Sunday Recap - Sunday 9 August - ANOINTED

August 9th, 2026
by Ps Jonny Kettle

Anointed - Acts Chapter 8

Message Overview:

As we continue our Anointed series through the Book of Acts, we encounter Philip, a faithful follower of Jesus who demonstrates what it means to trust God in difficult circumstances. Following Stephen’s martyrdom, a wave of persecution scatters believers from Jerusalem. What appears to be a setback for the church becomes an opportunity for God’s Kingdom to expand.

Rather than being paralysed by fear or discouraged by suffering, Philip remains faithful to God’s mission. He takes the Gospel to Samaria, a region historically divided from the Jewish people, and sees God move powerfully through signs, miracles, healing, and salvation. Through Philip’s example we see that the anointed life is not dependent on favourable circumstances but on trusting God’s Word, remaining faithful to His mission, relying on the Holy Spirit, and fully surrendering to Jesus.

Even in moments when we ask, “God, what are You doing?”, we can trust that He is working out His purposes. God continues to call His people to bring His presence wherever they go, build bridges rather than walls, and extend the invitation of the Gospel to all people.

Key Points
1. Trust God even when the circumstances don’t make sense
Philip faced persecution, displacement, and uncertainty, yet he trusted that God was still faithful to His promises. The anointed life stands on God’s Word regardless of what is happening around us.

2. Stay faithful to God’s mission in every season
Despite hardship, Philip continued preaching Christ. He understood that God’s mission did not stop because circumstances became difficult. Wherever God placed him, he remained committed to sharing the Gospel and making disciples.

3. Rely on the power of the Holy Spirit
Philip’s ministry was marked by healing, deliverance, and transformation because he depended on the Holy Spirit. God’s power broke through spiritual darkness and brought freedom, resulting in great joy throughout the city.

4. Surrender completely to Jesus
The contrast between Philip and Simon the Sorcerer reminds us that our motives matter. Simon sought personal gain and influence, while Philip sought God’s glory. The anointed life comes through surrender, not self-promotion.

Reflection Questions
1.Is there an area of your life where you are struggling to trust God because your circumstances don’t make sense?

2.How can you remain faithful to God’s mission in your current season, regardless of your challenges?

3.In what ways do you need to rely more fully on the power and leading of the Holy Spirit?

4.Are there any prejudices, barriers, or attitudes that might be preventing you from extending God’s love and invitation to others?

This Week’s Challenge
Ask God to show you one person with whom you can intentionally share His love this week. Pray for an opportunity to be a bridge-builder, carrying the presence of Christ wherever you go.

Key Scriptures:

Acts 8:1-8
On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2 Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 3 But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison. Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. 5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. 6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city.

John 16:1-5
All this I have told you so that you will not fall away. 2 They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God. 3 They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. 4 I have told you this, so that when their time comes you will remember that I warned you about them. I did not tell you this from the beginning because I was with you, 5 but now I am going to him who sent me.

Acts 8:5
Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there

Luke 9:51-56
As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; 53 but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. 54 When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them[a]?” 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them. 56 Then he and his disciples went to another village.

Acts 1:8
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Acts 8:6-8
When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city.

Acts 8:14-17
14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. 15 When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

Acts 8:9-13
Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, 10 and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is rightly called the Great Power of God.” 11 They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his sorcery. 12 But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13 Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.

Acts 8:18-19
When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money 19 and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 8:20-23
Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! 21 You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God.22 Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. 23 For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”

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Sunday Service

Group Reflection Questions:

What do you feel God saying to you?
What can you do about it?
What is an actionable plan you can put in place to help yourself respond to God?
Who can keep you accountable?