Friday, July 5, 2013

He got saved? No Way!

Persecution; it's good (Acts 8:1-4)

    It is not natural for us to think of persecution as a good thing, but the Lord has told us different. We are to rejoice when we are persecuted (Matthew 5:10-12), this is the attitude the apostles had (Acts 5:41), it means we are doing something right (2 Timothy 3:12). Here the persecution caused them to scatter thus obeying the Lord's command in Acts1:8. Some even wonder if they would have obeyed without the pressure of the persecution.

The revival in Samaria (Acts 8:5-25)

    As a result of the persecution Phillip went to Samaria and a revival broke out that involved multitudes being saved, even Simon the sorcerer (witch doctor, shaman, local spiritist) was saved.
Have you noticed how dependent they were on the Holy Spirit? It has been mentioned in every chapter. I want a great revival to come to our country. Perhaps if God's people were more reliant on the Holy Spirit and more obedient to the Great Commission, we would see it come to pass.

The Conversion of the Eunuch (Acts 8:26-40)

    After his work in Samaria Phillip was called away to a desert place to witness to a single man. God cares about the masses and the individual. He was the treasurer of Ethiopia. Lofty position, I would say. Through God's power Phillip leads him to the Lord. He ask an interesting question in verse 36. Is there any reason I can't get baptized? Phillip said that the only thing that would hold him back is if he was not saved (37). This is a classic passage to use when helping someone understand they need to be saved before they are baptized. Were you saved before you got baptized?

The Conversion of Saul (Acts 9:1-31)

    Saul's conversion is extremely dramatic. I found it interesting that Jesus said he was persecuting him (4-5). Saul was beating and imprisoning God's people, but Jesus said that he was the one being persecuted. Keep that in mind when persecution comes your way, it is really Jesus they are striking out against.
    Ananias had his doubts about the situation with Saul, but the Lord said he was a chosen vessel (15). Keep in mind when you are dealing with what might seem like hopeless cases, you never know who might be God's chosen vessel.
    The book of Acts makes it apparent that there are some things that people should do right away after being saved. One is to get baptized. Another is to share your faith (20).

Peter's Ministry (Acts 9:32-43)

    There are three influential men that are converted in these two chapters.

1. Simon, a bewitching man, by his trickery and perhaps demonic power is gloriously saved,
2. The Eunuch, a man of position and politics, is brought to Jesus.
3. Perhaps the most powerful conversion of all in terms of how God used this man was Saul, a religious man. He got over his religion and found Jesus.

    Perhaps all three of these would have seemed like hopeless cases, but there is no such thing. Our duty is to faithfully witness, God will sort out who can and cannot be saved.
    By the way, just because there were no blinding lights or flashy miracles at you conversion does not make it less important than these. They are all precious and amazing and God would like to use you in an even more powerful way than he did Saul (Paul).

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