WEEK 4: TRANSFORMED FOR THE MISSION
TODAY’S CHARACTER: PHILIP
THE EVANGELIST
SCRIPTURE: ACTS 8:1-40
MAIN POINT: It is the job of every believer to faithfully do the work
of the Great Commission and sow seeds wherever God allows, whatever the cost.
INTRODUCTION
What has been your
favorite experience sharing the gospel? What has been your least favorite?
If we’re commanded to
tell the story of Jesus to others, why do we often avoid the task?
What do we learn about
God from His desire to be known and to use us to make His name known?
Like a farmer who
scatters seeds on a plot of land, we sow the seeds of the gospel into the field
of the world. Sometimes the seeds we plant take root and bear fruit, but it is
the job of every believer to faithfully do the work of the Great Commission and
sow seeds wherever God allows, even when it requires us to give up something we
see as ‘good.’
UNDERSTANDING
Let’s unpack the
biblical text to discover what the Scripture says or means about today’s story
of Philip.
READ ACTS 8:1-4
And Saul approved of
their killing him. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church
in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and
Samaria. 2 Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 3 But Saul
began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men
and women and put them in prison. 4 Those who had been scattered preached the
word wherever they went.
What happened to the
church in the event of Stephen’s execution? What effect do you think this had
on the early believers? Where did they go to escape the persecution?
READ ACTS 1:8
8 But you will receive
power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem,
and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
What is the connection
between Jesus’ command and the events of Acts 8:1-4?
According to verse 4,
what effect did the persecution and scattering of the early church have on the
believers’ faith? What can we learn from their example?
Events surrounding
Stephen’s testimony and murder led to severe persecution of the church in
Jerusalem. The disciples were likely scared and feared for their lives, but God
used their distress for the cause of the gospel. All believers except the
apostles were scattered to nearby regions. Stephen’s death became a catalyst
for the spread of the gospel to places it had never gone before.
READ ACTS 8:5-8
5 Philip went down to a
city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. 6 When the crowds heard
Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he
said. 7 For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were
paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city.
Why were the Samaritans
attentive to Philip? What actions did he perform? How did these acts validate
his ministry?
What was the result of
Philip’s faithfulness? How could the Lord use you, if you went outside your
comfort zone to share the gospel?
Popular opinion held
that Samaritans were second-class citizens, a mixed race of Jews and foreigners
who inhabited the land after the Assyrian conquest (2 Kings 17:24), and who
were unclean and unfit for worship in the temple. Their “uncleanness” was
thought to be passed through physical contact, so most Jews avoided them
entirely. Philip’s faithfulness resulted in gospel fruit and indicated that old
biases had no place in Christianity, which is something Jesus Himself modeled.
Philip’s performing these acts gave evidence that early believers were
continuing their Lord’s ministry and validated believers’ work as Christ’s
work.
READ ACTS 8:9-25
9 Now for some time a
man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of
Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, 10 and all the people, both high
and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is rightly called
the Great Power of God.” 11 They followed him because he had amazed them for a
long time with his sorcery. 12 But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed
the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were
baptized, both men and women. 13 Simon himself believed and was baptized. And
he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he
saw. 14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word
of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. 15 When they arrived, they prayed
for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 because
the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized
in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on
them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was
given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money 19 and
said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may
receive the Holy Spirit.” 20 Peter answered: “May your money perish with you,
because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! 21 You have no
part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. 22
Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive
you for having such a thought in your heart. 23 For I see that you are full of
bitterness and captive to sin.” 24 Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for
me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.” 25 After they had further
proclaimed the word of the Lord and testified about Jesus, Peter and John
returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages.
Refer to verses 9-13
What do you learn about
Simon the Magician? How does he respond to Philip’s message?
How does the church in
Jerusalem respond to the news of the gospel spreading to Samaria? Why is it
important that the established church sent people to evaluate God’s work in a
new place?
How did Simon respond to
the apostles? What does this teach you about the genuineness of his belief?
The real benefit of the
gospel is a relationship with Jesus Christ. Simon the Magician did not see it
that way. Rather, he was impressed by the power and signs done by Philip and
the apostles and sought to acquire this blessing by financial means. We should
not be dissuaded from continuing to share as the apostles themselves continued
to do on their way out of Samaria (25).
READ ACTS 8:26-35
26 Now an angel of the
Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem
to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian[a] eunuch,
an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means
“queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and
on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the
prophet. 29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.” 30
Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet.
“Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. 31 “How can I,” he
said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and
sit with him. 32 This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading: “He
was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is
silent, so he did not open his mouth. 33 In his humiliation he was deprived of
justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the
earth.” 34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking
about, himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip began with that very passage of
Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
How would you describe
Philip’s response to the Spirit’s directive? What does this tell us about him?
What do we learn about
the Ethiopian man in verses 27-28? How did Philip take advantage of this
special situation?
What might have happened
if Philip was unprepared to talk about Scripture or unfamiliar with the Isaiah
prophecy? What does this tell us about the connection between personal
discipleship and missions?
Philip was a faithful
man. When God called him to serve the church in Acts 6:5, he obeyed. He
responded with the same quick obedience in 8:26 as he left his successful
ministry in Samaria at the angel’s instruction. As a result, the Lord used
Philip powerfully in the life of the Ethiopian man. Providentially, Philip
found the man reading a passage of Scripture that very clearly referred to
Jesus. Philip was able to use this passage of Scripture to explain the gospel
to the Ethiopian man. Philip’s faithfulness and attention to discipleship gave
the Lord an avenue to work through Him to reach someone who was far from
Christ. Notice how Philip was an unlikely preacher/evangelist, as he was
initially chosen as one of the 7 organizers of food distribution in the early
church. Through Philip’s obedience, he was used to spread the gospel in another
part of the world.
READ ACTS 8:36-40
36 As they traveled
along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is
water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” [37] [a] 38 And he gave
orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the
water and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the
Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him
again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40 Philip, however, appeared at Azotus
and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached
Caesarea.
What did the man’s
question in verse 36 convey? How does this reflect a changed heart?
How does verse 40 teach
us about Philip’s continued faithfulness?
APPLICATION
How do the truths from
the Scripture passage apply directly to our lives?
What places in Scripture
might you turn to teach another person about the gospel? Have you considered
memorizing these passages?
Consider the example of
Philip. How might the Lord be calling you to leave something comfortable or
‘good’ to be used by Him in a new and powerful way?
What is standing in your
way? What next step of obedience can you take?
What would it look like
for you to be “ALL IN” with the mission God has given our church?
PRAYER
Pray that God would use
all the circumstances in your life to share His gospel and be about His mission,
for His glory. Ask Him to show you where to take the next step in obedience,
even if it may be uncomfortable or cost you something, like Philip did.
Hope to see everyone this Sunday!
In His Love,
David & Susan
Teacher Notes:
Teacher Notes:
WEEK 4: TRANSFORMED FOR THE MISSION
TODAY’S CHARACTER: PHILIP
THE EVANGELIST
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES: ACTS 8:1-40
Like a farmer who
scatters seeds on a plot of land, we are to sow seeds of the gospel into the
fields of the world.
Sometimes
the seeds we plant take root and bear fruit, sometimes they don’t.
If you want to
understand the book of Acts look at its prequel book Luke 8 and Jesus’ parable
of the Sower – farmer goes out and scatters seed – 4 soils – the Eunuch turned
out to be really fertile soil and God ordained this whole thing.
MAIN POINT: It is the job of every
believer to faithfully do the work of the Great Commission and sow seeds
wherever God allows, whatever the cost.
Sow seeds wherever God
allows even when it requires us to give up something we see as ‘good.’
This is the story of
today’s character: Philip the Evangelist
Acts 8:1-40
What do you know about
Philip?
- Not the disciple Phillip
- Baptized and saved the Eunuch from Ethiopia
- One of the seven organizers of food distribution in the early church
- Became an evangelist, one of the first traveling missionaries
- One of the first to obey Jesus’ command to take the gospel to all people
- A careful student of the Bible who could explain its meaning clearly OT to Jesus
There are four different
men named Philip mentioned in the Bible.
- Phillip was the name of two of King Herod the Great’s sons by different wives (Luke 3:1 and Matthew 14:3).
- The other two Philips in the Bible were servants of Christ and instrumental in the early church:
- Philip the disciple and apostle of Christ, and Philip the evangelist
- Philip is usually distinguished from the disciple of the same name by calling him “Philip the evangelist” or “Philip the deacon.
- It’s assumed that Philip was one of the seventy-two men whom Jesus sent out in Luke 10:1, although the Bible doesn’t make that connection.
- Philip was one of the original seven deacons selected to serve in the Jerusalem church (Acts 6:5).
- Philip had a heart for evangelism, and, when the “great persecution” arose in Acts 8:1, Philip left Jerusalem to become an evangelist in Samaria (Acts 8:5–12).
- After the church in Samaria was started, Philip was used by the Holy Spirit to bring the gospel to an Ethiopian eunuch, a member of the court of Candace, the Ethiopian queen.
- Philip is carried away to Azotus, where he continued to preach the gospel in the towns from there to Caesarea.
- Twenty years later, Philip is mentioned again, still in Caesarea. Paul and Luke and others were traveling to Jerusalem, and they stopped at Philip’s home in Caesarea.
- Philip had four unmarried daughters at that time, all of whom had the gift of prophecy. That is the last time the Bible mentions the evangelist Philip.
READ ACTS 8:1-8
Who was killed this day?
- Stephen, and his testimony and murder led to severe persecution of the
church in Jerusalem.
- The disciples were scared, but God used their distress for the cause of
the gospel.
- All believers except the apostles were scattered to nearby regions.
- Stephen’s death became a catalyst for the spread of the gospel to places
it had never gone before.
How was this a
fulfillment of Jesus’ command when He ascended to heaven? Acts 1:8
“But you will receive
power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in
Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
- Jesus’ last words to his followers were a command to take the gospel
everywhere, but they seemed reluctant to leave Jerusalem. It took intense
persecution to scatter the believers from Jerusalem and into Judea and Samaria,
where Jesus had instructed them to go.
- 8:4 Persecution forced the believers out of their homes in Jerusalem, and
along with them the gospel. Sometimes we have to become uncomfortable before
we’ll move. We may not want to experience it, but discomfort may be the best
thing for us because God may be working through our hurts. When you are tempted
to complain about uncomfortable or painful circumstances, stop and ask if God
might be preparing you for a special task.
What was significant
about Samaria?
- Samaritans were considered second-class citizens, a mixed race of Jews and
foreigners who inhabited the land after the Assyrian conquest, and who were
unclean and unfit for worship in the temple. Their “uncleanness” was thought to
be passed through physical contact, so most Jews avoided them entirely. Jews
looked down on Samaria; ministry here was a significant step for the church,
for it indicated that old prejudices had no place in Christianity. The
Samaritans were considered half breeds by the “pure” Jews in the southern
kingdom of Judah, and there was intense hatred between the two groups. But remember,
Jesus Himself went to Samaria (John 4) and He commanded His followers to spread
the gospel there.
- Israel had been divided into three main regions – Galilee in the north,
Samaria in the middle, and Judea in the south. Among those who scattered with
the heightened persecution was Philip, who went to a city in Samaria.
Why were the Samaritans so
attentive to Philip?
- The signs that accompanied Philip’s message about Jesus, including the
casting out of unclean spirits and the healing of many who were paralyzed and
lame, ensured that the audience paid attention with one mind.
- God was vouching for Philip’s preaching. Jesus encountered and drove out
many demons during His ministry on earth.
- Demons, or evil spirits, are ruled by Satan. Most scholars believe that
they are fallen angels who joined Satan in his rebellion against God, and who
can cause a person to be mute, deaf, blind, or insane. Demons also tempt people
to sin. Although they can be powerful, they are not able to read our minds and
cannot be everywhere at once.
READ ACTS 8:9-25
Simon the Sorcerer
(Magician)
How successful was
Philip’s ministry?
- 8:6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he
performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 For with shrieks,
impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were
healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city.
- 12 But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good
news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized,
both men and women. 13 Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed
Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.
- The Samaritans responded in large numbers. When word got back to
Jerusalem, Peter and John were sent to evaluate Philip’s ministry. They quickly
became involved themselves, seeing firsthand God’s acceptance of those who
previously were considered unacceptable.
- In the middle of all this success and excitement, God directed Philip out
to the desert for an appointment with an Ethiopian eunuch, another foreigner,
who had been in Jerusalem. Philip went immediately. His effectiveness in
sharing the gospel with this man placed a Christian in a significant position
in a distant country, and may well have had an effect on an entire nation.
How does the church in
Jerusalem respond to the news of the gospel spreading to Samaria?
- Peter and John were sent to Samaria to find out whether or not the
Samaritans were truly becoming believers. The Jewish Christians, even the
apostles, were still unsure whether Gentiles (non-Jews) and half-Jews could
receive the Holy Spirit. It wasn’t until Peter’s experience with Cornelius
(chapter 10) that the apostles became fully convinced that the Holy Spirit was
for all people. Once John asked Jesus if they should call fire down from heaven
to burn up a Samaritan village that refused to welcome them (Luke 9:51-55). Now
he and Peter are there to pray with them.
Why did Peter and John
have to be sent for the new believers baptized by Philip to receive the Holy
Spirit? Why
had the believers in Samaria not received the Holy Spirit (Acts 8)?
- Early converts received the Holy Spirit at the laying on of hands by
apostles or evangelists. Some suggest that this was God’s plan to ensure that
new believers received trustworthy instruction and got connected to God’s
chosen apostolic leaders. Many scholars believe that God chose to have a
dramatic filling of His Spirit as a sign at this special moment in history –
the spread of the gospel into Samaria through the powerful, effective preaching
of believers. Normally, the Holy Spirit enters a persons’ life at conversion. This
was a special event. The pouring out of the Spirit would happen again with
Cornelius and his family – a sign that the uncircumcised Gentiles could receive
the gospel.
How was it that the
Samaritans whom Philip evangelized did not receive the Holy Spirit?
- First, it is good to remember the book of Acts is a history of how God
started the church. It is the record of the transition between the Old Covenant
and the New Covenant, and much of what we see in Acts relates to that
transition. The Samaritans’ manner of receiving the Spirit should be taken for
what it is—an accurate account of what happened in their case. It should not be
construed as normative in every case. The believing Samaritans had been
baptized in water, but, for God’s own reasons, they had not yet been baptized
in the Spirit.
- Second, we should note that the Spirit did come upon the Samaritans (Acts
8:14–17), but not until the apostles Peter and John were present. There are
some good reasons why God waited until Peter and John were present before He
sent the Holy Spirit upon the Samaritans:
- Jesus had given Peter the “keys to the kingdom” (Matthew 16:19). Peter was present—and was the main spokesman—at Pentecost (Acts 2), when the Spirit was given to the Jews. Peter was present in Samaria (Acts 8), when the Spirit was given to the Samaritans. And Peter was present in Cornelius’s house (Acts 10), when the Spirit was given to the Gentiles. Jesus used Peter to “open the door” to each of these people groups.
- The church was to be “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets” (Ephesians 2:20). Philip the evangelist had been a deacon in the Jerusalem church, but he was not one of the twelve apostles. Peter and John needed to be in Samaria for the “official” start of the Samaritan church, just as they had been in Jerusalem for the start of the Jewish church.
- The presence of Peter and John kept the early church unified. Remember, there was great animosity between Jews and Samaritans (John 4:9). If the church in Samaria had begun on its own, with no connection to the “Jewish” church, the church in Jerusalem would never have accepted it. The Samaritans were known historically as corruptors of Judaism (John 4:20). So, God made sure that Peter and John, apostles and Jews from Jerusalem, were present to witness the gift of the Spirit given to the Samaritans. God’s message: the church in Samaria was no heretical start-up. The Samaritans were part of the same church that had been started in Jerusalem, and they were filled with the same Spirit (see Galatians 3:28). Peter and John were eyewitnesses. Their testimony was clear: what happened in Samaria was not a separate religious movement. In this way, God prevented the early church from immediately dividing into different sects.
The Lord took pains to
ensure the unity of the early church. Jesus had commanded the gospel to be
preached in Samaria (Acts 1:8). Philip the evangelist obeyed that command, and
God blessed. Whatever animosity existed between the Jews and the Samaritans was
overcome by the unity of the Spirit. The church today should continue to “make
every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace”
(Ephesians 4:3).
How did Simon respond to
the apostles? What does this teach about the genuineness of his belief?
- The real benefit of the gospel is a relationship with Jesus Christ. Simon
the Magician did not see it that way. Rather, he was impressed by the power and
signs done by Philip and the apostles and sought to acquire this blessing by
financial means.
- Here we see Simon’s true heart. He was used to impressing the crowds with
magic; now he wanted to impress them with his ability to impart the Holy
Spirit.
- By saying that Simon had no part or share in this matter, Peter confirmed
that Simon had not truly converted to Christianity. His heart (meaning his
will, affections, allegiance) was still not right before God.
READ ACTS 8:26-40 Philip
and the Ethiopian
How would you describe
Philip’s response to the Spirit’s directive?
- Philip was a faithful man. When God called him to serve the church in Acts
6:5, he obeyed. He responded with the same quick obedience in 8:26 as he left
his successful ministry in Samaria at the angel’s instruction. As a result, the
Lord used Philip powerfully in the life of the Ethiopian man. Providentially, Philip
found the man reading a passage of Scripture that very clearly referred to
Jesus. Philip was able to use this passage of Scripture to explain the gospel
to the Ethiopian man. Philip’s faithfulness and attention to discipleship gave
the Lord an avenue to work through Him to reach someone who was far from
Christ. Notice how Philip was an unlikely preacher/evangelist, as he was
initially chosen as one of the 7 organizers of food distribution in the early
church. Through Philip’s obedience, he was used to spread the gospel in another
part of the world.
- Philip was having a successful preaching ministry to great crowds in
Samaria, but he obediently left that ministry to travel on a desert road.
Because Philip went where God sent him, Ethiopia was opened up to the gospel.
Follow God’s leading, even if it seems like a demotion. At first you may not
understand His plans, but the results will prove that God’s way is right.
- Ethiopia was located in Africa south of Egypt. The eunuch was obviously
very dedicated to God because he had traveled such a long distance to worship
in Jerusalem. The Jews had contact with Ethiopia (known as Cush) in ancient
days (Psalm 68:31; Jeremiah 38:7), so this man may have been a Gentile convert
to Judaism. Because he was in charge of the treasury of Ethiopia, this man’s
conversion brought Christianity into the power structures of another
government. This is the beginning of the witness “to the ends of the earth”
(1:8). See prophecy in Isaiah 56:3-5 for words about foreigners and eunuchs.
- Philip preached in the coastal cities of the Mediterranean Sea on the way
to Caesarea (v. 40).
What do we learn about
the Ethiopian man in verses 27-28?
- This eunuch was a high official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians and
was in charge of her entire treasury. Candace is the hereditary title for all
the queens of Ethiopia. The eunuch was sitting in his chariot, perhaps an
ox-drawn wagon. The eunuch was returning home after worshiping in Jerusalem.
The term “eunuch” could refer to a man who had been castrated or could mean
“treasurer.” He was a God-fearer, a worshiper of the one true God; but if he
had been deprived of his manhood, then his physical condition prevented him
from converting to Judaism. He may have been attracted to Judaism’s moral and
ethical teachings. In his chariot he was reading from a large scroll, from a
portion of the prophet Isaiah.
How do you see God at
work in Philip’s life?
What did the man’s
question in verse 36 convey? How does this reflect a changed heart?
How does verse 40 teach
us about Philip’s continued faithfulness?
- Philip ended up in Caesarea, where events allowed him to be Paul’s host
many years later. Paul, who as the leading persecutor of the Christians had
been instrumental in pushing Philip and others out of Jerusalem, had himself
become an effective believer. The conversion of the Gentiles begun by Philip
was continued across the entire Roman empire by Paul.
Whether or not you are a
follower of Christ, Philip’s life presents a challenge.
- To those still outside the gospel, Philip is a reminder that the gospel is
for you also.
- To those who have accepted Christ, Philip is a reminder that we are not to
disqualify anyone from hearing about Jesus.
How much like Philip
would your neighbors say you are?
APPLICATION
Consider the example of
Philip. How might the Lord be calling you to leave something comfortable or
‘good’ to be used by Him in a new and powerful way?
What is standing in your
way? What next step of obedience can you take?
What’s it going to take for
you to be “ALL IN” with the mission God has given our church?
PRAYER
Pray that God would use
all the circumstances in your life to share His gospel and be about His
mission, for His glory.
Lydia: What demonstrated that she was ALL IN?
- Her life was changed and all she wanted to
do was live for Christ
- Lydia’s
all-in participation is what began the first church in Philippi
- Lydia
introduced us to Oikos – her household (web of influence)
- Lydia gave
of her resources to support Paul’s mission
- Lydia
believed, served, and gave
- As Christ
followers we’re called to be unified around His mission.
Barnabas: What demonstrated that he was ALL IN?
- Barnabas saw evidence of God’s work in Paul’s life and endorsed Paul as a true disciple and brother in the Lord. Barnabas risked his reputation and his life.
- Barnabas is
a great example of what it looks like to go all in for Jesus. The first time we
see him in scripture, he is selling his field and giving the proceeds to the
apostles.
- Barnabas
went on to preach and teach alongside Paul for many years, helping start
churches throughout Asia Minor and Europe.
- Without
Barnabas we might not have had Paul.
- Barnabas was
asked to go to the new church in Antioch and see if the Gentile converts were
real or not.
- The Holy Spirit empowers our desire and
ability to boldly pursue God’s mission for our church.
Priscilla and Aquila: What demonstrated that they were ALL IN?
- They traveled with Paul and became
life-long friends. The met him in Corinth, traveled with him to Ephesus and
helped him start churches and carry on the mission.
- They used their homes for church meetings.
A church met in their house in Ephesus and a church also met in their home in
Rome once they came back. The home is a valuable tool for evangelism. They
taught others the gospel. They invested their knowledge of the gospel in
Apollos.
- They served as a couple!
- God gives us
opportunities, skills, and resources to serve and invest in others to fulfill
the mission He calls us to as a church. We’re called to be ‘followers’ of
Christ, not ‘fans.’
Cornelius and Peter: What demonstrated that they were ALL IN?
- Cornelius and his household became the
first Gentiles to receive the Holy Spirit – the Gentile Pentecost.
- This was a changed life for Cornelius and
Peter. Two conversions and two churches.
- The gospel changes us and motivates us to take the gospel message into cross-cultural settings, especially in our community.
