BIBLE FACTS OF THE DAY

Bible Facts Of The Day, September 29, 2026 “FROM JERUSALEM TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH – Part II”

PART II — JUDEA AND SAMARIA

THE POWER THAT CROSSES BOUNDARIES

Acts 1:8

“…and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria…”

Jesus now expands the territory.

Jerusalem was only the beginning.

The gospel was never intended to remain inside one city.

And your Christian life was never intended to remain inside your comfort zone.

1. JUDEA — EXPANDING YOUR CIRCLE

Judea surrounded Jerusalem.

Spiritually applied, Judea represents the expanding circle of our witness.

Jerusalem says:

“Reach those closest to you.”

Judea says:

“Now go farther.”

Jesus said:

Matthew 5:14

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.”

Light was never designed to remain hidden.

When God places His Spirit within believers, He intends their witness to extend outward.

Matthew 5:16

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Your Judea may be:

your community,

your city,

your coworkers,

your school,

your ministry,

or relationships outside your immediate circle.

God continually enlarges the territory in which Christ can be seen through His people.

2. SAMARIA — GOING WHERE YOU WOULD RATHER NOT GO

Then Jesus says something striking:

“SAMARIA.”

There was longstanding hostility between Jews and Samaritans.

John explains:

John 4:9

“For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.”

Yet Jesus deliberately included Samaria in the mission.

Why?

Because the gospel does not recognize the barriers human beings construct.

Jesus Himself had already demonstrated this.

John 4:4

“But He needed to go through Samaria.”

Jesus entered Samaritan territory.

Jesus spoke with a Samaritan woman.

Jesus offered her living water.

John 4:14

“Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst.”

The gospel crossed the boundary.

Therefore, spiritually, your Samaria can represent the people you would not naturally approach.

People different from you.

People from another culture.

People from another background.

People you may not understand.

Even people who have hurt or rejected you.

Jesus says:

SAMARIA TOO.

3. THE HOLY SPIRIT BREAKS DOWN HUMAN BARRIERS

Acts 8 shows Acts 1:8 beginning to unfold.

Acts 8:5

“Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them.”

What did Philip preach?

Not himself.

Not his denomination.

Not his personality.

Not his preferences.

CHRIST.

And what happened?

Acts 8:6

“And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.”

Then:

Acts 8:8

“And there was great joy in that city.”

Think about that.

A territory marked by division became a territory experiencing joy through the gospel.

Where human history had produced separation,

Jesus Christ brought unity through good news.

4. SOMETIMES GOD USES DIFFICULTY TO MOVE US OUTWARD

There is another powerful truth in Acts.

The believers did not necessarily leave Jerusalem because everything was comfortable.

Persecution came.

Acts 8:1

“At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria…”

Look at the geography:

Judea and Samaria.

Exactly where Jesus said the witness would go!

Then:

Acts 8:4

“Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.”

Their scattering became the gospel’s spreading.

Sometimes what feels like disruption may become an opportunity for witness.

A changed job.

A relocation.

A closed door.

A difficult season.

An unexpected circumstance.

You may ask:

“Why am I here?”

Perhaps one question to consider is:

“Lord, who needs to see Christ through me here?”

Your Samaria may not be somewhere you planned to go.

But God can still use you there.

CLOSING DECLARATION

The gospel cannot remain inside our comfortable circles.

There are people beyond our Jerusalem.

There are people in Judea.

There are people in Samaria.

People who need hope.

People who need forgiveness.

People who need salvation.

People who need:

JESUS CHRIST.

Holy Spirit, give us power to cross the boundaries that fear, prejudice, comfort, tradition, and personal preference have created.

TAKE US INTO OUR SAMARIA.

“Maranatha! Even so, come, Lord Jesus!”

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