Audio Sermons

Building up the Church of Christ

Philip – A Light in Darkness

Life B-P Church Worship Services I & II

26^th March 2023

Text: Acts 8:4-8

1.    Bringing Light to the People

a.    Philip: He was not one of the twelve disciples called of the Lord but one of the seven appointed by the apostles to serve tables (Acts 6:1-7).

b.    Light of the Word of God: The Jewish religious leaders felt threatened when Jesus brought forth the truth of God’s Word, peeling through the layers of oral and man-made traditions of the religious leaders (Isa. 9:2; John 1:9-12).

c.     Light of the World: Jesus testified that He is the light of the world (John 8:12); and those who have believed and trusted in Him would also be the light of the world (Matt. 5:14-16).

2.    Burdened to Serve

a.    Comfort Zone: The persecution in Jerusalem led to the propagation of the Gospel far and wide (Acts 8:4).  God used the persecution to ensure that the disciples did not stay content in Jerusalem but that they should venture beyond their comfort zone.

b.    The Last Commission: The last command given by the Lord before His ascension – to be witnesses of Him in Jerusalem, surrounding regions and to uttermost part of the earth (Acts 1:8).

c.     The Great Commission: To make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:18-20):

i.     Evangelize: to go and preach the Gospel

ii.    Educate: to teach the people the Word of God

iii.   Edify: to build up the faith of believers through fellowship

d.    Difficulties: The ministry at Samaria was different from that in Jerusalem (Acts 8:5): (i) Different culture and manner of worship (John 4:20) and (ii) Enmity between the Jews and the Samaritan (John 4:9)

e.    Ponder: Are you willing to give yourself wholly to be sent of the Lord to go beyond your comfort zone to serve Him? (Isa. 6:8) 

i.     God does not call you without enabling you – He does not send us to fail.

ii.    We must be willing to go and depend wholly upon the Lord for His work

f.     Building the Kingdom of God: We must not have a myopic view of building God’s kingdom on earth.  We are called to lift up our eyes to see the fields (John 4:35).  We need to have the burden and be obedient to God’s calling.

3.    Be the Light of the World

a.    Natural: We are the light of the world, bearing the light of Christ in us unto the world (Matt. 5:14).  That is our natural character to let that light in us shines forth.  It will be unnatural for us to hinder the light from shinning forth (Matt. 5:15).  A candle is of no use if it is not lighted up.  A candle is of no use too if it is lighted but covered up.  Let not our sins be bushels which hindered the light in us.

b.    Purpose: The sole purpose is to bring others to Christ and that the Father may be glorified (Matt. 5:16)..  We are called to lighten this sin-darkened world so that others may be directed to Christ, as much as Philip was a light in darkness.

c.     Ponder: What kind of light are you?