Response to Persecution

Pick up an ax after 8 and title of this sermon is response to persecution last week. We are looking at Stephen and how God used Stephen in the face of opposition to shine for him. And I hope you remember this week. How did your face look this week? It was interesting because I told you a couple times. I've mentioned this extreme devotion devotional. Put out by voice of the martyrs. You can get it for free that far. Double. He's weird for me. Alright, you can get it for free on their website and I just wanted to read one of the ones from this week to you because he has to do with What's your face look like? The title extreme smile. This is actually about paulus from Siberia. It was getting late in the Soviet officer had beaten and tortured. Paul is 4. Many hours, we are not going to torture you anymore. He said running through lie. When the Christian looked up, we will send you instead decided. Where the snow never melts. It is a place of great suffering you and your family will fit in. Well, Polis instead of being depressed smiled. The whole earth belongs to my father Captain wherever you send me, I will be on my father's Earth. The captain looked at them shortly, we will take away all you want. He will need a higher ladder, Captain for my treasures are stored up in heaven. Paul is still wear a beautiful smile.

will put a bullet between your eyes sound of the captain now Angry If you take away my life in this world, my real life of joy and Beauty will begin answer paulus. I'm not afraid of being killed. Captain Crab Palace by his tattered prison shirt and screamed in his face. We will not kill you. We will keep you locked alone in a cell and allow no one to come to see. You cannot do that Captain said Paula still smiling. I have a friend who can pass through locked doors and iron bars. No one can separate me from the love of Christ. Can anything ever separate us from Christ? Love? Does it mean he no longer lives us loves us? If we have trouble or Calamity or persecuted or hungry or destitute, or endangered, or threatened with death, Romans 8:35. Nothing can separate us from his left paulus. How to fix Lake Stevens? Smiling, because he knew the truth. What we believe, what we really believe. Will come through. How's your face? Anyway, that was last. We were looking at Stephen and then encourage you again, get your free copy. It's really encouraging to read about the testimonies of our brothers and sisters around the world. But today we're going to look at another example. Another man Philip again. He was a member of that group. That was chosen to help serve their the church in Jerusalem. And the same description we saw for Steve, and we also see if her fill up again, for the same, for the apostles, it said to seven, men known to be full of the spirit and wisdom. And so Philip was one of those men chose and he was full of the Holy Spirit. And again all that means is he would yield to the spirit as he was led by the spirit. Is he in person the spirits like this is what you need to do or this is the way to go. He would obey, he would go back. And he was full of wisdom. And again, we saw that, and James, 3:17, last week, what does it mean to have wisdom old at least talking a lot about Earthly with some? But haven't Lee wisdom, which is pure peace-loving considerate. Submissive, full of mercy and good fruit impartial and sincere. We're going to see these characteristics and fill up today that he really had all of these. The full of Mercy, the good fruit impartial. And he was sincere. And again, when we talk about good fruit as we saw last week, having that good fruit means, he's all biting and crises allowing Christ. Word to abide in him and he is then bearing that fruit of love. That's exactly what we're going to see. I'll fill up this week so it was pick up where we are. In Acts chapter starting verse 1. It's all approved of their killing of him meeting Stephen and we're picking right up there on that day. A great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. Godly men, buried, Steven Amore and deeply for him, but Saul began to destroy the church going from house to house. He dragged off both men and women and put them in prison. Those who have been scattered preach. The word, wherever they went. Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. When the crowd turn fill up and saw the signs. He performed. They all paid close attention to what he said. There was shrieks and pure spirits came out of many and many were paralyzed or laying were healed. I'm going to stop there, just kind of Recap, what's going on here again? Destroying the church that was that was Paul's mission. That was his intent. It started with Stephen and I imagine it again. Paul, having been a member born in Tarsus in cilicia, having been moved back to Jerusalem to be trained. There was a part of the Hellenistic Jews. He was a Pharisee part of the Hellenistic Jews and so he was probably a part of that whole synagogue that Stephen had been apart of that. They couldn't stand up to his wisdom.

and imagine Paul being the scullery was Didn't like that.

Who here likes to lose an argument. But he was intent on not just getting rid of Steven. But everyone who follow Christ. That was his desire. Actually in Acts. We have another description of in Acts 9. Verse 1 says, saw was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He wasn't just content with Steven dying and putting other people in prison. He was doing more than that murderous threats, or as Paul himself describes it. He said I persecuted the followers of this way to their death, Arresting both, men and women throwing them in the prison. As he describes it another place. He says, these people know I went from one synagogue to another to imprison and beat. Again, Steven the death arresting men and women but he wasn't just content. Arresting them. He was beating them. What was the purpose of the beating? He says he put many people in prison and they were put to death, he cast his vote against them another time. He says, I went from one single to another to have them punished and I tried to force them to blaspheme.

You would beat people. Hoping to get them to deny Christ. It wasn't just a matter of going around and arresting people. And again, these are Paul's own words not that he was proud of it but it's a part of his testimony.

Look at Steven. He says, I was so obsessed with persecuting them. I even hunted them down in foreign cities.

Getting like a hunter on the trail of its prey, he's going to keep looking until we can find them, so he can beat them, so he can imprison them and ultimately, if possible put them to death.

he was trying to destroy the church physically literally So what's the response? What was the response? It says that the disciples were all scattered except the apostles and I imagine because of everything we've read out. Disappointed Acts of the Apostles. What kind of kind of safe because they'd already been put on trial, the angel already got him out of prison in and they were going around healing people to where people were in all and had respect for them that we saw earlier. They leaders were afraid to do anything to the apostles because of the people's opinion. but the rest of the disciples and what worried So, they were scattered. They were scattered. Now again, a lot of them, like the Hellenistic Jews. Probably just went home. Those who had just come to Jerusalem for the Passover for the sorry enough, Passover, Jesus died, but for the Feast of Weeks, those who would come for that Feast of Weeks. And then, okay, Pentecostal is, Here Comes, they were say they stuck around for the teaching, will they probably all went home. In fact, we know that Priscilla and Aquila and others and whatnot, had gone back to Rome other places. Others who had moved to Jerusalem. Probably, just move to other places other places.

but, Philip.

Phillip when somewhere nobody expected. Went to Samaria. We'll get to that in a second. So the responses they were scattered, they left Jerusalem, they went all over the place, some of them went back home, some of them new homes, they went all over the place. But what's more important is they didn't just go all over the place. They preached. Now the word that says translated preach here. In this verse most, every other occurrence is actually translate in English. They proclaim the good news and that's really what it is. It's that word for good news, they had such good news about Jesus Christ. They knew what Jesus had done for them. How Jesus had set them free from all the guilt and shame of everything they've done in their past because when Jesus came to the Earth lived a perfect life, he died on the cross, he took our sins on himself so that we never have to worry about being punished for them. Our God, our judge has been satisfied with his dad. In fact, he raised him from the dead so that he could not just forgive us our sins. But then declare has to be righteous. a new title, no longer under Guild, but

They were free free from something that they had never been free from in their life as they follow the law of Moses. All it was was continual bondage too. While you're still a sitter. So, you better do what I was sacrificed to, wait, it's a new day, you're still a sinner, better do another sacrifice over and over and over again.

Jesus. He tied one time for all since. Never another sacrifices need to be made because he has made all those who receive him. To become children of God. The relationship restored. These people were excited. They knew that salt was out there. Hunting people down. So they could have just scattered and said, okay, let's hide our Trail here. Don't say anything to anybody, cuz if you don't say anybody, nobody here is going to know your Christian, right? So house all going to find you

That wasn't an option for him. They had so much joy from their salvation. They had to tell people everywhere they went. Have you heard about Jesus?

What are you doing here? They were trying to kill us there in Jerusalem. So we came here where were they trying to kill you? It won't believe me from my past everything, everything all the bodies the law, not the law just made me guilty but now Jesus has made me righteous. Have you heard about him? They were excited. They were proclaiming. Jesus everywhere. They went but but Philip Philip would even be on that. Philip. Which is Samaria of all places Samaria.

What I love about this is that they stayed on Mission. Remember the mission actual date, you receive power, when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be my Witnesses. Lay down your life. Deny yourself, take up your cross. Daily follow me and tell people, you'll be my Witnesses. They stayed on Mission everywhere. They went and Philip stayed on Mission by going to Samaria.

Background. What is so special about Samaria? Samaria is not far from Jerusalem at all. It's not far. So, it's not, like Philip is like, oh, I can go to Samaria. Soul, never find me there. It's a long way away. No, it's actually pretty close.

Even better going to Damascus old. People tried that. But anyway, he went to Samaria. Samaria is an interesting sitting because you had King David in the Old Testament. He was the king over all of Israel. Then his son Solomon King over all his world even expanded after sell them in the kingdom. Was split a very full of sun Kingdom of split, Northern tribes were the nation of Israel. Then you had Judah to the South Well, all the kings of Israel were just bad, all every single one. So God love than to be conquered by the kings of Assyria, when the kings of Assyria conquered them, they literally took the people or except for the most destitute people left them behind. But everybody else They carried off. Are they brought other people to other lands in to live in those northern areas? Those people brought their own Gods, will worsen their own Gods, and will God actually allowed lions and things to start killing them. So, they went back to the game. That said, King, we don't know the God of this land. We need help. And so, he sent some of the Levites back in the leave. It started telling them about God and so they started worshiping God. Now, they had a mix between their own Gods and the one true God, but it started worshiping God and am started interfering with those Levites with the Jews who had been left behind. They started it in her marrying so they were Half-breeds. As far as the Jews were concerned, they weren't pure-blooded Israelites. Well, the lower Nation Jude. I had some cooking some backings. They were conquered by Babylon. Carried off. They went into Exile. They didn't necessarily intermarry all of them. Some of them did when you get to the am I if I know if someone didn't punish them for that, but anyway, another story read need my app. They come back. And first people that came back, we're told to rebuild the Temple. The Samaritans came and said, hey, we worship God. We want to help build the temple.

You can read about this in Second Kings 17. But the Jews. Who had an Ameri? Who came back to build the temple said you have no part of this.

Half-breeds. Whatever you want to call it. Play said you have no part of this. So from that point on the Samaritans made it difficult. In fact, they started sending off letters. They even got to work on the temple to stop by writing letters to the king and lying about them and said all they're going to rebuild against you and everything else. In fact later they got permission, they did finish the temple DMI, it comes back and he's going to rebuild the city when he goes to rebuild. Those rebuild the city. Guess what? Again, Samaritans and all the people around, try to oppose the work, got to work to try to get to work to stop. So do you think the Jews in the Samaritans get along? Not at all. In fact, the Samaritan started. They said, well, the only part of the Old Testament. It's good would be the five books of Moses. But even their Five Books of Moses was slightly different because they said mount gerizim was the place where the temple need to be located. And so they actually build a temple there, a mount gerizim whopping, closer, Samaria, and then between the time of the Greek, and Roman Empires, the Jews actually went out there destroyed their Samaritans Temple. So now it's Americans aren't happy either. And so, they went down to the Jewish temple that had been rebuilt, and they put human bones all over the place at one of the passover's so that it will be defiled. Again, just giving you background, Samaritans, hated Jews, Jews hated Samaritans. In fact, it was interesting. I never heard this before, but this week, I was again searching and I found out the Jewish. Rabbis used to say, let no man eat the bread of the Samaritans for who, he who eats the bread is as he eats swine's flesh, which word you eating Pig is bad. But they also had a prayer that they used to pray. A popular prayer in those days was. Lord do not remember the Samaritans in the resurrection. That was their prayer.

So why would fill up go there?

Why would he go there? He's a Jew. If he goes there, they're going to hate him. Well, he should hate them to show me. Oh, but wait, he was full of the spirit and wisdom. And Heavenly wisdom is impartial, and it's sincere. And it's full of good fruit, the fruit of love and he had Christ abiding in him. He was abiding in Christ. He had Christ word abiding in him and what did Jesus do? Jesus went through Samaria. Denny he spoke to that woman at the well, in fact, not only did he speak to the one that? Well, when the woman went back told all the people, They begged him to stay. He stayed with him for like three days, right? But of course, he didn't need their bread cuz I be eating swine's flesh.

Jesus reached out to Samaritan's, you know what? I wonder if Philip heard the apostles teaching and heard them sharing what Jesus did. Jesus with the Samaritans. I wonder if they know that he died and rose again. I wonder if they know the whole story. I wonder if they know what he's done for us.

And so Philip. Went to Samaria. He went to Samaria and you know what? It's actually full feeling what Jesus commanded, right? You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be my Witnesses in Jerusalem. They did that, Now that they're being scary says, all Judea. And Samaria. Jesus, commanded that. Before he ascended. But Philip was the one that went none of the Apostles to fill up there. I I find that really interesting and so he did. He went to Samaria. All right, let's pick up the story line here. Ax88, there was great, joy in that City now for some time, a man named Simon and practice sorcery. The city anime is all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great and all the people both high and low gave him their attention. Explain this man is rightly called the great power of God. They followed him because for a long time he had maze them with his sorcery. But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed, the good news of the kingdom of God, in the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized both men and women. Simon himself believed and was baptized and he followed Philip everywhere, astonished, by the Great Signs, and miracles that he saw

Simon. Simon, some of you may have heard named Simon magus. That would be the Simon Magus coming from the Greek word for working magic or sorcery. Is it says here in Acts 8. He did he work sorcery. Probably use demonic power to do things that were amazing to amaze the people. It was interesting is if you actually study I'm out you find out early church. Fathers shared about how he continued to oppose the gospel, the true gospel, and Peter, even going to Rome and doing all kinds of things.

But what was his whole point? She wanted to be sexually God to the people, he wanted everybody look up to him. Put all the sudden Phillip comes and proclaims the real God. Jesus Christ. The one who came and died for us and rose again. So all he believes in, him can be saved. That have eternal life. He shares. The people are excited. Simon did all kinds of wonderful things, but we just kind of kept them in bondage. They had to keep following him doing whatever you wanted, but Jesus comes to set people free. And yes, we do want to do what Jesus says, but its freedom to do what he says. Stop on. It's so Philip is proclaiming Jesus. People are being saved and being baptized. In fact, Simon's Amazed by all the things that God is doing through Philip. And so, he, he believes He believes he was baptized, he followed Philip everywhere. Now, those of, you know, the end of the story know that there was something more going on. If we're going to get to, was he really a believer? you know what to fill up a probably look like it was to the other believers in Samaria. Probably look like they were but is as Peter wrote.

They were false prophets among the people again. Speaking of the past of Israel's history, just as there will be. Teachers among you, they will secretly introduce destructive, heresies even denying The Sovereign Lord, who bought them bringing Swift destruction on themselves. And yes, the end of the story is that Simon is not really a believer. But he still following his master, the one who enabled him to do all the magic, the father of Lies, the one who masquerades as an angel of Light, we can expect that his followers would do any less.

So, he was deceiving people. When the apostles in Jerusalem, heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. Now again, these are juice as much as they followed Jesus, as much as they believe Jesus, even though they had gone to Samaria. They still had a hard time reconciling the idea that God would save Samaritan's. Remember, don't remember them in the resurrection. That was what they grew up with. It sounds like seriously. Samaritans. And if so they sent Peter and John to find out what's going on when they arrive, they prayed for the new Believers that they might receive the holy spirit because the Holy Spirit and not yet. Come, when any of them they simply believe they've been baptized in the name of Jesus. Then Peter and John Place their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit because again the response of the Apostles, Jesus commanded that we should go to Samaria but they hadn't gone Phillip when let me hear that Samaritan's are being saved and will Jesus did talk with that woman and people in the town gave a really good reception where there but Text Samaritans.

so, they went They find out that they really do believe.

So they pray lay their hands on. They receive the Holy Spirit. Some people would say, what in the world is this all about? Well again the book of Acts as a time of transition and a lot of what goes on in acts are signs for the Jews signs for them to really see what God is doing. And you know what,

I really think we probably have to different churches today. Had the apostles, not going to Samaria.

Because it was that much bad blood. And it took Peter, and John going seeing that they really Believers and then for the Samaritans to accept Jews.

Peter John praying for them, putting their hands on them, then they receive the Holy Spirit again. God working to build his church. The two becoming one is Paul talks about in Galatians, how man that Jews and then everybody else is Gentiles to historically down through the years. But God removes all the Dividing Walls everything to make the two into one. I think that's what's really going on here. That does puzzles coming down will sign and saw the Spirit was given at the laying on of the Apostles hands. So he offered them money and said, give me all so disability. So everyone on your Miley, my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.

This is what has ever since been called. Simony. named after him and sadly, it's been a part of church history ever since Where are you? Good become a bishop for an Archbishop. If you just pay the right price to the right person. Where you could buy your way into heaven with indulgences. You could What if you had the money you could do anyting?

Simon just wanted people to follow him. That was his life. And now they're starting to follow Jesus, how am I going to get them back? They have to come to me to receive the Holy Spirit.

Then I'll be back on top.

The real difference between Simon and a true Apostle Revenge list. Simon was all about himself, and wanted people to come to him. Where is Paul shared, man? For a true Apostle, for True evangelist when they come. He says, I did not come with eloquence or human. Wisdom is, I Proclaim to you to test a minute. I got, it's not about me. Looking good in front of you. It's not about me getting respect at some great speaker or anyting else. It's all about Jesus. It's all about Jesus for I resolved to know nothing. While I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified, I came to you and weakness and great fear and trembling

He said, another time he said such confidence, we have through Christ before God not that. We are confident in ourselves.

Nothing in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our confidence comes from God. He made his company as Ministers of a new covenant, not a letter, but the spirit, the letter kills, but the spirit gives life And also kind of reminds me of, we already saw it with Peter and John when they healed the lame man, right? Everybody's coming running and looking and saying, what's going on. And Peter says to him. Bella Rose Royce. Why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or God of this? We made this man walk. It's not us. Lazy told him later it's by faith in the name of Jesus. This man whom you see and know was made strong. It is in Jesus name and faith that comes through him. That is completely healed him to your coffee.

See Simon and people like him, they want to, they want to do great things, they want to do Miracles, they want to lay their hands on people and have them react or whatever else. To bring attention to. Themselves. The Mark of a true Apostle Mark of a true evangelist is wide world. Would you look at me?

Jesus. Jesus.

So Peter looks right at Simon and says may your money money perish with you.

Peter saw right through. So right through is his fake profession. May your money perish with you because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money. You have no part or sharing this ministry because your heart is not right before. God, Repent of this wickedness, pray the Lord in the hope, he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see you are full of bitterness and captive to send. And what was this in?

Self-centeredness.

Ouch.

How many of us struggle with that sin?

Self-centeredness.

Ken Peters response. He saw right through him. Peter knows, he knew that they were going to be false, prophets are going to be people that say that they follow. Because they're just out for whatever they can get for themselves.

Simon answered pray, the Lord for me, so that nothing you have said me happened to me again. Nobody wants to Parrish

But pray for me. Not a repentance in God. Forgive me. Look what I have done.

He was just looking for the removal of consequences.

Again, difference between Godly sorrow and worldly sorrow. All these sorrow says that I don't want the consequence. Godly sorrow says God forgive me. I'm Center.

Story Goes On cuz after they had further proclaim, the word of the Lord testified about Jesus, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, but my favorite line.

Preaching the gospel. And many Samaritan villages. And that awesome.

Philip. Who's Philip? He's not one of the Apostles.

He was a man who believed in Jesus.

And believe Jesus words is command, you will be my Witnesses. It's so he put He obey the command and out of his obedience. We see the apostles. Obeying Christ.

Do you ever doubt the influence that you could have? Remember Phillip. you could be a Philip and all it takes is what simple obedience. Be a witness.

Define responses many Samaritans became believers. And that's the glory of God. Well, we have to bring this down to wrap it up. What about me then again, as I I look at this again, I think one of the things is, man, I want to be a Philip I want to be a Philip, I want to be just proclaiming the good news of Jesus. Just an ordinary guy. Telling people, because I found the hope that this world needs.

And they surely need hope cuz a lot of discouraging things out there. And yeah, a lot of surgery things as we get older and everything else, but like Paul is, so you can do whatever you want this body. I just talked to you. My home. My eternity With My Savior. Proclaiming.

But simony. simony is something that again, as I think about it, really whole problem with self-centeredness

Am I guilty of simony?

Are the things that I do done out of self-centered. Goals. Seeking after myself. Again. Okay, I could be up here and I could preach the game recognition. I could be preaching to have and I'll Congregation of, you know, 200, 300 400, 500 or more, you know, but if I am preaching to gain recognition to get numbers,

That simony. Cuz it's about me. And I'm Not Jesus.

If we, if we serve If we do things here around the church or anywhere else so that we can be recognized, nobody say, all the way I look at, look at them what they do.

service is great when it's done for the Lord, but if we do it, some people recognize us.

That simony.

Simony. Do something we can easily fall into, isn't it? Cuz who doesn't want a good reputation? Anybody I don't see any hands go up when you ask that question.

It's good to have a good reputation. In fact, it's one of the qualifications that God has for us as Christian leaders. But for doing it for the reputation and not for Christ.

Then we're going to be judged for that that simony anyway. This week. Be a Philip. And that's ask God to just keep our hearts from any trace of simony. Amen. Lord, I Thank you. Thank you for this church family. And again, to thank you for the way you bring us together. To be able to reach out around the world supporting Francis supporting the kids are getting ready for the missions trip in or we just pray that you would use us to Proclaim Christ for claiming Bolduc pray that you would use. Each one of us to be Philip this week to Proclaim Christ. To know the joy of our Salvation. This is share that Joy with the people around us. And our protectors protect us from our hearts. That's so often just seek after recognition. And I pray this in Jesus name, amen.