Grace Chapel Bible Ministries
worship Call 1185 The Spread of the Gospel - 2024/11/20
[MUSIC] [MUSIC] [MUSIC] Welcome to worship call with Bible teacher Buzz Lawbeck. Buzz is the pastor of Grace Chapel Bible Ministries, located in Duncan, South Carolina. This ministry is dedicated to the verse by verse teaching of God's word and discipleship programs aimed at strengthening the faith of God's people. Now here's today's message. Again, from George Whitney this morning of verleynews.com. Friends, believe it or not, 1 Peter 3.15, "But sanctified the Lord God in your hearts and always be ready to give an answer for anyone who asks for the reason for the hope that is in you with meekness and fear." During the first great awakening revivalist, Jonathan Whitfield was preaching to coal miners in England. He asked, "One man, what do you believe?" Well, I believe the same as the church and what does the church believe? Well, they believe the same as me. Seeing he was getting nowhere, Whitfield said, "And what is it that you both believe?" Well, I suppose the same thing. The majority of the things we believe were told us by someone we deem trustworthy. For example, we believe there is such a place as Zimbabwe because our geography teachers taught us so. But how many of us actually been there to see it? We couldn't testify from personal experience, but we believe it because reliable people have told us it's true. The same goes for science, space, medicine, history, and the list goes on. Sadly, one of the things most disputed in the world is the truth of the gospel. And even more sadly, many believers wouldn't know how to defend it if anyone challenged them. Friends, as believers, we have the responsibility to know and share the truth of the gospel. Let's pray that the Lord would open the door to share the gospel with someone today and be ready to give an answer for the hope that's within us. The harvest is just outside our doors for we were born for such a time as this. Our study today continues on with the spread of the gospel and the validation that there's something greater than what we have to link onto, and that is the gospel message. This is the fourth day of the week in God's created order, the 20th day of the 11th month, 2024th year of our Lord, and this is another fine day in the Lord. Let us turn to our Lord in prayer. Father in heaven, we thank you for this day. We thank Heavenly Father for the gospel. We thank you for having received it by your grace and that you opened up the eyes of our hearts that we might know the gospel. We pray Heavenly Father for our lesson today. Be with the speaker as well as for accuracy and teaching. For those all of us that here may be actually in discernment, Christ in the plan. Amen. And certainly let's get set up here. Where are we? Okay, looking good. All systems go. And sometimes we take it all the way to the edge of getting set up. And one thing I didn't do was open my Bible for this service. Good morning to you. Glad you're here. Tim, continue to pray for you and the betterment of health. And we continue. Our message this morning is Acts chapter 8. And we're looking at this morning at the gospel. The gospel that's going out now and starting to spread out from Jerusalem. And what's doing that? It is persecution. You see persecution, though it is implemented by evil and in a rejecting world, God nonetheless uses it to direct and redirect the course of and the direction of his gospel. This passage highlights the struggles and transformation of early Christians. It emphasizes the power of selfish love, the spread of gospel, and an unchanging grace of God, particularly through the life of Paul. And we've been introduced to the Saul of Tarsus, the persecutor of Christians, and he's going to be used, mightily. Don't ever think that an evil man can never be used by God. Paul to Saul will not only be used by God, but he will be saved by God also. So we see first of all in Acts 8.22. Saul men buried Stephen and made loud imitations over him, but Paul began ravaging the church, entering house after house and dragging off men and women. He would put them in prison. Just as there is the two devout men who buried Jesus, and I remember who they were, Nicodemus and Joseph and Arimathea, just as they took the body down and buried Jesus, two others buried Stephen. And though the outcome of persecution is victory, though martyrdom, those who are martyred, there's a martyr's crown for them, it doesn't alleviate the pain and the hurt and the anguish that comes with the torture and the death of the loved ones. And though Psalm 30 says, "Though weeping may endure for the night, happiness comes in the morning," the anguish of that day into this day is real. And the tears that fell in the eyes of the two men that buried Stephen, I would guess that they were the deacons, but they loved their friend, and now they see death. Death not only is a spiritual separation, a physical separation, an eternal separation, the three deaths that we know them about, but death is also a separation from a relationship with one another, the departure of one another. Though it's not permanent in this world, there's still anguish involved, and these are just the first tears that would be shed for many throughout the entire church age. So in contrast to the devout man in their reverence and mourning over their brother, there was Saul of Tarsus, Saul who was persecuting the Christian church, all who were the followers of the way, and he did everything he could to destroy the church. With all the zeal that Saul would put into, and all the ones that he would put his zeal toward, and to look to destroy the church, the church only became stronger. Acts 8-3. But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, dragging off men and women. He would put them in prison. Not only Saul, Gabriel's star with people, he was also Satan's hitman, spearheading the effort to stop the church before it had a chance to plant its roots, and yes, the trials were real. There was no escape from the pain and suffering, both from physical and emotional, the emotions that it caused, the emotionally damaged that it would cause, but again, the more the church suffered, the more it would grow. And John 15-13 says no greater love has no one than this, that one would lay down his life for his friends. To give our lives for something is the ultimate of sacrifices. To give our lives for the faith indicates that there's something out there. Now we don't get up in the morning and wish to be martyrs, and I love this life, and quite frankly, the torture bothers me, you know, and even Jesus said, "Father, if there's some other way, let this be." But there are loved ones that I have that are not yet, and yet believers, they're unbelievers, they've rejected Christ, but if they could see the faith in me to the ultimate sacrifice that I would give my life for what I believe, then there must be something to it. There must be something because the most valuable thing that we have in this life prior to being saved is our life. It's the only one that we've got, but when we come to know and see by faith and see in Christ, and we proclaim the gospel, and we're willing to die for that gospel, and others may see it, and others do see it. And with that alone, they are, and I believe this is why in pagan lands where there is the most persecution, that is one of the reasons why there is the greatest evangelistic movement. Because why would these people die for something that's a lie, or something that doesn't exist? They certainly, and in great numbers, they will die. So, without mercy and without discretion, the cohort led by Saul would go into the homes and homes where they would meet, and they would bust down the door when they were in their prayer meetings, when they were in their assemblies, where they were studying the Word of God, and they would drag them out, men and women, fathers and mothers, without mercy, without discretion whatsoever. The name of Saul would be known throughout the Christian world at this time. He would spread fast. He would be a dreaded name. It would be like Hannibal is at the gates. Saul is coming, and he was feared. The evil of this man would be well known, but this would also set the stage for another blow to the unbelieving world. When here it is that Saul, who is the arch enemy of the Christian church, becomes the greatest hero of the faith within the Christian realm. Look at some passage here, Acts 9-1. Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and after letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus so that if he found any belonging to the way, the term that they used for Christians, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man. How much harm did he did to your saints in Jerusalem?" All those hearing him continue to be amazed and were saying, "This is not the one from Jerusalem who destroyed those who called on this name and who had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests." Then 22-4, "I persecuted." This is Paul's testimony. "I persecuted," let me bring this over here, there we go. "I persecuted this way to death, binding and putting both men and women in prison." 22-19, and I said, "Lord, they themselves understand that in one synagogue after another, I used to imprison and beat those who believed in you. And when the blood of your witness, Stephen, was being shed, I also was standing by approving and watching out for the coats of those who were slaying him." How about 1 Corinthians 15-9, "For I am at the least of the apostles and not fit to be called the apostles because I persecuted the church, but by the grace of God I am what I am and his grace toward me did not prove in vain, but I labored even more than all of them." Galatians 1-13, "For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecuted church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among them among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions. But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother's womb and called me through his trace, was pleased to reveal his son to me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles." I'll give you one more, 1 Timothy 1-13, "Even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor, yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief." Stephen's Markdom, together with the ensuing persecution of the church, confirmed Israel's unbelief and her obstinate, her stiff-necked refusal to accept Jesus as her redeemer, but yet, Jesus continued to, or the Lord continued in his plan to seek to win over, you know, win over the Israel. Israel, they were, Jerusalem was still being covered by the grace of God. Acts 2, 46, day by day, continuing the one mind in the temple and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together. This to this day would be heartbreaking even to missionaries. Continuing on with the persecution as Saul was bringing out those from the church, they were breaking, again, they were breaking into the homes, they were busting down the doors, they were catching them in worship services in their prayer meetings. They would get tipped off by them. They would, you know, they would be those neighbors and those that would turn them in, and at a specific time, they would, this is better, by the way, this is where the fish would come in, where they would lay out the fish in the front door, indicating that there would be a meeting there that night. So the Christians would do whatever they can to avoid the persecution, to avoid being caught, but nonetheless, they would continue to do it. But again, persecution would not detour, it would not disrupt, it would not stop the growth of the Christian faith. Acts 8, 5, to 8. Philip went down to the city. So here's the persecution, fires of persecution was growing in Jerusalem. And so now the gospel begins to go out from Jerusalem. Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ to them. The crowds with one accord were given attention to what was said by Philip as they heard and saw the signs which he was performing. For in the case of many who had unclean spirits, they were coming out of them, shouting with a loud voice, and many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed. So there was much rejoicing in the city. Samaria was the antagonist for the Jews, Jerusalem, and for the Jews period. Samaria, the beginnings of Samaria was in exile when Assyria invaded and conquered Israel. And what Assyria did was they would displace the people. They would take Jews out of their land and displace them into other areas of the world. The world that they may interbreed with or take on in a breed which they were not supposed to do with other communities. And then others were brought into this area, now called Samaria, which they would interbreed there. So these people ended up being half-breed, part Jew and part something else. Again, they were antagonistic to Israel, to Jews. Remember that in John 4, there is the incident of Jesus in the Samaritan woman there. And this was, normally, and the way that was set up was that, normally, they were such antagonism there, that people coming from Galilee down to Jerusalem for a lecture to say the Passover, or for any reason, they would not travel through Samaria. They would cross over to Jordan, travel down on the other side of the Jordan, avoiding Samaria, and then crossing back over, going into Jerusalem. When they were coming home saying thing, they would cross over Jordan, go back up, cross over Jordan again to enter into Galilee. They would avoid Samaria altogether. So Jesus, when He went straight through there, that's where He encountered the woman at the well. And He stayed a few days in His visit with the Samaritans accepted Him because of what the woman said, and they believed Him at being a prophet there. So this was Samaria, and so here it was, that Philip, Philip, how much more are you going to be persecuted in Samaria than what you're already being persecuted in Jerusalem? So he goes to Samaria, and I suppose there were still good many people already there that were still impacted by the visit of Jesus, staying there for a few days. And so He came down to proclaim that Jesus had risen, and He also came down with the signs and wonders which got their attention as well. So here is another contrasting view. You have Jerusalem that's persecuting, that is on high mode to execute. We're talking about the leadership there. Many were coming to Christ, but then as many were coming to Christ, so was the persecution for the leadership and the nation. So here's the contrast, they had to meet, the Christians had to meet in Jerusalem, they had to hide, they had to hide their faith, they had to be careful who they spoke to. But here's Samaria, the antagonist of Jerusalem, they accepted the message of Christ, and they were rejoicing, they were lifting up their hearts and rejoicing outwardly. And this too would be God's grace. And even to this day that the gospel would be going out to pagan, not to pagan, to Gentile, to the Gentile world. Paul talks about this in Romans 11. Now, if their transgression is richest for the world, and their failure is richest for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be? But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles, and as much then as I am an apostle of the Gentiles, I'll magnify my ministry. If someone, somehow I might move to jealousy, my fellow countrymen, and save some of them, for if their rejection, reconciliation of the world, what would their acceptance be but life from the dead? And so while Samaria was rejoicing over the message of Christ, Jerusalem, on the other hand, was just the opposite. Acts 8-7, for in a case of many who had unclean spirits, they were coming out of them and shouting with a loud voice, and many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed. So there was much rejoicing in the city. To this day, the nation continues to be under natural rejection. Other areas of the world are benefiting from the Christian movement, while Israel continues to be an oppressed people. And as a result of worshiping of the Christ, the world is celebrating those who are accepting Christ, but yet there is still persecution, but the lost sheep of Israel, who should be the one who is being blessed by Christ by Jesus. And they are, but they are not receiving the full blessing that Christ has for them in the future. Acts 8-8, so there's much more rejoicing in that city, much rejoicing in that city. And let's move on. We'll go on. All right. Acts 8-9. Now there was a man named Simon, who formerly was practicing magic in the city, and astonishing the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great. And they all, from the smallest to the greatest, were giving attention to him, saying, "This man is called the great power of God." And they were giving him attention because he had, for a long time, astonished him with his magic art, with his magic arts. And yet, here's another contrast. Here is a performer of magic, who is stoning the people, and while they were attributing power from God, there was no message. There was no message behind his, this was miraculous to him, this was entertainment. That's, yes, the entertainment. And they may claim, and it's like it is today, there are those faith healers, and they stand in their stage performers. And they go, they stand in the, come up on stage, they go through their little facade of healing people, and doing miraculous work, and science and wonders, and all that. But here's the contrast. There's no message. There's no message to what they're doing. And it also can compare to a dynamic speakers, the dynamic preachers that will stand on stage, and they will, they will inspire people, they will lift them up psychologically. They would rob, rob, and do all that. But yet the people are sent home without a message that they can hold onto, and real soon it's back to the same old, same old. And this is what Simon was doing. He was performing magic, he was entertaining them, but in the end, there was, in the end, they would go home with nothing. A couple points of doctrine here. Let me see if I'm not here. Point number one. The science and wonders is to draw attention to the message from God. Simon or Philip did not go, or the other apostles did not perform the science and wonders for entertainment, or to draw attention to themselves. It was always to draw attention to the message. Number two. Satan will use science and wonder to distract and to draw people to the wrong message, away from the message, and to the wrong message. The science and wonders, I will not say they are completely out of the question. I do not believe that God is still in the miracle business, and the extraordinary miracles. But limited, limited, and certainly we wouldn't expect to see a miracle where the revelation of God is certainly widespread like we have here. But nonetheless, God still is in that miracle. We can still see miracles on their day, but for God's purposes, not for our edification, but our edification comes from the Word of God. And so this was Simon, and so he's performing. Many were coming into faith, becoming followers of the way. In the apostolic age, it required a laying on of hands. So what Philip is going to do is, while these people were being entertained by signs and wonders, something better is coming, something that's going to change their lives as a coming, and Philip has introduced it. He's going to call in Peter and John. Once again, the pair, Peter, both Peter and John, they're going to come down to Samaria to lay hands on people. And because they've been baptized, they have believed, but here in the apostolic age, they haven't received the Holy Spirit yet. During that period of time, it took the laying on of hands. So that's where we're going to leave it off tomorrow. We're going to settle Simon's account tomorrow, Lord Williamsburg guidance. So let's close it out. Father, in heaven, we thank You, Heavenly Father, for this day, for Your Word. We ask, Heavenly Father, that You open up our hearts to the study of Your Word this morning. And we pray, Heavenly Father, that we live out the message in our lives each day. We pray these things in Christ's name. Amen. All right, so now it's time to end the Lord. Keep your armor on. Keep fighting. Good, fight of faith. Lord's will. Spirit, guide, wrap, spend it. We'll be back here in the A.M. Thank you for joining us. You can hear this message again, as well as previous lessons. And get note by visiting us online at www.gchapel.org. [BLANK_AUDIO] [BLANK_AUDIO]
The passages highlight the struggles and transformation of early Christians, emphasizing the power of selfless love, the spread of the Gospel, and the life-changing grace of God, particularly through the life of Paul.