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the Evangelist

Acts 8:5&6
"5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.
6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did."

Stephen, the first martyr, was killed by the Jewish leadership. Stephen went to be with our Lord and Savior. Devout Christians mourned him and have been mourning martyrs ever since. (Nearly 5 thousand last year alone.)

The silver lining to this very dark cloud, persecution motivated Christians to leave their homes and go "abroad." This helped spread the Gospel message. Today's verses are our first example, "Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did." The man mentioned here is Philip the Evangelist. He was one of the Seven chosen to care for the poor of the Christian community in Jerusalem (Acts 6). He would have been a peer of Stephen's. He would have been deeply moved by Stephen's murder. Philip became known for his energetic preaching, performing miracles and baptizing hundreds, if not thousands of people! He was motivated and filled with the Holy Ghost.

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