1. Conversions Grow His Glorious Church Lesson 4: (Acts 8:1 – 9:43)

2. Conversions Grow His Glorious Church (Acts 8:1 – 9:43) A Review of Pentecost – The 4 C’s of Conversion (2:22-47) –“CHRIST” was preached (2:22-36) –A “CHOICE” was faced (2:37) –A “CHANGE” was commanded (2:38) –A “CLEANSING” was commanded (2:38) –Thousands obeyed, were saved & were added to the church.

3. Conversions Grow His Glorious Church (Acts 8:1 – 9:43) The conversion of multitudes in Samaria— including Simon, the sorcerer (8:1-25) –“CHRIST” was preached  Those scattered preached the WORD (v. 4)  Philip preached CHRIST (v. 5)  Philip preached THE KINGDOM OF GOD (v. 12)  Philip preached THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST

4. Conversions Grow His Glorious Church (Acts 8:1 – 9:43) The conversion of multitudes in Samaria— including Simon, the sorcerer (8:1-25) –“CHRIST” was preached –A “CHOICE” was faced  Simon, the sorcerer/magician: –Claimed “he was someone great” (v. 9) –The Samaritans heeded him & spoke of his “magic” as the “great power of God” (10-11)  The people saw the miracles that Philip did (v. 6-7, 13) and heard his preaching (v. 5-12).  They, including Simon, had a choice to make— continue to follow deception or follow God.

5. Conversions Grow His Glorious Church (Acts 8:1 – 9:43) The conversion of multitudes in Samaria— including Simon, the sorcerer (8:1-25) –“CHRIST” was preached –A “CHOICE” was faced –A “CHANGE” was necessary  They heeded the things spoken by Philip (6)  They heard his preaching (6, 12-13)  They heard demons come out w/ loud voice (7)  They saw the miracles he did, including many paralyzed and lame healed (7)  They turned from false claims to faith in Christ

6. Conversions Grow His Glorious Church (Acts 8:1 – 9:43) The conversion of multitudes in Samaria— including Simon, the sorcerer (8:1-25) –“CHRIST” was preached –A “CHOICE” was faced –A “CHANGE” was necessary –A “CLEANSING” took place  “both men and women were baptized” (v. 12)  “Simon himself…was baptized” (v. 13)  They were baptized “in the name of Jesus Christ” (v. 12, 16) – by His authority –Philip preached same message as Peter (2:38; 3:19)

7. Conversions Grow His Glorious Church (Acts 8:1 – 9:43) The conversion of an Ethiopian eunuch (8:26-40) –“CHRIST” was preached  The eunuch was reaching about the Messiah –The eunuch “was reading Isaiah” (v. 28) –Specifically—Isaiah 53:7-8 (v. 32-33)  Philip, “beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him” (v. 35).

8. Conversions Grow His Glorious Church (Acts 8:1 – 9:43) The conversion of an Ethiopian eunuch (8:26-40) –“CHRIST” was preached –A “CHOICE” was faced  Jesus Christ had been preached. –What would he do with what he learned?  “The eunuch said (present tense), ‘See, here is water. What hinders (present tense) me from being baptized?’”  Baptism was important (it had been taught).  Baptism’s urgency weighed on his heart.

9. Conversions Grow His Glorious Church (Acts 8:1 – 9:43) The conversion of an Ethiopian eunuch (8:26-40) –“CHRIST” was preached –A “CHOICE” was faced –A “CHANGE” was necessary  The eunuch must have taken his religion (likely as a Gentile proselyte to Judaism) seriously: –He traveled hundreds of miles to worship –He was reading the Scriptures  Still, he repented and changed his religion, believing in and confessing his faith in Jesus (v. 35-37).

10. Conversions Grow His Glorious Church (Acts 8:1 – 9:43) The conversion of an Ethiopian eunuch (8:26-40) –“CHRIST” was preached –A “CHOICE” was faced –A “CHANGE” was necessary –A “CLEANSING” took place  “And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him” (v. 38).  As in each conversion account, the command to be baptized was obeyed.  The “one baptism” (Eph. 4:5) God commands is a baptism for the remission of sins (cleansed!).

11. Conversions Grow His Glorious Church (Acts 8:1 – 9:43) The conversion of Saul of Tarsus (9:1-31) –“CHRIST” was preached (first by Christ)  Jesus appeared to Saul & identified Himself to him: “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” (9:5; 22:8). –“Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord?” (1 Cor. 9:1)  Ananias told Saul: “The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth. For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard” (22:14-15; cf. 9:17).

12. Conversions Grow His Glorious Church (Acts 8:1 – 9:43) The conversion of Saul of Tarsus (9:1-31) –“CHRIST” was preached (first by Christ) –A “CHOICE” was faced  Before the encounter with Jesus: –“Saul made havoc of the church” (8:3).  After the encounter with Jesus: –Saul “neither ate nor drank” and was “praying” (9:9, 11).  His world had been turned upside down, and his soul, inside out!  What would he do?

13. Conversions Grow His Glorious Church (Acts 8:1 – 9:43) The conversion of Saul of Tarsus (9:1-31) –“CHRIST” was preached (first by Christ) –A “CHOICE” was faced –A “CHANGE” was necessary  Saul was on his way to Damascus to arrest Christians (9:2), but instead, he was the one “arrested” by Jesus.  He planned “to bind all who call on Your name” (9:14), but instead, he was the one who ended up “calling on the name of the Lord” (22:16).  After his conversion, he stopped persecuting Christ and started preaching Christ (9:20).

14. Conversions Grow His Glorious Church (Acts 8:1 – 9:43) The conversion of Saul of Tarsus (9:1-31) –“CHRIST” was preached (first by Christ) –A “CHOICE” was faced –A “CHANGE” was necessary –A “CLEANSING” took place  Saul believed in and confessed Jesus on the road to Damascus (but he wasn’t cleansed).  He manifested a penitent spirit by his days of fasting and praying (but he wasn’t cleansed).  He was commanded, “Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins…” (22:16).

15. Conversions Grow His Glorious Church (Acts 8:1 – 9:43) Applying It to Me –We, like those on Pentecost, must be smitten with GODLY SORROW (2:22-41).  They were confused (2:6), amazed (2:7), perplexed (2:12) and, ultimately, “cut to the heart,” wanting to be saved (2:37).  With “godly sorrow,” it is essential that we are equally crushed by our own sins (2 Cor. 7:10).

16. Conversions Grow His Glorious Church (Acts 8:1 – 9:43) Applying It to Me –We, like those of Samaria, must BELIEVE in Christ with an obedient faith (8:1-25).  “When they believed Philip as he preached… both men and women were baptized” (8:12).  They “were baptized.” Why? They “believed.”  We must also have a faith that obeys (Rom. 4:12 + Heb. 11:8).

17. Conversions Grow His Glorious Church (Acts 8:1 – 9:43) Applying It to Me –We, like the Ethiopian eunuch, must CONFESS our faith in Christ (8:26-39).  Based on his faith, he confessed, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God” (8:37).  This same faith (John 3:16-18, 36; 8:24; 20:30-31) and confession (Rom. 10:9-10) are essential to our salvation.

18. Conversions Grow His Glorious Church (Acts 8:1 – 9:43) Applying It to Me –We, like Saul, must REPENT and BE BAPTIZED (9:1-22; cf. 22:12-16).  After his baptism, Saul “preached…in the name of Jesus” (9:27-29). Before, he did “many things contrary to the name of Jesus” (26:9). –He repented by turning from his evil.  In being told what he “must do” (9:6), he was baptized to wash away his sins (9:18; 22:16).  The changes necessitated by repentance (3:19) and a baptism for the remission of sins (2:38; 1 Pet. 3:21) are also required of us to be saved.

19. Conversions Grow His Glorious Church (Acts 8:1 – 9:43) Applying It to Me –We, like Simon, the sorcerer, must REPENT AND PRAY FOR FORGIVENESS when we sin after becoming Christians (8:18-23).  Simon proved that his heart was “not right in the sight of God” (8:21).  He was, thus, instructed, “Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray” (8:22).  “Repent” and “pray” are imperative verbs.  It is imperative that we repent of our sins and pray for forgiveness when we err (James 5:16; 1 John 1:9).

20. Conversions Grow His Glorious Church (Acts 8:1 – 9:43) Applying It to Me –We, like those on Pentecost, must be smitten with GODLY SORROW (2:22-41). –We, like those of Samaria, must BELIEVE in Christ with an obedient faith (8:1-25). –We, like the Ethiopian eunuch, must CONFESS our faith in Christ (8:26-39). –We, like Saul, must REPENT and BE BAPTIZED (9:1-22; cf. 22:12-16). –We, like Simon, the sorcerer, must REPENT AND PRAY FOR FORGIVENESS when we sin after becoming Christians (8:18-23).