Many times Jesus spoke of "ears that wouldn't hear." Not everyone "gladly receives God's word" and we haven't really heard God until we believe and obey him. In our study of Acts we will learn about some people who heard the Gospel, believed and obeyed and were saved, becoming members of Christ's church.

Stephen was a preacher who taught the people about Jesus and about their sins. They were a rebellious people, not easily changed. Their law had been the law of Moses, which they could not keep, and God was trying the bring them under a better covenant with better promises. The Old Testament foretold Jesus, the Son of God, as a prophet God would raise up in the "last days." Moses spoke of a prophet God would raise up "of thy brethren, like unto me" and that the people should hear him (Deut. 18:15).

"And it shall come to pass, that every soul which will not HEAR THAT PROPHET (Jesus), shall be destroyed from among the people" (Acts 3:23).

 

Jesus Christ was the last prophet God was going to send. We have no modern day prophets. The gospel is the message of Jesus we are to hear and obey to be saved. Stephen retells the history of the Israelites trying to get the people to accept Christ, but people don't like to hear about their sins. They stopped up their ears, being "cut to the heart" and guilty, then began stoning Stephen to death (Acts 7:54). Stephen looked up ...

... "steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and JESUS standing on the right hand of God. "

"Then they cited out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord "

"They cast him out of the city, and stoned hin4 and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet whose name was Saul" (Acts 7:55, 57-58).

 

We will see how God works in this young man's life with another "Wondrous Work" to enable Saul to hear the Gospel. First let's see how God works in converting an Ethiopian man (a eunuch) through a preacher named Philip.

An angel of the Lord told Philip to "arise, and go toward the south" and Philip went forth and found an Ethiopian man, a eunuch. The eunuch had come to worship in Jerusalem so he was a religious person. The eunuch was reading in the Old Testament from Isaiah the prophet and sitting in his chariot when Philip came upon him (Acts 8:26-28). Philip asked the eunuch if he understood what he was reading. The place he was reading in the scriptures was; "he was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearers, so he openeth not his mouth." (Isaiah 53:7). The eunuch did not understand, so Philip taught him about Jesus. The Old Testament scriptures foretell Jesus the "Lamb of God" slain for the sins of the world. As they went on their way ...

"The eunuch said, see here is water, what doth hinder me to be baptized? " (Acts 8:36).

"And Philip said, if thou BELIEVEST with all thine heart thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God (his confession - see Romans 10:9-10).

"And he commanded the chariot to stand still and they went DOWN BOTH INTO THE WATER, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him" (Acts 8:37-38).

 

The eunuch was saved, by his faith and obedience to God as he was baptized into Christ, (see Galatians 3:27), acquiring the saving blood of Christ and God's mercy. The eunuch went on his way "rejoicing" (Acts 8:39). We see the same pattern as Peter's preaching on Pentecost. Which church was the eunuch a member of Christ's church. Today when we see a group of believers following the "patterned teaching" on salvation we know it's Christ's church. We must be faithful to God's word to receive his promise of salvation.

SAUL OF TARSUS (APOSTLE PAUL)

We left Saul (or Paul) at the stoning of Stephen with Saul consenting unto his death (Acts 8:1). Saul had been persecuting Christians and was on his way to the city of Damascus to seize Christians and bring them bound to Jerusalem (Acts 9:1-2). Saul was very dedicated in what he was doing and acted in "good conscience" thinking he was "doing God service" (see I Timothy 1:13) and (Acts 23:1). He was still wrong and we can see that being sincere and thinking we are right does not always make us right with God. As Saul came near to Damascus, suddenly a "light from heaven" shined about him.

"And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him Saul, Saul why persecutest thou me?"

"And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am JESUS whom thou persecutest. It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. " (go against God's will) "And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? (here Saul or Paul becomes a believer) - And the Lord said unto him Arise and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou MUST DO" (Acts 9:4-6).

 

Notice the Lord Jesus didn't say, "believe on me and be saved," or "you are already saved." Jesus wanted Saul to hear the same saving words that Peter preached on Pentecost and Philip preached to the eunuch. The men with Saul led him (Saul being blind), into the city of Damascus. Saul was without sight 3 days and during that time prayed and fasted, neither eating nor drinking truly a sorrowful man (a repenting man) and yet unsaved, not "rejoicing" as the eunuch in our other story. The teacher Ananias, sent by God, told Saul what to do to be saved (Acts 9:8-13). The Bible says, "Saul arose and was baptized," thus completing his obedience and God saved him; and Saul began to preach Christ (Acts 9:18-20). Saul tells about his conversion to Christ and this is what Ananias, the teacher told Saul to do:

"And now why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized and WASH A WAY THY SINS, calling on the name of the Lord" (Acts 22:16).

"CORNELIUS" - FIRST GENTILE CONVERT

God worked a "Wondrous Work" at Pentecost on the apostles and was about to perform a special outpouring of his spirit on the household of Cornelius. Cornelius was a Gentile and the Jews-had no dealings with them. God had given the Old Covenant to the Jews only. Christ brought a New Covenant that would include "all nations." God performed a miracle bringing the "speaking of tongues" upon this group of Gentiles to show Peter and those present that God had included "all nations" in his message of salvation. This outpouring is not the same as the "indwelling spirit" given to all Christians (see Acts 2:37-38). Cornelius was a devout man who feared God, gave to the poor and prayed to God always, but not a Christian. He needed to hear the gospel, so God sent a teacher, the apostle Peter (Acts 10 & 11). When Peter saw the miracle of "tongues" poured out by God on Cornelius and his household, Peter said:

"Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost (Baptism of Tongues) as well as we?"

"And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord Then prayed they him to tarry certain days" (Acts 10:47-48).

 

Peter tells why this special gift of "tongues" was poured out on the household of Cornelius (Acts 11:18-18). The apostles could "lay their hands" upon others and pass the gift of tongues and miracles to others to help them in their ministry. The gift died with the death of the apostles and those upon whom they laid their hands. The purpose of miracles was to teach and confirm the word of God (Mark 16:17-18). We have the Bible today, the complete revealing of God's word and no need for confirmation.

Samaritans (Acts 8) - taught by Philip, who performed miracles to confirm his message. The Samaritans received the "laying on of hands" from the apostles and could speak in "tongues" (Acts 8:12-18).

Lydia - Paul taught Lydia, and the Lord "opened her heart" as she listened to the things spoken by Paul. There's the pattern: a teacher, a listener who believes, repents and is baptized (Acts 16:14-15). Did she confess?

The Jailer - Paul and Silas had been put in prison for teaching about Jesus. They taught the jailer about Jesus and his lost condition. The jailer asked, " Sirs, what must I do to be saved" (Acts 16:30). "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ" and be saved, they told him and took the jailer the same hour of the night and baptized him (Acts 16:31-33). The message was so urgent as to cause the jailer to leave the guarding of the prison.

Corinthians - "And many of the Corinthians hearing, believed, and were baptized." – the pattern (Acts 18:8).

Ephesians - Were baptized again, having known only the "baptism of John" (John the baptist) which was changed to include belief in the gospel after the death of Christ. Paul taught them (Acts 19:4-6) and they obeyed-God's pattern. If we have done anything different in our obedience of faith, we must be willing to change also.

1. Who was the first Christian martyr, dying for the cause of Christ? _______________ (Acts 7:54).

2. God tells us in the Bible that in the "last days" he would raise up a prophet. Moses said he would be "of your brethren" and "every soul which will not _______________ that prophet shall be __________________." This prophet was Jesus (Acts 3:23-26) (Deut. 18:15).

3. When the first Christian martyr was stoned to death, his clothes were laid at the feet of a young man whose name was______________ (Acts 7:55-58).

4. Who did God send to the Ethiopian eunuch to teach him the gospel and what to do to be saved? ______________ (Acts 8:26-28).

5. The preacher taught the eunuch about Jesus and upon his confession of faith they both went down into the water and the preacher _______________ the eunuch for the forgiveness of the eunuch’s sins, that very day (Acts 8:39).

6. The eunuch knew he had obeyed God and was forgiven of his sins and went on his way ______________ (Acts 8:39).

7. Who was the teacher that taught Saul of Tarsus what to do to be saved? _________________ (Acts 22:7-16).

8. Saul (or Paul) was told to "be _______________ and wash away thy sins" (Acts 22:16) as well as having faith in Jesus (Read also Acts 9:4-6).

9. Cornelius the first Gentile convert was also "_________________" to be baptized (Acts 10:47-48).

10. Paul and Silas taught the jailer telling him to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and took him the "___________ ____________" of the night and baptized him (Acts 16:31-33).

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