Living Life in the Spirit: Missional Christians in the Missional Community

Introduction

A- Background and Introduction of Character:

1- God’s church was a missional community.

a- The church took Christ’s command seriously ().

Acts 1:8 NLT

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

b- Stephen and other deacons

Stephen suffered the next in order. His death was occasioned by the faithful manner in which he preached the Gospel to the betrayers and murderers of Christ. To such a degree of madness were they excited, that they cast him out of the city and stoned him to death. '' The time when he suffered is generally supposed to have been at the Passover which succeeded to that of our Lord's crucifixion, and to the era of his ascension, in the following spring Upon this a great persecution was raised against all who professed their belief in Christ as the Messiah, or as a prophet. We are immediately told by St. Luke, that "there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem;" and that "they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaa and Samaria, except the apostles." About two thousand Christians, with Nicanor one of the seven deacons, suffered martyrdom during the "persecution that arose about Stephen " John Foxe, Foxe's Book of Martyrs, (London: James Nisbet & Co., Ltd., n.d.), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "Chapter I".

c- The apostles ().

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.

2- Phillip was a missional Christian in a missional church.

a- First meet him in

One of the seven ()

Acts 6:5 NLT

5 Everyone liked this idea, and they chose the following: Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas of Antioch (an earlier convert to the Jewish faith).

Full of the Holy Spirit

Full of godly wisdom

Active in ministering to God’s people

Active in the proclamation of the Gospel

His work helped the church to continue growing.

a- The church took Christ’s command seriously ().

Acts 1:8 NLT

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Acts 1:8 NLT

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

b- Stephen and other deacons

Stephen suffered the next in order. His death was occasioned by the faithful manner in which he preached the Gospel to the betrayers and murderers of Christ. To such a degree of madness were they excited, that they cast him out of the city and stoned him to death. '' The time when he suffered is generally supposed to have been at the Passover which succeeded to that of our Lord's crucifixion, and to the era of his ascension, in the following spring Upon this a great persecution was raised against all who professed their belief in Christ as the Messiah, or as a prophet. We are immediately told by St. Luke, that "there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem;" and that "they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaa and Samaria, except the apostles." About two thousand Christians, with Nicanor one of the seven deacons, suffered martyrdom during the "persecution that arose about Stephen " John Foxe, Foxe's Book of Martyrs, (London: James Nisbet & Co., Ltd., n.d.), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "Chapter I".

c- The apostles ().

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.

TS: Phillip was a good example of an individual who lived life in the Spirit.

I- HE LOOKED FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE CHRIST ().

Acts 8:4–5 NLT

4 But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went. 5 Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about the Messiah.

A- It would have bee much easier for him to keep silent.

B- A person who is walking in the Spirit will keep themselves open for opportunities to talk about Jesus!

II- HIS WORDS AND LIFE MADE THE GOSPEL BELIEVABLE ().

Acts 8:12 NLT

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.

III- HE WAS WILLING TO LIVE IN OBEDIENCE TO GOD - EVEN WHEN IT MADE NO EARTHLY SENSE ().

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 8:26–27 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.” 27 So he started out, and he met the treasurer of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under the Kandake, the queen of Ethiopia. The eunuch had gone to Jerusalem to worship,

IV- HE KEPT HIMSELF OPEN TO THE PROMPTINGS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ().

Acts 8:29–31 NLT

29 The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.” 30 Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 The man replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him.

V- HE SOUGHT TO HELP LEAD OTHERS TO BELEF AND OBEDIENCE ().

Acts 8:35–39 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. 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.

VI- HE WAS COMMITTED TO CONTINUE HIS WALK IN THE SPIRIT WHEREVER HE WAS ().

Acts 8:40 NLT

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.

CONCLUSION: