Acts Chapter 8:1-12

Finally the lab for a long time that you can have a good time of the Christian. As a matter fact even if you're going to become a Christian. That was it. No mortgage, no more fun. That's it. God doesn't approve of. I believe that one. I believe that while the world to be okay will camp on it.

It qualities how do you have what would the rate here's what you really have on your drinking till you're an idiot you take drugs to your busted and you have a beautiful Abilene.

It didn't work make a lot of things I didn't get joy in it is amazing with this morning. We can be in your gallery will want to know some of you my name going to the heart of Tulsa there is that joy fits in the world can't give you the world cannot take you.

It's a wonderful thing. What a gift welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee. David is a senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina. Are you sharing your Christian joy with your face. Well following Christ was never meant to be boring. In fact, following Christ is a great adventure and can be filled with joy today. Pastor David explains how to have joy in our relationship with Christ as he continues teaching in the book of acts chapter 8 and now here's David McGee with part two of his teaching persecution strengthens the church last week, we will look in chapter 7 and Stephen was martyred and were entered in that chapter 2 new character this guy name Saul and it says that they laid the guys close are they lay close at Saul's feet as they were throwing rocks and executing Stephen and we talked about the fact that that may have meant that Saul is actually in charge of what was going on there were not sure.

One theory now fully jump in the spring.

Thank you for this book is an awesome book Lord for too many years and just gather dust on a shelf below or not this morning not this morning. This morning were looking into it to see what you have to say about the early church want to say to us.

Lord I ask that you would speak to each person in your right where they are right. Whether or not with you more gassy you would open our hearts to your word and open your work hearts in Jesus thing, but he said amen amen. So acts chapter 8 verse one says now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles and devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. Verse three*all of the church, entering every house and dragging off men and women committing them to prison. Therefore, those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. Verse five then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preach Christ to the multitude. The multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did, God told him this was going to happen. God had told them that this was going to happen. God said if you do this is what I'm member.

One of the key verses in the book of acts is chapter 1 verse eight says, but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and in all today and Samaria and to the end of the earth to God was bringing this worst now they were in Samaria. They were telling people about the goodness of God because God is always faithful. And God has some resources. It is then, and this is an FPC even give and receive power from the Holy Spirit and energetic not only be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria and into the end of the year in a school because that's the way the Lord works over seven for unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice came out of many who were possessed and many who were paralyzed lame were healed. There was great joy in that city and speaks as unclean spirits, people being possessed and some people will tell you that that used to happen but that doesn't happen any more. But they will not use the Bible to tell you in a while because the Bible nowhere says that people used to get demon possessed and they no longer do.

In fact, if you really read the papers and and look at the news on the Internet and you believe in demon possession.

It actually explains a lot of stop what that means is that demonic forces will control somebody's thinking and control somebody's action because they open themselves up to think we see it a lot in the world today. The Bible talks about it as a truth out demons are fallen Angels Angels that rebelled against God, and are now our adversaries and adversaries in we need to understand that now say something else. So we don't think there's a demon behind every corner. Christians I believe firmly from the Bible, Christians can be possessed by the your gear once you come to the Lord your sealed by the Holy Spirit is what the Bible says in Ephesians and can you be bothered OU match can you be distracted, you badger. Can you become demon obsessed and read all the stuff about darks not only about the promises, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are those focus your attention on those things.

So his place. As you know, they they do believe that I do believe that a Christian can be possessed by a demon and then what happens is you say while struggling with – and I'm struggling with what the manila cast that thing I and you won't struggle with lust anymore.I wish it was that easy. Then we just form a line and we just do that all morning and nobody in here that struggles lust. Whatever struggle lusting, and was origin. Early church father struggle lusting the castrated himself to fix the problem.

I'm thinking was fairly disappointed.

Weeks later, the problem is that but it is a very real thing. And so we need to understand in verse eight in verse eight of coolers and there was a great joy in that city.

I like that word because the Lord showed great joy in a while because whenever the Lord shows that there's great joy whenever people get in touch and infirm contact and they take Jesus's hand brings great joy. You can tell if somebody has a real relationship with Jesus is just a vibrancy. There's just Jesus came to give you life and life more abundant, and you can see some people you can feel it in his place. And when you come in here Sunday morning worship God, and you can just feel the joy of God saw something in it and what's really cool is this not appear sometimes, and see people is that you know some of us have come from church backgrounds. Were you really supposed to express your joy.

You might get kicked out of your Scripture joy. I might ask you to lay and so cool to think some people come in here and only coming here in the first there I go, then you know the warehouse. I don't know what's going on here. How did I end up here. You know in their tensor okay well okay all right here we go, and then a few songs later that are then by the end of the worship. The word, what a joy.

What a joy to see that the watch. The joy on people's faces again Christians followers of Jesus are we known for our joy in the world. No, even if you're saved if you've been forgiven of your send me a favor if your heart is been cleansed for all the bad stuff. It's not that you face now so that as you go out into the world, you know, can so often will will will know what everyone thinks I did thing you look like you got all the joy and so you know I'm what they do baptize you in look like a lifeless near followers of Jesus should have great joy. Followers of Jesus should have great joy things. It's cool here just like you guys just laugh. I think that's a great when coming here and we can learn about God. We can look at the Bible, we can laugh together. Another some people to laugh at her church sincerely had great joy. How did they express great joy when they discern when Bergdorf know I'm thinking they were laughing and clapping and raising their hands. They were all possibly having a good time that I believe the lie for a long time that you could have a good time as a Christian as a matter fact you become a Christian. That was it. No mortgage, no more fun. That's it. God doesn't approve of. I believe that one. I believe allow the world to be okay will camp on following Jesus. How you have fun with the rate here's what you really have on your drinking till you're an idiot you take drugs to your busted in your beautiful. I believe that it didn't work make a lot of things I didn't enjoy. It is amazing with this morning.

We can be in here gathered with one another. Some of them I been going through hard times and tough stuff, but there is that joy that Cindy, the world can't give you the world cannot take it away.

It's a wonderful thing. What a gift from God and what gives you joy when gets you excited. What gives you joy when you're in here on a Sunday morning. What happens in your heart when you see somebody make their way down the Psalter within the service asked Jesus to forgive them a percent.

That should stir you up should melt even the hardest heart to get excited to get joyful about what the Lord is doing in and how he's doing. Get excited about what is doing in our lives. That's all. Something in the joy that comes will serve here in this fellowship if you're not certain somebody who is, or do you really have joy about servant's most bizarre thing in Saturday's wontons, make my way through the church is intentionally as people are servant and I'll encourage him and sometimes pray with them and stop and talk to him for a few minutes and it's harder and harder for me to touch base with each and every person an opportunity to see the joy that the people have as their servant is such an awesome. I mean, you know, in the natural pleasure mopping the floor. You should be happy but they are in the natural empty in somebody else's achy trash should be happy about that.

The people are some awesome thing on. Here's another cool thing great joy in the city who was in the city will primarily the Samaritans who else was in the city. The Jewish people. They were celebrating together.

There was unity there and that's a beautiful thing. Now we tend to be, you know, I am of Apollo's almost Cephas, we tend towards that was the Bible say. Galatians 328 says there is no longer Jew or Gentile slave or free, male or female are all Christians.

You are one in Christ as part of the way joy comes to kissing when we start building walls.

We start to lose our joy and don't you know people were looking on, watching the Jewish people in the Samaritans and that was a witness to these guys hated each other. Here they are there, having great joy to worship and fellowship wassup with it was awesome when Ephesians 214 says it's for he met Jesus. He himself is our peace was made both one and is broken down the middle wall of separation wall of separation between us. There's a couple pictures there. Actually the wall between us. People he came to tear down also understand that in the Jewish Temple there was a wall that non-Jewish people could go past that point, there is a sign that said if you're not a Jew and you get past this point, you could be executed that wall through Jesus Christ was broken the course. What we do we start build the wall back because that's what we do and everything Jesus likes to tear stuff up that may totally mess with your theology does.

I'm happy to do it.

Jesus, like the terrorists even as a citizen be brought know that Jesus tore up the temple all pastor. He did, he turned tables over in the temple.

Don't miss that know what happened in the temple and Jesus.the veil was written to support know my service thinkable curtain like his owner.

Great none in an this curtain was about 6 inches thick.

As a matter fact one time they put two horses on each side of and couldn't hear it. Part this veil was written to want to give us access to God says it was torn from the top to the bottom. You know I from the top to the bottom so we would understand demanded God. God commanded, you realize what they probably did. After that happened veil back bizarre is it that we do that ourselves. We like having access to the holy, holy. We do it for other people will ground go you can go in there you can go to holy, holy. You can have access again relationship with guns on the veil of wandering there will be right back with more from David McGee on cross the bridge right now. Here's a word from associate pastor DA Brown.

We want to take just a minute to pray for some cities in our listening audience.

Specifically, Merlin Pendleton, Portland, Powell Butte Prairie city in Redmond Oregon. What we take for the people living in the cities where we pray that you would draw them into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Father we pray for their homes that there would be unity and love that they would fall you with all your heart and soul and strength. As a family we pray for the pastors and churches in these areas God that you would anoint them to teacher word. Verse by verse. Even Lord that you get the pastors wisdom and discernment, how to serve and love the people that God brings Lord we love you. We thank you for the cities. We pray that you do a mighty work in the name of Jesus. Amen, amen. Thank you brother and now get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse. But there was a certain man named Simon who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people Samaria claimant that he was someone great to whom they all gave me from the least to the greatest thing this man is the great power of God, they heated him because he had astonished them with the sorceress for a long time is interesting. Simon evidently was enjoying this display of sorcery and having people come to him and go out… You know, this is the power of God. We see in the Bible that talks about in the end times that people be given these powers to actually fully think we need to be careful somewhat when it comes to the realm of the miraculous. And any time you have somebody that's taken about for what God is doing for and be careful, be careful when you have somebody begin to brag about the fact that they have the gift of healing really makes me wonder, do they have the gift of healing, or did that gift even come from God and others are hard words with we have to be careful when God does something that God gets the credit. Anything anybody ever see God using give God the glory not a man or woman to give God the glory and their given Simon the glory here.

Verse 12 when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God in the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized physical. Simon was point to himself who is Philip going to Jesus's point of Jesus. Quick background on Philip just to refresh Philip is the same Philip that we looked at in acts chapter 6 when the disciples were serving food to the widows and and they should let you know what works were very busy. We need some help with that seven men, including Philip, to help feed the widows and noticed Philip.

Philip then say, well, you know, really cold to teach really have time to feed the widows.

He did what was needed. He was willing to serve in that capacity and because he was willing to serve physically, the Lord using the minister spiritually. God counted Philip faithful and use them in a big way.

I think a lot of times we look for God to use us in big ways and were unwilling for God to use us in the small way that shouldn't be Luke 1610 says this unless you are faithful in small matters, you won't be faithful in large if you cheat even a little, you will be honest with greater responsibility in going back to the lottery. Actually, some people said what you know about on the lottery… Then so you're not being faithful with what God is doing for you now but you think if you got $1 million also knew would inherit this great faithfulness with. I don't think that the Bible says Luke 1917. This is well done. The king and Chinese are trustworthy servant you've been faithful with the little I entrusted to you so you will be governor of 10 cities as your reward. Most of you familiar with the story you know that we started home Bible study for six months.

Hardly anybody came is basically me and my family and it was where things are to be encouraged when it was for the people showing up three of them were there because I was thinking that they were but it was interesting and after a few months to get started, it was my kids and then five other kids and and in the middle of the week we were in the book of Genesis, so there they are in a my wife and eight kids and and I remember going Lord, what was really doing here are so will you coming teach a Bible, whether they are teaching us what once the essay was just you kids again. The night was used to get the Bible part. I taught him about the past I could most passionately I could. The clearest I could because I was going to begin with. Later on, as a church group is a lot of stuff needed to be done in the ending of the trash and cleaning of the floor of the cleaning of the total that it is an evening now I don't do that very much anymore, miss the simplicity of community is a little more complicated now but there's a biblical truth here being willing to do anything for the Lord and that's why we've gone back to people servant here. Start out sparkle, which they clean the church and let me tell you that something gets weird in your heart is not because of us friend. That's because something is weird in your heart that you think will clean the church can help landscape to do this that the other is a big warnings we should be willing to do whatever and keep in mind I'm not okay well so I want to be a senior pastor need to start out sparkle you go to sparkling it. If you never go anywhere else.

Be content.

Praise God. None of us is worthy to clean God's house or take out trash for God, but God in his love for us in his mercy and his grace gives us opportunities to serve and we should take it vantage of those opportunities. We should be happy to have those opportunities preach the things concerning the kingdom of God in the name of Jesus Christ, Philip told him the deal. He said look, guys, Jesus Christ died for your sins because all of us are separated from God. There is a golf that we cannot cross between us and God. You can't be good enough to cross that no amount of giving stuff away, or serving other people is going to cross that bridge. There's only one thing that can cross that bridge and that's the cross, Jesus died for us so that we could be forgiven of our sins so that we could have a life with him. That's the only way that we can be forgiven numbers. Some of you may have never done you may have never asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins. Maybe you believe Jesus about Jesus in your head but you never asking physically, publicly, to forgive you of your sins and the promises whoever confesses the Lord with her mouth and whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Friend, let your mouse and can be this very morning. Once that happened, begin the live for in print. Do you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now only Legion a short simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. God wants you to pray this prayer so much that he died to give you the opportunity and the ability to ask him to forgive you. Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I could have a new life not done wrong things I have sent and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things. Please give me the power to live for you.

All of my days in Jesus name, amen it friend of you prayed that prayer according to the Bible you've been forgiven you've been born again. Jesus said he would not turn anybody away who comes to him and he came for those people who knew they needed forgiveness. Those who were sick, not the righteous.

So congratulations for you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you, if you prayed that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you visit, cross the bridge.com and click on God's plan for new life to receive our first steps packaged with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ. God wants to bless you and encourage your relationships today. Whether you are married, considering marriage or engaged to be married.

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