Acts 8

Dan Hutchison

Vision • Sermon • Submitted 6 months ago • Presented 6 months ago

0 ratings

· 1 view

Notes

Transcript

Recap last week

follow along in your Bibles as we look at Acts 8

Church Persecuted and Scattered

Acts: An Introduction and Commentary f. The Gospel Spreads to Samaria (8:4–25)

The scattering of the Christians led to the most significant step forward in the mission of the church

Acts 1:8 NIV

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

So far Jerusalem and Judea

now moving into a new area

have you ever been pushed into a new area and could see God at work?

Citywide story - Breaking the nest (in our ministry team meetings someone brought to us a word they believed God wanted to use to guide us)

Deuteronomy 32:11 NIV

like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them aloft.

We didn’t know what that meant but that was 2019, as we spent some time reflecting on it COVID hit and everything that we were used to doing went out the window. the nest was being broken up and we were prepared.

Later this same idea would help me as God made it clear it was time for me to move on.

My Story - Leaving Hobart (loved being part of a team, passionate about youth and didn’t want to be that guy who was just climbing the ladder, our young people need leaders with experience). Like last week in the midst of the decision God gave us peace and confirmation that it was time.

Do you have a story like that?

We need to get comfortable with being uncomfortable.

What I mean about that is being aware when we are getting too comfortable doing our own thing instead of following God’s plan.

This week at Crossover - have a crack, we spend so much time nurturing one but we need to spread the seed further.

Philip in Samaria

Jesus' work was continued in Philip to Samaria

Jesus first public declaration that he is the son of God was to a Samarian woman. John 4

Love that it shows how inclusive the gospel message is, everyone is to be part of it and blessed. (Old and New testament)

Simon and John come to witness God moving through Samaria and they too recieving the Holy spirit.

Note this is the only time it is mentioned that the disciples had to lay on of hands for people to recieve the Holy Spirit.

In my expeience you see a diffeence in peoples spiritual maturity when people are baptised, this is an example of before.

Which leads us to the 2 testamonies of Acts 8, as our first story observes this moment of the disciples laying on of hands and wants to be able to replicate it.

Simon the Sorcerer

Claiming to be someone great - (people gave him their attention) yet decieving people.

influencers - The internet has given access to our lives for people all over the world to speak into our lives, but are there motives pure. (Simon wants power to increase his own name not God’s)

power in the spiritual world - there is a rise in people turning to spiritual things sadly not always God

Who should we trust - A theme that will continue in more detail as the church grows and forms and will discuss when we get to the conflict in teaching.

here Philips message and actions have taken the peoples attention

Acts 8:6 NIV

When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said.

God is bigger

The other akward peice in this story is that Simon is baptised. v13

Yet he is still traped in his old way of thinking. trying to buy God’s power

I again know from my experience that I didn’t have a complete picture of who God is when I was baptised, I probably still don’t.

Baptism is a symbol - brochure

Yet, God still invites us to be uterlised for His Kingdom.

However we need to be submit to the critic of fellow Christians and be humble to repent and pray when our old mind set slips in.

We don’t know if Simon did repent of his ways, some comentries suggested he didn’t but we are left wondering here.

The point is when you share the gospel with others you don’t know who will listen and how it will be interprreted but that is not our job.

Another peson philip probably didn’t expect the response he got is our last story.

The Ethiopian Eunuch

Someone with influnce and power humbling themselves

something Philip didn’t expect.

As was read to us, the Eunuch was already sereaching, Philip just listend to what he was reading and being guided by the holy spirit pointed the text to Jesus.

That is why I am excited about the next 2 years as we develop a culture of rreading the bible together and with anyone that is willing to be invited.

recent research is saying that 3 in 10 Australians would attend Church if invited by a friend or family member (McCindle). There is still a lot of trust that needs to be rebuilt in the community.

NCLS's Australian Community Survey (2020) indicates 33% of Australians are open and would accept an invitation to church if invited, whereas 15% aren't sure and 37% would not. Additionally, Barna's latest research reveals millennials are showing greater interest in exploring faith.

Can I share one more story as we finish up, one I have wanted to for a while

In Hobart a member of our life group would share of a fiend that went through some horrible things, she lost her home in the darnally fires and a couple of years later her mum died in a car crash. We would be regularly praying for here for years.

just before we left the church to come here she turned up at church one morning, the membe of the lfegroup that had regularly asked for pray for her friend that morning felt a prompt to invite her to church.

Well that invite changed her life as she gave her life to jesus and asked to declare her new faith in getting baptised.

At her baptism she shared her powerful testimony and revealed that she had been watching the church online and that the morning she was invited to church she was already dressed and ready wanting to come to church but was waiting for the invite.

We started in a place of the church being scatterred and persecuted yet the spirit leads the way into new territory.

He is still leading the way which bings me and you Hope, He invites us to be part of this kingdom humble ourselves and be willing to invite or walk with someone in need of Jesus truth and love.

Pray