Something Greater

Threats and Murder...and Glory Acts 9:1 What has gone before... Directed by an angel, Philip meets a man in the desert, an Ethiopian official who had visited Jerusalem to worship God and was then returning to his home. The minister of state was described as a "eunuch", which likely was used figuratively, rather than literally. "Eunuch", whether literally or figurative, reminded us of circumstances in which God has placed each of us that have brought personal loss or injury, yet God gives us comfort in the midst of loss. A passage from the Book of Isaiah overwhelmed the Ethiopian's heart and he embraced the truth of Jesus Christ as his Savior and Lord. Immediately after baptizing the man, Philip is "teleported" miles distant, finding himself on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Filled with joy at God's miraculous timing and power, Philip travels north up the coast, settling down in Caesarea, marrying and raising a family. Moving on..

Acts 8: Christian or Churchian? Acts 8:18-19 What has gone before... Simon believed, and was baptized, and must have been among the crowd that received the Holy Spirit. He understood that Peter and John had a special relationship with God that gave them the authority, or the power, to confer the Holy Spirit upon others. Simon wanted the same authority, the same power, as Peter and John. Moving on... Acts 8:18-19 (ESV) "Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, - Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit." POWER: exousia (privilege, force, capacity, competency, freedom, master, superhuman, potentate, token of control or influence); from exesti (it is right, as if being out in public); from ek (origin) and eimi (I exist) This is the same word used to describe the authority and power of Christ (Matthew 7:29; 9:6). This is the powe