor relief in Britain, started schools, and brought education and medicine to disadvantaged peoples around the world. He states: "Every advantage that they [the working classes] enjoy tonight has come to them as the result of this gospel... It is the christian church who has always brought the message to the poor."

How does the sermon explain where spiritual revivals typically begin?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, revivals typically don't start in great cities or cathedrals but in obscure villages and hamlets "right off the map." He notes: "Revivals don't start in great cities. They generally start in some place that nobody ever heard of until the revival broke out." He cites examples like Daniel Roland in a small village, Howell Harris in Trefeca (a hamlet), and the 1859 revival in Northern Ireland that began with two ordinary working men in a place "scarcely even a hamlet."