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10/27/2020 Acts 9:1-31 Paul's Amazing Tranformation to the Christian faith(and How Ours may be different) ~ Chad HammondRead Now
Five truths from the scripture:
1. Nothing we can do to deserve God's grace 2. Jesus is always near. 3. We need other people to help us in our journey 4. We are saved for a purpose. 5. Jesus transforms us. It may be a sudden tranformation like Paul, or more commonly, a transformation of incremental changes.
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(The correct orientation comes a few moments into the live stream)
As difficult as last week’s message was about Simon the Sorcerer, the contrast could not be more stark with this week’s story of the Ethiopian Eunuch. Dennis Shaw wrote a note in response to the sermon that he has always seen Simon as a complete egomaniac, wanting the attention… Yet the Bible says Simon believed and was baptized. He is so unlikable it makes us wonder if he’s sincere… contrast that with the Ethiopian Eunuch.
a self centered egostical showman in Simon vs. the ultimate servant in the Ethiopian Eunuch. As a eunuch it means he’s been castrated; in those days Kings would often use Eunuch’s to be in charge of their harem or wives ~ (The Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts ~~ EE ~~ is in charge of the treasury under Queen Candace of Ethiopia. I read that in Ethiopia, the King was revered as the child of the sun. He was so holy, his mother served in his place, “Queen Candace” is not actually a name, but means Queen mother… it was common in the ancient world for servants of the court to be eunuchs (it still happens)….
The story of Simon the Sorcerer is disturbing. / liberating. You might hate it, / love it. Simon the sorcerer (Magus, magician, witchcraft, etc) is disturbing because he is converted to faith without letting go of his past. Simon’s story is similar to the story of the mass baptism of the Crusader soldiers. As they went down into the water of baptism signifying their commitment to Jesus Christ, they raised their fighting hand with sword drawn high not ready to commit all to Christ. As we seek to unlock the mystery of this story do so with humility asking the Lord to learn from the example of Simon the Sorcerer striving for Christian maturity.
I love the story ~ it gives me hope for my own salvation in that I am still a sinner; Jesus loves me so much he [puts up] with my sins while challenging me to [mature]. |
 
Carl Crouse, Pastor
At SACC we believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God. Every Sunday the worship service includes a message from the Bible. My words are an attempt to understand and apply the Bible to our daily living. I post weekly sermons and other biblical messages on this page. May you find meaning and hope as you read through each message and seek to hear God's voice. Leave a comment to ask questions or inspire others with your insights. Categories
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