Good morning. Therefore, those
who had been scattered went about preaching the word. Philip, who was one of
the seven deacons, went down to the city of Samaria and began preaching Christ
to them. This is the area where Jesus had the discussion with the woman at the
well. Remember from Acts 1:8 that after Jerusalem, Samaria was mentioned.
Samaritans were looked down upon by the Jews and considered more or less half
Jews. A lot of the Jews of the northern kingdom were taken away and replaced by
others who were not Jews. They intermingled with the Jews that were living in
the northern kingdom. Even though Samaria was not far away, the disciples had
not come there to preach the word before this. The disciples may have even
thought that it was impossible for them to get saved, just like the Gentiles.
The crowds with one accord were giving attention to what was said by Philip, as
they heard and saw the signs which he was performing. Even though he was “just
a deacon”, God worked through Philip, performed signs, and brought people to
Christ. He cast out unclean spirits, and many who had been paralyzed and lame
were healed. Simon the magician had been a VIP in Samaria. But when they
believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name
of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike. Even Simon
himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as
he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed.
But notice that he did not ask to receive the power to do that. Father thank
You that You take care of the reader and his/her family. Help him/her to find
the answers to all of his/her questions.
Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me
Good morning. Paul then gives a list of a lot of things that he has gone through as an apostle. I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. There could be many people that you listen to either in church or through the Internet or other means; but there was only one person (as a general rule it was a person) that lead you to Christ. Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me. He was saying that just like a child imitates his or her father, they were to imitate him. He says that again seven chapters later. Since it is easy to forget some things about people we have not seen in a while, Paul says that he sent Timothy to them to remind them of his ways which are in Christ, just as he taught everywhere in every church. Some have become arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. I shall find ou...
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