(Acts 8:1-5) A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem, and all the believers except the apostles fled into Judea and Samaria. Saul was going everywhere to devastate the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them in jail. But the believers who had fled Jerusalem went everywhere preaching the Good News about Jesus. Philip, for example… Jesus Followers go everywhere preaching about Jesus. Even though he had been flushed out of Jerusalem, Philip seized the opportunity to share Jesus with others. So, as he went, he told people about the Savior who had been crucified for our sins and then was offering us his resurrection life.
Philip was just one of many followers of Jesus. But he stands out to us as an inspiring example of how to live out our faith. The guy was impressive:
- Went to the city of Samaria and told people there about the Messiah.
- Crowds listened to what he had to say- because he was doing miracles!
- Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims.
- Many more who had been paralyzed or lame were healed.
- So there was great joy in the city. (Sounds a bit like the impact Jesus had on people when he entered a city, eh?)
And the story goes on. Check out Philip’s Holy Spirit charged witness in the rest of Acts 8.