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.
Unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God
Good morning. While Jesus was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. Jesus was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men. Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. It doesn’t say, but I assume it is still during this time of the Passover. This man came to Jesus by night. Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do the signs that You do unless God is with him. It just said that the people believed in His name because of the signs He was doing; yet it does not say what those signs were. Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. That is why unbelievers cannot tell what is of the kingdom of God and what is not – they’re not born again. Nicodemus doesn’t have a clue. How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he? Unless one is born of water and the Spirit ...
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