Part 2 – In this week’s message, we continue to learn more about Philip and how God used him as a witness of the gospel. Last time, we saw how God used him to transform a large group of people in Samaria, but this time God has a different kind of assignment for Philip. So what was God’s big new plan for Philip? How would God use His transforming touch next? God sent him down to Gaza—which the Bible refers to as a deserted place. To go from a growing church to a place where no one even lives—I would have struggled to understand what God was thinking if I were Philip. We cannot know what Philip was thinking, but we do know what Philip did. Let’s read this story to find out!
Part 1- It is amazing to see what motivation can do in a person’s life! In this message, we’re going to take a few minutes to think about the motivation for the gospel in Acts 8. We will pick up this story with the persecution of believers in the church at Jerusalem. Because of this intense time of persecution, all of the believers (not including the apostles) left Jerusalem looking for safer places to live. As they went, they shared the good news about Jesus. This passage tells us the story of Philip and his experiences in the city of Samaria.
THE EXPANSION OF THE CHURCH
Gathering to be Empowered
The Message of the Changed Lives:
The testimony was effective because the change was evident!
The testimony was complete because the challenge was made!
God wants us to share stories of changed lives to challenge others to believe!
When a church faces a serious problem, this presents the leaders and the members with a number of opportunities. Problems are opportunities!
The WITNESS of the Church
Proclaiming the Name of Jesus Christ – Acts 5:17-42
Bringing Authenticity Back to Our Beliefs
Acts 4:32-5:16
The Early Church
The MISSION of the Church
The EMPOWERING of the Church
The FUNCTION of the Church
The BOLDNESS of the Church
The LOVE of the Church
The Boldness of the Early Church
Being Bold with Compassion (3:1-10)
Being Bold with the Truth (3:11-26)
Being Bold in the Light of Opposition (4:1-22)
The Prayer for Boldness (4:23-30)
The Blessings of Boldness (4:31-37)
The Empowering of the Church
The Church Waitng for the Spirit – 2:1
The Church Worshipping the Lord – 2:2-13
The Church Witnessing to the Lost – 2:14-40
The Church Walking in the Spirit – 2:41-47
The Church Waiting for the Spirit
What is Pentecost?
Why is it significant?
Parallels between Judaism and Christianity