Caesarea

When they came up out of the brook, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip suddenly away, and the Chamberlain saw him no more, for he proceeded on his way rejoicing.

Philip, however, was found at Azotus, and traveling through all the towns, he evangelized until he arrived at Caesarea.

CHAPTER NINE meanwhile saul still breathing threatenings and murder against the disciples of the lord applying to the high priest demanded from him letters addressed to the synagogues of damascus ordering that if any should be found of the way whether men or women he should bring them under arrest to jerusalem But while he traveled, arriving near to Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly flashed around him, and falling upon the ground, he heard a voice asking him, "'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?' And he replied, "'Who are you, sir?' "'I am Jesus whom you persecute,' was the response.

"'But rise up and go into the town, and it shall be told you what you must do.' The men accompanying him, however, were stunned, hearing the voice indeed, but seeing no one.

And it became known through the whole of Joppa, and many believed on the Lord.

He afterwards remained in Joppa for a considerable time with Simon, a tanner.

Chapter 10 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a captain of the detachment called the Italian, who was pious and God-fearing with all his household, giving many gifts to many people, and in all things seeking God.

He saw distinctly in a vision about three o'clock in the afternoon an angel of God coming towards him and addressing him, cornelius gazing at him earnestly and becoming terrified he asked what is it sir your prayers and your acts of charity have ascended as a memorial to the presence of god was the reply so now send men to joppa and bring back simon who is surnamed peter he lodges with simon a tanner whose house is by the seaside accordingly as soon as the angel who had spoken to him had taken his departure he summoned two of the domestics as well as a pious soldier from among his officers and having explained everything to them he despatched them to joppa now on the following day while they were travelling and approaching the town peter ascended the balcony for prayer about noon and he became very hungry and longed to taste something while they were preparing however he fell into an ecstatic reverie and he saw the sky open and something descending from it resembling a large sheet supported at the four corners and lowered to the ground in which were all kinds of quadrupeds reptiles and birds of the sky and a voice came to him arise peter sacrifice and eat by no means sir replied peter for i have never eaten anything vile and unclean a voice addressed him a second time What God has purified, never treat as defiled.

And when we had finished our voyage from Tyre, we came to Ptolemy, greeted the brethren and stayed with them one day.

On the next day, we who were Paul's companions departed and came to Caesarea and entered the house of Philip the Evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.

Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.

And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.

Acts 8:40: "But Philip found himself at Azotus.

And as he passed through, he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea." So here's what's amazing.

The next time we're gonna read about Philip in Acts 21, we're gonna see him in Caesarea.

So it seems that Philip, when he comes to this area, comes to the city, he plants his roots there.

He establishes a home.

He raises a family.

Caesarea becomes home for him.

But Caesarea should stop us in our tracks as we read it here.