In Acts 8:1–25, God uses the persecution and scattering of His people to spread the greatness of Christ beyond Jerusalem and throughout the world. As the church is attacked and believers are dispersed, Philip goes to Samaria preaching the good news of salvation through Christ, and the people respond with great joy as they discover that Jesus is greater than anything this world has to offer.

Yet the passage also introduces Simon the magician, whose pursuit of greatness provides a warning about the danger of being captivated by counterfeits and even trying to use God as a means to achieve something greater for ourselves. As the Samaritans encounter the true greatness of Christ, the contrast between what merely looks great and what is truly great becomes unmistakable.

In this sermon, “God Scatters His People,” we’ll see how God spreads His greatness through His people, how we can recognize the difference between the counterfeit and the real, and how salvation means more than simply admiring God’s greatness—it means receiving Christ and being transformed by His Spirit. Ultimately, we are called to forsake the lesser greatnesses of this world, bask in the surpassing greatness of Christ, and make His greatness known wherever God sends us.