Miracles Through the Early Church 5 - Philip

Review:

· More than the apostles – signs follow believers

· Jesus said that THESE signs will follow believers, not just apostles.

· Since the early church were also believers, God did miracles through them too!

Jesus MULTIPLIED His MIRACLES through His Early CHURCH

The anointing of the Holy Spirit was not limited to Jesus

The anointing of the Holy Spirit was not limited to the 12 apostles

The anointing of the Holy Spirit was not limited to the 72 disciples

The anointing of the Holy Spirit was not limited to the 120 believers in the Upper Room

The anointing of the Holy Spirit was also given to the first deacons of the Early Church!

· in Luke 4 – the early church was just as anointed as Jesus

· Jesus gave all believers, starting with the early church, the legal power of attorney to use His NAME - in His NAME!

Luke 4:18–19 (NLT)

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free,

19 and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.”

Martyrdom Brings Persecution of the Church

Acts 8:1 (NLT)

1 Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria.

Stephen was the first martyr of the New Testament church.

God used Stephen’s short life tremendously in preaching, prophesying and miracles, even though he was not an apostle, but he was a believer, and that faith is all God needed to use him.

Another deacon was named Philip, who served with Stephen. Philip too went on to do great things for God, even perform miracles.

As the early church was being persecuted, the Gospel was spread to neighboring villages and cities. Philip was one of the participants in the Great Commission of Christ.

Philip cast out demons and healed the lame (Acts 8:6-7)

Acts 8:5–8 (NLT)

5 Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about the Messiah.

6 Crowds listened intently to Philip because they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did.

7 Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed.

8 So there was great joy in that city.

Philip meets Simon the Sorcerer from Samaria

Acts 8:9–12 (NLT)

9 A man named Simon had been a sorcerer there for many years, amazing the people of Samaria and claiming to be someone great.

10 Everyone, from the least to the greatest, often spoke of him as “the Great One—the Power of God.”

11 They listened closely to him because for a long time he had astounded them with his magic.

12 But now the people believed Philip’s message of Good News concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. As a result, many men and women were baptized.

Simon the Sorcerer converted - (Acts 8:13)

Acts 8:13 (NLT)

13 Then Simon himself believed and was baptized. He began following Philip wherever he went, and he was amazed by the signs and great miracles Philip performed.

· The greatest miracle of all is someone turning from darkness to light

· Simon turned from a sorcerer to a servant!

Samaritans are Baptized in the Holy Spirit

By Peter and John

Acts 8:14–17 (NLT)

14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had accepted God’s message, they sent Peter and John there.

15 As soon as they arrived, they prayed for these new believers to receive the Holy Spirit.

16 The Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them, for they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

17 Then Peter and John laid their hands upon these believers, and they received the Holy Spirit.

Closure - Jesus paved the way for the Samaritans salvation through the miracle of a word of knowledge, setting free the Woman at the Well. After her conversion and public testimony and personal evangelism, the whole town came out to meet see and hear Jesus for themselves, resulting in many former hostile enemies of the Jews giving their hearts to the Lord!

After the ascension of Jesus, the church is continuing the same mission through Philip and also Peter and John, - the very two apostles who once wanted to call down fire from heaven when the Samaritans first refused Jesus passageway through their area.

Now the rest of the town is being saved, baptized in water and even filled with the Holy Spirit! All because God found a man who would say YES to God!

Peter Rebukes Simon the Sorcerer for Wrong Motives for Miracles

Acts 8:18–24 (NLT)

18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given when the apostles laid their hands on people, he offered them money to buy this power.

19 “Let me have this power, too,” he exclaimed, “so that when I lay my hands on people, they will receive the Holy Spirit!”

20 But Peter replied, “May your money be destroyed with you for thinking God’s gift can be bought!

21 You can have no part in this, for your heart is not right with God.

22 Repent of your wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive your evil thoughts,

23 for I can see that you are full of bitter jealousy and are held captive by sin.”

24 “Pray to the Lord for me,” Simon exclaimed, “that these terrible things you’ve said won’t happen to me!”

God’s Word Spread through Non-Jewish cities

Acts 8:25 (NLT)

25 After testifying and preaching the word of the Lord in Samaria, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem. And they stopped in many Samaritan villages along the way to preach the Good News.

Philip led by an angel to an Ethiopian Official

Acts 8:26 (NLT)

26 As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, “Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.”

Acts 8:29 (NLT)

29 The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.”

Acts 8:35–38 (NLT)

35 So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus.

36 As they rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look! There’s some water! Why can’t I be baptized?”

38 He ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.

Philip Teleported to another city - (Acts 8:39-40)

Philip baptized a high ranking official of the Queen of Ethiopia - while on the road to Gaza!

The first gentile convert?

Philip Miraculously Teleported to Another City

Acts 8:39–40 (NLT)

39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing.

40 Meanwhile, Philip found himself farther north at the town of Azotus. He preached the Good News there and in every town along the way until he came to Caesarea.

Miracles seemed to become the norm for Philip!

Just like Jesus disappearing from the two men on the road to Emmaus, Philip was also “translated” to another place instantly!

The Bible does not record if Philip was in a state of shock or unbelief because of experiencing travel at the speed of light - he simply continued his ministry like normal!

We too should expect God to do great things for us as we also promote the same Gospel as Philip and the apostles!