What a blessing it is to be able
to gather together, sing praises to our great God.
Oh my, just thrills my heart. Turn if you would to Acts chapter
8. Acts chapter 8. Today's message will be Acts
chapter 8 part 1. And tonight's message will be
Acts chapter 8 part 2. We're going to look through the whole
chapter today. Acts chapter 8. We'll be looking
at Acts chapter 8 this morning. We'll look at verses 1 to 8,
and then tonight we'll look at verses 9 to 40. Now, in Acts
chapter 8 here, we're seeing in this chapter a brief historical
narrative of the time of the early church. We'll see the church
first enduring persecution at the beginning of the chapter,
and then we'll see the rapid spread of the gospel of the Lord
Jesus Christ, and how it just goes forth. from Jerusalem to
Samaria, and then tonight we'll see to Africa. Because that Ethiopian
eunuch, he carried that gospel home. He carried that gospel
home. Let's read the first four verses,
where we see here, the persecution of the early church, brought
before us. And then we'll see how the gospel
of God's free grace is an offense to man. And Saul was consenting
unto his death, that's the death of Stephen, and at that time
there was a great persecution against the church, which was
at Jerusalem. And they were all scattered abroad
throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. So the great persecution came
upon the church, and they just spread out. They took off. Almost like, I like what one
commentator says, it's like when you put your foot in a fire and
you go, what happens to all them sparks and embers? Whoosh, that's
how it works. The church just, persecution
came and it just went, just went out. The church goes all over.
Now that's not a bad thing. Now the persecution, when the
saints go into it, we think, my goodness. But we see it all
turns out for God's good and for his glory. For God's good
and for his glory. And a devout man carried Stephen
to his burial and made great lamentation over him. As for
Saul, he made havoc of the church. My, this is Saul who will later
be called Paul. And look what it says. He's an
enemy of the gospel. He's an enemy of God's people. And Saul, he made havoc of the
church. entering into every house and
hailing men and women and committed them under prison. Imagine being
in your home. Imagine sitting in your home. And someone comes
in and they haul you out of that house and throw you into prison
just because you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. My. And these people held firm
to their faith. Because God gave him the grace
to do so. But could you imagine that? Could you imagine being
in your home and someone come bursting into your house and
hauling you off to prison just because of your faith in Christ? Is it any wonder it's called
great persecution? My, and he didn't care if men
or women, he hauled them away. Therefore they were scattered
abroad, went everywhere preaching the word. Now look what they
did. They scattered and they went abroad, but what did they
do, beloved? They weren't silent witnesses for Christ, were they? No, they preached. They proclaimed
the great things that the Lord had done for them. Oh my, preaching
the word. Now we know from the scriptures
that Saul, a very prominent Jew, Consented unto Stephen's death.
And this is brought forth at verse 1 here. And the word consenting
there, not only means to allow, but it means to be pleased with.
Now think of that. He was pleased with the death
of Stephen. And it also means to take pleasure
in. He thought he was doing God's work. This religious Jew, a Pharisee
of Pharisees, thought he was doing God's work by going house
to house and hauling Christians from their homes. And he says
here, he consented unto Stephen's death. He was pleased with Stephen's
death. My, now think of that and think
of what a trophy of God's grace the Apostle Paul is. Because
that's the same man. Think of what a trophy he is
of God's grace, beloved. Oh, and every believer is a trophy
of the grace of God. Every single believer. So he consented, he was pleased
with the fact that Stephen was stoned and died, he took pleasure
in it. Because he hated the things of God. He hated the things of
Christ. And so we see in these verses
here that great persecution came against the church at Jerusalem.
And it says here that Saul made havoc at the church. He shamefully
treated and laid waste at the church, beloved, continuously,
with cruelty and violence. And the men under his command,
they did likewise. He wasn't alone. He commanded
men, and they did likewise. forced their way into people's
houses, into the born-again blood-bought saints of God's homes, hauling them off. And the word
hailing there means viciously dragging them to prison. He didn't just say, well, come
with us. No, they hauled them out. And they dragged them out. Now, is it any wonder, turn if
you would to Acts chapter 9, is it any wonder that Ananias,
in light of this, in light of reading this, is it any wonder
that Ananias, in the next chapter, in chapter 9, verses 13 and 14,
is it any wonder that Ananias says, Lord, I have heard by many
men of this man. Oh my! Look at this. But but the Lord said unto him,
Go thy way, for he is a chosen vessel, speaking of Paul unto
me and bear my name before to bear my name before the Gentiles
and the kings of of the kings and the children of Israel. Look
at verse 16, for I will show him how great things he must
suffer for my name's sake. But he was a he was a persecutor
of the Lord, Lord's Church. And he had authority from the
chief priest to bind all that call on the name of Christ. Then Ananias, verse 13, answered,
Lord, I have heard by many of this man. Now his fame for persecution
had spread through the church. How much evil he hath done to
thy saints at Jerusalem! And here he hath authority from
the chief priest to bind all that call on thy name. all in
the name of God, all in the name of his religion. My, what wicked
things men will do in the name of religion. So great persecution came upon
the church. But let us never lose sight of
this glorious, comforting truth, the fact that all things work
together for the good of those who love Christ Jesus. Those
who are His born-again, blood-washed people. Why? Because our Lord is on the throne.
Even in the midst of this persecution of the church, our Lord is still
on the throne. Even right now, today, the Lord
is still on the throne. He still sovereignly rules. And our Lord Jesus Christ is
the risen, exalted God-man. And He was on His throne when
Stephen was martyred. He was on His throne when Saul
was persecuting the church. He was on His throne during the
reading of the text which we read so far. The events we're reading about
in this 8th chapter of the book of Acts, like all things that
happened in time, were purposed and executed by God for the glory
of the Lord Jesus Christ. And for the good of His people.
Now if you had asked some of the saints if they thought it
was for their good, they probably would have wondered just like
we do sometimes. But it is. It is. I've said this
many times and I will keep saying it. We can look back in our lives
and countlessly see the times the Lord has delivered us. The
times the Lord's given us grace and strength that we needed during
that time. And how he has constantly, constantly,
constantly carried us through. And He ever will. He ever will
for His people. We did not look and see during
that trial, during the storm, whatever was happening. We didn't
say, oh this is for my good. We didn't say that. Because no
one likes going through trials and no one likes going through
tribulations. But they were for our good. And for God's glory. And again, we can look back and
just see His sovereign hand. See Him carry us right through
it all. Right through us all. And that gives us strength to
carry on, doesn't it? And that's why we cry out continuously
to our God, oh Lord, give me grace and strength to make it
through this. Whatever's come our way. We ask for preserving grace,
and he gives it, doesn't he? He gives it. He did, during this
time, he preserved those saints. Until it was their appointed
time for Him to take them home. He gave them grace and strength
during this time of great persecution. And He still gives His church
today grace and strength in time of need. That's why the scripture
says, let us come boldly to the throne of grace. That we may
obtain grace to help in time of need. Do you need grace? Do you need help through your
life? through the daily struggles of our life, go to the throne
of grace. Go to the Savior. Ask Him. Beg Him for grace and strength.
He gives it. He gives it to His people. He
knows every single thing we're going through, beloved. Every
single thing. And notice in verse 2 that the
love which the saints had for Stephen was manifest by their
boldness. Even amidst this great persecution,
the love that they had for Stephen is manifested right here. When
they made great lamentation over him, they buried him. And a devout
man carried Stephen to his burial and made great lamentation over
him. Even in the midst of all this persecution, they buried
their brother. They buried their brother. And then we see they were scattered.
They were scattered abroad for their love for Christ, for their
faith in Christ. And it was their love for Christ
and their faith in Christ was manifested in the fact that they
proclaimed Christ wherever they went. They proclaimed Christ. And why did this persecution
fall upon them? Because man hates the gospel
of God's free grace. And nothing has changed, beloved.
Nothing has changed. False religionists still hate
God's gospel and his saints. And those who live godly in Christ
will suffer persecution, the scriptures proclaim this. But
let us always remember that during these times that God is sovereignly
upon his throne, working all things after the counsel of his
own will, giving his people grace and strength and manifesting
his love for us through his gospel. So we see God's people scattered
here. Persecutions come. Look at verse one, and Saul was
consenting unto his death, at Stephen's death, and at that
time, there was a great persecution against the church, which was
at Jerusalem. And they were all scattered abroad throughout the
regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. And in verse 4, therefore they
were scattered abroad and went everywhere preaching the word.
Now notice in that first verse it says throughout the regions
of Judah, Judea and Samaria. Turn if you would to Acts chapter
1. Acts chapter 1. And look what Christ told the
apostles. Look at this. My goodness. That which the Lord Jesus Christ
told them has come to pass. Has come to pass. Look at verse
7 and 8. And he said unto them, It is
not for you to know the times and the seasons which the Father
hath put in his own power, but ye shall receive power after
the Holy Ghost has come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses
unto me both in Jerusalem, and in Judea, and in Samaria, and
in the uttermost parts of the earth. How did this happen? Great
persecution came upon the church, and they were scattered. And
they went abroad, preaching the gospel. Proclaiming Christ. Proclaiming Christ. Turn, if
you would, to 2 Timothy. 2 Timothy, chapter 2. And let's look at what the scripture
proclaims here in verses 8 to 11. Verses 8 to 11. And here's Paul writing, Paul
who was Saul, Paul who's now a trophy of God's
grace. Be not thou therefore ashamed
of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but be
thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the
power of God. And those saints in the book
of Acts, they were going through the afflictions of the gospel,
weren't they? They were being persecuted for their faith in
Christ. Look at this in verse 9, "...who has saved us and called
us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according
to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ
Jesus before the world began, but is now made manifest by the
appearing of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death
and hath brought life and immortality to life through the gospel, whereunto
I am appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher of the
Gentiles." Now we see there in verse 8, the afflictions of the
gospel, we see that happening. Again, in the book of Acts, in
chapter 8. Look at it, it says in verse
11, Where unto I appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher
of the Gentiles? Oh my. If the salvation of God's elect
is according to his paternal purpose, and his holy word plainly
proclaims that it is so, and as we just read, it should not
be difficult to believe that he purposed all things pertaining
to those He is pleased to call out of darkness. God has appointed a time when
He formed us in our mother's wombs. That time was appointed. God has appointed a time when
we were brought into this world. That is appointed. He's appointed
the places which we would live When we came into this world
and the places where we would live throughout our entire life,
it's all planned and purposed by God. And he has appointed
the time when we would come under the preaching of the gospel.
And that time for those of us who are saved happened at one
time, didn't it? And it was all appointed by God that we would
hear the gospel of God's free and sovereign grace proclaimed.
And it came to us in power. All by the power of the Holy
Spirit of God. And it was appointed that we
would be translated from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom
of the light of the glorious gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. All by God's almighty power. And our Lord knows the end from
the beginning and everything in between. We often forget that. We say, yeah, He knows the end
from the beginning, but He also knows everything in the middle
too, doesn't He? Everything. Everything. Why? Because He purposed the
end from the beginning. And He purposed everything in
between as well. He purposed it all, boy. He purposed
it all. And it shall come to pass, that
which He has purposed shall come to pass. He who has begun a good
work in you will perform it until that day of Jesus Christ. Turn,
if you would, to Philippians chapter two, Philippians chapter
two. You have begun a good work and
you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. And Paul
penned this pen, these words in the book of Philippians, he
was in jail, beloved. And those jails, as I've said
many times before, those jails weren't like the modern jails.
They got rats running around in there. There was all kinds
of... Roman prisons were awful. And Paul pens these words, Philippians
chapter 2. He says in verse 12, Wherefore
my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence
only, but how much more in my absence, work out your own salvation
with fear and trembling. We walk in the Lord, beloved,
in fear and trembling, not in the fear of man, not in the fear
of man, or the fear of damnation, but with serious caution and
humility, lest we disturb and destroy the fellowship of the
church, which our Lord has purchased with his own precious blood.
Look at verse 13, for it is God which worketh in you to will
and to do of his good pleasure. Look at that. For it's God which worketh in
you, both to will and to do of His good pleasure. So the attitude
of humility and the spirit of love is from God, the Holy Spirit
working in us. It's not of our doing. It's not
of our doing. By nature, we're proud. But God
humbles His people. He humbles His people. And He
creates in His people, who at one time were rebels to Him,
He creates in us a desire to serve Him. A desire to hear the
gospel of God's grace preached and proclaimed. A desire to hunger
and thirst after righteousness. And then verse 14 says, do all
things without murmuring and disputants. Now I was in the
business this week, I was sitting in the business this week, and
I heard two employees, they didn't know I could hear them, But obviously,
if I could hear them, other people could hear them, too. And they
were complaining about their work. They were complaining about
their work. And I thought, how quick we are.
How quick we are as humans to murmur. How quick we are to murmur. I didn't just think, well, they
shouldn't be speaking like that. But I thought, boy, we are so
quick to do that. All of us. How quick we are to murmur. How
quick we are to complain. And here's instruction for us.
It's written for our learning, the Lord. This is written for
our learning. Let us serve the Lord with gladness. As I said, we're here for the
gospel to go forth, aren't we? We're here to hear and rejoice
over the gospel of God's free grace. And we saw, as I read
those different countries, how it's going forth. From here,
the gospel's going forth with power. It's incredible. All for
His glory. All for His honor. All for His
praise. So let us serve the Lord with
gladness. Let us rejoice over our salvation that we have in
Christ. And Paul here writes, Do all things without murmurings
and disputants. Beloved, this is a command from
the Lord. This is a command from the Lord. Let us take heed to
the Scriptures. Let us take heed to what the
Scriptures say here. Brother Henry Mahon comments
this, Do all things without murmuring, grumbling, or fault-finding.
either with God or with the brethren. And this is a command from the
Lord. Why? Look at verse 15, that you
may be blameless and harmless as sons of God without rebuke
in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation among whom you
shine as lights in the world. In Christ we are the sons of
God. Paul is saying that our attitude, our conversation, our
conduct before the brethren in the wicked of this world should
be such as they cannot charge us with hypocrisy or insincerity. Let us speak and live as sons
of God, Octavian. And look at verse 16, holding
forth the word of life. that I may rejoice in the day
of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain.
Holding forth the word of life here means holding out and offering
to men the word of life, which is what? The gospel. The gospel,
the Lord Jesus Christ. So Paul is bringing forth the
conduct and character of a believer in the fact that we desire to
tell others of the wondrous things which Christ has done for us.
Paul brings forth that if these two things are present in the
Philippian saints among those he has preached to, then his
labor was not in vain. Your conduct and character reveal
that you are one with Christ. And that you are burdened and
concerned with others to come to know Christ too. Love for Christ and love for
the brethren. And others will constrain us to please Christ
and to evangelize the lost. To tell them, what is evangelism? Just telling the great things
the Lord has done for us? He saved my soul. I was lost. I was blind. I was dead in trespasses
and sins. And I'm born again by the Holy
Spirit of God. Praise His mighty name. And Christ died for all
my sins on Calvary's cross. And He was risen for my justification.
Just proclaim it. What did the Lord tell the gathering
demoniac? He wanted to go with the Lord,
remember? He said, you go and tell the great things the Lord
has done for you. That's what we do. That's what we do. So with this in mind, now with
this in mind, let us read the next portion of the scripture
here. There's great persecution. Saul's wreaking havoc on the
church. Now they're scattered. And with what we read there in
Philippians, let's keep that in mind as we read the next portion
of Scripture set here before us. And we're seeing that God
always causes the sinner his purpose to save to hear the Word
of God. That's why I rejoice when the Word of God goes out
of here. Because we don't know what it's doing. We know it's
going to accomplish His will. And I'm telling you, this is
the absolute truth of Scripture. that God will always cause the
sinner that He has purposed to save to hear the gospel of Christ. To hear the gospel of Christ.
So there's instruction here for us. Right here before us. This work
is the Lord's work. And the gospel goes forth from
here. All the gospel preacher does is proclaim a report. Salvations
of the Lord. And salvation's only in Christ,
in Christ alone, nowhere else. Look at this in Acts 8, verses
4 to 8. 8. Therefore they that were scattered
abroad went everywhere preaching the word. Then Philip went down
to the city of Samaria and preached Christ unto them. And the people
with one accord gave heed unto these things which Philip spake,
hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits
crying with loud voices came out of many that were possessed
with them, and many taken with palsies and that were lame were
healed. And what's the result of all
that? What's the result of when the
Lord saves us? What's the result when we hear
the Lord saving a lost sinner and there was great joy in that
city? They were rejoicing. They were rejoicing. So we see
two things here, though, bought forth that the Lord God has a
people whom he will save and he will cause those people to
hear the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Why did Philip go down
to the city of Samaria? Well, because God sent him. Because God sent him. He didn't
go down to Samaria for some R&R. Didn't need some rest and relaxation,
did he? No. He didn't go down to see
the area of Samaria because he'd never seen it before. No. He went to Samaria because he
was sent by God. He was sent by God. And this
is why every gospel preacher goes where they're sent. We go
where we're sent. Send to God. Call to God. Because God sovereignly sent
Philip there, he went there. He went there. What do God's preachers do when
they are sent to a place? Well, we see the answer in our
text here. What did Philip do when he went down to the city
of Samaria? He preached Christ. Look at verse 5. Then Philip
went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ unto them.
He didn't go down to Samaria to get a great following. He
didn't go down to Samaria to be a friend to everyone. He didn't go down to Samaria
to draw attention to himself. No, he went down to Samaria to
draw attention to the Lord Jesus Christ. He went down to proclaim that
salvation is only in Christ and Christ alone. He went down to
proclaim a complete salvation in Christ. He went down to proclaim the
great things the Lord had done for him. He didn't talk about how great
he was. Because God's gospel preachers don't feel like we're
sufficient to even preach. No. He told them how great the
Lord Jesus Christ was. And He is great, beloved. He
proclaimed Christ and Him crucified. He proclaimed Him as the only
Savior of sinners. He told them what Christ had
accomplished for His people. He told them that He was the
great substitute, dying in their place of His people. He told them that
Jesus Christ was made of a woman, made under the law to redeem
them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoptions
of sons. Philip told those people in Samaria,
cursed is everyone that continueth not in the things which are written
in the book of the law to do them. And then he proclaimed that no
man is justified by the law in the sight of God. It is evident
for the just shall live by faith, just like Paul. Preach the same
gospel Paul preached. And the law is not a faith, but
the man that doeth them shall live in them. Christ hath redeemed
us from the curse of the law. Praise is my name. For it is
written, cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree. He proclaimed
what Christ had done for his people. He proclaimed that Christ had
paid the ransom price in full, that God demanded for the sins
of all his people. How? By the shedding of his precious
blood. And He told them that Christ,
by His death, had reconciled God's elect, His people, to God. And He told them how God's holy
law and justice is satisfied in Christ, in Christ alone. And He told them how the Lord
Jesus Christ, who is God incarnate in the flesh, had laid His life
down for His sheep. And Philip told them with joy
in his heart, this is what Christ has done
for me. And then he told them that Christ
is risen from the dead, because this is all preached in the gospel.
He's risen from the dead for our justification, for the justification
of his people. And that he's now seated upon
his throne in glory. How do I know that Philip preached
these glorious truths? Because the scriptures say before
us here that he preached Christ unto them. And the whole reason
he was in Samaria was to proclaim the great things that Christ
had done. That's the whole reason he was there. The whole reason
any great preachers anywhere is to preach the glorious things.
The glorious gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Think of this in light of what
the scripture says in Romans chapter 10. Let's turn there. Romans chapter 10. Oh my. Philip was sent there
by God to preach and proclaim the gospel of God's free and
sovereign grace. Romans chapter 10. Think of this
in light of that. Verse 13. For whosoever shall
call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Whosoever shall call upon the
name of the Lord shall be saved. This is from Joel 2.32, where
the scripture proclaims, And it shall come to pass that whosoever
shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered. For
in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the
Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call. My. Think about the name of the Lord.
Think of how the name of the Lord reveals who He is and what
He's done. and why he's done it, and where
he is now. And there's no other name under
heaven whereby we must be saved. Think of the name of the Lord
in the Old Testament, Jehovah-Jireh, the Lord will provide. God himself
provided the land. Jehovah-Rapha, the Lord that
healeth. We're healed by his stripes, we are healed. by what
Christ suffered for us. Jehovah Nissi, the Lord, our
banner. Oh, we walk. We walk in the faith which we have in
the Lord Jesus Christ. Jehovah Shalom, the Lord, our
peace. Oh, what a name. And we have
peace with God in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. Jehovah
Raha, the Lord, my shepherd. Oh, what a name, beloved. The
Lord, my shepherd, he guides me and directs me and keeps me.
Jehovah Sekindu, the Lord, our righteousness. He is our righteousness,
beloved, and we are clothed in his perfect, spotless righteousness. Jehovah Shema, the Lord is present.
He said, I'll never leave you nor forsake you. And look at
what it says, for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord
shall be saved. Oh, what a name. What a name. The Lord Jesus Christ. And He
is all those things to us that I read. He's all those things. Now remember that Philip was
sent by God to preach the gospel in Samaria. And we know that
every preacher, every gospel preacher is sent by God to proclaim
the good news where God wants it proclaimed. So let's look
at the next two verses. Romans 10, 14 and 15. How then shall they call on Him
whom they have not believed? But how shall they believe in
Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without
a preacher? In this verse here, Paul insists on the necessity
of preaching the gospel to sinners. Because none can be saved who
do not call on the name of the Lord. None can call upon the
true name of the Lord if they do not believe that He is willing
and able to save them. And no one can believe He is
willing and able to save if they have not heard of his grace and
his death and his redemption. And none can hear these things
unless they hear the glad tidings of the gospel preached to them.
And the Holy Spirit makes it effectual. We're born again by
the Holy Spirit of God, thus the importance of being under
the gospel. Look at verse 15, and how shall
they preach except they be sent? Well, Philip's sent to Samaria,
isn't he? Just like every gospel preacher's sent to where they
are. How shall they be sent? As it is written, how beautiful
are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring
glad good tidings of good things. Now, God's preachers are ambassadors.
Ambassadors of Christ, we preach the glad tidings of salvation
in and through Christ alone. And we preach the gospel under
his authority and all by his power, by the power of the Holy
Spirit of God. Brother Henry Mahan said in the
past that The greatest blessing God can give to a people is a
faithful preacher of the true gospel. Look at verse 16. For they have not all obeyed
the gospel. For Isaiah saith, Lord, who hath believed our reports?
The preaching of the gospel is a proclamation of salvation in
and through Christ, in Him alone. And this gospel is to be preached
both to Jew and Gentile, to all. To all. And whosoever believeth
shall be saved. And we know that all who hear
the gospel preach and proclaim will not believe. And it seems
strange to we who believe that because this gospel is such glad
tidings for sinners. It's wonderful. We only need
to look back at our own natural state though and understand why
they don't believe. Because we were in the same darkness
there. But praise be to God, he made us well in the day of
his power. We're born again by the Holy Spirit of God. And God
was pleased to reveal Christ to us and to bring us to Christ.
Look at this in verse 17. So then faith cometh by hearing
and hearing by the word of God. Faith cometh by hearing, so no
one can trust in unrevealed Christ. That's why the gospel must be
preached. And this hearing is not just with the outward ear,
but also with the heart. With the heart. And it's God
who opens the ears and hearts of those who are deaf to the
things of God. When we're born again, we now
have a desire to hear and we have understanding as the Holy
Spirit illuminates the scriptures for us and teaches things of
Christ, which we never had before. And we see our desperate need
for Christ, don't we? All the time, all the time. So faith
cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. It's essential
to be under the preaching of the gospel. Let's go back to our scripture
then in Acts chapter 8 with this in mind. God always causes the
sinner he has purposed to save to hear the gospel. And we who
believe know it's true in our lives, isn't it? He purposed
us to hear the gospel. And there was a day when we heard.
No, there was a day when we didn't hear. There was a time when we
didn't hear anything at all. And then all of a sudden we heard.
Who made us to differ? God, and God alone. Only God,
only God. Let's read verses five to eight
again. And Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached
Christ unto them. And the people with one accord
gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, and hearing and
seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying
with a loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with
them, and many taken with palsies that were lame were healed. And
there was great joy in the city. Note they gave heed to the preaching
of the gospel of God's free grace in Christ. Why did they give
heed? Well, we know as many as were
ordained to eternal life. Believe. Believe. Why do you believe the gospel
and maybe others in your family or friends don't believe the
gospel? Because it was ordained by God that you should. Isn't
that wonderful? Does that makes your heart fill
with joy to know that, to know that, but never, never stop praying
for those around us because we do not know who God's elect are.
We have no idea. Keep praying for your family.
Keep praying for your friends. Keep praying for your coworkers
because we have no idea who God's elect are. We didn't even know
we were God's left until he revealed himself to my goodness. Our Lord Jesus proved that he
had sent Philip to Samaria by endowing him with power to perform
miracles, with power over unclean spirits, and with power to heal
the sick and the lame. And the people, with one accord,
gave heed unto these things, which Philip spake, hearing and
seeing the miracles which Philip did. For unclean spirits, crying
with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with
them, and many taken with palsies, and the lame were healed, and
there was great joy in that city. The power of Jesus Christ, the
power of God accompanied Philip's preaching. When unclean spirits came out
of many who were possessed, crying with loud voice. John Gill comments
about this. He says, for unclean spirits
crying with a loud voice came out of many that were possessed
with them and many taken with palsies that were lame and were
healed. He said, showing their unwillingness to remove and their
irresistibleness of divine power, they could not withstand who
had for a long time dwelt in them and had greatly afflicted
them. The power of God was on full
display because it was God who delivered those people. It was
God who saved them. All Philip was doing was preaching
the gospel. The miracles that were done were
all done by the power of God. All done by the power of God.
All by his almighty power. The devil and demons of darkness
are under the sovereign control of the Lord Jesus Christ. We
see that here and we see it all through scripture. The power of the Lord Jesus Christ,
the power of God accompanied Philip's preaching when many
taken with palsies and the lame were healed. Again, they were
healed by the power of God under Philip's preaching. What a picture
we have. What a picture we have right
here. Look at this. They were possessed with them,
they were taken with palsies, they were lame, and they were
healed. What a picture we have here of
we who are by nature dead in trespasses and sins. dead in
trespasses and sins, groping around in the darkness of our
sins. But we who are the blood bought people of God, we who
are the born again people of God, we're healed, aren't we?
Now we're still sinners while we're in this flesh, but we're
saved sinners, beloved. We're saved by the power of God,
all by his almighty power. And then notice in verse eight,
for there was great joy in that city. I ask you, wouldn't you
rejoice if you were in their state? Wouldn't you rejoice if
you'd been in that state and taken out of it? Do not we rejoice, we who are
born again, when God takes us out of the darkness of our sin?
Do we not rejoice when God delivers us time and time again from the
trials and temptations of this life? over and over and over
again. We rejoice, don't we? And we
give Him all the glory. And we give Him all the praise.
We who were once spiritually lame, lame from a fall, we all
fell in Adam, are now healed. We who are God's people. We who
were once spiritually blind and deaf to the things of God, now
we hear and now we see the Lord Jesus Christ. We know who God
is because He's revealed Himself to us. We know who the Redeemer
is because He's revealed Himself to us. So these saints here,
they heard and they believed. They believed. God gave them
grace and faith to believe the Lord Jesus Christ, just like
He's done for we who are His people. Should we not rejoice? Absolutely. We should rejoice. This is wonderful. This is wonderful. They heard,
they believed the glorious gospel of God's free grace and salvation
in Christ alone. And they were filled with great
joy. Great joy. Why? All for the glory of God.
All for the glory of God. Oh my. What do we say? To God be the glory. Great things
he hath done. And he's done great things, hasn't
he? For we who are his people. Heavenly Father, we thank you
for allowing us to be here today and to look in these scriptures.
Oh, to see the power of your almighty power at work. To see
the great persecution which fell upon the church, but yet, Lord,
to see you preserve them and keep them. And to see that they
were scattered, but it was all according to thy purpose and
plan, oh Lord, for the furtherance of the gospel. And this is why
we're here. This is why we gather together.
This is why the gospel goes forth from this place, is for the furtherance
of the gospel, for your glory. We love you, we praise you, we
thank you for allowing us to have a place to come to where
we can gather together in fellowship. And we thank you, Lord, for each
one of your blood-bought people, that we can have joy in fellowship
over the great things which you've done for us. In Jesus' name,
amen.