God's power (Quality: Good)

[0:00] the Acts of the Apostles chapter 8 part of verse 19 the Acts of the Apostles chapter 8 and the 19th verse give me also this power give me also this power we are living in a day where men are seeking power as indeed they always have done from the time of creation Satan that great powerful enemy of the Church of God how he attacked

[1:00] Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden with that which would so easily beset them to give them that power whereby they would know the difference between good and evil and be equal with God's and from then we can see the way in the Scriptures how men have strove to obtain great power we can see it with Goliath but how all those men who seek after such things and seek it in their own strength apart from the grace of God will be brought to naught now here we have before us this evening one who was a great man in the eyes of others he had gone before others he had gone from house to house and there were those that thought he was some great man and how many there are today in that same position but there was a certain man called Simon who before time in the same city used sorcery and bewitched the people of Samaria giving out that himself was some great one to whom they all gave heed from the least to the greatest saying this man is the great power of God we see this with a Pope we see this with the Archbishop of Canterbury we see it in our own denomination we need to be very very careful as we look upon others and where we can see this power which they have in the religious world today so prostituted so put to shame those very things which our forefathers have laid down their lives how they have suffered and how the truth is despised men don't want the truth today what they want is an easy religion we are living in that day where it was prophesied speak unto us smooth things for I hope that the Lord will ever keep me from deceiving the people in endeavouring to please the people may it be our chief concern to please the Lord and to lift up a precious Christ and wherever we see error all those things which are displeasing to the Lord may we have that power to obey the Lord and follow him well now you see this man had natural gifts and how he was given these gifts whereby he might deceive this is so on thought isn't it this man was given gifts and he was a deceiver

[4:05] Job tells us that the deceived and the deceiver are his he controls them he controls the lives of the deceived as well as the deceiver Satan is unable to do anything in his own strength but he's permitted by the Lord to do certain things he was in this particular case and satanic power is very evident in Simon here but the sad part about it and the solemn part about it is this he had some sort of religion he saw something in the way in which the apostles preached and as he saw it he desired it and therefore don't let us rest upon desires you may come to God's house you hear the

[5:06] Lord's servants preach you hear the Lord's people speak and they speak of the wonderful things which the Lord has done they speak of the Holy Spirit and the way in which the Holy Spirit works and within your heart you have a desire that you too might know these things but here we have a case where we have one that had a desire give me this power also but how wrong it was to seek such power in such a way and then not only that how he passed through the waters of baptism those of us who have passed through the waters of baptism how we need to be very very careful with regard to our desires and our power those things that we seek after are we doing these things in the fear of the Lord do we walk worthy of that profession that we have made this nature is still our nature it doesn't matter who we are it doesn't matter how favoured we may have been in the spirit it matters not what blessings we've had is still our nature and we still have this same prayer which Simon has given me this power how we see it in the churches today don't we men seeking power seeking to be on this committee and that committee and they are seeking it for their own power welfare for the most part it's a solemn thing when we come to consider that men are seeking high places in the church for their own power now this case before us is for our warning as well as our instruction and how he came and spoke to the disciples and asked give me also this power and how he offered them money for money for it

[7:16] I mean today they buy themselves positions in the churches for money and how we've known this and how we've seen it seeking great advancement by money or but how Peter aptly rebuked him by money perish with thee there has no part or lot in this matter what a dreadful condemnation for one who is seeking after the Holy Spirit to be told that he has no part or lot in this matter he had no spirit of prayer either he had no real repentance as he asked Peter to pray for him he couldn't pray for himself because he had no part or lot in this matter not even the part of prayer not even the part of repentance not even a part of sorrow or condemnation it's very solemn when we come to consider the position that this man was in but we want to pass on give me also this power how Philip was in a time of prosperity and this power of the

[8:37] Holy Spirit descended upon him and how he left that time of prosperity to go forth into the desert that place where there were no roads no sign no sign post one might say well of course he went blindly into that desert place they would if they knew nothing with regard to the power of almighty God they would if they knew nothing by experience of the Holy Spirit and the way in which the Holy Spirit leads and directs the people of God you and I will know nothing by way of redeeming love unless we too know something of that direction by the Holy Spirit and here we have the power of God demonstrated so very clearly in the way in which

[9:41] Philip was eager to follow the commands of his God he could leave that time of prosperity and he could go into a desert place for one soul it would be a great blessing if I came into this place the Lord sent me here for one soul one soul to be blessed one soul to have their eyes opened one soul to be brought into the liberty of the gospel one soul to be nourished and fed you see we're apt to think well of course the Lord's work is a great work there must be many follow great multitudes yes there's great multitudes that followed the Lord Jesus wasn't there but there was just one soul here and one soul there seeking the power of Christ seeking that healing power now you see the difference is this let's take for instance the woman with the issue of blood and also compare her case to

[10:50] Simon's now Simon was seeking after this power for his own providential benefit for this world he had a great following and he was thought so much of by those around him they even thought he was the great power of God but now when Christ came into the midst of these people and as their eyes were opened as they were led by that same Holy Spirit to know the Lord Jesus so Simon he was disregarded and how painful that was to his pride how painful that was not only with regard to his pride and his conceit but also his financial gain I expect as well and therefore he sought this power of the Holy Spirit for his own ends not for his own soul it was for this life now the woman for the issue of blood she sought the power of God what for oh you say more or less the same thing she was after being healed she wanted something for this world as well ah but her spirit was so different she had a living faith

[12:15] Simon had no faith at all the woman with the issue of blood although of course she did seek something for her own welfare and for her own benefit but the Lord first of all had brought her into that place of need and the Lord had put that power within her that nothing would stop her and we say that without reservation nothing would stop her until she was able to touch the Lord Jesus the Lord had given her that power the Lord had given her that faith and she would not rest because that was the way the Lord had designed in his foreknowledge of that woman to cure her of her malady but what power she had there she was the very life's blood running from her for many years weak more or less helpless a woman and how she pressed through that multitude touched the hemorrhage garment and the healing virtue flowed forth is there a soul here tonight seeking that power as it were to be able to touch a precious

[13:29] Christ is this something that you want within the Lord who gave that woman that faith will give you that same power when themselves as weak as worms but when under the influence of almighty God when power is given from on high what a difference it makes look at poor little David I say poor little David because he was he was a stripling wasn't he but look how he went up to Goliath oh that was the power of God wasn't it manifested to a weakling as he was able under the influence of faith to go forth and fight Goliath give me also this power now what are we seeking after are we really seeking after the power of God or are we seeking to be somebody in this life or even in the church in this religious world our nature is to seek after natural power but the spirit of Christ will cause us to seek after something more important than anything this earth can give and that is the power of the holy spirit to redeem our souls and bring us at last to glory now this is why the

[14:54] Lord works within the heart of sinners to bring them to glory not to show his power as it were to obtain his own satisfaction but it's in love to the church of God and when we come and when we are led to see the way in which the Holy Spirit does call one and the other then we stand amazed at his goodness and his mercy we see his power and then before we leave that part of the subject how this nation has seen the power of God in the past in the reformation the power of God how we've seen it in the last war the power of God on behalf of this nation but how we and after all we are human but as we see those things which are taking place and being legalized in this land today and as we see these awful things which are taking place yet where is the church of

[15:58] God they remain more less silent where are those who seek the power of the Holy Spirit that Britain and the church of God may be brought to their knees with a very solemn position not only as individuals but in the churches and also in the land hope that the Lord would stir us up and pull us with his almighty power out of that Laodicean spirit where we're neither hot and neither cold well well then how then Philip was led by the same spirit into the wilderness there was the eunuch coming away from Jerusalem having worshipped and there he was he had the prophecy of Isaiah he was a man who was honest he had a very high position in this life perhaps the very opposite we know not with regard to

[17:07] Simon he was anyway in the eyes of men but the fact remains he had been to worship but he seemed to know so little with regard to worship but he was a chosen vessel of mercy and the Lord knew that that man was in that chariot and how he sent his servant to the very spot now can't you see the work of the Holy Spirit in guiding these two that they would meet at that exact time at the exact place and that the eunuch would be reading the exact portion of God's word and how he was reading Isaiah the prophet reading with regard to Jesus not only did the Lord lead Philip but he gave him a word to preach from he began at the same scripture the very same scripture he preached unto him Jesus how sweet the name of Jesus sounds in a believer's ear it soothes his sorrows heals his wounds and drives away his fear and has behold a man of

[18:25] Ethiopia eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians who had the charge of all her treasure and had come to Jerusalem for to worship was returning and sitting in his chariot read Isaiah the prophet now this man of great authority was sitting in his chariot Philip a complete stranger joins him and asked him understand this what they'll read is what would the natural reaction be to this if you were reading the scriptures and somebody came up and said to you understand this what they'll read is what would be your reaction especially a complete stranger he says how can I one thing the Holy Spirit will teach us is this our lack of understanding doesn't matter how favored you are what position you hold in this life you cannot understand the ways of God and you never will understand the ways of God until they're revealed to you and it was by revelation that Philip went and it was by revelation that the eunuch was able to say how can

[19:47] I now you may not be able to understand God's ways with you you may not be able to understand God's word but the Lord has means he has a way whereby however complex however difficult however trying your case may be the Lord has a way and means of conveying to you his purposes and also fulfilling them now the purposes of God must be fulfilled nothing can alter them you and I will have to stand before this God we should have to stand before him in the day of judgment nothing can alter it men will try and overthrow it men today with their power with their knowledge are seeking to prove that there's no heaven they don't seem so worried about hell do they they want to go into space they want to penetrate into those places where

[20:49] God has forbidden them but how they're very limited what do they know would regard to the ways of God but passing how we would leave that but the power of God is such that whatever case yours may be however singular however difficult this God is able to deal with it this applies to young friends as well this God is able to deal with it now the point is this will he will he deal with it now that's your concern isn't it if you're rightly led to the Holy Spirit you may be brought to this and say well of course I know this God can do it but will he well the only way in which you can know the only way in which you can rightly know this is for God to prove it to you and God proves it we see it in the case not only of

[21:54] David and Goliath we see it with regard to those three in the fiery furnace we see it with regard to Daniel in the lion's den we see it with that woman we've just spoken of with the issue of blood we see it with the mad galoree that the purposes of God must and shall be fulfilled in the most unlikely characters and also the most unlikely way now in our understanding of course we expect the Lord to come some particular way either to take the trial away deliver us but speaking from my own experience the Lord has never come yet in the way that I expected him to any more than he did come upon this earth in the way that he was expected to come as a king our hymn writer quite rightly says God moves in a mysterious way his wonders to perform and it is a mysterious way and here was his mystery there's a great mystery here the way in which the Lord works one was condemned and the other was brought to know

[23:03] Jesus what a difference to be condemned to have no part or lot in this matter and the other one was led by the Holy Spirit to know Jesus what a wonderful provision the Lord had made for him as Philip went he came and how the Spirit said to Philip join thyself to this chariot join thyself to this chariot no other chariot that was the one that was the appointed place that was the appointed time where Philip had to preach Jesus to one soul we're favoured tonight aren't we with this little company but how the Lord has promised we're one we're two or three are gathered together in his name but there was this one soul there were others there of course I know but it was one soul he went there for and as he the Spirit said unto

[24:04] Philip go near and join thyself to this chariot and Philip ran he didn't waste any time with regard to the way in which the Lord led him he ran and as he ran thither to him he was reading aloud he was reading to those around he wasn't afraid of his religion like so many are today he was reading to those in the chariot God's word how that we might set an example to others around us not to be ashamed to read God's word not to be ashamed of that God who has done so much for us ashamed of Jesus that dear friend on whom our hope of heaven depends as he said in the chariot he read and how Philip heard him and what a confirmation it was to Philip too as the spirit led him to hear him speaking from Isaiah the prophet and then Philip put the question to him understand is what thou read is and he said how can I accept some man should guide me and he desired

[25:12] Philip that he would come up and sit with him the place of the scripture that he read was this he was led remarkable isn't it he was led speaking in regard to Christ he was led now if we are true followers of the Lord Jesus we too shall be led my sheep hear my voice and they know me and as Philip was led the unit was led and all the Lord's people are led it's nothing remarkable although it is remarkable to us in the eyes of God these are the purposes of God all God's ways are remarkable when we have our understanding enlightened creation is remarkable our bodies are remarkable but is there anything more remarkable than the gospel for sinners we could have understood it had it been for saints but it's remarkable the gospel for sinners and he was led as a sheep to the slaughter and like a lamb done before his shearers so he opened not his mouth you see he preached the gospel in this respect he spoke with regard to the sufferings of

[26:39] Christ the purpose of Christ's sufferings the purpose of Christ's sufferings were not for all and sundry they were for a peculiar people and also there was a purpose for his sufferings those sufferings were for the church of God and because of their sin not because of their righteousness not because of their goodness but for their sin that's what the suffering and surprise were all about and it was the work of redemption it was to redeem them from their sin and he spoke with regard to Christ his death because he was led like a lamb to the slaughter he spoke of his death and then as he went on and spoke with regard to the gospel he spoke of his resurrection he didn't preach a dead Christ he spoke a living gospel to a living soul and he spoke with regard to the resurrection of Christ he explained to him simply the way of salvation he opened his mouth and he began at the same scripture now in his humiliation his judgment was taken away and who shall declare his generation for his life is taken from the earth the eunuch answered

[28:10] Philip said I pray thee of whom speaketh the prophet this of himself or of some other man then Philip opened his mouth and began at the same scripture and preached unto him Jesus and then as he spoke of his death and his resurrection he spoke with regard to baptism he spoke of the way in which the Lord Jesus was baptized and how it was honored by his father and how the dove descended upon him the type of the Holy Spirit and here you see the Holy Spirit was conveyed to those who believed and he said this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased God the father was well pleased with his son why because God the father had the same interest in the church as God the son and also as

[29:10] God the Holy Spirit that triune God had exactly the same interest in each case God the father God the son and God the Holy Spirit they all had part in the work of redemption and it is the Holy Spirit his work to convince the world of sin that is those the church of God in the world of their sin of righteousness and judgment and so it is the work of the Holy Spirit to bring sinners into the knowledge the Holy Spirit has a very important part to play with regard to the way of salvation and then he spoke with regard to the way that this was typified in baptism now how man today belittles baptism and how it's done in such a way with regard to sprinkling just a little water would a little precious blood take away your sin would a sprinkling of water take away your sin and cleanse you from all your filthiness what did

[30:25] Peter say when the Lord washed his feet not my feet only but my whole body that's how the sinner feels isn't he he wants washing from head to foot he's filthy he's a sinner and he needs this work of the Lord Jesus he needs the washing he needs the regenerating power of Christ within his soul and so he spoke with regard to his death his burial his resurrection and then baptism there's no such thing as sprinkling in baptism we couldn't have anything clearer than in this particular portion of God's word of the mode of baptism they went down into the water they came up out of the water there's no question about that God's word is very clear on that and then of course we read in the epistle buried with him in baptism so it represents not only

[31:29] Christ's sufferings not only his death and his burial but his resurrection and as one follows the Lord as they're led by the Holy Spirit into these things they need as it were this power to open up their eyes and their understanding into the knowledge of what baptism really means it's not just something which will by being baptised how man today when a youngster is born the first thing he'll do that child's ill must be baptised as if there's some healing virtue in the act of baptism there's not and there are those who expect great things with regard to baptism very few experience it but there is this following the Lord and as he spoke with regard to this how baptism typifies the death the burial of the sinner and rising at the resurrection to glory with Christ being a follower of Christ now what a difference there is then with regard to the sprinkling of being immersed that immersion it represents being immersed in the love of

[32:55] Christ I believe it was here some time ago we spoke with regard to one Lord one faith one baptism water baptism if it's not done according to the working of the Holy Spirit within the soul is of no value whatever but to know something of being baptized by the Holy Spirit to be immersed in the love of Christ to be immersed as it were by the Holy Spirit into the sufferings of Christ to have our mind our whole person as it were taken up with these things to understand baptism the right and then to be led humbly now you see give me this power to become humble give me this power whereby I might also follow the Lord have the Holy Spirit the teaching of the Holy

[33:57] Spirit do you realize what it is to have the Holy Spirit in your life controlling your life hedging up your pathway bringing you into a way that you would never go teaching you by the Holy Spirit the value of God's word giving you a love to the Lord and his people and to his ways giving you that faith whereby you can stand firm for those things which the Lord has taught you and led you into and as you're brought into this faith this exercise of faith there have been many hindrances now no doubt as Philip preached the eunuch the eunuch and it was no mere thing that this eunuch by nature was black he was an Ethiopian their skin is black but he was comely but as they went on their way they came to a certain water not only was the chariot in the right place not only was

[35:11] Philip in the right place not only was the scripture in the right place but the water was in the right place and Philip you know he didn't say well now look here's the water you ought to be baptised there's a lot of this done today where men say well of course you should you should follow the Lord but if it's not of the prompting of the Holy Spirit it's all wrong but how you see the eunuch as he saw this having been had his heart opened with love of the Lord as the gospel was delivered to him as they went on their way they came unto a certain water this was no ordinary water it was certain it was certainly placed there by the Lord we want to remember that it was certainly placed there by the Lord and it was in a certain place and it was a certain time and the eunuch said see here is water what hath you to me to be baptised will give me also this power all hindrances had been removed all the hindrances which had been put in his way had all been removed what does hinder me and

[36:43] Philip said if thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest and he asked and said I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God that was his testimony no more and no less I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God but to believe by the work of the Holy Spirit to believe by experience to believe a right I believe do you believe do you believe in God do you believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God has the Holy Spirit revealed it to you have you sought the Lord for this power whereby the Lord would open your blind eyes and lead you as he led his people through the wilderness as he leads his servants through the desert places as he leads one soul through the desert and as they united and then as he baptized him and there's a beauty in this when they come up out of the water the

[37:48] Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip why to stop him glorying to stop the eunuch glorying in man now what instruction there is in this chapter how man would be glorified and how man would if left to himself take the crown the precious crown off the Lord's head but man God will not have it you see man's power today but how Philip under the work of the Holy Spirit how he was taken away the eunuch never saw him again if you're led by the Holy Spirit to see Christ it'll be Christ in your religion it won't be that you heard this man or that man or that you got on well but it will be what God has done how God has spoken to you how God has appeared for you how God has opened your eyes you'll give him the glory today you see it's fashionable to give men the glory how often we hear it

[38:53] I'm going to hear Mr. so and so they don't go to hear the gospel they go to hear the man and as they go to hear the man they come away having heard the man but that soul who is led by the Holy Spirit that's got a case he'll come to the Lord he won't come to hear the man he'll come to hear the gospel he'll come to hear what Jesus will say and he will speak peace under his people all you who know the Lord you who know the working of the Holy Spirit surely you know what it is to go to the house of God begging you way and we heard a man say once with regard to one of the Lord's servants who was rather a rough diamond and he said you know if you're a hungry man you won't mind eating off a cracked plate now you see that cracked plate only conveys the food doesn't it that's all the Lord's servants do they are instruments in the Lord's hands the

[39:54] Lord can use any instrument that he likes but it's the work of the Holy Spirit it's not the instrument it's the food that's on the plate it's the gospel it is the word of God coming home to your soul and you can feed upon it give me also this power someone here tonight in a street someone in need ask the Lord to give you this power is it for your soul is it for your spiritual welfare is it to bear some trial is it to bear some reproach is it because of the lack of your faith give me also this power is the motive and therefore we need to examine our motives the motive of Philip was to obey his God to obey his master the motive of the unit was to know the way of salvation the motive of Simon was to fill his purse wasn't it for his own earthly gain for his own earthly knowledge or knowledge of all terrestrial things near to my soul true pleasure brings what a pleasure it is when you can see clearly just as clearly as the eunuch did the way in which the Lord has so worked within your life as he's opened up to you the knowledge of Christ the way of salvation and as you felt yourself the blackest sinner that ever walked upon this earth and yet to be humbled because all those who you read every case where the

[41:42] Lord Jesus came to those upon earth how they were all humbled Zacchaeus come down come down and we've all got to be brought down before we can have any benefit from the Lord Jesus the Lord I don't know what Zacchaeus had in mind he wanted to see the Lord Jesus but he went the wrong way about it but the Lord knew that he was one of his come down and as we are brought down and the Lord knows the best way to bring us down doesn't he it is thus our pride and self must fall that Jesus may be all in all and give me also this power is this the power of God that you want is this what you want to know or do you want a religion a name to live and yet are dead I'm sure of this that if the Holy Ghost has worked within your soul when faith is in exercise and remember that when faith is in exercise you'll find it's not very often that you're given that strong faith but what it is men and devils won't stand in your way they'll be that what's a thing to me and when it comes to the Lord's work the Lord's servants are sent into some strange places and they have to do some strange things they have to preach a strange gospel because it's a strange gospel to the Pharisee it's a strange gospel to those who are righteous in their own eyes it's a blessed gospel for sinners and those who are black but comely we must leave it may the Lord have his blessing

[43:29] Amen amen