A. A very religious man (Acts 7:58; 8:1, 3; Philippians 3:5-6; Acts 23:1)
B. On fire for God, but misunderstood God (Acts 9:1-2; Matthew 7:21-23)
C. Saul needed a heavenly intervention (Acts 9:3-9)
II. Ananias
A. “A certain disciple” (Acts 9:10), willing to do what the Lord commands (Isaiah 6:8)
B. Ananias’s hesitation (Acts 9:11-14)
C. The Lord explains (Acts 9:15-16; Isaiah 62:2)
D. Jesus said, “Go!”…and Ananias went (Acts 9:17-19)
A. Paul’s prayers (Colossians 1:9; Philippians 1:9; 2 Corinthians 13:7)
B. Paul encouraged prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:17; 1 Timothy 2:1-4)
C. When should we pray? (Ephesians 6:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:17)
D. For whom should we pray? (Ephesians 6:19; 1 Timothy 2:1-2; James 1:5; Matthew 6:9-13)
II. Perception (Ephesians 6:18b)
A. Gideon’s army (Judges 7:5-7)
B. Keep your eyes open so you’re not taken by surprise (1 Peter 5:8; Ephesians 5:15-16)
C. Be watchful for opportunities to do good (Galatians 6:9-10)
III. Persuasiveness (Ephesians 6:19b-20)
A. Peter and John’s boldness (Acts 4:8-13)
B. Paul’s boldness (Acts 20:27; Romans 1:16; 2 Timothy 4:2)
A. God provided the right teacher (Philip) for the student (the eunuch)
B. Philip and the eunuch ended up in the same place at the same time
C. The eunuch was reading from Isaiah 53
II. The value of questions (Acts 8:30-34)
A. “Do you understand what you are reading?”
B. “How can I, unless someone guides me?”
C. “I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?”
III. Philip “preached Jesus to him” (Acts 8:35-39)
A. Preaching Jesus includes preaching about baptism
B. Preaching Jesus produces joy when one obeys
A. Why? (Ephesians 6:13)
B. Stand against what or whom? (Acts 20:29, 30, 38; Ephesians 2:1-5; 4:17-24; 4:1-3)
II. Defensive weapons
A. Gird your waist with truth (Ephesians 6:14a; John 8:32)
B. Breastplate of righteousness (Ephesians 6:14b; 1 Timothy 6:11; Romans 3:10, 23; 1 Corinthians 1:30)
C. Feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace (Ephesians 6:15; Matthew 28:19-20; 1 Peter 3:15; Acts 8:4)
D. Shield of faith (Ephesians 6:16; Hebrews 11:1, 6; Romans 10:17)
E. Helmet of salvation (Ephesians 6:17a)
III. The offensive weapon
A. The sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17b)
B. Use it properly (2 Timothy 2:15; Hebrews 4:12)
I. The responsibility of every Christian to evangelize
A. It wasn’t the apostles who scattered and preached outside Jerusalem (Acts 8:1, 4; Colossians 1:23)
B. A perpetual commission (Hebrews 5:12-14; Matthew 28:19-20; 2 Timothy 2:2)
II. The gospel is for all mankind
A. Not just those who look and act like us (Acts 8:5; John 4:9, 20, 25)
B. The reaction (Acts 8:6-7, 12) was joyous (Acts 8:8, 39; 16:34; 15:3)
C. It is even for those that we don’t think will obey (Acts 8:9-13)
III. The possibility of apostasy…and restoration!
A. Simon shows immaturity (Acts 8:14-19)
B. Peter’s rebuke (Acts 8:20-23)
C. Simon’s opportunity to repent (Acts 8:22, 24)
A. We must follow, not stand still (John 1:43; Matthew 4:18-19; 9:9; Luke 9:23-25; John 6:68)
B. He provided guidance in the Old Testament (Exodus 13:21)
C. He still provides guidance today (1 John 1:7; 2 John 9)
II. Jesus is a light of safety
A. Darkness represents spiritual danger (John 12:35)
B. Jesus’ light guides each step of the way (Psalm 119:105)
III. Jesus is a life-giving light
A. If you take man away from the Son’s light, man will stop growing! (John 1:4; 10:10b)
B. Jesus’ effect on spiritual health (James 1:14-15; Malachi 4:2)
IV. Jesus is a light of hope
A. Old Testament view on immortality (Hebrews 11:13; 2 Samuel 12:23; Job 14:14)
B. He has “brought life and immortality to light” (2 Timothy 1:10; Ephesians 2:12-13; 5:8-14)
A. A principal characteristic (Acts 6:5, 8)
B. Faith is the foundation (2 Peter 1:5-8; Mark 16:16; Acts 8:36-37)
II. Full of power
A. “Great wonders and signs” (Acts 6:8; 1 Corinthians 13:8-10; Mark 16:20)
B. Wouldn’t it be easier to evangelize today with miracles? (John 20:30; Acts 6:9, 11-13; 7:54, 59-60; Luke 16:19-31)
III. Full of Scripture
A. He knew it! (Acts 7)
B. We can know it too! (Ephesians 5:17-21; Colossians 3:16)
IV. Full of light
A. They could not deny who Stephen stood with (Acts 6:15)
B. True Christians cannot help but shine the light of Jesus (Matthew 5:14-16; Philippians 2:15)
V. Full of wisdom
A. Insurmountable wisdom (Acts 6:3, 10; 7:57)
B. Through the Scriptures (2 Timothy 4:3-4; 3:15)
VI. Full of courage
A. Stood up to the opponents of truth (Acts 7:51-56)
B. We must stand for truth regardless of consequences (Galatians 4:16; Romans 1:16; Ephesians 4:15)
VII. Full of love
A. “Do not charge them with this sin” (Acts 7:57-60)
B. The attitude of Jesus (Luke 23:34) and Paul (Romans 9:3; 10:1)
A. Learning is where faith begins (Genesis 1:27; 1 Timothy 6:7; Rom. 10:17)
B. The more we want to learn, the more we can learn (Mt. 5:6; 1 Tim. 4:13)
II. The power to teach
A. Jesus taught the apostles who taught others who taught others who taught others… (2 Timothy 2:2; Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 5:42; 8:4; 20:20)
B. We must be willing to guide those who want to learn (Acts 8:30-31)
III. The power to live the Christian life
A. Walk the walk (Ephesians 4:1-3; 1 Timothy 6:11-12)
B. In all that we do (Colossians 3:17), always abounding (1 Cor. 15:58)
A. Rapid growth caused neglect (Acts 6:1)
B. The apostles’ priorities (Acts 6:2)
II. The solution
A. Delegate responsibilities (Acts 6:3; Exodus 18:17-18, 21)
B. Let someone trustworthy handle “that” so we can focus fully on “this” (Acts 6:4)
III. The result
A. The church was pleased (Acts 6:5-6)
B. The church grew even more because “the word of God spread” (Acts 6:7; Romans 1:16; 2 Timothy 3:15; James 1:21; Acts 5:28; 8:4; 17:6)
But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. (Acts 8:12)
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