Thank you, Lord, for this day. May it be used for your glory!
Good morning everyone and welcome back to Biblit!
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The most important takeaway from this chapter is that God is on the move.
That is so encouraging! But let’s dive in and see if we can pick up on some other application points.
God Advances the Gospel in Samaria
Who is your Samaria?
For these early Christians, Samaria was not a place with people they upheld. They had deep prejudices against these people, and it often went both ways.
Yet Philip trusted God, shared the gospel, and praise be to God they accepted it with open arms.
So the question is, who is your Samaria?
Who are you afraid to share the gospel with? Whether you fear rejection and ridicule, or you have a prejudice and believe they don’t deserve the gospel or they are so evil it is hopeless.
Pray that God would open your eyes and give you a heart like Philip’s; willing to share the gospel with whoever the Holy Spirit leads.
The Power and Importance of the Holy Spirit
I think I often forget just how powerful the Holy Spirit is.
The Holy Spirit is God. It is His spirit dwelling in us. So the same God who created the universe dwells in us and guides us!
Like I said yesterday, this is not a genie to ask whatever we want. God isn’t a power we can learn to wield like a sword. We will never control God, thank goodness.
This is God’s power in us and if we just stop to listen He will wield us like a mighty sword for His Kingdom!
All we have to do is be willing to act like Philip was.
God Advances the Gospel to the Ends of the Earth
Finally, are we sharing the gospel everywhere we go?
I know I am guilty of this, and this has probably been the most convicting thing I’ve learned in Acts so far.
Philip and all the disciples share the gospel everywhere they go even in the midst of persecution. When we share the gospel in America, what risk do we really have?
Rejection, ridicule…maybe. It also depends on your definition of sharing the gospel.
Let’s look back to Acts 1 again, what does it say Jesus told the disciples to do:
“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 ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8 CSB).
They were to be witnesses. Not judges.
I see a lot of Christians in America spreading judgment, telling people what sins they are committing, and then offering the hope of Christ.
Jesus didn’t tell the disciples to judge others. He told them to be witnesses.
To me, that implies making things personal, sharing your own story, and your own experiences. Things that typically people accept a lot quicker than a stranger casting judgment on them.
And, honestly, sharing your own experience and story is a lot less scary than telling a stranger they are living in sin.
Let’s look at one more passage, the classic great commission:
“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20 CSB).
See, Jesus says that part of discipleship is to teach your disciples to observe all that Jesus commanded. So, we should call out sinful lifestyles at some point.
But that’s the last thing on that list. And it comes after baptism. Almost as if nobody will recognize how sinful they are until they begin to know Jesus and are led to ask for His redemptive grace.
That was a long section, but the key takeaway is this question: are you witnessing to others what Jesus has done for you?
With that, we will call it a week! Thanks for reading or listening! Please consider sharing this with another!