The Power To Transform The World
Notes
Transcript
Saul agreed with putting him to death. On that day a severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the land of Judea and Samaria. Devout men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him. Saul, however, was ravaging the church. He would enter house after house, drag off men and women, and put them in prison.
So those who were scattered went on their way preaching the word. Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them. The crowds were all paying attention to what Philip said, as they listened and saw the signs he was performing. For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed, and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. So there was great joy in that city.
Do you remember when Jesus said this at the beginning of Acts?
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Picture the Apostles preparing to do all that Jesus commanded in this verse: but picture them doing it now. What would they do in order to fulfill this command if they were doing it in the 21st century?
I’m sure they would have started by going to the most popular missions and church planting conference. There, they would probably hear things like this.
You better pick a place where you feel God is telling you to plant a church. (that sounds good.)
You better do some cultural exegesis (whatever that means)
Make sure you are aware of the demographics like…
Ethnic make up
Is your race going to prevent you from reaching this area?
Gender issues
Socio economic data
What cultural trends people in that community are attracted to.
Etc.
While your at it, you better pick a few of these items that will help you determine your target audience. You know, cause that’s what most marketing experts tell you to do...
You better raise a lot of money in order to present the most appealing and culturally acceptable worship experience.
Make sure you identify any current cultural no-no’s that might make your message less appealing.
Well, all of these things may be what the current trends for church planting and evangelism are… But, are they really what propel and truly guarantee gospel impact?
The answer…
No…
While things like this might help your “knowledge” about making a gospel impact… True gospel impact is propelled in God’s sovereignty, usually happening in ways that shame the wisdom of this world...
We see an example of this in Acts chapter 8.
We see the gospel being propelled out of Jerusalem, not by great planning, cultural exegesis, or human design…
But we see it propelled out of Jerusalem by tragedy. By persecution.
The joy of gospel impact comes on the heals of what appears to be great loss and a great time of mourning.
Gospel impact comes just after it appears like the flame of hope has been extinguished.
The church appeared to be loosing. A “severe persecution” erupted and a great enemy, Saul of Tarsus, was launched into his “anti-ministry”.
But, all is not as it appears.
The five verses that we are going to focus on today will show us that...
Even when hope seems lost, the gospel has the power to transform the world!
Not because of our human effort or human design. But because of what the Gospel is and who designed it.
Three lessons for us from the beginning of Acts 8…
Lesson #1… Verses 4-5
1. Problems Provide Opportunity For Gospel Proclamation
1. Problems Provide Opportunity For Gospel Proclamation
Problem = Stephen’s death initiated a massive Christian persecution movement in Jerusalem.
8:1 “On that day a severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem”
This appears to be a potential hinderance to the church.
This leads the church to scatter out from Jerusalem into Judea and Samaria.
But, see what happens as the church scatters:
So those who were scattered went on their way preaching the word.
Rather than silencing the church, the persecution made them just share the message of Christ outside of Jerusalem.
When it says “went on their way preaching the word”, it is essentially saying “wherever they went they took the gospel with them and shared it with all those God provided for them to share it with.”
The Jews in Jerusalem saw the Christians and their message about Jesus as a virus needing to be cured. But as they introduced their “medicine” of persecution and oppression, their “medicine” had the opposite effect. It made, what they viewed as a virus, spread even further and have an even stronger effect. Not a negative one (as they would consider it), but a good one!
Have you ever tried putting out a grease fire with water? When you do, it ends up making the fire worse. And that is the type of effect persecution had on the church in Jerusalem. In fact, its the same type of effect persecution has had on the church throughout history.
This reality is what influenced Tertullian (An African Apologist who lived from 160-215 AD) to coin this phrase:
“The blood of the martyrs has become the seed of the church”
So this problem of persecution is causing the church to plant little gospel seeds everywhere they go.
These are ordinary, everyday people, Like you. Not seminary trained, not the elite christians. This is normal people.
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Acts of the Apostles E. The Word Goes to Samaria (8:4–25)
Ordinary believers preached the word wherever they went
It’s important to note: this isn’t just people living in light of the gospel, meaning, just being good people.
Some people use the quote by Francis of Assisi as a ruse to get out of sharing the gospel, “Preach the Gospel at all times. When necessary, use words.” - This sounds nice, and I don’t mean to offend anyone, but it’s a half truth, meaning, its a whole lie.
When this text says that they went “preaching the word”, it literally means, they “heralded” or “proclaimed” the gospel of Jesus Christ”. The word “word” here, in its context, means, “the gospel”.
Zondervan Exegetical Commentary
Acts: Expanded Digital Edition Explanation of the Text
The term translated as “proclaim” (κηρύσσω) is often understood on the background of the task of the herald in the Greco-Roman world. The verb is related to the noun usually translated as “herald” (κῆρυξ) which denotes a person who calls out in a clear and audible manner a message that a ruler or the city magistrates have told him to convey to their constituency. The communication of a herald can be understood as “one-way communication par excellence” in which a message is conveyed that has been commissioned by a higher authority irrespective of the reception it may receive.
If the church just went out and lived out the implications of the gospel, like being moral, upright, kind, generous, etc. and didn’t verbally share the gospel, then the church would have died around AD 70.
Instead, the church lived in light of the gospel and preached the message of the gospel.
And the problem they faced, enabled them to do it and do it more effectively.
Just look at Philip:
Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them.
Here, we see Philip, living in light of the gospel and verbally proclaiming the gospel.
Let me show you how Philip “lived in light of the gospel” .
First, where did Philip Go:
Samaria...
Let me read you some commentary quotes about Samaria.
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Acts of the Apostles 1. Some Samaritans Find Their True Deliverer (8:5–13)
Luke possibly uses the traditional title because of its historic associations, which were fundamental to the hostility between Jews and Samaritans. The first century was a time of very strained relations between these two neighbours. ‘The old antithesis of North and South, of Israel and Judah, was revived in all its sharpness.
The New American Commentary: Acts Philip and Simon (8:9–13)
The Jewish prejudice against the Samaritans is well-known. To the Jews the Samaritans were half-breeds and heretics. Philip’s venture into a Samaritan mission was a radical step toward Stephen’s vision of a gospel free of nationalistic prejudices.
I also think the CSB Study Bible does a good job of explaining this significance.
CSB Study Bible: Notes Chapter 8
This territory near Judea was made up of those who had not left under the Assyrian exile and had intermarried with non-Jews. Jews generally looked down on Samaria; ministry here was a significant step for the church, for it indicated that old biases had no place in Christianity. For bias against the Samaritans among Jesus’s own disciples,
You want to see racism and prejudice… Look at how the Samaritans and the Jews interacted.
If Jews were to travel from Jerusalem to somewhere past Samaria, and going through Samaria was the fastest route, they would intentionally go all the way around Samaria, even if it added days to their journey, just so that they wouldn’t have to interact with a Samaritan.
Jews and Samaritans were not only at odds ethnically and politically, but they were at odds religiously.
Philip was transformed by the gospel in such a way that he was willing to go and preach Christ to people who he grew up learning to hate.
Think about what we are experiencing right now with protests and riots: People are saying to other people who are racists, “Stop being racists”. and to those who aren’t racists, “Fix racism”.
Whether or not you agree with them or not… Heres the point I’m trying to make.
Israel was supposed to be the most moral and ethical group of people in the world. And even they hated others because of politics, race, and religion.
What caused real change?
The Gospel of Jesus Christ… Just look at Philip… And just look at how he sought to remedy all the sin in Samaria...
And out of all of the injustices and other blatantly evil things happening in Samaria, what does Philip proclaim:
the text says he, “proclaimed the Messiah to them”
God intended for Philip to come to Samaria. God used the problem of persecution in Jerusalem to send Philip to preach a remedy for the problems in Samaria.
#1 Problems Provide Opportunity For Gospel Proclamation
#1 Problems Provide Opportunity For Gospel Proclamation
Some people, who call themselves Christians, are saying right now, in the midst of racial and political issues that don’t pale in comparison to the Jew and Samaritan divide, “the gospel isn’t enough”.
They think people won’t respond to the gospel the way they want them too.
I think the brokenness we are seeing only supports the next lesson we see in this text...
Lesson #2… Verses 6-7
2. People Are Hungry For What The Gospel Provides
2. People Are Hungry For What The Gospel Provides
Notice how the people in Samaria respond to Philip’s preaching.
The crowds were all paying attention to what Philip said, as they listened and saw the signs he was performing. For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed, and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.
The text says towards the latter half of verse 6 that they:
“listened” - meaning — the words were audible and going into their ears.
and “saw the signs he was performing” - meaning — they observed all the miraculous things (described in just a moment) that the Holy Spirit enabled Philip to do.
But even these two things aren’t enough… there needed to be something more…
and that is exactly what we see in the beginning of the verse...
It says that the “crowds were paying attention to what Philip said...”
Husbands: has your wife ever asked you to do something when you weren’t fully attentive, and then later, you forget it or don’t do it because you weren’t fully attentive to her when she said it?
When it says they were “paying attention” it means that they were critically thinking about what was said by Philip. Their brains were working through what he was preaching because it was something they were waiting and wanting to hear.
Why?
The Pillar Commentary tells us...
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Acts of the Apostles 1. Some Samaritans Find Their True Deliverer (8:5–13)
The Samaritans looked for the prophet like Moses promised in Deuteronomy 18:15–19, calling him Taheb (‘restorer’) rather than an eschatological saviour and ruler from the line of David
They were expecting a “restorer”
And here is a man who should hate them, restoring sanity to the demon possessed, restoring health to the sick, and restoring body function to those who were lame… All the while, he is proclaiming a GREATER RESTORER.
They paid attention because Philip lived in light of the gospel, empowered by the gospel, and proclaimed the gospel.
And they were hungry!
We need to listen to the hunger we are hearing from the world right now...
People are crying out in fear of corona virus. They want a cure.
People are crying out for true justice.
People are crying out for a reconciler
People are crying out for a peace maker
People are crying out for a messiah to solve the world’s problems!
Inside every person protesting, every person telling you to where a mask, every person calling on a political leader to save them...
Is a hunger for restoration.
What does this tell us!?
People Are Hungry For What The Gospel Provides
People Are Hungry For What The Gospel Provides
If the Samaritans had a hunger that led them to be attentive to the gospel preached by Philip, we must trust God with the hunger that cries out from every human soul alive now.
If we don’t preach the nourishing bread of the gospel to them, they will go to contaminated food sources and eat something that will only make them worse!
Like a depraved ideology. A corrupt politician. A wicked action.
They are going to eat of something!
We must give them Christ! Listen from the book of John...
So Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life in yourselves. The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day, because my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven; it is not like the manna your ancestors ate—and they died. The one who eats this bread will live forever.”
We preach Christ!
We preach Christ so that people might come to him and have their hunger met with him.
Because...
People Are Hungry For What The Gospel Provides
People Are Hungry For What The Gospel Provides
What happens when people feast on the gospel of Christ...
Lesson #3… Verse 8
3. The Gospel Can Transform Communities
3. The Gospel Can Transform Communities
Transformation!
So there was great joy in that city.
Such a short verse to describe a profound reality.
So there was great joy in that city. (repeat)
This Samaritan city, that was completely enthralled by sorcery weeks before, as we will learn next week, this city was filled with joy after hearing, seeing, and experiencing the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The New American Commentary: Acts Philip and Simon (8:9–13)
The gospel is the great equalizer. In the gospel there are no “half-breeds,” no physical rejects, no place for any human prejudices. There is acceptance for all, joy for all, “great joy for all the people”
In a time when there was so much tragedy, so much hatred, so many barriers… God gave a message of hope and joy that turned the world upside down.
Not the way riots turn the world upside down.
Not the way police brutality turns the world upside down.
But in a way where joy reigns.
You see, nothing can replace or imitate the joy that the gospel can bring to communities.
nothing can replace the peace that the gospel brings.
nothing can replace the reconciliation that the gospel brings.
No three letter movement, no hand gesture, no political hero, no philosophical movement, no medicine, nothing, nothing, can replace the power of the gospel that transforms the world.
Only the gospel. Only the gospel.
The cross of Christ, and his blood shed to bring peace between God and man has the power to bring peace between those who were once enemies with each other.
The cross of Christ, and its peace with God is what drove Philip, a Jew, to preach the cross to those who normally would be his enemies. His rivals. “Traitors” to YHWH.
This gospel message transformed this Jew and then it transformed this city in Samaria.
It can transform people named...
Caleb,
Claire,
Billy-Bob,
Jean,
Omar,
Hillary,
Donald,
Gavin,
George,
It can transform places like...
Minneapolis,
New York City,
LA,
San Jose,
Dallas,
and even Millbrae,
San Bruno,
and South San Francisco.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek.
The Gospel Can Transform Communities
The Gospel Can Transform Communities
Conclusion
NIV Zondervan Study Bible: Built on the Truth of Scripture and Centered on the Gospel Message Chapter 8
This episode illustrates the gospel’s continued expansion despite opposition and its power to break down ethnic and religious barriers. The Jews hated the Samaritans as a half-breed race and as heretics, but for Luke they are examples of outsiders for whom the gospel is good news (cf. Luke 9:52–56; 10:25–37; 17:11–19). Here they function as a mediating people between Jews and Gentiles and thus a natural step in the gospel’s gradual spread from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth (1:8).
Things appeared bleak at the beginning of this chapter.
And, we, the readers are left wondering, “how are the disciples going to obey Jesus now?”
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
My impact for good is not dependent upon my strategies, my wisdom, my planning, my virtue signaling.
If I want to make real eternal impact that is seen both now and in eternity, then my weapon, my tool, my power is in the gospel!
Yeah, our world is being exposed for what it is:
Fragile, corrupt, racist, depraved....
But, every story in the Bible that shows that reality ends with redemption and salvation.
And at the center of it all is the cross. The gospel of Jesus Christ. Who came to save sinners from themselves, death, and Satan.
John MacArthur Sermon Archive The Persecuted Church Reaches Out
The Holy Spirit is in the business of turning negatives into positives, of taking disasters and turning them into miracles. You can’t blockade the Holy Spirit. He likes to take those kind of tragedies and turn them into victory.