A GOING Church A GOING CHURCH B5-25-6P B. Samaritans were scum of the earth to Jews Acts 1:8 1. “Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, bless them that curse you, and PURPOSE: To encourage the church to witness of the faith pray for them which despitefully use you” (Lu. 6:27-28) INTRODUCTION: Present day interest in the Holy Ghost 2. So, when Phillip received the promise of A. “Holy Ghost Catholic Church” in Hammond Acts 1:8, he heard “Samaria” & went B. Almost universal acceptance of this gift 3. Some feel they are superior to others but, C. Holy Ghost is sought for various reasons: 4. The same Holy Ghost that sent Peter to the 1. Joy & peace that He brings Gentiles & Phillip to Samaria told Phillip… 2. Overcoming power that He gives “Join yourself to that chariot” 3. Power to witness is greatest purpose C. If others had been “careful” you & I probably Jesus said, “Go ye…” would not have qualified for salvation I. WE MUST GO TO OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS III. WE MUST GO TO THE UTTERMOST A. Disciples told to begin at home A. Acts 13 starts telling about Paul’s missionary 1. “Ye shall be witnesses unto me…. trips around the Mediterranean Sea. preaching in Jerusalem” 1. To lowly, exiled tent-maker’s house where 2. “Repentance and remission of sins should be he earned money to PAY to preach preached in his name among all nations, 2. To king’s chamber-tell of “heavenly vision” beginning at Jerusalem” (Lu. 24:47)
But it is far more common for the evangelical preacher to edit God’s Word: 1. By removing the text from its context, and using it to say what-ever the preacher likes, 2. By moralizing the text, so that it is reduced to an ethical maxim that fits any religion, 3. By using the text to promote hobby-horses, and 4. By dogmatic insistence that the text says things it does not truly say. This homiletical hocus-pocus has subtle roots such as the desire to be clever and popular or synthetically relevant or intellectually respectable or to make the gospel more acceptable. But most often God’s Word gets watered down by the preacher’s laziness. He simply will not do the hard work to engage and preach a text in its context.
Kent Hughes