Acts 8: 12-13

(Acts 8: 12-13)

『But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.  Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done. 』

Deacon Philip went to Samaria, and he conveyed two things. It was about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. The kingdom of God is before the name of Jesus. He preached about the kingdom of God, and about the name of Jesus Christ. The order has never changed in the Bible, but usually only Jesus is preached in churches.

In Acts 28:23, “And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening. 』What the apostle Paul did first testify of the kingdom of God and recommend the work of Jesus with the Old Testament. 28:30-31 also says, ``And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him. 』Deacon Philipp or the apostle Paul said the same thing. Satan is very cunning, letting go of the front and conveying the latter.

How did they tell about the kingdom of God? In Mark 1:15, ``And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. 』Jesus did not preach 『I am the Christ』, but the kingdom of God. In the early days of the Gospels, Jesus said, "Do not tell anyone," when people knew that he was the Christ. And Jesus testified of the kingdom of God. In Acts 1:3, ``To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:''When Jesus was resurrected and ascended He delivered only one theme, the Kingdom of God, for 40 days.

In Acts 19:8, "And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds. The Jews were waiting for the Messiah to restore Israel, but Paul preached about the kingdom of God for three months. In Acts 18:27-28, we read "So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth. And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. 』

Apollos went to the Jewish synagogue and testified with the Old Testament that Jesus is the Christ. However, Paul first testified of the kingdom of God and then Jesus Christ, but Apollos knew only about Jesus with the Bible in the Ephesus church. So, for three months, Paul preached about the kingdom of God that Apollos had missed.

After Jesus was resurrected, he also taught only the kingdom of God for 40 days. Why did it? How can we testify of the kingdom of God in three months? If we can't tell the kingdom of God, Jesus cannot be king. The kingdom of God is where Jesus is the master. That way, Jesus becomes the Christ to us. Christ is the redeemer of human sins with the blood of Jesus. Most witnessing today testifies that Jesus is the Christ. But first we must preach the kingdom in which Jesus is the Lord.

In Acts 2:36, ``Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. 』Jesus' office is the Lord and the Christ. Most churches today preach only Jesus Christ. They are telling us that the blood of Jesus is forgiving our sins. But it becomes the Christ to us when Jesus becomes the Lord. It is repentance that Jesus becomes the Christ. However, they only emphasize the blood of Jesus. It is impossible. He has been in church all his life and is repeating that Jesus is the Christ. Jesus, not Jesus Christ, must be my Christ. For salvation, the kingdom of God comes only when Jesus is the Lord.

If we do not repent, it is not a joy for Jesus to be Lord, but a path to penance. It is compulsory to follow in order to be saved, and obeying itself is not a joy, but a law. This is the reality of many churches today. There is no other way than that, "Jesus, please be my Lord." In Acts 4:26, ``The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. 』The stock comes first. Jesus wants to be Lord.

In Acts 5:31, ``Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. 』The order has never changed. It is the kingdom of God that Jesus becomes king and lord. In the church, when Jesus becomes king, the kingdom of God comes. Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; 'We must always remember these three things.

 It is to repent, turn back (born again), and be without sin. If we say, ``If you believe in Jesus, you will be saved,'' we find something missing. Repentance is the transfer of the master from me to Jesus. Sovereignty is changing. To do so, I, who was sovereign, must die. This is regeneration. This is not to say that ignoring these things and shouting "If you believe in Jesus, you will be saved".

There is someone who thoroughly taught me that I am the owner of my life. He is the devil. So, I was the devil. There is a devil in this body. In John 8, verses 31-32, the Jews came to believe in Jesus, and Jesus said, "Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. 』

The truth is that Jesus must be the master. Then in verse 33, "They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?" I asked again.

So, Jesus said in verse 38, "I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. 』The Jews believed in God as their father, but Jesus said, "Your father is the devil." They are being deceived by the devil. They have lived by believing in God as their father, but in reality they have lived by believing in the devil. Any religious person who has not been born again can be said to be in this state. Differently in the church, one is worshiping with God and the other as the devil as the father.

In verse 44, Jesus said, ``Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 』I think that many people in the church believe only in the blood of Jesus without repenting and being born again of water and the Holy Spirit. Many people sit without even knowing the meaning of being born again with water and the Holy Spirit.


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