1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,680 All right, Luke/Acts for Beginners, this is lesson number 18, Persecution of the 2 00:00:04,680 --> 00:00:11,940 Church - part two of the section, Acts chapter eight, verse one to 9:43. So in our 3 00:00:11,940 --> 00:00:16,740 last lesson we saw the beginning of the persecution of the church as Peter and 4 00:00:16,740 --> 00:00:22,170 the Apostles were arrested, they were beaten, and of course Stephen was stoned 5 00:00:22,170 --> 00:00:28,529 to death by an angry mob, including some of the Jewish leaders. This violence is 6 00:00:28,529 --> 00:00:33,410 going to continue as a persecution of the entire church, not only its leaders, 7 00:00:33,410 --> 00:00:41,010 ensues. So let's check our outline, make sure we know exactly where we are in our 8 00:00:41,010 --> 00:00:46,440 study. We're studying the ministry of Peter and this is the fifth section: 9 00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:53,039 the persecution of the church. So we pick up the story in Acts chapter nine with the 10 00:00:53,039 --> 00:00:58,969 introduction of Saul, an early persecutor of the church. So let's begin reading, 11 00:00:58,969 --> 00:01:05,880 actually back in chapter eight, verse one, "Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him 12 00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:09,810 "to death. And on that day a great persecution began against the church in 13 00:01:09,810 --> 00:01:14,189 "Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and 14 00:01:14,189 --> 00:01:21,299 "Samaria, except the Apostles. Some devout men buried Stephen and made loud 15 00:01:21,299 --> 00:01:26,460 "lamentation over him. But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after 16 00:01:26,460 --> 00:01:31,619 "house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison." So note 17 00:01:31,619 --> 00:01:39,150 what Luke says about Saul's attitude and actions, he enthusiastically 18 00:01:39,150 --> 00:01:45,810 agreed with the killing of Stephen and since this was so it was natural for him 19 00:01:45,810 --> 00:01:50,490 to want to destroy all Christians in the same manner. If you don't mind killing 20 00:01:50,490 --> 00:01:54,960 one of the leaders, you don't mind killing the followers. Also, on the day of 21 00:01:54,960 --> 00:02:00,990 Stephen's death Saul begins a persecution campaign without restraint or mercy, both 22 00:02:00,990 --> 00:02:06,030 men and women are dragged - the idea of violence here, dragged from their homes 23 00:02:06,030 --> 00:02:13,290 and imprisoned. Luke mentions that it was this persecution that sent Christians 24 00:02:13,290 --> 00:02:16,500 fleeing from Jerusalem to other safer parts of 25 00:02:16,500 --> 00:02:21,660 the country. For example, many went to Samaria where the Sanhedrin had no 26 00:02:21,660 --> 00:02:25,620 authority. Stephen is properly buried and the 27 00:02:25,620 --> 00:02:29,940 Apostles, not afraid of Saul, remain in Jerusalem, because that's where the bulk 28 00:02:29,940 --> 00:02:35,010 of their church remains, and where their work is centered. So we 29 00:02:35,010 --> 00:02:40,080 keep reading, chapter eight, "Therefore, those who had been scattered went about 30 00:02:40,080 --> 00:02:44,190 "preaching the word. Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began 31 00:02:44,190 --> 00:02:48,630 "proclaiming Christ to them. The crowds with one accord were giving attention to 32 00:02:48,630 --> 00:02:53,340 "what was said by Philip, as they heard and saw the signs which he was 33 00:02:53,340 --> 00:02:57,900 "performing. For in the case of many who had unclean spirits, they were coming out 34 00:02:57,900 --> 00:03:02,670 "of them shouting with a loud voice; and many who had been paralyzed and lame 35 00:03:02,670 --> 00:03:08,670 "were healed. So there was much rejoicing in that city." So Luke now introduces 36 00:03:08,670 --> 00:03:13,770 another main character in the early church, Philip, who along with Stephen was 37 00:03:13,770 --> 00:03:20,790 one of the original seven deacons. The persecution sends Philip to Samaria. 38 00:03:20,790 --> 00:03:25,470 Again, a place where he would not have gone to as a Jew. He would 39 00:03:25,470 --> 00:03:30,750 never have gone there as a Jew, but as a Christian, he does go to Samaria. As a 40 00:03:30,750 --> 00:03:34,799 Christian he not only travels there, but he begins to share the gospel with these 41 00:03:34,799 --> 00:03:40,410 people, that the Jews would not even talk to, let alone minister. The Jews wouldn't 42 00:03:40,410 --> 00:03:43,830 talk to them, wouldn't minister them, but Philip has sent there 43 00:03:43,830 --> 00:03:48,030 through the persecution. He not only talked to them, but he preaches Christ to 44 00:03:48,030 --> 00:03:54,750 them. Now the Holy Spirit empowered Philip to perform signs and healings to 45 00:03:54,750 --> 00:04:02,549 confirm the word that he spoke. And people responded to his message in great 46 00:04:02,549 --> 00:04:07,049 numbers. Notice that this was done through the laying on of hands of 47 00:04:07,049 --> 00:04:10,860 the Apostles. Remember back in Acts chapter six, verse six it says that the 48 00:04:10,860 --> 00:04:16,560 Apostles laid hands on these deacons. And two of them so far, as we 49 00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:23,520 have seen, Stephen and Philip both were able to perform signs and wonders. Let's 50 00:04:23,520 --> 00:04:27,840 keep reading, verse nine, "Now there was a man named Simon, who formerly 51 00:04:27,840 --> 00:04:31,980 "was practicing magic in the city and astonishing the people of Samaria, 52 00:04:31,980 --> 00:04:36,690 "claiming to be someone great; and they all, from smallest to greatest, were 53 00:04:36,690 --> 00:04:41,130 "giving attention to him, saying, 'This man is what is called the Great Power of God.' 54 00:04:41,130 --> 00:04:45,540 "And they were giving him attention because he had for a long time 55 00:04:45,540 --> 00:04:50,220 "astonished them with his magic arts. But when they believed Philip preaching the 56 00:04:50,220 --> 00:04:54,660 "good news about the kingdom of God in the name of Jesus Christ, they were being 57 00:04:54,660 --> 00:05:00,300 "baptized, men and women alike. Even Simon himself believed; and after being 58 00:05:00,300 --> 00:05:05,310 "baptized he continued on with Philip and as he observed signs and great miracles 59 00:05:05,310 --> 00:05:10,080 "taking place he was constantly amazed." So at this 60 00:05:10,080 --> 00:05:16,050 point Luke focuses on one convert in particular, Simon, a magician. He was 61 00:05:16,050 --> 00:05:22,110 highly regarded as a practitioner of the black arts. Magic, of course, is the 62 00:05:22,110 --> 00:05:28,440 attempt to manipulate or influence the spirit world for your benefit or the 63 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:33,630 harm of others, by doing something in the material world. For example, I'm 64 00:05:33,630 --> 00:05:37,979 going to carry my lucky penny around with me and this will cause the spirits to 65 00:05:37,979 --> 00:05:41,850 bring me good fortune. Of course, that's a simple example, but basically that's what 66 00:05:41,850 --> 00:05:46,080 magic is. You're doing something, a ritual, you've got a lucky 67 00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:51,750 thing, your words or incantations, whatever, ceremonies, in order to affect what is 68 00:05:51,750 --> 00:05:57,270 going on in the spiritual world. As I say, for your own benefit or perhaps for the 69 00:05:57,270 --> 00:06:03,840 for the harm of others. The Bible, however, forbids all forms of the practices of 70 00:06:03,840 --> 00:06:11,910 magic and the occult: Exodus chapter seven, verses 11 and 12; Deuteronomy 18, verses nine 71 00:06:11,910 --> 00:06:17,639 to 12; and also in the New Testament, Galatians chapter five, verses 19 to 21. And 72 00:06:17,639 --> 00:06:22,200 I want to give you some general definitions of these practices and the 73 00:06:22,200 --> 00:06:26,190 scriptures that forbid them, because people, a lot of times when we 74 00:06:26,190 --> 00:06:29,310 talk about this particular topic, they say, where does it say in the Bible that 75 00:06:29,310 --> 00:06:32,340 you're not allowed to do this or not allowed to do that? So I thought maybe of 76 00:06:32,340 --> 00:06:36,979 giving you a list with the appropriate scripture. So here we go. 77 00:06:36,979 --> 00:06:41,639 Enchantments, which are the practice 78 00:06:41,639 --> 00:06:47,930 of the magical arts, Deuteronomy 18. Witchcraft, another term for that is 79 00:06:47,930 --> 00:06:53,550 soothsaying or magic, Second Corinthians 33, Second Chronicles, 80 00:06:53,550 --> 00:06:58,439 excuse me, 33, verse six. Sorcery, sorcery is just another word for 81 00:06:58,439 --> 00:07:07,259 witchcraft, in Jeremiah chapter 27, verse nine. Divination, again, another term 82 00:07:07,259 --> 00:07:13,949 for divination is fortune-telling, Second Kings chapter 17:17. Wizardry, which is 83 00:07:13,949 --> 00:07:19,349 another form of witchcraft, male witchcraft. Actually, a male witch. A 84 00:07:19,349 --> 00:07:26,069 wizard is a male witch, Exodus 22, verse 18. Necromancy, which is the seance, 85 00:07:26,069 --> 00:07:29,430 communicating with the dead, First 86 00:07:29,430 --> 00:07:36,984 Chronicles 10:13-14. Charming, another word for charming - casting spells, Isaiah 19:3. 87 00:07:36,984 --> 00:07:43,409 Stargazing, again, another word for astrology, Isaiah 47:12-15. And imagery, 88 00:07:43,409 --> 00:07:51,779 the use of images from these practices for logos or for decoration or for 89 00:07:51,779 --> 00:07:59,189 branding, these are forbidden by God, because those who do and use magic are 90 00:07:59,189 --> 00:08:05,870 trying to do with magic - in other words, they're appealing to spiritual power and 91 00:08:05,870 --> 00:08:11,460 any type of spiritual power which is not God's power is Satan's power. So they're 92 00:08:11,460 --> 00:08:16,259 appealing to spiritual power to do the things that we ought to do through 93 00:08:16,259 --> 00:08:23,129 prayer to God. So God refers to all of these practices as an abomination, 94 00:08:23,129 --> 00:08:29,310 Deuteronomy chapter seven, verse 16. So Luke writes that like all disciples, Simon 95 00:08:29,310 --> 00:08:35,610 believes the gospel and he is baptized as a result, verse 13. So let's read 96 00:08:35,610 --> 00:08:41,339 verse 14, it says, "Now when the Apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had 97 00:08:41,339 --> 00:08:46,350 "received the Word of God they sent then Peter and John, who came down and prayed 98 00:08:46,350 --> 00:08:51,480 "for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for he had not yet fallen 99 00:08:51,480 --> 00:08:55,350 "upon any of them, they had simply been baptized in the 100 00:08:55,350 --> 00:08:59,190 "the Lord Jesus. Then they began laying their hands on them and they were 101 00:08:59,190 --> 00:09:06,000 "receiving the Holy Spirit." Okay, so this passage is better understood if we 102 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:10,770 review the meaning of the two terms described as the work of the Holy Spirit 103 00:09:10,770 --> 00:09:16,620 here. Remember previously we were talking about the indwelling and the empowering. 104 00:09:16,620 --> 00:09:20,550 Well, understanding the difference between these two things helps us to 105 00:09:20,550 --> 00:09:25,770 understand this passage. So the indwelling, the indwelling the Spirit of 106 00:09:25,770 --> 00:09:30,660 God dwells within the Christian. When does that happen? When that individual 107 00:09:30,660 --> 00:09:35,310 becomes a Christian, Acts 2:38, "Repent, let every one of you be baptized in the name 108 00:09:35,310 --> 00:09:39,510 "of Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins and you shall receive the gift of 109 00:09:39,510 --> 00:09:45,510 "the Holy Spirit." That's the indwelling, it happens at baptism. Empowering 110 00:09:45,510 --> 00:09:52,320 is where the Holy Spirit enables you to do miracles or speak in tongues or do 111 00:09:52,320 --> 00:09:57,780 healings, that's the empowering. And I had mentioned previously that sometimes the 112 00:09:57,780 --> 00:10:02,660 writers use an expression like receiving the Holy Spirit, used that expression. 113 00:10:02,660 --> 00:10:07,800 Sometimes they use that expression to refer to one of these two things, either 114 00:10:07,800 --> 00:10:11,730 the indwelling or the empowering. And the problem is they use the same expression 115 00:10:11,730 --> 00:10:18,420 in reference to both of these things. And so, you have to examine the context to 116 00:10:18,420 --> 00:10:25,110 know which it is referring to. So in verses 16 and 17 Luke writes that the 117 00:10:25,110 --> 00:10:30,930 Samaritans had been baptized in the name of Jesus. What does that mean? Well, it 118 00:10:30,930 --> 00:10:37,290 means that at that moment, according to Acts 2:38, they also received the 119 00:10:37,290 --> 00:10:41,490 indwelling of the Holy Spirit. He says they had only been baptized in the name 120 00:10:41,490 --> 00:10:46,980 of Jesus. So they were forgiven of their sins, they had the indwelling. This being 121 00:10:46,980 --> 00:10:52,260 so, the other blessing of the Spirit, he says, that they received 122 00:10:52,260 --> 00:10:56,580 the Holy Spirit, refers to the empowering by the Holy 123 00:10:56,580 --> 00:11:00,900 Spirit. Since they'd already received the indwelling. Why did they send for 124 00:11:00,900 --> 00:11:05,940 the Apostles? They already had been baptized, they already had the indwelling. 125 00:11:05,940 --> 00:11:09,059 Well, they sent for the Apostles because the Apostles were 126 00:11:09,059 --> 00:11:14,339 the only ones who could confer on them the empowering. So note that they 127 00:11:14,339 --> 00:11:21,149 received empowerment at the laying on of the Apostles' hands. So Philip sends for 128 00:11:21,149 --> 00:11:25,949 the Apostles because he could baptize them, which would bring them the 129 00:11:25,949 --> 00:11:30,569 indwelling of the Holy Spirit, but only the Apostles could transfer the 130 00:11:30,569 --> 00:11:35,309 empowerment of the Holy Spirit through the imposition or through the laying on 131 00:11:35,309 --> 00:11:41,459 of their hands. And one other little note, notice it says, the Apostles sent Peter 132 00:11:41,459 --> 00:11:46,769 and John. Does that sound like Peter is some kind of chief apostle that makes 133 00:11:46,769 --> 00:11:52,829 decisions? It was the wisdom of the Apostles, they said, let's 134 00:11:52,829 --> 00:11:58,849 send Peter and John. So Peter and John were sent by the other Apostles, more a 135 00:11:58,849 --> 00:12:05,549 collegiate-type of, a collegial type of leadership there, but anyways, just a, just 136 00:12:05,549 --> 00:12:09,989 a small point that I want to make. So this is an important point, this here, 137 00:12:09,989 --> 00:12:14,339 empowerment and indwelling, this is an important point to understand, because it 138 00:12:14,339 --> 00:12:19,799 is the basis for the teaching on modern-day miracles. So here's the 139 00:12:19,799 --> 00:12:27,379 breakdown of this teaching: the Holy Spirit empowered only the Apostles, and 140 00:12:27,379 --> 00:12:32,149 as we will learn later on in chapter 10, Cornelius. 141 00:12:32,149 --> 00:12:38,189 So the Holy Spirit empowered only the Apostles and Cornelius with the ability 142 00:12:38,189 --> 00:12:46,679 to speak in tongues, to heal, to do miracles. The Apostles, as we see here, 143 00:12:46,679 --> 00:12:52,379 also had the ability to transfer this empowerment to speak in tongues 144 00:12:52,379 --> 00:12:57,089 and to heal. They had the ability to transfer this 145 00:12:57,089 --> 00:13:05,129 empowerment to other disciples through the laying on of their hands. These 146 00:13:05,129 --> 00:13:10,889 disciples, however, who had received this empowerment from the Apostles did not 147 00:13:10,889 --> 00:13:16,409 have the ability to themselves empower other people by the laying on of their 148 00:13:16,409 --> 00:13:22,710 hands. And we see this phenomenon here. We see an example of this with Philip. This is 149 00:13:22,710 --> 00:13:28,230 why even though Philip himself could perform signs and wonders, he could not 150 00:13:28,230 --> 00:13:35,040 enable another disciple to do the same. Only the Apostles could do this. And for 151 00:13:35,040 --> 00:13:42,270 this reason, they came to help Philip and empower his converts to practice the 152 00:13:42,270 --> 00:13:48,060 spiritual gifts. One other kind of postscript to this, with the death of the 153 00:13:48,060 --> 00:13:55,920 Apostles, the performance of miracles began to diminish and eventually ceased, 154 00:13:55,920 --> 00:14:00,870 because the way to receive this empowerment also ended with the passing 155 00:14:00,870 --> 00:14:04,800 of the Apostles. So briefly, to summarize, the Apostles received the empowerment. 156 00:14:04,800 --> 00:14:09,480 They could transfer that empowerment to other individuals and they did. We see 157 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:14,160 Philip and we see Stephen, for example, and now the converts that 158 00:14:14,160 --> 00:14:18,780 Philip had the Apostles came laid hands on them. And some of them began to speak 159 00:14:18,780 --> 00:14:22,460 in tongues, into prophecy. So they had this empowerment, 160 00:14:22,460 --> 00:14:30,330 but once they died, the way to receive the empowerment died with them. This is 161 00:14:30,330 --> 00:14:36,240 the reason why we believe and we teach that the age of miracles has passed. 162 00:14:36,240 --> 00:14:41,940 Because the way to receive the ability to do those miracles has also passed. 163 00:14:41,940 --> 00:14:47,430 This passed when the Apostles passed away from the scene. Okay, so let's keep 164 00:14:47,430 --> 00:14:53,280 reading, verse 18, it says, "Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through 165 00:14:53,280 --> 00:14:58,650 'through the laying on of the Apostles' hands, he offered them money, saying, 'Give this 166 00:14:58,650 --> 00:15:04,170 "authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the 167 00:15:04,170 --> 00:15:08,700 "Holy Spirit.' But Peter said to him, 'May your silver perish with you, because you 168 00:15:08,700 --> 00:15:13,740 "thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! You have no part or portion 169 00:15:13,740 --> 00:15:17,910 "in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. Therefore, repent of 170 00:15:17,910 --> 00:15:21,870 "this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of 171 00:15:21,870 --> 00:15:26,430 "your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness 172 00:15:26,430 --> 00:15:31,770 "and in the bondage of iniquity.' But Simon answered and said, 'Pray to the Lord for 173 00:15:31,770 --> 00:15:36,570 "me yourselves, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me." 174 00:15:36,570 --> 00:15:44,010 So Simon, notice here, Simon sees that the transfer of spiritual power is done by 175 00:15:44,010 --> 00:15:51,240 the laying on of hands of the Apostles. He sees that the ones empowered, speaking 176 00:15:51,240 --> 00:15:55,920 in tongues and doing the kind of things that Philip was doing. So he makes the 177 00:15:55,920 --> 00:15:59,040 connection between the laying on of hands of the Apostles and the 178 00:15:59,040 --> 00:16:04,890 empowerment. So since the disciples empowered could not pass on this 179 00:16:04,890 --> 00:16:10,350 empowerment, and the Apostles eventually died with time, there was no one left in 180 00:16:10,350 --> 00:16:16,560 the church who had been empowered and none who could transfer the power. Paul 181 00:16:16,560 --> 00:16:21,720 even teaches that these abilities and powers would eventually disappear once 182 00:16:21,720 --> 00:16:27,150 the full revelation from God was recorded and preserved, First Corinthians 183 00:16:27,150 --> 00:16:32,570 chapter 13, verses eight to 10. If you're interested in that particular idea. 184 00:16:32,570 --> 00:16:38,520 Now this is the short version of the reason that we do not believe that God 185 00:16:38,520 --> 00:16:44,130 empowers people today with the ability to speak in tongues and to heal or to do 186 00:16:44,130 --> 00:16:48,870 miracles. Of course, God can do what He wants to do, but according to the 187 00:16:48,870 --> 00:16:55,140 scriptures, He does not in the modern age. With the Bible, we have all that we need 188 00:16:55,140 --> 00:17:02,940 to win souls, to build up the church, and to mature the members of the church as 189 00:17:02,940 --> 00:17:09,630 Christians, Second Timothy chapter three, 15, 16, Second Peter chapter one, verse three and Romans 190 00:17:09,630 --> 00:17:15,750 1:16. All of these passages declare that the Bible is enough. We have what we need. 191 00:17:15,750 --> 00:17:20,880 Romans 16, Paul says, "I'm not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the 192 00:17:20,880 --> 00:17:23,940 power of God unto salvation." So the gospel, we have it. 193 00:17:23,940 --> 00:17:28,260 We don't need miracles to convert people anymore, because we have the entire 194 00:17:28,260 --> 00:17:32,130 record of the New Testament. We have the record of the miracles. We have the 195 00:17:32,130 --> 00:17:36,810 record of the resurrection of Jesus. And of course, as we are studying, we have the 196 00:17:36,810 --> 00:17:40,440 record of how the church was established and the mighty works that the 197 00:17:40,440 --> 00:17:47,040 Apostles and others did at that time. So those who claim to have this power, they 198 00:17:47,040 --> 00:17:50,980 do so in opposition to Scripture and they have difficulty in 199 00:17:50,980 --> 00:17:57,920 demonstrating objectively that their power and their healings are similar to 200 00:17:57,920 --> 00:18:02,900 that which is described in the New Testament. So a lot of people going 201 00:18:02,900 --> 00:18:09,170 around saying, oh, I have this power. I can speak in tongues. I can heal 202 00:18:09,170 --> 00:18:13,190 people. But they can't do it to the degree and in the way that it was done 203 00:18:13,190 --> 00:18:17,720 in the New Testament. In the New Testament, Peter, he healed 204 00:18:17,720 --> 00:18:22,010 someone who was sick, but he could also raise someone from the dead. Today, 205 00:18:22,010 --> 00:18:27,200 there are certain illnesses that can be healed, quote, and if they can't be healed, 206 00:18:27,200 --> 00:18:30,770 it's the fault of the person who's ill - They don't have enough faith. But that, 207 00:18:30,770 --> 00:18:36,200 you don't see that in the work of the Apostles in the New Testament. For 208 00:18:36,200 --> 00:18:42,740 example, the miracle of tongues in the Bible is described as the ability to 209 00:18:42,740 --> 00:18:48,950 speak in various human languages not known or studied by the speaker. It's as 210 00:18:48,950 --> 00:18:53,810 if I began to speak Mandarin all of a sudden. I've never been to China. I have 211 00:18:53,810 --> 00:18:58,160 never studied that language, but the gift of tongues would be the fact that I, all 212 00:18:58,160 --> 00:19:02,300 of a sudden, would be able to communicate with the Chinese person in his own 213 00:19:02,300 --> 00:19:06,920 language, okay. So modern-day charismatic, for 214 00:19:06,920 --> 00:19:12,050 example, do not and have never been able to do this. They haven't been able 215 00:19:12,050 --> 00:19:19,400 to reproduce this biblical miracle in the way that it was done in the Bible. 216 00:19:19,400 --> 00:19:23,930 So we read that Simon, getting back to our text here. We read that Simon, he makes 217 00:19:23,930 --> 00:19:28,790 the mistake of trying to purchase this power from the Apostles and 218 00:19:28,790 --> 00:19:33,160 it's, again, it's so human, isn't it? He's falling back into his old ways 219 00:19:33,160 --> 00:19:38,180 where magicians, they bought and sold their tricks and their deceptions 220 00:19:38,180 --> 00:19:44,450 from one another. But Peter severely rebukes him and it motivates him to 221 00:19:44,450 --> 00:19:50,120 repent immediately for such a serious sin, to try to purchase the blessings of 222 00:19:50,120 --> 00:19:56,960 God. Now, he was probably spared because he was a young Christian. He acted 223 00:19:56,960 --> 00:20:03,190 impetuously. When he talks about the gall of bitterness, 224 00:20:03,410 --> 00:20:09,200 the gall of bitterness and the bondage of iniquity are two references that mean 225 00:20:09,200 --> 00:20:14,630 kind of the same thing. Simon's sinful attitude - the gall of bitterness, 226 00:20:14,630 --> 00:20:25,370 that's the bad fruit. It's a bond that firmly holds him captive, all right. He 227 00:20:25,370 --> 00:20:30,440 needed to repent of that. His response of course shows that he takes this 228 00:20:30,440 --> 00:20:37,040 seriously because he appeals to them. He appeals to the Apostles to pray on his 229 00:20:37,040 --> 00:20:45,050 behalf. And so, we move on with another example, another story involving 230 00:20:45,050 --> 00:20:49,850 Philip. He includes the second account of Philip's ministry, this time to a 231 00:20:49,850 --> 00:20:57,620 Gentile convert to Judaism from Africa. Note that Philip's evangelism ministry 232 00:20:57,620 --> 00:21:01,970 was quite dynamic, in that he was already reaching out beyond the borders of the 233 00:21:01,970 --> 00:21:09,288 Jewish nation with the Gospel message. First to the Samaritans and now to a 234 00:21:09,288 --> 00:21:15,950 Gentile proselyte to the Jewish faith. In other words, like someone who 235 00:21:15,950 --> 00:21:22,270 was not born a Jew. He was a Greek, a Gentile, but he had been converted to 236 00:21:22,270 --> 00:21:27,230 Judaism. So in the story, and I think which is familiar here, 237 00:21:27,230 --> 00:21:33,050 Philip is directed by an angel to this man, who the Bible says was a keeper of 238 00:21:33,050 --> 00:21:39,500 the treasure for the queen of Ethiopia. Not only a convert to Judaism, but he was 239 00:21:39,500 --> 00:21:43,000 also of a different race, he was from Africa. 240 00:21:43,000 --> 00:21:48,440 Luke recounts how Philip rode along with this man and answered his questions 241 00:21:48,440 --> 00:21:53,860 concerning the scriptures that this convert was reading. 242 00:21:53,860 --> 00:22:00,170 Philip uses this opportunity to preach the gospel to this man. And this person 243 00:22:00,170 --> 00:22:05,720 immediately responds. So let's just read a section of it in chapter eight, verse 34, it 244 00:22:05,720 --> 00:22:10,130 says, "The eunuch answered Philip and said, 'Please tell me of whom does the prophet 245 00:22:10,130 --> 00:22:16,430 "say this?" And we learned that he's been reading the book of Isaiah. So it says, "of 246 00:22:16,430 --> 00:22:19,340 "himself, or of someone else?' Then Philip opened 247 00:22:19,340 --> 00:22:23,660 "his mouth, and beginning from this scripture he preached Jesus to him. As 248 00:22:23,660 --> 00:22:28,700 "they went along the road they came to 249 00:22:28,700 --> 00:22:33,140 some water; and the eunuch said, 'Look! Water! What prevents me from being 250 00:22:33,140 --> 00:22:38,150 "baptized?' And Philip said, 'If you believe with all your heart you may.' And he 251 00:22:38,150 --> 00:22:43,610 "answered and said, 'I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God.' And he ordered 252 00:22:43,610 --> 00:22:48,140 "the chariot to stop. and they both went down into the water, Philip, as well as 253 00:22:48,140 --> 00:22:54,590 "the eunuch, and he baptized him." So note that the eunuch's initial response after 254 00:22:54,590 --> 00:23:03,200 hearing the gospel was to inquire about baptism. I wonder why? This 255 00:23:03,200 --> 00:23:08,920 shows two things. First, the command to be baptized is part of preaching the gospel. 256 00:23:08,920 --> 00:23:15,860 So it shows that. And secondly, being baptized is part of one's response of 257 00:23:15,860 --> 00:23:23,450 faith to the gospel. Now one other point not mentioned in the story itself is 258 00:23:23,450 --> 00:23:29,450 that because this man was a eunuch, he was considered a proselyte of the gate 259 00:23:29,450 --> 00:23:34,790 by the Jews. And being a proselyte of the gate meant that he was barred from 260 00:23:34,790 --> 00:23:41,030 entering the inner temple area, Deuteronomy chapter 23, verse one. This made 261 00:23:41,030 --> 00:23:48,080 him a kind of a second-class convert to Judaism, the lowest rung on the ladder of 262 00:23:48,080 --> 00:23:53,960 acceptance into the Jewish religion. With his conversion to Christianity however, 263 00:23:53,960 --> 00:23:59,210 he became, as Peter later wrote in First Peter, and I want to read that, he says, 264 00:23:59,210 --> 00:24:04,970 "But you," speaking of Christians, "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a 265 00:24:04,970 --> 00:24:10,640 "holy nation a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the 266 00:24:10,640 --> 00:24:16,820 "excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." 267 00:24:16,820 --> 00:24:22,100 So isn't that amazing? This eunuch here, he goes from being one who could go to 268 00:24:22,100 --> 00:24:28,580 the gate of the temple, but no further, he goes from that, to becoming the actual 269 00:24:28,580 --> 00:24:33,019 temple of the Holy Spirit through Christ, First Corinthians chapter 270 00:24:33,019 --> 00:24:40,429 six, verses 19 and 20. Luke - so we'll leave off Phillip here. Luke now shifts the 271 00:24:40,429 --> 00:24:46,279 focus of his narrative from the work of Peter and the early church, to the 272 00:24:46,279 --> 00:24:51,200 conversion of its chief antagonist, who was leading the persecution against them. 273 00:24:51,200 --> 00:24:56,029 And that was Saul of Tarsus. So let's begin, let's go back to Acts, 274 00:24:56,029 --> 00:25:01,460 beginning in chapter nine. "Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples 275 00:25:01,460 --> 00:25:06,620 "of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked for letters from him to the 276 00:25:06,620 --> 00:25:11,720 "synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men 277 00:25:11,720 --> 00:25:17,000 "and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. As he was traveling it 278 00:25:17,000 --> 00:25:20,990 "happened that he was approaching Damascus and suddenly a light from 279 00:25:20,990 --> 00:25:25,309 "heaven flashed around him and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to 280 00:25:25,309 --> 00:25:31,850 "him, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" So I'll just stop right here for a 281 00:25:31,850 --> 00:25:35,779 moment. Note that Saul was not merely an 282 00:25:35,779 --> 00:25:42,230 opponent of the religion, and had kind of theological objections or 283 00:25:42,230 --> 00:25:48,139 theoretical objections to this faith. He was out to destroy it as a 284 00:25:48,139 --> 00:25:54,830 religion and kill or imprison those who practiced it. I mean, he had been 285 00:25:54,830 --> 00:26:01,549 confining his attacks in and around Palestine, but was now expanding his 286 00:26:01,549 --> 00:26:07,039 attacks outside the country. That he sought authorization from the Jewish 287 00:26:07,039 --> 00:26:14,289 leaders to arrest and imprison Jewish converts to Christianity in another city 288 00:26:14,289 --> 00:26:19,850 confirms two things: one, that the Jewish leadership was complicit in the 289 00:26:19,850 --> 00:26:26,480 persecution of Christians; and two, Saul was their official leader, in charge of 290 00:26:26,480 --> 00:26:31,730 this effort. So let's keep reading, verse three and four I just read, and we go on to 291 00:26:31,730 --> 00:26:37,330 five and seven, "And he said, 'Who are you, Lord?' So Saul now has a vision. 292 00:26:37,330 --> 00:26:42,559 Jesus appears to him and he says, who are you, Lord. "And he said, 'I am Jesus, whom you 293 00:26:42,559 --> 00:26:45,730 "are persecuting. Get up and enter the city and it will be 294 00:26:45,730 --> 00:26:49,830 "told to you what you must do.' The men who travelled with him stood speechless, 295 00:26:49,830 --> 00:26:55,600 "hearing the voice, but seeing no one. Saul got up from the ground and though his 296 00:26:55,600 --> 00:26:59,680 "eyes were open he could see nothing. And leading him by the hand, they brought him 297 00:26:59,680 --> 00:27:05,970 "into Damascus. And he was three days without sight and neither ate nor drank." 298 00:27:05,970 --> 00:27:15,760 So God chose the Gospel's chief enemy to bring the gospel to the Gentiles. Paul's 299 00:27:15,760 --> 00:27:22,810 encounter with Christ stops his persecution and renders him helpless. He 300 00:27:22,810 --> 00:27:27,730 spent several days fasting and praying. And you know what, as a devout Jew, that's 301 00:27:27,730 --> 00:27:32,950 exactly what a devout Jew would be doing in circumstances like 302 00:27:32,950 --> 00:27:38,890 these. God gives him three days to ponder Jesus's question: why are you persecuting 303 00:27:38,890 --> 00:27:45,730 Me? Saul was so sure of his mission 304 00:27:45,730 --> 00:27:51,100 to destroy Christianity, because it was false and it was a threat to 305 00:27:51,100 --> 00:27:56,170 Judaism, that he was willing to kill and imprison both men and women all in 306 00:27:56,170 --> 00:28:02,770 good conscience. I mean, he believed right was on his side. Saul must have 307 00:28:02,770 --> 00:28:08,800 also wondered what God would have him do. Luke now introduces another character 308 00:28:08,800 --> 00:28:14,590 and the task that this man was given to perform. So we keep reading, "Now there was 309 00:28:14,590 --> 00:28:18,940 "a disciple of Damascus named Ananias and the Lord said to him in a vision, 'Ananias.' 310 00:28:18,940 --> 00:28:23,350 "And he said, 'Here I am, Lord.' And the Lord said to him, 'Get up and go to the street 311 00:28:23,350 --> 00:28:27,520 "called straight and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named 312 00:28:27,520 --> 00:28:32,560 "Saul, for he is praying and he has seen in a vision, a man named Ananias come in 313 00:28:32,560 --> 00:28:36,790 "and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.' But Ananias 314 00:28:36,790 --> 00:28:40,810 "answered, 'Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to 315 00:28:40,810 --> 00:28:45,160 "your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has the authority from the chief priests to 316 00:28:45,160 --> 00:28:49,030 "bind all who call on Your name.' But the Lord said to him, 'Go, for he is a chosen 317 00:28:49,030 --> 00:28:53,920 "instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the 318 00:28:53,920 --> 00:28:57,400 "sons of Israel. For I will show him how much he must 319 00:28:57,400 --> 00:29:01,450 "suffer for my name's sake.' So Ananias departed and entered the house and after 320 00:29:01,450 --> 00:29:05,710 "laying his hands on him said, 'Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on 321 00:29:05,710 --> 00:29:09,370 "the road by which you were coming has sent me so that you may regain your 322 00:29:09,370 --> 00:29:14,290 "sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.' And immediately there fell from his eyes 323 00:29:14,290 --> 00:29:19,360 "something like scales and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized 324 00:29:19,360 --> 00:29:26,110 "and he took food and was strengthened." So in this section Luke gives some 325 00:29:26,110 --> 00:29:32,980 background on Ananias and his struggle to believe God concerning Saul and what 326 00:29:32,980 --> 00:29:38,800 God wanted Ananias to do. Now, in chapter 22 we find out that Ananias preached the 327 00:29:38,800 --> 00:29:44,710 gospel to Paul and then baptized him, yet another biblical example of a person 328 00:29:44,710 --> 00:29:50,710 immediately responding to the gospel with baptism as the initial expression 329 00:29:50,710 --> 00:29:56,110 of one's faith in Jesus. Now, if you put this account with the one in chapter 22, 330 00:29:56,110 --> 00:30:01,950 there's an order in Saul's conversion that emerges. First of all, he's called 331 00:30:01,950 --> 00:30:07,690 miraculously, but he's called by Jesus. Then, he is taught the gospel by Ananias. 332 00:30:07,690 --> 00:30:11,470 Then he is baptized, in order to remove his sins, 333 00:30:11,470 --> 00:30:16,210 especially the murder of Stephen and the violence toward other Christians. And 334 00:30:16,210 --> 00:30:21,310 then we find out he begins to minister, he begins to preach. Actually, a little 335 00:30:21,310 --> 00:30:26,980 too soon. By removing Saul as an aggressor, the church once again has a 336 00:30:26,980 --> 00:30:33,520 period of peace and growth. So we keep reading, verse 20, "Now for several days he 337 00:30:33,520 --> 00:30:37,090 "was with the disciples who were at Damascus and immediately he began to 338 00:30:37,090 --> 00:30:42,400 "proclaim Jesus in the synagogue, saying, 'He is the son of God.' And those hearing 339 00:30:42,400 --> 00:30:46,990 "him continued to be amazed and were saying, 'Is this not he who in Jerusalem 340 00:30:46,990 --> 00:30:51,370 "destroyed those who called on this name and who had come here for the purpose of 341 00:30:51,370 --> 00:30:57,910 "bringing them bound before the chief priests?' But Saul kept 342 00:30:57,910 --> 00:31:01,990 "increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by 343 00:31:01,990 --> 00:31:06,580 "proving that this Jesus is the Christ. When many days had elapsed the Jews 344 00:31:06,580 --> 00:31:11,260 "plotted together to do away with him, but their plot became known to Saul. 345 00:31:11,260 --> 00:31:15,010 "They were also watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to 346 00:31:15,010 --> 00:31:18,970 "death, but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an 347 00:31:18,970 --> 00:31:25,420 "opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket." So Saul, because of 348 00:31:25,420 --> 00:31:32,590 notoriety and the grasp of his scriptures, he immediately becomes a 349 00:31:32,590 --> 00:31:36,580 defender of the faith and is successful as a preacher. I mean, people want to see 350 00:31:36,580 --> 00:31:41,980 him. This is Saul, the inquisitor, converted to Christianity. And in 351 00:31:41,980 --> 00:31:45,760 addition to that, he knows the scriptures, he's mighty in the scriptures. 352 00:31:45,760 --> 00:31:52,300 So he's giving a mighty witness, just as Jesus and Peter did, not Philip because 353 00:31:52,300 --> 00:31:57,130 he served in areas where the Jewish leaders had no authority or they had 354 00:31:57,130 --> 00:32:02,290 armed guards, in Samaria and Damascus, Saul 355 00:32:02,290 --> 00:32:07,240 runs into opposition from the leading Jews who are plotting to kill him for 356 00:32:07,240 --> 00:32:13,600 preaching Christ. So just as Peter and and Jesus ran into trouble, is the 357 00:32:13,600 --> 00:32:18,790 point I'm making, as they preached in their area, and Philip didn't have 358 00:32:18,790 --> 00:32:22,210 trouble because he was preaching in Samaria where the 359 00:32:22,210 --> 00:32:26,680 Jewish leadership had no authority, Paul is preaching in the synagogues in 360 00:32:26,680 --> 00:32:32,430 Damascus, and so he runs into trouble with the Jewish leadership in that area. 361 00:32:32,430 --> 00:32:38,500 So they report, excuse me, they resort to this tactic because they are unwilling 362 00:32:38,500 --> 00:32:44,200 and unable to debate or humiliate or even distract him. So Luke describes how 363 00:32:44,200 --> 00:32:49,900 Saul grew stronger as their attacks grew more vicious, and eventually he makes his 364 00:32:49,900 --> 00:32:55,630 escape as his friends lower him in a basket to escape from Damascus, and he 365 00:32:55,630 --> 00:33:01,480 makes his way to the city of Jerusalem. We continue reading, "When he came to 366 00:33:01,480 --> 00:33:04,570 "Jerusalem he was trying to associate with the disciples, but they were all 367 00:33:04,570 --> 00:33:10,330 "afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took hold of him 368 00:33:10,330 --> 00:33:14,260 "and brought him to the Apostles and described to them how he had seen the 369 00:33:14,260 --> 00:33:18,580 "Lord on the road and that he had talked to him and how at Damascus he had spoken 370 00:33:18,580 --> 00:33:22,930 "out boldly in the name of Jesus and he was with them moving about freely in 371 00:33:22,930 --> 00:33:25,240 "Jerusalem, talking out boldly in the name of the 372 00:33:25,240 --> 00:33:29,740 "Lord. And he was talking and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews, but they were 373 00:33:29,740 --> 00:33:34,120 "attempting to put him to death. But when the brethren learned of it they brought 374 00:33:34,120 --> 00:33:38,410 "him down to Caesarea and then sent him away to Tarsus. So the church throughout 375 00:33:38,410 --> 00:33:42,820 "all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up and going 376 00:33:42,820 --> 00:33:47,799 "on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued 377 00:33:47,799 --> 00:33:54,130 "to increase." Now some scholars believe that Saul returned to Jerusalem after 378 00:33:54,130 --> 00:34:00,400 about one to three years, about a one to three year period. Luke writes that this 379 00:34:00,400 --> 00:34:03,130 happened, that happened, but we're not talking one day after another. 380 00:34:03,130 --> 00:34:09,609 He leaves, if you wish, certain gaps in time there. Communications 381 00:34:09,609 --> 00:34:14,950 being what they were at that time, the news of him and his conversion may have 382 00:34:14,950 --> 00:34:20,080 been carried back in bits and pieces. Suddenly, however, he really just 383 00:34:20,080 --> 00:34:25,359 and immediately wants to worship and associate with the saints, but they're 384 00:34:25,359 --> 00:34:30,700 afraid, not believing that he's a true convert. Perhaps this was a 385 00:34:30,700 --> 00:34:36,730 trick in order to spy on them or to continue the persecution. And so, Barnabas, 386 00:34:36,730 --> 00:34:41,050 another character that we're familiar with, that we met back in Acts chapter four, 387 00:34:41,050 --> 00:34:47,290 Barnabas, who has access to the Apostles, brings him to them to substantiate his 388 00:34:47,290 --> 00:34:53,169 story. Once they give him their blessing, he is accepted and he continues his 389 00:34:53,169 --> 00:34:58,510 teaching and debating ministry among the Jews, as he had done in Damascus. Of 390 00:34:58,510 --> 00:35:03,130 course the same thing that happened there, the plan to kill him 391 00:35:03,130 --> 00:35:06,416 back in Damascus, happens in Jerusalem. 392 00:35:06,416 --> 00:35:12,820 This time plotted by the Hellenistic Jews, the same group that stoned Stephen 393 00:35:12,820 --> 00:35:19,270 to death. Luke writes that the brethren brought him out of the city safely and 394 00:35:19,270 --> 00:35:25,180 sent him back to friendlier confines of his hometown in Tarsus. 395 00:35:25,180 --> 00:35:31,030 Luke finishes this section by describing the pace and peace and growth of the 396 00:35:31,030 --> 00:35:36,460 church experience now that their chief opponent Saul had been converted and was 397 00:35:36,460 --> 00:35:40,260 ministering far away in the north, in his own city. 398 00:35:40,260 --> 00:35:46,030 Saul was no longer persecuting the church and was no longer in Jerusalem, 399 00:35:46,030 --> 00:35:50,290 acting as a kind of a lightning rod for his previous masters in the Jewish 400 00:35:50,290 --> 00:35:56,020 leadership and others, the Hellenistic Jews, for example, giving them an excuse 401 00:35:56,020 --> 00:36:01,480 to continually attack the church. Without Saul there to create friction, the church 402 00:36:01,480 --> 00:36:09,340 could grow in peace. Luke now switches back to focusing on Peter and his 403 00:36:09,340 --> 00:36:14,380 ministry. He's going to again take up Saul's progress, but first there's still 404 00:36:14,380 --> 00:36:20,050 some important events in Peter's ministry that he wants to record. The first of 405 00:36:20,050 --> 00:36:26,410 these is the healing of a paralyzed man, who is healed as Peter invokes the name 406 00:36:26,410 --> 00:36:34,750 of the Lord. This occurred in the town of Lydda and the people there 407 00:36:34,750 --> 00:36:41,410 believed in Jesus at the preaching and at the healing ministry of Peter, while 408 00:36:41,410 --> 00:36:48,700 he's in Lydda. Then he receives a call to another town close by, called Joppa. 409 00:36:48,700 --> 00:36:55,030 A town near where this time a disciple named Tabitha and, in the Greek, the 410 00:36:55,030 --> 00:37:02,080 name Tabitha is Dorcas, this particular disciple, a woman, had died. The 411 00:37:02,080 --> 00:37:05,770 brethren appealed to Peter to come, despite the fact that she was already 412 00:37:05,770 --> 00:37:11,470 dead, demonstrating their great faith in the power that he had to do miracles. 413 00:37:11,470 --> 00:37:16,900 Peter arrives there, he raises her from the dead to the joy of the disciples, and 414 00:37:16,900 --> 00:37:22,570 this news causes many in that town to believe in Jesus. Remember, the miracles 415 00:37:22,570 --> 00:37:30,220 were always in service to the gospel. The miracles were there to verify the gospel, 416 00:37:30,220 --> 00:37:35,950 to get the attention of the people that the Apostles were preaching God's 417 00:37:35,950 --> 00:37:42,730 Word. And so, this news causes, as I say, a lot of people in that area to believe. 418 00:37:42,730 --> 00:37:48,370 Now, these two scenes give us insight into the apostolic ministry carried out 419 00:37:48,370 --> 00:37:53,620 by Peter and others not included in the New Testament. Peter's 420 00:37:53,620 --> 00:37:59,530 ministry being the model, if you wish, but not the only example. So 421 00:37:59,530 --> 00:38:04,360 was that what was his ministry like, what did he do? Well, he traveled throughout 422 00:38:04,360 --> 00:38:10,060 Palestine preaching and performing miracles. His miraculous powers were 423 00:38:10,060 --> 00:38:16,060 unlimited. Remember I mentioned, unlike today, where people who have the 424 00:38:16,060 --> 00:38:20,350 miraculous powers or claim to have miraculous powers, they're limited. 425 00:38:20,350 --> 00:38:25,410 I can only cure headaches or I can only cure arthritis type thing. 426 00:38:25,410 --> 00:38:32,670 His miraculous powers were unlimited. He healed an unbeliever with simply a word. 427 00:38:32,670 --> 00:38:39,690 He brought a believer back from the dead with simply a word. And he was not an 428 00:38:39,690 --> 00:38:46,270 administrator or CEO type leader, he was a shepherd and a proclaimer type leader. 429 00:38:46,270 --> 00:38:50,290 And I mentioned that a little while back, it says the Apostles sent 430 00:38:50,290 --> 00:38:57,070 Peter and John. That doesn't sound like he's some kind of CEO or top guy. 431 00:38:57,070 --> 00:39:03,130 So we see that in the New Testament again a collegiate form of leadership, 432 00:39:03,130 --> 00:39:08,710 which was copied later on in the local churches. Always more than one elder, 433 00:39:08,710 --> 00:39:14,500 collegial-type group leadership, if you wish. so in the next session 434 00:39:14,500 --> 00:39:18,670 Luke is going to describe one of the most significant events in Peter's 435 00:39:18,670 --> 00:39:24,760 ministry as an apostle, and we will cover that next week, all right. So a couple of 436 00:39:24,760 --> 00:39:33,220 lessons here before we close out. First of all, all roads lead to Jesus. In 437 00:39:33,220 --> 00:39:39,430 teaching the eunuch, for example, Phillip begins in Isaiah where the eunuch was 438 00:39:39,430 --> 00:39:46,920 reading and he showed how Isaiah's prophecies pointed straight to Jesus. 439 00:39:46,920 --> 00:39:54,850 Everything in the Bible is about or supports or leads to and explains the 440 00:39:54,850 --> 00:39:59,170 person and the ministry of Jesus. You can start anywhere and go forward or go 441 00:39:59,170 --> 00:40:04,450 backward, it always points to Jesus. So if after reading the Bible you arrive at 442 00:40:04,450 --> 00:40:08,740 the conclusion that Jesus is not the divine Savior, you have read the Bible 443 00:40:08,740 --> 00:40:16,119 incorrectly, because that's its overall message. Lesson number two, we all become 444 00:40:16,119 --> 00:40:22,540 Christians in exactly the same way. You will note all the way through the book 445 00:40:22,540 --> 00:40:29,230 of Acts people become Christians by faith in Christ and a faith that is 446 00:40:29,230 --> 00:40:34,390 expressed in repentance and baptism. The 3,000 at Pentecost, they were baptized. 447 00:40:34,390 --> 00:40:41,200 The Samaritans who believed were baptized. Simon the sorcerer who believed 448 00:40:41,200 --> 00:40:47,950 was baptized. The Ethiopian eunuch, once he understood and believed was baptized. 449 00:40:47,950 --> 00:40:54,970 Saul, the Jewish Pharisee was baptized. The debate whether one needs to 450 00:40:54,970 --> 00:41:00,700 be baptized or not, that is quite a recent debate. They never debated that in 451 00:41:00,700 --> 00:41:05,170 the first century. There's no record of any debate about the necessity of 452 00:41:05,170 --> 00:41:09,970 baptism in the first centuries in the Apostolic church, if you wish, of the 453 00:41:09,970 --> 00:41:14,140 first century. That was never an issue in the first century. That's only lately, 454 00:41:14,140 --> 00:41:19,270 last 150 years we're all of a sudden we've debated the role of 455 00:41:19,270 --> 00:41:25,030 baptism in the process of salvation. So the Bible is very clear on this topic 456 00:41:25,030 --> 00:41:30,730 and provides at least 10 examples just in the book of Acts alone that show 457 00:41:30,730 --> 00:41:36,180 people converting to Christianity were first baptized. So don't ever doubt the 458 00:41:36,180 --> 00:41:42,130 necessity and the role of baptism. Okay, so next time that we are together we 459 00:41:42,130 --> 00:41:49,839 will read through or cover Acts chapter 10, verse one to Acts 460 00:41:49,839 --> 00:41:56,109 chapter 12, verse 25. And I hope that you will read that before we get together 461 00:41:56,109 --> 00:41:59,890 next time. All right, thank you very much for your for your attention. God bless. 462 00:41:59,890 --> 00:42:02,040 you