“Fly High” – Acts part 6
Video Illustration: For the 4th of July – also a soldiers story about the power of the Gospel in a Battle zone.
Pray for our Country and for the soldiers oversees.
Thesis: The Lord used an ordinary man Philip who was filled with the Holy Spirit to do extraordinary things for the Kingdom of God. He influenced important people for the Kingdom of God because of his devotion to the Lord and to ministry.
Scripture Text: Acts 8:1-40
1And Saul was there, giving approval to his death.
On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 3But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.
4Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. 5Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there. 6When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7With shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. 8So there was great joy in that city.
9Now 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, 10and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is the divine power known as the Great Power.” 11They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic. 12But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.
14When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 15When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. 17Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money 19and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
20Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! 21You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. 22Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. 23For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”
24Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.”
25When they had testified and proclaimed the word of the Lord, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages.
26Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. 29The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”
30Then 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.
32The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture:
“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb before the 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.”
34The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
36As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. Why shouldn’t I be baptized?” 38And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39When 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. 40Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.
Introduction:
I honestly believe that the primary focus in the book of Acts is not the Apostles but it is actually the Holy Spirit. I believe Acts shows the church and its followers that the disciples of Jesus received their power and ability to do ministry from the Holy Spirit. The point is that the power to be a witness for Jesus will only come from the Holy Spirit’s enablement.
This book reveals that power does not come from our own strength or abilities but from the anointing of the Holy Spirit. The book of Acts tells me that if I want to do marvelous and supernatural things for the Kingdom of God then I need to yield my life to the Holy Spirit. I need to allow the Holy Spirit to fill me and dwell in me so that I can be empowered by the Lord from the inside to do and fulfill His purpose for my life. The point Luke makes is we must allow the Spirit of God to affect our head and allow Him 100% reign in our heart. When I let this happen then I will do great and mighty things for the Kingdom of God.
T.S. - Today we are going to look at an ordinary person who was filled with the Spirit and see how he was used supernaturally for the Kingdom of God. His name is Philip another one of the first deacons in the church of Jerusalem appointed by the Apostles:
Holman Bible Dictionary: PHILIP (fihl’ ihp) Personal name meaning, “fond of horses.” 1. A respected member of the church at Jerusalem who was chosen as one of the seven—first deacons (Acts 6:5). Following Stephen’s martyrdom, Philip took the gospel to Samaria, where his ministry was blessed (Acts 8:5-13). Subsequently, he was led south to the Jerusalem-Gaza road where he introduced the Ethiopian eunuch to Christ and baptized him (Acts 8:26-38). He was then transported by the Spirit to Azotus (Ashdod) and from there conducted an itinerant ministry until he took up residence in Caesarea (Acts 8:39-40). Then, for nearly twenty years, we lose sight of him. He is last seen in Scripture when Paul lodged in his home on his last journey to Jerusalem (Acts 21:8). He had four unmarried daughters who were prophetesses (Acts 21:9).
Philip became the first evangelistic deacon to preach outside the Jerusalem area. He was a man filled with the Spirit and with wisdom according to Scripture. What does it mean to be filled with the Spirit? What does it mean to be filled with wisdom? Let’s recall from last week what it means to be filled to overflowing with these gifts:
*Filled with the Spirit: Means an individual is overflowing with the presence of the Spirit who is living inside of them. It means that they are producing the fruit of the Holy Spirit with their lives – this is proof that the Holy Spirit is living in them! It means that they are allowing the Holy Spirit full control in their lives and as a result the actions and characteristics of the Spirit are being manifested by this person’s spirit filled lifestyle. Remember the book of Acts was written to show what the Holy Spirit does with those who are filled and empowered by His indwelling. If the Spirit lives in you then their will be a marked difference in the life you live and the fruit you produce! You will be producing the following fruits of the Holy Spirit: Galatians 5:22, 23: 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
*Wisdom is a spiritual element and it relates to the meaning of life one has. It is more than just living by a set of rules and being rewarded in some physical manner. It is living a life with eternal purpose and focus. Wisdom comes from God (Prov. 2:6). It begins with God and ends with God. Wisdom is linked to one’s faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior (Prov. 1:7; Job 28:28). Wisdom is not knowledge which can be memorized. Wisdom is the something that enables us to use knowledge rightly and appropriately. Wisdom resists group pressures because its source is from God. Wisdom from above sees things through God’s eyes and starts with purity and ends with purity. Wisdom comes from the realm of Heaven and love this becomes its driving force. We need to listen to God’s wisdom and not the wisdom (or philosophies of men) from below. Let’s not forget to put to memory these key verses: James 3: 17, 18, "But the wisdom that comes from above leads us to be pure, friendly, gentle, sensible, kind, helpful, genuine, and sincere. When peacemakers plant seeds of peace, they will harvest justice." (CEV)
Philip was an ordinary man filled with the Holy Spirit and wisdom. If he had not had the Spirit we never would have heard of this man.
Illustration: ONLY A DONKEY
The donkey awakened, his mind still savoring the afterglow of the most exciting day of his life. Never before had he felt such a rush of pleasure and pride.
He walked into town and found a group of people by the well. "I’ll show myself to them," he thought.
But they didn’t notice him. They went on drawing their water and paid him no mind.
"Throw your garments down," he said crossly. "Don’t you know who I am?"
They just looked at him in amazement. Someone slapped him across the tail and ordered him to move.
"Miserable heathens!" he muttered to himself. "I’ll just go to the market where the good people are. They will remember me."
But the same thing happened. No one paid any attention to the donkey as he strutted down the main street in front of the market place.
"The palm branches! Where are the palm branches!" he shouted. "Yesterday, you threw palm branches!"
Hurt and confused, the donkey returned home to his mother.
"Foolish child," she said gently. "Don’t you realize that without Him, you are just an ordinary donkey?"
Just like the donkey who carried Jesus in Jerusalem, we are most fulfilled when we are in the service of Jesus Christ. Without him, all our best efforts are like "filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6) and amount to nothing. When we lift up Christ, however, we are no longer ordinary people, but key players in God’s plan to redeem the word.
SOURCE: Edited from Hot Illustrations for Youth Talks by Wayne Rice. Copyright 1994 by Youth Specialties, Inc.
Philip was forced out of Jerusalem from the persecution instituted by Saul against the Christian Church. His fleeing brought him to Samaria where he preached the Word of Jesus. Because of his position in Christ and the infilling of the Holy Spirit miracles and supernatural signs accompanied his ministry. Philip influenced prominent people with the Gospel and joy filled the city of Samaria:
I. Philip an ordinary man who produced extraordinary results in Samaria.
a. Philip fled to Samaria after the persecution of the church in Jerusalem started and he went into the city of Samaria preaching the Word of the Lord to the Greek speaking Jews.
i. John Maxwell states, “It’s amazing what can happen to and through an ordinary man when God pours a little hardship and the power of the Holy Spirit into the mix…One ordinary man, a little persecution, and a touch from the Spirit of God led to massive conversions in the city of Samaria. As Jesus had predicted, the gospel message made its way from Jerusalem into the outlying world (Acts 1:8). Philip illustrates what one leader, with the empowerment of the Spirit of God and with authority of Jesus Christ, can do to change the world” (Maxwell Leadership Bible page 1331).
ii. John Maxwell also notes this about the term “filled with the Holy Spirit” – “Leaders can never empower anyone else until they are first supernaturally empowered themselves…Whenever someone is filled with the Holy Spirit, something happens. Empowered leaders express God’s power; then empower others.”
1. This is what Philip did in his ministry he empowered others.
b. Philip’s philosophy of ministry:
i. It says he preached the Word – He was committed to getting the message of Jesus Christ out to this spiritually lost community.
1. Acts 2:42 it says the New Testament church was committed to the teaching of the Apostles and so was Philip and it changed the city of Samaria.
ii. It says that when the crowds heard the Word and saw the miracles they paid close attention to this evangelist from the Lord.
1. Miracles have a tendency to get people’s attention – this is why I feel the Lord does do them then and even today!
2. Miracles defined by Holman: MIRACLES, SIGNS, WONDERS - Events which unmistakably involve an immediate and powerful action of God designed to reveal His character or purposes. Words used in the Scriptures to describe the miraculous include sign, wonder, work, mighty work, portent, power. These point out the inspired authors’ sense of God’s pervasive activity in nature, history, and people.
iii. It says that Philip cast out demonic spirits.
iv. It says that he prayed for people and they were healed.
v. The result of his ministry in Samaria was that the city was filled with great joy.
1. The gospel brings joy to those who find it and accept it.
c. Philip influenced many people especially a prominent man named Simon the Sorcerer.
i. Simon was considered prior to Philips arrival a “The Divine man the Great power.”
1. Why? Because he performed many magical acts rooted in sorcery and it impressed the people so they listened to him and followed him.
a. He was a man with influence and power in this community.
b. His source of power though was demonic not from the Holy Spirit.
2. But along comes a new guy into the city and he does greater things than Simon. Because of Philips ministry Simon’s crowd of followers leave and decide to follow this Philip and his all powerful God.
a. They like what he says and they are awed by the miracles accompanying Philips ministry.
i. People embrace the Word of God and start getting baptized and saved.
1. It’s powerful! People are filled with awe toward God.
ii. There is a reference to demonic spirits being cast out of people.
1. It says that they came out with shrieks!
a. Philip’s power is far superior to the demonic power that was present in Samaria.
b. Simon no longer is the great Power because his power is rendered powerless by the presence of the Holy Spirit.
2. The insinuation is that people were being delivered from these evil spirits and set free by the name and the power of Jesus.
a. The connotation is that the great power was not found in Simon but in Philip a man filled with the Spirit and with wisdom from on high.
iii. Could it be this impacted Simon the most because his magic was rooted in sorcery and it tapped the demonic realm for its power.
1. But Philip a man filled with the Spirit comes along and takes authority over these evil spirits that this man listened too and yielded to in his life.
a. They Are rendered powerless and then banished from the ones who embrace Jesus.
2. Simon himself is influenced by the Spirit’s power.
a. The demonic power he bought into is no match to the power of the Lord Jesus Christ.
iv. Philips spiritual acts of power impacts Simon our man of influence and he starts to follow Philip around and listens to his message of Jesus. He gets saved and even gets baptized because he wants what Philip has.
1. Note: One problem surfaces with Simon – The motivation to why he wants to be saved and later filled with the Holy Spirit.
a. Is it because of his pride? We know he had a problem with it before because in verse 9 it says he boasted of being great.
i. Remember after the arrival of Philip he is no longer the great one!
ii. Remember after the arrival of Philip Simon is no longer the top leader in the community. He has lost his influence and does he want it back for personal gain?
d. Our text tells us that Philips revival in Samaria spreads back to Jerusalem and the leadership there sends Peter and John the apostles to go check it out and assist our great man of faith Philip in ministry.
i. Peter and John show up on the scene excited that “The Word of God” has been embraced by the people in Samaria.
1. Who were the Samaritans?
2. Background on the Samaritans: Holman Bible Dictionary States: The name Samaritans originally was identified with the Israelites of the Northern Kingdom (2 Kings 17:29). When the Assyrians conquered Israel and exiled 27,290 Israelites, a “remnant of Israel” remained in the land. Assyrian captives from distant places also settled there (2 Kings 17:24). This led to the intermarriage of some, though not all, Jews with Gentiles and to widespread worship of foreign gods. By the time the Jews returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple and the walls of Jerusalem, Ezra and Nehemiah refused to let the Samaritans share in the experience (Ezra 4:1-3; Neh. 4:7). The old antagonism between Israel to the north and Judah to the south intensified the quarrel. The Jewish inhabitants of Samaria identified Mount Gerizim as the chosen place of God and the only center of worship, calling it the “navel of the earth” because of a tradition that Adam sacrificed there. Their scriptures were limited to the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible. Moses was regarded as the only prophet and intercessor in the final judgment. They also believed that 6,000 years after creation, a Restorer would arise and would live on earth for 110 years. On the Judgment Day, the righteous would be resurrected in paradise and the wicked roasted in eternal fire. In the days of Christ, the relationship between the Jews and the Samaritans was greatly strained (Luke 9:52-54; 10:25-37; 17:11-19; John 8:48). The animosity was so great that the Jews bypassed Samaria as they traveled between Galilee and Judea. They went an extra distance through the barren land of Perea on the eastern side of the Jordan to avoid going through Samaria. Yet Jesus rebuked His disciples for their hostility to the Samaritans (Luke 9:55-56), healed a Samaritan leper (Luke 17:16), honored a Samaritan for his neighborliness (Luke 10:30-37), praised a Samaritan for his gratitude (Luke 17:11-18), asked a drink of a Samaritan woman (John 4:7), and preached to the Samaritans (John 4:40-42). Then in Acts 1:8, Jesus challenged His disciples to witness in Samaria. Philip, a deacon, opened a mission in Samaria (Acts 8:5).
ii. Peter and John talk with the Samaritan people and find out that they have been saved and baptized. Which is great and awesome! They inquire if they have been baptized- filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit – “Have you been baptized in the Holy Spirit?”
1. The response is what is that? No we have not!
a. Their response is hugh?
2. So they lay hands on people and pray for people to be filled/baptized with the Holy Spirit.
a. Remember Jesus said the Holy Spirit would enable the disciples to be filled with power and the H.S. would enable them to be witnesses to end of the earth.
i. His promise is being fulfilled right here!
3. Simon is there watching all of this! He is so impressed by what he sees that he wants to buy it from the apostles.
a. Peter makes it clear that the Holy Spirit is not for sale it is free gift from God.
b. He rebukes the thinking and the mindset of the once great “divine man of great power.”
c. Peter flows in the word of knowledge – a gift of the Holy Spirit and tells him “Your heart is not in the right place!”
i. You may have been baptized and prayed the sinners prayer but you heart is still n the wrong place.
ii. Peter discerns by the Holy Spirit that this man wants the Holy Spirit’s power to be influential again and to be great again among the people.
1. Pride is still rooted in this man’s heart!
2. It has to be ruthlessly rooted out!
3. Why? Because it is sin!
iii. Peter discerns that this man is filled with bitterness – maybe toward Philip? He says, “I see that you are full of bitterness and still captive to sin!”
iv. Peter tells him that he must repent!
1. Turn away from sin and bitterness and yield 100% to the Lord.
v. He must forgive the ones he has bitterness toward or he will not get the gift of the Holy Spirit!
d. Remember Simon followed Philip and Simon accepted the Lord and he was baptized but his heart was still in the wrong place!
e. The question arises can people get saved – baptized and do it all for the wrong reason?
i. The answer is yes they can!
ii. Talk about the meaning of Baptism – push the Baptismal service coming up in August.
f. The good news is Simon repents and asks for prayer because he does not want to be in opposition to the Lord Jesus Christ.
T.S. - An ordinary man filled the Holy Spirit influences a city for Jesus and even is willing to leave this place of revival to minister to one man traveling on a desert road.
II. Philip’s influence and conversion of an Ethiopian official - a Treasurer of Ethiopia.
a. Acts 8:26-40 tells the story of Philip and his divine appointment with an Ethiopian official.
i. John Maxwell states, “Philip illustrates the importance of a leader who can adapt to a new situation and meet the need…Philip had been preaching and praying for the sick in Samaria. While in the middle of revival, an angel spoke to him and told him to go south, to the Gaza road. Philip had to adjust his sails and redirect his course. On the road to Gaza, he read the situation. A significant official, the treasurer of Ethiopia, had stopped to read Scripture, Philip seized the opportunity to introduce the man to Christ” (1332).
b. What do we learn from Philip a Spirit filled leader?
i. He preached the Word wherever he was and to whoever would listen (v. 25).
1. Whether Samaritans or Ethiopians!
2. The Gospel is a universal language that crosses the barriers of time to impact the lives of ordinary people.”
— Michelle Jones Contributed by: SermonCentral
ii. He was willing to go wherever the Spirit led him (v. 26-30).
1. He was willing to leave a revival just to follow the direction of the Lord to minister to one man.
a. We must understand that God may call us to go to one person and leave a crowd for the purpose of the Kingdom.
b. Our responsibility is to obey God and go where he sends us.
2. He listened to the Spirit and not to a crowd of people in Samaria (v. 29, 30).
a. Maxwell states, “Philip listened to the Spirit. God may speak through people, Scripture, or spiritual intuition.”
b. The key question “Are we listening!”
i. A.W. Tozer writes, "Whoever will listen will hear the speaking heaven. This is definitely not the hour when men take kindly to an exhortation to listen, for listening is not today a part of popular religion. We are at the opposite end of the pole from there. Religion has accepted the monstrous heresy that noise, size, activity and bluster make a man dear to God."
It is hard for us to be still before God and listen. To be alone with your bible opened and letting God speak to us through his words and our minds. Contributed to sermoncentral.com by: Richard Wafford
3. Billy Ricks states from Sermoncentral.com sermon Philip Following Divine Direction in the Desert
a. We see from our passage today that God greatly desires to direct His church by way of the Holy Spirit. You might ask, how does God direct and guide through His Holy Spirit living in us? God speaks, guides and directs His people in so many different ways. Imagine the many different ways God has spoken to people, angels, a burning bush, a donkey, a still small voice, a wet fleece, a thirty-three year old Carpenter, An old rugged cross.
He guides through inner promptings that are either heard and heeded, or heard misunderstood and hurled in the garbage. Through a voice so loud we either know it’s God or we are so unused to His voice that it merely blends in with the rest of our noisy chaotic world. But more important than the many ways God communicates, speaks, guides and directs us is the way we respond to God’s direction.
As we focus in on Philip we see a man that is determined to follow God’s direction.
Truth: It takes a determined will to follow God’s direction no matter the consequences. (Moses, Daniel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Jesus) Many of those in the Bible went through difficult days, and difficult deaths but were still determined to follow God’s direction.
b. How important is it to learn to listen to the voice of the Lord? It could mean the difference between life and death.
i. Sermon Central notes: E. Stanley Jones tells of the time he was about to board a plane when he heard God, in his spirit, telling him not to get on the plane. He learned later that the plane crashed and there were no survivors. When he shared his experience with someone, they said, “You mean to say that you were the only one God told not to get on that plane?” Jones said, “By no means, but it is possible that I was the only one listening.” It is important to develop your ability to hear God. Contributed by: Rodney Buchanan
iii. Philip was relational in his evangelistic approach (vv. 31-34).
1. He related to the Ethiopian and asked him questions. When invited he answer the questions about Scripture for this man.
2. He was relevant with the man and it opened the door to the discussion of the truth about Jesus (v. 35).
iv. Philip led the man to a decision and then followed through with action – a decision for Jesus and then Baptism.
1. Why do we need Water Baptized? Highlight the booklet.
2. This man wanted baptized because he believed the Word of God!
v. The result was the man left for Ethiopia with great joy for his new relationship in Jesus.
1. Let me ask you a question? “Do you think this man influenced others for the Kingdom of God back in Ethiopia?”
c. Two times we see that the ministry of Philip produces great joy in people’s hearts!
T.S. – Philip an ordinary guy who influenced important people for the kingdom of God because he was filled with the Holy Spirit and he followed the direction of the Holy Spirit. His obedience to the Spirit produced revival and joy in many hearts.
III. Philip an ordinary man raised an extraordinary family that prophesied for Jesus and helped a prominent man named Paul (Acts 21:8-9).
a. Acts 21:8-14: 8Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. 9He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied. 10After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’” 12When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 13Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”
b. Scripture is quiet about our hero of the faith for about 20 years until Paul stays with him in his home in Caesarea.
i. We are told that he had 4 unmarried daughters who were well known for their prophetic speaking gifts.
1. What does it mean to Prophesy? Holman states: The prophet Joel anticipated a time when all God’s people, “male servants and female servants,” would be filled with God’s Spirit and prophesy (Joel 2:28-29). This prophetic hope was fulfilled at Pentecost (Acts 2:17-18) and in the ongoing life of the early church (Acts 21:9). Paul encouraged all believers to desire to prophesy (1 Cor. 14:1), that is, to offer speech which builds up the church (14:5). First Corinthians 11:5 presumes women were involved in prophesying and prayer in public worship.
a. The term PROPHECY, PROPHETS is a reception and declaration of a word from the Lord through a direct prompting of the Holy Spirit and the human instrument thereof.
b. In the Old Testament three key terms are used of the prophet. Ro’eh and hozeh are translated as “seer.” The most important term, nabi, is usually translated “prophet.” It probably meant “one who is called to speak.”
2. Prophecy is defined by Easton’s Bible Dictionary: Prophecy Or prediction, was one of the functions of the prophet. It has been defined as a “miracle of knowledge, a declaration or description or representation of something future, beyond the power of human sagacity to foresee, discern, or conjecture.”… In New Testament times the prophetical office was continued. Our Lord is frequently spoken of as a prophet (Luke 13:33; 24:19). He was and is the great Prophet of the Church. There was also in the Church a distinct order of prophets (1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 2:20; 3:5), who made new revelations from God. They differed from the “teacher,” whose office it was to impart truths already revealed.
c. Paul stays at his home and I believe is ministered too by this extraordinary family that is filled with the Holy Spirit.
i. Paul is on his way to Jerusalem where he is prophesied too that he will be arrested by the Jews and turned over to the Gentiles.
ii. He is asked to stay there but he declines and says, “I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
d. Remember at one point in Philip’s life he was fleeing the persecutor of the church Saul but this man was converted by Jesus on the Damascus road and now Paul is staying in his own home.
i. This shows the forgiveness and maturity of this man Philip. Remember this man had his friend Stephen killed!
ii. But now he is a fully devoted follower of Jesus filled with the Holy Spirit and on his way to be martyred for the cause of Jesus Christ.
iii. Philip helps him out on his journey and I believe encourages the Apostle Paul.
Conclusion:
Philip an ordinary man chose to serve the elderly and the widows and he did extraordinary miracles for the kingdom of God because he was willing to be filled with the Holy Spirit and to flow in the wisdom that comes from above.
He also was a man dedicated to the Word of the Lord and he preached it to whoever would listen and then he followed it up with baptizing those he led to Christ.
He influenced prominent men and dealt with demonic spirits by the power of the name of Jesus. He was willing to be led by the Holy Spirit and his obedience influenced other leaders.
He was a man who raised and extraordinary family for God which impacted many for the Kingdom. His daughters were prophetesses who spoke the Word of the Lord and his legacy of being a man filled with the Spirit and with wisdom lives on to this day.
