Hello and welcome to our next in the series. We're talking on the question, are we guilty of proof texting? We're in Acts chapter 8 when Philip went down to Samaria. Stay tuned for our broadcast. Well, in Acts chapter 8, verse number 5, we read, Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. And the people, with one accord, gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them, and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. Now, in those days, no self-respecting Jew would go to Samaria, but Jesus did, and Philip did too. When the Bible says Philip went down to Samaria and preached Christ unto them, it's a simple statement unless we understand the background of the Samaritans. When the Assyrians conquered the northern kingdom of Israel, they deported the ten tribes into exile and replenished the depopulated territory of Israel with heathen idolaters who had no fear of God whatsoever. We read in 2 Kings chapter 17 verse number 25, And so it was, at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they feared not the Lord. Therefore the Lord sent lions among them, which slew some of them. Wherefore they spake to the king of Assyria, saying, The nation which thou hast removed and placed in the city of Samaria know not the manner of the Lord of the Lamb. Therefore he sent lions among them, and, behold, they slay them, because they know not the manner of the Lord of the Lamb. Well, as a result, the Assyrian monarch sent back one of the captive priests of Israel to teach them his laws and his customs. In 2 Kings 17, 27, we read then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, Carry thither one of the priests whom ye brought from Thence, and let them go and dwell there, and let them teach them the manner of the God of the land. Then one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and dwelt in Bethel and taught them how they should fear the Lord. Well, why were the Israelites in bondage? Well, God's people had turned their backs on God. They were mixed up in idolatry and they were ignorant and ignoring the commands of God. They did not keep the Sabbath, they worshiped Baal and Ashtoreth, and the priesthood fostered the cults of the day. When the king of Assyria sent back one of the priests that had been taken captive, he did not do the Samaritans any favor. The Bible tells us the priest who returned taught a corrupt form of Jewish belief and worship. The people paid a lip service to the God of Israel and continued to serve their own gods. They even erected a temple on Mount Gerizim and developed their own religious system that included a recognition of the God of Israel and obedience to the Law of Moses, but they actually believed their temple and their humanistic religion was accepted by God. The Jews at Jerusalem considered the Samaritans as a group of mongrels and refused to have anything to do with them. When it came to preaching the message that was for the nation of Israel, Jesus had very plainly commanded the apostles in Matthew 10 and 5, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into the city of the Samaritans, enter ye not. However, the Samaritans needed to know that Jesus loved them, and he had come to die for every one of them. And so we read in Acts 8 and 5, then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ unto them. So with the kingdom message that had to do with Israel and their literal kingdom, Jesus said in Matthew 10 and 5, Go not into the way of the Gentiles and the Samaritans, enter ye not. Concerning the gospel, the plan of salvation, that was for everybody, not just for Jews. And so we read, then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ unto them as Jesus had done in John chapter 4. He had just said, don't go to Samaritans. No, not with that kingdom message, but with the plan of salvation. Yeah, I must needs go through Samaria. So we have two men in this chapter, two purposes in life. It says in Acts 8 and 1, Saul was consenting unto the death of Stephen. In Acts 9 and 1 it says Saul was yet breeding out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord. Then we have Philip in Acts chapter 8 verse 5, and Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ unto them. Acts 8 and 35, then Philip opened his mouth and preached unto him, that is the Ethiopian eunuch, he preached unto him Jesus. What a difference in these two people. Well, Philip preaches to individuals about being saved. We know that Philip is not there to preach the kingdom concerning the nation of Israel because they were forbidden to preach that message to the Samaritans. And so in verse 12 it says, they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God. Now obviously the kingdom of God here is referring to the plan of salvation and heaven. We have seen the phrases kingdom of God and kingdom of heaven are used interchangeably in the Bible and they are always easy to figure out what they mean if you look at them in the context in which they appear. In John 3 and 3, Jesus said, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. He's referring to heaven here. The context and the content make it obvious the kingdom of God in this verse refers to the plan of salvation and to heaven. In the subject in John 3 and 3, it has nothing to do with a kingdom for Israel. Christ was talking to an individual about everlasting life. Again, the context always explains what is going on here with these different titles. The entire book of John, we saw, focuses on eternal life. It is also noteworthy that when the plan of salvation for eternity is the focus, the content is seen in a singular manner. When the message concerning the kingdom for the nation of Israel is the focus, the message is presented in a manner that is plural. I will give you a few examples. Acts 2.14, Ye men of Judea and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem. Acts 2.22, Ye men, plural, of Israel. 2.29, Men and brethren, plural. 3.12, Ye men of Israel. 4.4, The number of men was about five thousand. 4.16, To all them that dwell at Jerusalem. 5.14, Multitudes of both men and women. 5 and 25 in the temple teaching the people, all the dwellers at Jerusalem, Acts 1 and 19. All ye that dwell in Jerusalem, Acts 2, 14. All the house of Israel, Acts 2, 36. All the people of Israel, 4 and 10. Acts 4 and 16, all them that dwell in Jerusalem. Now the message of salvation, quite to the contrary, is presented to individuals. For instance, John 3, 3, we read, Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. When it was coming to the nation of Israel, accepting their king, they had to accept them as a group, as a nation. When it comes to be born again, you don't accept that as a nation, you accept that as an individual. Now in verses 8 through 14 we have some verses that need a little bit of explanation. It says, Now when the apostles, which were at Jerusalem, heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John, who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost. For as yet he was fallen upon none of them, only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. Well, when an individual is born again, John 3, 5 tells us that that person is born of the Spirit. Jesus said the Holy Spirit would reprove the world of sin, John 16 and verse number 8. Paul said in Ephesians 2, 11, and you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins. Since the Samaritans had received the word of God, and since Philip was preaching the gospel concerning individuals being saved, how is it that after they were saved, Peter and John prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost? Well, the gift was given to those who were already Christians. In Acts 8 and verse 18 we read, And when Simon saw that through laying on the apostles' hands that the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, saying, Give me also this power, keyword, that on whomsoever I lay hands he may receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money. Now, it is not referring here to the working of the Holy Ghost by the sense of a soul being saved and quickened who is dead in trespasses and sin. People have never been saved by the laying on of hands. What we have here is the gift of the Holy Spirit power being given to people who are already saved. In Acts chapter 10 and 38 we read God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power who went about doing good and healing all. Notice that. He didn't get saved. Jesus didn't get saved. It says, God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power. We're talking about the gift of Holy Spirit power being given to Christians during this transitional period between the dispensation of the law and the local church age, and they had signs and wonders that were used for that purpose. We read in Hebrews 2 and 4, God also bearing them witness both with signs and wonders and with divers or many miracles and the gifts of the Holy Ghost according to his will. So as you go through the book of Acts, you read about these signs and wonders, Acts 2 and 43, Acts 4 and 30, signs and wonders. Acts 5 and 12. And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people. Acts 14 and 3. They were granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands. Romans 5 and 19, through mighty signs and wonders by the power of the Spirit of God. 2 Corinthians 12, 12, truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in signs and wonders and in mighty deeds. Now the apostles, who of course were already Christians, received a special power from the Holy Spirit. As a result, we read in Acts chapter 2 and verse 43, many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. Then in Acts 4 and 30 we read the Christians prayed that signs and wonders might be done. Verse 31 says they were filled with the Holy Ghost. 5 and 12 says, and by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people." Then in verse 25 it says, "...and they," Peter and John, "...when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem and preached the gospel in the village of the Samaritans." Very important. They're preaching the gospel, the plan of salvation. Remember, this is the same Peter and John who were told in Matthew 10 and 5, into the way of the Gentiles or into any of the cities of the Samaritans, enter ye not. They, however, like Jesus in John chapter 4, were not preaching about the kingdom to Samaria. When they were preaching the plan of salvation, Peter and John knew there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek, for the same Lord is over all and rich unto all that call upon him. Romans 10 verse number 12. Now in our next broadcast we're going to look at a man in the desert who needed to know Christ died for him. Verse 26 to 28 we read about a man of Ethiopia. He was returning and sitting in his chariot and he was reading Isaiah the prophet, but he didn't understand it. Verse 29 says, Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near and join thyself to this chariot. And Philip ran thither to him and heard him read The prophet Isaiah said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. And so we see that in this particular portion of Scripture, the place of the Scripture which he read was this. He was led as a sheep to the slaughter and like a lamb done before his shearers. So he opened not his mouth. In his humiliation his judgment was taken away, and who shall declare his generation? For his life is taken from the earth. And the eunuch answered Philip and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet of this? Of himself or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth and began at the same scripture and preached, the word means evangelized, unto him Jesus. and the man ended up getting saved. What a tremendous story out in the wilderness for one man. Well, we'll pick it up here in our next broadcast. Be sure and tune in. We will try to make it plain and we will try to make it simple. so