Address—C. Hendricks
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Let's read a verse in Second Thessalonians chapter 2. I think it's important to clarify this point.
He made it last night, but not as clearly as I'd like to.
In 2nd Thessalonians 2.
Verse 6 And now ye know what withholdeth.
That he that the Antichrist might be revealed in his time.
For the mystery of iniquity that already work, only he who now letteth, or hindereth, or withholdeth, will hinder until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that wicked 1 be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, shall destroy with the brightness of his coming, Him whose coming is after the working of Satan.
With all power and signs and lying wonders, now this will take place.
After the rapture of the church it says there is a withholding power in verse 6 what withhold it and in verse 7 he who withholds lets or withholds and that would be the Spirit of God until he be taken out of the way.
So it's a rapture. When the Lord comes for us, the Spirit will be taken with us. He'll go with us out of the way as the characterizing power of Christianity. It doesn't mean that he will cease to to work down here in connection with the establishment of the coming Kingdom.
But he will be sent in a different way.
Back after he's taken out of the way, he's been sent down. We saw that in John 1415 and 16. The father sent him, the son sent him. He came himself to form the assembly to indwell individual believers.
And John tells us in his epistle, greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. And that, of course, is the Spirit of God.
I'll turn back to Isaiah 11.
Isaiah 11.
These first verses of this chapter refer to the coming Kingdom of our Lord Jesus. Notice how it reads.
And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. That's referring to the to the Messiah, the Lord Jesus, and the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him.
Now notice the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord, 7 times he's referred to in that verse as in connection with the establishment of the Kingdom. And I shall make him a quick understanding in the fear of the Lord. And he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears.
But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth. And he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reigns. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf, and the young lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them.
And the cow and the bear shall feed, their young ones shall lie down together, And the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the whole of the ASP. And the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice. Den they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain. For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. Well, it's a beautiful prophecy looking on to.
Day when the Lord Jesus will reign in the fullness and power of the Holy Spirit. Now in connection with that, turn to Revelation One. I referred to this, but I didn't.
Read it, and I'd like it to be right before us. We see the Spirit of God in the connection with a new dispensation altogether in Revelation One, verse 4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia now the churches are mentioned, and the Son of Man standing in the midst of the 7 golden candlesticks and chapters 2 and three we have the.
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History of the church, but it's prophetic. It's it's a, it's of a different character than what you get in the epistles where we have the presence of the Spirit of God indwelling us and guiding and directing us. He dwells in the house, he forms the body and he is the one who is gathering out today a bribe for the sun. You see a beautiful picture of that in Genesis 24 where the servant is sent a picture of.
Spirit to get a bride for Isaac.
For his beloved son.
And this says John to the seven churches which are in Asia, grace be unto you, and peace from him which is, and which was and which is to come. Notice that's that's very much in accordance with the way Jehovah is presented in the Old Testament. In fact, this is the equivalent, this expression, he who is and who was and who is to come. That's the equivalent of Jehovah.
Jehovah means the I am the eternally existent, 1 He who is, who was, and who is to come.
That's the New Testament equivalent of Jehovah.
And from the seven spirits, which are, where are they before His throne? And then the Lord is mentioned from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, first begotten of the dead Prince of the kings of the earth. So the Spirit of God is referred to as the seven spirits. That's why seven. Well, we saw that in Isaiah 11, there were 7 attributes in connection with the Spirit of God working in the establishment of the Kingdom.
It don't think that.
Because in 2nd Thessalonians 2 it says he'll be taken out of the way, that he won't still function here. He certainly will, but in an entirely different character. Today he is functioning as gathering out the bride for the Son, indwelling the believer, and uniting the believer to Christ in heaven. That's an entirely different line of truth. We're in a different dispensation than the Kingdom.
Now again in the 5th chapter. In the 5th chapter.
Verse 6 And I beheld, and low in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders stood a lamb as it had been slain, having 7 horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God. Now notice this sent forth into all the earth, what we saw in John 14 the Father sent him, and 15 the Son sent him, but here He's again sent.
But in entirely different character he sent here.
In to work in the earth towards the establishment of the Kingdom, and we read that in the 11TH chapter. Let's just turn to that for a moment.
15 And the 7th Angel sounded, and there were great voices in heaven saying, the Kingdom, it should read, the Kingdom of this world is become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever. Now the Spirit of God will be working after we're gone, and he's gone in that character that he's working today, but he will work again, but in entirely different character of things.
I want to make that clear that.
Sense today to gather out a bride for the Son and to indwell the church and to indwell the Christian and to be their comforter, their guide, their teacher and sustainer. As we're going through this scene, a divine person, the Spirit of God. I want to trace the the action of the Spirit of God in the Acts of the Apostles. It's called the Acts of the Apostles.
It's really more correctly called the Acts of the Holy Spirit.
Because it's the Spirit of God that is acting in the book of Acts.
Now let's go back to the 4th chapter of the book of Acts.
We have two fillings in this chapter, the one of an individual Peter, and the other of the whole company of Saints.
Verse 8 of Acts chapter 4. Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people and elders of Israel, if we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he's made whole? Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you have crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him.
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That this man stand here before you hold.
Here, this is the stone which was set it not of you builders, which has become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other. But there's none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. The boldness of Peter astounded these Jewish leaders, and they couldn't contradict the fact that a great miracle had taken place, but they tried to shut them up.
And commanded them not to.
Preach anymore? Says in verse.
Verse 19 But Peter and John answered, and said unto the umbrella, Let me read verse Verse 17 But that is spread no further among the people that are straightly threatened them, that they speak henceforth to no man in his name. And they called them, that is, these Jewish leaders, and commanded them not to speak at all, or teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered.
And said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, Judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen in and heard. So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them because of the people. For all men glorified God. For that which was done. Peter was a man full of the Holy Spirit, and.
He was bold in the way he preached the word, as he did in the second chapter.
And in the 3rd chapter, and in the 4th chapter as well.
So when they had further threatened them, Verse 21, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them because of the people. For all men glorified God for that which was done. For the man was above 40 years old, on whom this miracle of healing was showed. And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with 1 accord.
That was the the uniting power of the Spirit of God.
In these early days he was ungrieved and he was free to work in the midst of a of a group of believers that were totally committed to the Lord Jesus.
Being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them.
In verse 24 And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with 1 accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which has made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all that is in them ears. Who by the mouth of thy servant David has said, Why did the heathen rage in the people? Imagine vain things. The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.
For other truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel.
Were gathered together. We love to think of being gathered together to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Here was another company made-up of enemies among themselves, but they were agreed on one thing. Get rid of Jesus against thy holy child, or thy holy servant Jesus, whom thou hast anointed. Herod, Pontius Pilate, the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.
It was the evil heart of man that was doing this, but it was predetermined by God that it would be done. And now, Lord, behold their threatenings, and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word.
By stretching forth thine hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done by the name.
Of thy holy child Jesus, and when they had prayed.
The place was shaken where they were assembled together and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost. Here you have a company, not just individuals like Peter and others that were filled with the Spirit, but a whole company completely under the control and power of the Spirit of God. The flesh was suppressed so that it for all practical purpose that did not operate.
They were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake. The first evidence of that is they spake the Word of God with boldness. One who's filled with the Holy Spirit speaks the Word of God with boldness. We saw that with Peter, but this is the whole company now.
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An amazing thing. This is the very height of blessing or height of the Christians in that early day, in those early days that they reached, and then after that it's been downhill.
I speak the word of God with boldness, And the multitude of them that believed were of 1 heart and of one soul. Neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own.
There was no cell operative here, but they had all things common and with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and great grace.
Upon them all.
Neither was there any among them that lacked. Further, as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles feet. And distribution was made unto every man, according as he had me.
For the day that was.
Now I'm going to I'm going to read verse 32 as it is in the new translation. The heart and soul of the multitude that believed was one. Now the Lord prayed in John 17. He prayed that they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee, but they also may be one in US that the world may believe.
That thou hast sent me, that's here we have the the literal fulfillment of that prayer.
It was fulfilled in those early days of the church, even before the Apostle Paul was saved, even before the full truth of the church came out. But they were so under the control and power of the Spirit that their heart and soul was one, just as the Lord prayed. That again will be fulfilled in a coming day when we're home in glory.
There will only be 1 heart and soul of the redeemed.
And not anymore divisions.
They speak the word of God with boldness. Now the end of the chapter. And Joseph, who by these apostles was surnamed Barnabas, which is being interpreted the son of Consolation, A Levite, and of the country of Cyprus having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles feet.
I might just make this comment if you happen to have the book of Acts by William Kelly, read his comments.
On this passage, this verses 31 and 32 in the 4th chapter. Very very beautiful.
As he points out, the beauty of a company, not just individuals, but a whole company under a complete control, power of the filling of the Holy Spirit, what power there was with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. And when that's the case, there is no jealousy, there's no self, there's no there's no movements of the flesh.
But that doesn't last very long.
In the 5th chapter there was a certain man named Ananias with Sapphira his wife. They sold the possession and kept back part of the price, his wife also being Privy to it and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles feet.
But Peter said Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie, not to us, not to the apostles, but to lie to the Holy Ghost?
Because that's where he was dwelling. He was dwelling among the Saints. He was dwelling in the house which he inhabits now. And the Saints come, constitute and compose that house, the House of God, the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. And so when Ananias lied about how much he sold the land for, what was motivating his heart was covetousness. He wanted to keep that part of the price.
Pocketed and his wife Sapphira was with him in it.
Exposes it. The Spirit of God was ungrieved in those early days and He could work in great power. I remember the story was told me by Brother Earsman years back when I was much younger, and he told about back in the early days of the brethren, before all the dreadful divisions that have divided us had come about. Robert Grant, that was Frederick Grant's brother.
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He was in a brother, he was in a meeting reading a little little assembly and someone had come in.
And he was exerting a lot of influence and he had a gift and the Saints were quite enamored with him.
And this Robert Grant had the gift of discernment, and he discerned that this man was not real.
And he said to them in the presence of them all, You can't say, Lord Jesus.
And he said you, you, you, you, you say you, You say that I can't. I said yes, that's right, you can't say Lord Jesus. And he tried, and he tried, but he couldn't say it.
He wasn't real.
And the power of the Spirit of God and I'm I'm drawing an analogy between those early days of Acts and the early days of.
The Brethren movement.
Or the Spirit of God was not grieved by our selfishness and our self seeking and all the things that came in.
But here we have this Ananias and Sapphira.
They kept back part of the price, his wife also being pretty to it. And Peter said verse 3 Ananias, why have Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost?
We keep back part of the price of the land.
Whilst it remained, was it not thine home? And after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? Why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
Holy Spirit is God, third person of the Trinity, and he was dulling in the house. I have to remember that. The Spirit of God dwells among us. He's there and it's a serious thing. You don't just lie to men.
But to God.
And Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and gave up the ghost, and great fear came on all them which heard these things. And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. And it was about the space of three hours after when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. And Peter, answering, answered unto her, Tell me whether you sold the land for so much? And she said, Yay for so much.
Then Peter said unto her, How is it that she have agreed together?
To tempt, to test the Spirit of the Lord. Behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, so carry thee out. Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost. And the young men came in, and found her dead, and carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.
And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people.
They were all with 1 accord in Solomon's porch, and of the rest there's no man joined himself to them. But the people magnified them, and believers were more added to the Lord. Multitudes both of men and women, and so much that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of theater passing by might over shadow some of them.
And there was great blessing in that day. A little farther down now.
Verse 29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said.
They had, they had rebuked Peter, they had said in verse 28, Did we not straightly command you that you should not teach in this name? And behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. And Peter said unto the and the other apostles answered and said, we ought to obey God rather than then the God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom he slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior.
For to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins, and we are his witnesses of these things. And soul is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him solemn thing to resist the Holy Spirit.
Now in the 6th chapter, another problem arises.
In those days when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews. The Hebrews were those at Jerusalem, the Hebrews at Jerusalem, the Jews at Jerusalem, and the Grecians were Jews elsewhere out in the Gentile world.
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They seem to be favoring the Hebrews over the Grecians because their widows were neglected in the daily administration.
Then the 12 called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the Word of God and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you, 7 men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the Word, and the same please the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen. Notice what it says of Stephen a man.
Faith, and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nikener, and Tymon, and Parmenus, and Nicholas, a proselyte of Antioch, whom they set before the apostles. And when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
The word of God increased, the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly, and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith. Then Stephen, this is the one that says he was a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost. Here again it says full of faith and power did great wonders and miracles among the people.
Then there arose certain of the synagogue which is called, of the synagogue of the Libertarian Times and Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen, and they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake should be capital's, I believe there.
Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God. And they stirred up the people, and the elders and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council, and set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceased not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law. For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.
And all that sat in the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face.
As it had been the face of an Angel then, said the high priest, are these things so?
And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers hearken, and he goes back. The God of glory appeared unto our Father Abraham, when he was a message of Damia, before he dwelt in Sharon, and so on. He gives the the whole history of the nation, and they heard him. We go to the end of the chapter.
And verse 51, this is his conclusion to his message. Now he was a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost. This was Jerusalem's last chance to repent their Messiah when they crucified him and cried out crucified and crucified and will not have this Mandarin over us. This was their last chance to repent.
It was the Spirit of God speaking through Stephen. One more chance. They had rejected the Father's testimony. Father testified to his son at the at the baptism and also on the Mount of Transfiguration. They'd rejected the son's testimony. Now they have the Spirit's testimony. What would they do?
If they reject that, there's no more persons in the Godhead. They rejected all that. God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Verse 51 Now ye stiff necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you do always resist the Holy Ghost as your Father did, So do ye. Which of the prophets have not your Father's persecuted? And they have slain them, which showed before of the coming of the just one of whom you have been now the betrayers and murderers who have received.
The disposition of angels that have not kept it.
And I heard these things. They were cut to the heart and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven. Now what did he see? There's a man who's a picture, a beautiful picture. We're given the first Christian martyr, a picture of a true Christian with a picture of true Christianity. He's full of the Holy Spirit. He looks up to heaven. He set his eyes, he fixed his eyes on heaven.
And he saw the glory of God.
The glory of God.
That's where our blessings are, that's where our Savior is, and that's what he saw. And Jesus standing on the right hand of God.
All the other passages that we read of him as he sat down on the right hand of God. Here Steven sees him standing. It was the last chance that those Jews in Jerusalem had to repent of what they had done to the Lord Jesus and to receive Him.
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Like in Acts 2 They said what shall we do? And Peter says repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Promises unto you and to your children, and to all that are afar off. And 3000 souls were sick, and that swells over 5000 shortly after.
How are they going to respond?
He says, Behold, I see the heavens opened.
And the Son of Man.
Standing on the right hand of God.
I believe he was standing. I believe he stood up to see.
The response of his people, their last chance at Jerusalem. I don't believe in the book of Acts. Wherever the apostles went, they preached and went into the synagogues and preached to the Jews wherever they were. And I don't believe you read of the gospel being preached at Jerusalem after this.
This was their final answer.
Opened Heavens.
It's open to us. That's Christian position, Christian blessing.
And the Son of Man, he's there, standing on the right hand of God.
They cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and ran upon him with 1 accord. They wouldn't hear anymore. They had set their wills against the troops, against Him who is the truth and the Spirit who is the truth. They would not hear him and their.
Going to pronounce their own final guilt.
They cast him out of the city and stoned him, and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, his nameless Saul.
Saul of Tarsus.
First mention of this man, the greatest enemy and opponent and to Christianity at this point in time, the Lord had said in John 16, the time cometh when he that killeth, you will think that he doeth God's service, and that was Saul of Tarsus. He he said later I barely thought with myself to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus.
He thought he was right. He thought Jesus was an imposter, a false Christ, a false Messiah.
He was wrong.
He was.
And they stoned Stephen.
While he was calling upon God, I added those words to make it very clear what is meant, and saying, Lord Jesus receive my spirit. And he kneeled down and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep. How like his Master, who on the cross said, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.
Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.
And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
And Saul was consenting unto his death.
And at that time there was a great persecution against the Church, which was at Jerusalem, and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.
That striking, isn't it? The leaders of this new movement remained back, and the others were scattered, and they went everywhere preaching the word. Devout man carried Stephen to his burial and made great lamentation over him. As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house and healing men and women committed them to prison. Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere.
Preaching the word.
And now we have.
He was one that was selected as a Deacon, one of those that were named to take care of the tables.
And.
He went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ unto them. And the people with 1 accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them, and many taken with palsies, and that were lame were healed, and that was great joy in that city.
But there was a certain man called Simon, which before time in the same city, used sorcery and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great work.
And to whom they all gave heed from release to the greatest saying, This man is the great power of God, and to him they had the guard, because of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries. But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized both men and women.
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Then Simon himself.
Believed also.
And when he was baptized, he continued with Philip and wondered beholding the miracles and signs which were done. I think it's significant, it says. He continued with Philip. He had seen the he had seen the miracles and signs which were done. And he was saying to himself.
I want that power that's stronger than the power that I had in sorcery. Could make me a lot more money, certainly could. Let's read on, it says he believed.
And he was baptized. Surely he was a saved man. No, he wasn't. No, he wasn't.
Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John, who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost. They could not receive the Holy Ghost at Samaria without the laying on of the hands of fellowship of the apostles that came down from Jerusalem.
God very carefully avoided a Jewish church in Jerusalem and a Samaritan church at Samaria.
He avoided that. So they the Samaritans did not get the Holy Spirit until Peter and John came down. And it says for a Jeb he was fallen upon none of them, only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, then laid they their hands on them and they received the Holy Ghost.
Now the Samaritan Samaritans could not say we have nothing to do with you Jews at Jerusalem and have their Samaritan church. There was a Jerusalem Church of Jews Nokodosa Jerusalem disowned the Samaritans. God made sure that the unity of the church formed by the by the baptism of the Holy Spirit church is 1.
Church was brought into that one body in Acts 2, the Jews. And now the Acts, Acts 8, the Samaritans. Samaritans were kind of an in between people, between the Jews and the Gentiles. And we'll see in a moment. Acts 10, we have the Gentiles brought in.
They laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. When Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, saying, Give me also this power, that at whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.
Again, Peter comes forward.
Discerning the evil of this man, And he said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because I was thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou was neither part nor lot in this matter, but I heart is not right in the sight of God.
Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God it. Perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity. That answered Simon, and said, Pray to the Lord for me, that none of these things which he has spoken come upon me.
Believing signs and wonders does not necessarily mean that a soul is converted to God.
What the evidence is if when one believes the word of God, then he's born of the Word. He's born of water and of the Word.
He's born again by faith in the Word of God, and He receives the Holy Spirit when the Word is brought to bear. Not miracles. Those who even today would make so much of miracles. We have something infinitely more important and precious and valuable than all the miracles put together. And after the Word of God, nothing like it. God gave miracles at the beginning of the dispensation to authenticate.
Christianity.
But once that had been done, now the Spirit of God is here, He's dwelling here, and He leads and guides according to the Word in everything that means more than anything else.
Now let's go a little farther in the 8th chapter.
We have.
Verse 26 And the Angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the South, unto the way that goes down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.
And he arose and went, and behold, a man of Ethiopia and eunuch of great authority, under candidacy, queen of The Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, was returning. And sitting in his chariot he read Isaias, Isaiah the prophet.
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And the Spirit said unto Philip, The Spirit is a person, he speaks and gives instruction, and guides his servants. The spirit said to Philip, Go near joy thyself to this chariot. And Philip ran thithered to him, and heard him read the prophet science, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I accept? So man should guide me. And he desired Philip, that he would come up and sit with him.
The place of the scripture which he read was this.
He was read as a sheep to the slaughter, and like a dead lamb dumb before her shear so open be not his mouth. In his humiliation his judgment was taken away. And who shall declare his generation? For his life is taken from the earth. And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh, speaketh the prophet this of himself, or some other man. Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same Scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
You know, today in the synagogues of the Jews, they don't read the 53rd chapter of Isaiah. They, they, they read from 52 and then they skip the 53rd and they go to the 54th. Why you ask them, they'll say, well, the Christians believe that that's about Jesus the Messiah.
We don't believe that, so we just don't read it.
Well, they can't get away from it by not reading. It's there, and they'll have to give an account of it someday.
Verse 36 And as they went on their way, they came to a certain water, and the eunuch said, Here is water, but doth hinder me to be baptized.
So I'm going to Passover verse 37 and go to verse 38. And he commanded the chariot to stand still, and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip that the eunuch saw him no more. And he went on his way rejoicing. The eunuch did, but Philip was founded as Otis.
And passing through, he preached in all the cities.
So he came to Caesarea.
The soul, the Spirit of God.
Carried Philip to another place. He used him for the purpose why he had sent him there.
Now here's the passage I didn't read. It's not in the new translation. It's not really in the best manuscripts. I don't know if it's even. It's got to be in some if it's here, but it's it contains something that is an error. And Philip said, if thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.
And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Well the error is that the first person that spoke, that preached that Jesus was the Son of God in the book of Acts is Paul.
Paul, we'll come to that now as we come to the next chapter.
It's not that it's not true.
But it's not.
It's not. At this point in time in the in the book of Acts, it's not appropriate.
Peter preached that God has made that same Jesus whom you have crucified, both Lord in Christ.
And the one that preached that he was the Son of God.
That's very appropriate, especially for Saul to preach that because he was part of that group of unbelieving Jews.
That crucified him because he said he was the Son of God.
And it's given him the great privilege when he's converted to preach that Jesus is the Son of God. You get that in Chapter 9, verse 20. And straightway he, Paul preached Christ in the synagogues that he is the Son of God.
I know that Peter did say in Matthew 16, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. I'm talking about the book of Acts. It was Paul that was given that privilege to preach that wonderful truth.
After he got converted.
And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest.
Desired of him letters to Damascus, to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus, and suddenly they shined round about him alike from heaven.
And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecuted? Sound me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord?
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The Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecuted, it is hard for thee to kick against the ****** and each Christian he said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
And then which journey? William stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. And Saul arose from the earth.
When his eyes were opened, he saw no man.
Let him by the hand, and brought him.
Into Damascus. He was three days without sight and neither did eat nor drink. He was blind.
And he was all alone in his blameless in the darkness.
With God.
And he realized.
All his religious energies and all his.
Religious efforts to snuff out the hated despise Neymar, Jesus and his followers.
He was wrong. He was wrong.
There was a certain disciple of Damascus named Ananias.
And to him said the Lord in a vision. And and I asked, he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.
The Lord said unto him, Arise and go into the street, which is called straight.
Choir in the House of Cutis.
Or one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he prayed.
I have seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.
Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man how much evil he had done to thy Saints in Jerusalem.
And here he hath authority for the from the chief priests to bind all the call on my name. The Lord said unto him, Go thy way, for he is the chosen vessel unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles, and the kings, and the children of Israel.
I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. And when you read the catalog of sufferings, the rich Paul went.
He could say.
Yes, if there's only hope in Christ in this life.
I am the most miserable of all men.
Because he had nothing pleasant in this life after he receives Christ except among his Christian brother but the world hated him especially both that he loved so keenly the Jews.
I will show him how great things he must suffer from my namesake.
And this next verse is very precious to me, when Ananias went his way and entered into the house and putting his hands on him, said brother Saul.
Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, have sent me, that thou mightest receive the thy sight and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
And immediately there fell for His eyes that had been scales, And He received sight forthwith and arose and was baptized. And when He had received me, he was strengthened. Then was solved certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus, and straightway He preached. I think it should read Jesus in the synagogue that He is the Son of God, was given to Him that wonderful privilege, that He is the Son of God, that one truth that He had.
With the other Jews thought with blasphemy when Jesus.
Confessed that he was the Son of God.
I want to give you.
Something in my own life can actually reverse 17.
I wasn't saved until my freshman year in college, 19.
Years old.
I had to go to my optometrist to get glasses. All the study in school, my eyes were getting myopic and I needed glasses. And he was a Christian and he witnessed to me.
I remember one time I went in on a Saturday and was just loaded with people and I realized that I can't see them and talked to him. I was interested in getting some more from him and he passed through a waiting room and he went into his office and he saw me there. He said Mr. Hendricks, just wait a minute. And he got a pamphlet from Moody Press.
Heaven or hell which?
He gave it to me and he said read this and come back sometime in the week when I'm not so busy, I want to talk to you.
And so I did. I read this pamphlet.
And in the pamphlet the author said to the reader, it was myself.
You're going either to heaven or to hell. Where are you going?
And I said I'm going to hell.
I'm going to help. I was lost.
I realized that, but every time I would go in to see Doctor Wood.
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And with my questions, we sit down and he get his Bible out go in the middle of the week he'd turn off all the grinding equipment and everything, and he'd sit down with me to read the word with me.
They always call me Mr. Hendricks.
And one time he saw all the notes I was taking and the questions I was asking and how sincere and earnest I was. And one time he said to me, Brother Hendrix.
Think of what it meant to Saul of Tarsus when Ananias came in and said brother Saul.
The board, even Jesus had appeared unto thee in the way of alchemist had sent me.
That thou mightest receive thy sights and be filled with the holy God. Brother Saul. I'll never forget the thrill that went through my soul when he said Brother Hendrickson. I said I'm no longer outside. I'm inside now. I'm a brother precious. Every time I read that, I think of that case in my own life.
How precious that was to me.
Verse 31 of Chapter 9.
Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified, and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost were multiplied.
He's our comforter and they were walking in the comfort of the Holy Ghost.
I do want to get this much covered before we.
Before We quit Chapter 10.
We know the story. I'm not going to read it all.
There's this Cornelius the Centurion.
And he was a quickened man. He he feared God, but he wasn't saved yet. He hadn't heard the gospel yet.
And.
He is told to go and find Peter, who dwelt with a certain man, Simon, and he will tell thee words whereby thou will be saved.
And Peter had to be prepared for this because he had never eaten with a Gentile or gone in amongst Gentiles. He was a strict Jew at this point. He really didn't fully understand what Christianity was in its in its blessed wholeness. These things came gradually. He had to have this vision sheet let down from heaven filled with all kinds of animals. And that fries Peter, slay and eat. Not so Lord, I've never eaten anything common or unclean. But God has claimed call that not common.
And so Peter was being prepared. And then in verse 19, while Peter thought on the vision, the spirit.
Said unto him, Behold, three men seek for thee.
Cornelius, These two others that came with Cornelius arise therefore and get thee down. Go with them. Doubting nothing, Christ sent them.
And then Peter went down to the men which were sent from him unto him from Cornelius, and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek. What is the cause? Wherefore a year come.
And they said, Cornelius, the centurion adjustment, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nations of the Jews, was warned from God by holy Angel, to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee.
And then Peter gets there.
And.
As you talked with him verse 27.
Cornelius falls down before him, and the Lord Peter says get up, I'm just a man. And as he talked with him, he went in and found many that were come together.
And he said to them, You know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company or come under one of another nation. But God has showed me that I should not call any man unclean or common. Therefore came I unto you, without being saying, As soon as I was sent for. I asked therefore for what intent he has sent for me? And Carmelia said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour, and at the 9th hour I prayed in my house. And behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, and said, Cornelius.
Thy prayers heard in thine arms or head, in remembrance in the sight of God. Sender.
To Joppa, and call thither Simon, whose surname is Peter. He is lodged in the House of 1 Simon, a Tanner by the seaside, who when he cometh, shall speak unto thee. Immediately, therefore I sent to thee, and thou hast well done that thou art come now. Therefore we're all here present before God, to hear all the things that are commanded be of God. And Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceived, that God has no respecter of persons, but in every nation he that feared him, and work of righteousness is accepted with him. The word which God sent unto the children of Israel.
By Jesus Christ is Lord of all that word I say, you know, which was published throughout all Judea, began from gallery after the baptism which John preached. How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost, and with power, who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil. For God was with him, and we are witnesses of all things which He did, both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they slew and hanged on a tree. Him God raised up the third day, and showed him openly, not to all the people, but unto.
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This is chosen before of God even to us who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify. That is he which was ordained of God to be the judge of quick and dead. Notice this now to him give all the prophets witness that through his name, whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. And right there God interrupted him. The Spirit of God interrupted him, and and he he was, he couldn't say anymore, while Peter yet spake.
Words, the Holy Ghost, hell and all them which heard the word. As soon as he testified to the forgiveness of sins, which is the effect of believing on Christ and His work, he received the Holy Spirit.
And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished as many as came with Peter, because around the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God, and answered Peter. Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we choose?
And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord, then prayed they him to carry certain days when he went back to Jerusalem. And they called him to task, that he'd gone into men uncircumcised and had eaten with them, and so on. And he he goes and rehearses it, and we'll pick it up in verse 12 of Chapter 11. The Spirit bad me go with them nothing doubting. Moreover, these six brethren accompanied me and re entered into the man's house. And he showed us how he had seen an Angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon.
Peter who shall tell me words whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved. That's Christian truth saved. And as I began to speak, he was going to say more, but God interrupted him. The Holy Ghost fell on them is on us at the beginning, then remembered I the word of the Lord. He goes back to Acts chapter 1 where the Lord says after not many days you should be baptized with the Holy Spirit. How that John indeed baptized.
That he said, John indeed baptized with water, but he shall be that you shall be baptized.
With the Holy Ghost.
For as much then as God gave them the light gifts, as He did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, what was I that I could withstand God? When they heard these things, they held their peace and glorified God, Saying, Then, hath God also to the Gentiles, advances repentance to life. Now this completes the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Acts two, it was to the Jews. Acts 8, it was to the Samaritans. Acts 10, it was to the Gentiles, and that's the baptism of the Spirit.
Jews and Gentiles and now today, every time a soul is saved, he's brought by the Spirit of God into that already baptized body. It's not a fresh baptism again and again and again that took place in the 1St century with Jews and Gentiles and that completes the baptism of the Spirit and that everyone that is saved and receives the seal of the Spirit and the gift of the Spirit is brought into.
This position that the baptism created, the one body becomes a member.
Of that box.