Open your Bibles to the book of Acts chapter 8.
The book of Acts chapter 8, Chapter 7 we know ended with the
first martyr Stephen stoned to death.
Praise for forgiveness for those who are killing him.
Saul, member of the Sanhedrin of Pharisee, is standing there.
He's got all the clothes of those so they can free them up,
so they can throw stones and kill this person, Stephen.
And that's where we left off. And now we move to chapter 8.
And it says now Saul was consenting to his death, to
Stephen's death. Think about that.
Yeah, I agree with that. Yeah.
I think this is just great. You need to understand this and
learn this about Saul because then when you realise for me,
especially when he gets saved, he meets the Lord on the road to
Damascus Sunday and he spends those three days alone and the
rest of his life. He's a driven man because he
knows he's passed his blood on his hands.
But for the grace of God, he tells us in one Timothy, but for
the grace of God, God chose him. Me a blasphemy.
And so this was the fire that drove Saul to become Paul.
And as you and I study it tonight, we have this
understanding. So then when we get to Chapter 9
and Sunday, you'll have the background.
It's important. So Saul was consenting to his
death. There's another thing that we
want to touch on. The death of a St is never
pointless. The death of a St is never
pointless. When someone dies who's a
believer in our family, in the church, Billy Graham, Chuck
Smith, there's always an impact that it has.
Death is the doorway that opens us to go home, to be with the
Lord. It's the medicine that stops
pain, sorrow and grief for the person who's dying.
And the death of a St is never pointless.
The Bible says precious in the sight of the Lord is the death
of his Saints. So Stephen's death was not well.
That's a waste of a young life because no, because Stephen
prayed and it was about to fuel something.
We're going to read what Stephens death did.
Philip James Elliott, most of you know him as James Elliott.
Jim Elliott 1956, on his first missionary journey, flies down
to Ecuador to reach the Orca Indians, hops up the plane and
is speared to death was a waste. No, because the gospel after his
death flooded that nation. So a Saints death is never
pointless. We would want that for our own
lives. When you die in particularly in
your family, you're a believer. You're here when you pass.
We want our deaths have an impact, we want our life to have
been lived for God to its maximum, and each day God gives
us to live on this earth is a day for us to achieve that.
And at that time, the time of Stephen's death, a great
persecution, not persecution, not just persecution, a great
persecution rose against the church hasn't had this.
It's only been against the apostles previously, hasn't it?
The apostles been Peter and John and then the 12 they've been
beaten up told don't preach in Jesus.
Now it's on, it's it's it's a released Satan is now releasing
his persecution on everyone who names the name of Christ.
This is a massive change. And they were all scattered
throughout the regions of notice, Judea, Samaria, and
we're going to see later on somewhere else God allowed this
persecution. Acts chapter one, verse 8.
You shall be witnesses for me in Judea, Jerusalem, Judea,
Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the world.
And so as you and I read the texts and Scripture, we now see
God is allowing this because what's going to happen?
A devout men carried Stephen to his burial and made great
lamentation over him. That's just kind of inserted in
there. Why is that?
Far too many times when a Christian has died, I've seen
many unwise Christian brothers and sisters go up to the
grieving family. Go well, you know, you know you
well. He's, you know where he is now
and he's now wanting, you know, hang on a minute, hang on a
minute. Wise as serpents, gentle as
doves. You know, when a Christian dies,
the family weep. There's grief.
It's not like, well, he's a Christian.
So we don't grieve. We don't cry.
I know we're very stoic. No, no, no.
It says there was great lamentation.
And so I want you to always be aware of that.
And also when someone dies who is a believer and someone is
telling them, you know, all the good stuff that's going to
happen, they can read that, they can learn that they can talk
about that in a in in the right time, but weep with them, sorrow
with them. You know, it's allowed by God.
It's OK for believers to lament over those who have died.
It's part of how God has made us tears.
It's, it's God allowing us to grieve.
We have this emotion called grief.
And many times maybe in your situation, you're, you're,
you're able to say to something, you know, it's, it's, it's all
right. It's all right to weep.
And then there's this other classic that often people come
up and say as well, you know, over time you'll get over it.
Don't say that. And there's this other word,
closure. Don't say that because when
someone dies, those who are left will have good days, bad days,
good months, bad months, good hours, bad hours and and there's
no such thing. Oh well, it's been 10 years now.
Don't don't even worry about it. Stop that.
Who who made this stuff up? We can grieve.
There are times and moments in your life you'll think of
something that comes up and you just that moment again.
So we need to be sensitive around our brothers and sisters
in Christ. We need to to give them wisdom
and understanding in how grief works.
And so the best time that Job's counsellors gave him when he
lost his family and his wealth and his health, they really
comforted, you've heard the term Job's comforters.
They helped him immensely by being there until they open
their mouths, until they open their mouths.
As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house
without having studies and prayer, dragging off men and
women, committing them to prison, beating, having them
beaten and killed. This is Saul and he was on a
personal vendetta. Therefore, those who were
scattered when everywhere preaching the word note that you
see, if you're saved, you love the Lord no matter what happens
to you, you still preach the gospel, you still preach the
gospel. Corrie, 10, Boom's sister, still
preach the gospel on concentration camp.
They went everywhere preaching the God.
They didn't quit, they didn't go oh, OK, we let's learn a lesson
everybody where we go, Don't tell them we're Christians.
You know, they proclaimed the gospel.
So we see the Lord driving this, allowing this.
Then Philip, he's one of the seven, Remember, he's a waiter
in the church. He's just passing out the bread.
That's all he's doing. But he was a man full of honest
report, full of the Holy Spirit. Remember qualifications.
Philip went down to the city of Samaria.
Samaria was hated by the Jews because they were considered
half breeds in the bread. The Jews that had been there had
been attacked by many people over the years.
The northern part of them when the 12 tribes separated and then
10 went to the north and called themselves Israel and they had
many invasions and, and then finally the Syrians came down
and they would take them captive.
They would have them in to marry with everyone.
And then eventually there was only a small group of Jews in
that area and and they became into bred.
So the Jews from Judea, the other two tribes didn't like the
Samaritans. They said they were unclean
because they basically became classified them as Gentiles, as
Gentiles. Philip went down to the city of
Samaria and he preached Christ to them.
Wow. Why did he do this?
Because of the persecution. He goes down there.
For Philip, this was the work of God.
He went from serving tables to preaching to multitudes, and
multitudes with 1 accord heeded the things spoken by Philip.
Why is that? Because what had happened in
Jerusalem was an act of God. The persecution, the death of
Stephen was the catalyst. God was new was this, this was
on. He welcomes Steven home.
He says don't worry, Steven, your death, this is what's going
to happen. And boom, off they went
everywhere. Philip goes to a place where no
Jews went. Revival breaks out down there
and they're coming to the Lord, and miracles are being performed
by Philip for unclean spirits. Crying with a loud voice came
out of many who were possessed. Many who were paralysed and lame
were healed, and there was great joy in that city.
Now we come across this fellow called Simon.
There was a certain man called Simon who previously practised
sorcery in the city and astonished the people of
Samaria, claiming that he was someone great.
This was his ego, to whom they all gave heed from the least to
the greatest saying. This man has the great power of
God, and they heeded him because he had astonished them with his
sorceries, his magic, for a long time.
But when they believed Philip as he preached the things
concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ,
both men and women were baptised.
Then Simon himself also believed.
Now hold that because the question I want to ask you is if
we stop there, is Simon a Christian?
That's why you need to read the context of all the Bible.
And he was baptised. Well, does that make him a
Christian and continued with Philip.
He hung out with Philip was amazed seeing why was he amazed?
He saw the miracles and signs which were done.
You see the good news always brought joy and joy came to
Samaria. But you know, as the enemy
brought persecution. I want to tell you tonight also,
there is true faith and there is false faith, and this is my
greatest fear for the Church of Calvary Chapel, Secret Harbour
prior to the Rapture and to the coming tribulation period.
There's true faith and there's false faith.
There's good soil and there's bad soil.
There's wheat and there's tares in the church.
Jesus said you can't tell the difference.
In Matthew Chapter 7 verse 13 Jesus says enter by the narrow
gate. For why does the gate broader?
The way that believes to destruction?
There are many who go in by it because narrow is the gate,
difficult is the way which leads to life.
There are few who find it. Beware of false prophets who
come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous
wolves. You will know them by their
fruits and drop down to verse 19.
Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and
thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you'll
know them. Verse 21 Not everyone who says
to me notice Lord, Lord shall enter the Kingdom of heaven, but
he who does the will of my Father in heaven, many, not just
a few, many will say to me in that day, the day of standing
before the Lord, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your
name, cast out demons in your name, done many wonders in your
name, and then I will declare this is Jesus to them.
I never knew you. We've never had a relationship.
I've never been your Lord, I've never been your Saviour, You've
never repented of your sin, You've never asked me to forgive
me, to forgive you of your sins. You've not accepted that I died
on the cross for you, that I rose from the dead the third day
and thrown in and it says depart from me.
You who practise lawlessness. Faith must be founded in truth.
1 John goes into great detail. John tells us what a Christian
looks like, how a Christian acts, and what we see, need to
see is true repentance. In Simon we see ego, man, he
said, look at what's happening here, man.
Look at the miracles. I'm going to have a bit of this.
He'd like to be in control. Now when the apostles were at
Jerusalem, heard that Samaria had received the word of God,
they sent Peter and John to them, who when they came down
prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.
For as yet He, the Holy Spirit had fallen upon none of them.
They had only been baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Then they laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.
Good question that comes up is why?
Why is this different? Why?
Why wasn't it like with the 2000 with Peter and and the 3000?
Why down in Samaria did this occur?
Because the Holy Spirit wanted the church back in Jerusalem to
know that Samara, the Samaritans were believers.
The gospel had reached outside of Jerusalem, and as they laid
and prayed for the Holy Spirit upon the Samaritans, then this
brought the connection of the Samaritan believers to the
Jerusalem believers. They were the same now, and it
removed this or there, that's them and where us here.
They prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit Now when Simon
back to him saw through the laying on when he's so he's
watching man as they lay hands Peter and John on the people at
the gift of God could be he he he he says give me some if I
give you some money, give me this power so that anyone on
whom I lay hands on may receive the Holy Spirit.
Notice the language he's watching.
He's man. I, I, this, this is a gig I want
to give into. I want to have people see me as
the one who comes down and as his power, you know, how much
does it cost? So his mask comes off.
He was interested only in the ritual.
Yes, he had believed. Yes, he'd been baptised.
Didn't make him a Christian because his belief wasn't real.
Why is that? Peter tells us.
Peter rips into him. Peter said to him, how by the
Holy Spirit's discernment, your money perish with you.
Why? Because you thought that the
gift of God could be purchased with money.
How could you think that? You have neither noticed Peter's
telling him you aren't a believer.
You have neither part nor portion in this matter for why
your heart is not right in the sight of God.
In other words, you haven't repented.
You know all the words. You've come along, you've hung
out with us. You're only interested in having
this, this power. You're not a believer at all.
You're interested in the ritual, but your life hasn't
transformed. You're still same, the same
Simon who wants power and ego popularity.
Notice that. Because here Peter now tells him
what to do to become a Christian.
Repent. He hadn't done that.
See that that's the only way you get saved.
You know, we we so often people come to the front and and we've
got to get them to repentance. Otherwise they're just having a
religious experience. There's got to be a true
repentance. You can't have the salvation and
forgiveness of God until you repent and proclaim I'm a
Sinner. I need saving.
Peter says repent therefore of this your wickedness and pray if
perhaps the thought of your heart maybe notice the words
forgiven you ask God to forgive you of your sins, for I see that
you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.
See he's not a he's not a Christian at all.
He's playing the game. That's then Simon answered, He
hasn't got it. Notice this, he said, pray the
Lord for me that none of the things which you've spoken may
come upon me. Here's the deal.
No one can repent for you. You've got to repent yourself.
We have kids, we have grandkids. We can't save them.
They need to. And we have a baby dedication.
That child, when it grows, it needs to come to a place where
off its own lips it will say, Lord Jesus, I repent of my sins.
I ask you now to forgive me, come into my life.
I receive you now as my Saviour and my Lord.
Nobody else can do it for for anybody else.
Too often I see with well meaning parents with a runaway
son or runaway daughter and they're trying to live the
Christianity for them and it's it's it's like chalk and cheese.
The kids not there, they're not into it.
It's got to be an act of God. No one can repent for us.
So when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord,
they returned to Jerusalem. Why?
Preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.
They've come back with big news. Hey, everybody, You know the
Samaritans? Yeah.
We ain't going there. Oh no, the Lord has blessed
them. They're filled with the Holy
Spirit. See, there's that identification
there. We're of 1 body.
We're, we're the body of Christ. We're brothers and sisters in
the Lord. Now an Angel of the Lord spoke
to Philip saying, arise, go toward the South along the road
which goes down from Jerusalem. Notice that word Gaza, you know
that occupied place that the Israelis today claim it stairs.
Notice this. I just just no, I'm going to
that. It just irritates me when I hear
of so much. This is desert.
You see, God seeks to save the lost.
So we've had Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, what was the next part
in Acts 18 out of most parts of the world, Africa, you see this,
this is Acts 18. It's this is God going, this is
what's happening, just like I said.
And so it says. So he arose and went, oh, if
only we would do what God asked us to do.
This is why Philip, he went from serving tables to a revival.
And now from the revival in Samaria, he doesn't say, oh,
God, man, I, I, I, I've got, I've got people, you know, my
people need me in Samaria. I've got this great ministry
going on. Now he says I've got one person.
He doesn't even tell him he has one person, but he's going to
minister just the one person. Why?
Because God is interested in the one person, He's interested in
the one person that's lost, who's seeking.
Because God has come to seek and save the lost.
Judea, Samaria, the outermost parts of the world, Africa.
God is leading Philip, and Philip is able to be LED.
And this is half the time why we don't end up in the right place
because we're not obedient to what God has told us to do.
We don't get to Part 2, part three, part four of our lives
because we just can't get past one Part 1.
God's not going to give us any more information.
He says, do you do this one thing first?
And then as you obey, God starts giving you more, from serving
tables to revival. Now an Angel speaks to Philip,
sends him down to Gaza. So he arose, and behold, a man
of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the
queen of The Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury and
had come to Jerusalem to worship, was returning.
He was sitting in his chariot. He was reading Isaiah the
Prophet, chapter 53. Then the Spirit said to Philip,
Next step, notice, go near and overtake the chariot.
So you notice until you do 1, you don't get 2.
So Philip ran to him, heard him reading the prophet Isaiah.
By the way, in these days, the times of Christ and that time
when you read anything, when you read every reading, there was no
silent reading. All reading was reading out
loud. Anytime someone read, it was
read out loud. And so the Ethiopian eunuch is
reading out loud as was normal. Isaiah 53 for US versus 7 and 8.
And he said, do you understand what you are reading?
He's interested, but he's ignorant, doesn't know.
And he said how can I unless someone guides me?
And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him.
The place in the scripture which he read was this.
He was led as a sheep to the slaughter and as a lamb before
it's cheer is silent. So he opened not his mouth.
In his humiliation his justice was taken away.
And who would declare his generation?
For his life is taken from the earth?
So the eunuch answered Philip and said, I want to, I have a
question. I love this.
Of whom does the prophet say of this?
Is it Is he talking about himself or somebody else?
Then Philip opened his mouth and began at this Scripture
preaching Jesus to him. This is how, this is how you
witness. Now as they went down the road,
they came to some water and the eunuch said see here is water,
what stops me from being baptised?
You see, faith comes by hearing, hearing by the word of God.
And here we have a true conversion.
And you know when you converted and you read about baptism, you
know what you want to do, you want to be baptised.
We shouldn't have to put up a list to say who wants to be
baptised. People should be, hey, I'm
saying I am not baptised. That's how it's not like I'm
thinking about it. Well, no, you get saved.
You want to be baptised. You want to do everything that
Jesus did. You want to do everything that
the Bible says. This is what I'm going to do as
a Christian. He says, what stops me from
being baptised? Because salvation.
Now notice and we can say this when we have our baptism, but
Philip said, oh, you want to be baptised?
If you believe with all your heart, you may.
And he answered and said, and here's why you can get baptised.
I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
He understands that who he was reading about who suffered and
died. Philip has gone into other
detail, telling him through the Scriptures who Jesus was.
He's the Messiah who had to suffer and die.
But he rose again on the third day.
He says I want, I want him. And so he commanded the chariot
to stand still, and both Philip and the eunuch went down into
the water, which tells us this is immersion.
They go into the water. They go into the water.
And he baptised it. Now when they came up out of the
water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away so that the
eunuch saw him no more, and he went on his way rejoicing.
So now we have the first Christian convert in Africa and
he takes the gospel to Africa and it's spread all through
Africa. Those of you here tonight from
Africa, thank the little eunuch. Probably not little, it's
probably a big fella, but the eunuch, you're here.
And notice he went on his way rejoicing.
You know, when people get saved and, and, and they come to the
Lord, I, I really want to hear them go.
I just say, oh, wow. Because salvation always brings
joy when it's kind of like, yeah, you've had all your sins
forgiven. Salvation always brings joy.
But Philip was found as a Zoetis passing through.
What did he do? He preached in all the cities
until he came to our first stop on our tour, Caesarea.
And so Acts chapter 8, Can you see the hand of God here?
As we look at it, we could think, oh, it's terrible.
Look what's going on and terrible things happen.
Stephen's death, oh, but Stephen's death.
He went home. His job was done.
Now the fire was lit. By the way, when Stephen died,
there was a fella called Saul and he's doing terrible stuff.
The death of a St is never wasted.