Bridge Builders Acts 8:125 pew Bible p842843

1
Bridge BuildersActs 81-25 (pew Bible p842-843)

• Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed
  completely with the killing of Stephen.

2
Bridge Builders

• We left the Called out of their houses for a
  purpose people
• Under Sauls approving, watchful care
• Dishonouring, ravaging abuse
• Under a wave of persecution
• Scattering
• Mourning
• Imprisoned

3
Bridge Builders

• Scattering
• Not in fear of death or they would have stopped
  spreading the Gospel
• But like seeds caught in the wind of persecution
• Diaspeirotoo scatter seed

4
Bridge Builders

• But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit
  comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses,
  telling people about me everywherein Jerusalem,
  throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of
  the earth.Acts 18
• JerusalemThe apostles stayed to bring the Gospel
  to the Jews
• Judea, SamariaIt was time to move out
• There is one thing stronger than all the armies
  in the world, and that is an idea whose time has
  come.Victor Hugo

5
Bridge Builders

• Philip led the Charge to the Samaritanspart of
  the group of Jews captured in 722BC
• They were displaced
• Intermarried with people imported by the
  Assyrians
• Therefore half-breeds to the Jews
• Had their own temple
• Had their own priests
• Jews and Samaritans hated each other

6
Bridge Builders

• God, sent Philip to the SamaritansWhy?
• To Build a Bridge
• They believed in a Messiah
• They had the Old Testament
• They had Jewish heritage in their background
• They were those who had left the church and were
  hurt by it
• Are we not called to those who have been hurt by
  the church and asked to build bridges?

7
Bridge Builders

• The Message
• Jesusthe Messiah
• He was and is the One who was to come
• He is still alive
• The Evidence
• Spirit-filled proclaiming
• Acts 84to preach the Good News
• Acts 85to announce as an herald
• Philip was called to be the herald/messenger of
  God to the Samaritans
• To reject the herald meant you rejected the
  authority behind the heraldGod Almighty Himself

8
Bridge Builders

• We need to be people who speak with the authority
  of GodWe need to be His heralds
• Further Evidence
• Miraculous signs of Jesus life in Philip
• Are we showing the miraculous signs of the
  Spirit-filled life?
• Notepeople were saved by the message!

9
Bridge Builders

• Results
• Great joy in the cityv8
• Simon
• Believed in the works
• Believed in the Life in Philip
• Believed in the Messiah
• Baptized
• But

10
Bridge Builders

• Results
• But
• Wanted to buy the power
• Wanted the prestige
• Wanted to use it to make money
• May your money be destroyed with you for
  thinking Gods gift can be bought!  

11
Bridge Builders

• Results
• Peter and John
• There to check it out
• There to give credibility
• There to affirm the bridge built between the
  estranged peoples
• There to spread the Gospel
• Are we willing to challenge the prejudices?

12
Bridge Builders

• Where do we fit into the story?
• Are we the religious?
• Like Saul we are out to bring judgment?
• Are we the scattering?
• Allowing the winds of change and uncertainty to
  scatter His seed?
• Are we building bridges?
• Are people receiving the Spirit through contact
  with us?
• Are we like Simon?
• We believe BUT want do it our way, for our
  benefit?