Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Text: Acts 8:26-9:19

Who begins there life saying, “I want my life to be totally unremarkable, commonplace.”?

Illustration: When my kids grow up I want them to be totally unremarkable and unexceptional.

I want them to be totally un-noteworthy, commonplace, mediocre.

This sounds crazy doesn’t it?

Especially in our culture.

When it comes to God, our notions of value and success have to be totally re-evaluated.

More recently, parents seem to be increasingly anxious that there just isn’t going to be enough — enough room at good colleges or graduate schools or the top companies — for even the straight-A, piano-playing quarterback, and we end up convinced that being average will doom our children to a life that will fall far short of what we want for them.

As Brené Brown ... said, “In this world, an ordinary life has become synonymous with a meaningless life.”

(Alina Tugen, Redefining Success and Celebrating the Ordinary)

So when a High School teacher from Mass.

told a graduating class in his commencement speach, “You are not Special.

If everyone is special, then no one is special”, people freaked out online.

When it comes to God, we need to seriously reconsider and redefine what a successful life, a successful church looks like.

Why?

In the ministry of Philip and the conversion of Saul we see that …

Main Idea: God can use anybody, to go anywhere, to save anyone.

God Can Use Anybody

Philip—not Phillip the disciple/Apostle we know from the Gospels

Philip was on the seven deacons appointed to serve widows in .

Unlike Stephen, Philip is a pretty unremarkable guy.

We are not told that there is anything special about him.

We’re simply told he goes to Samaria and preaches the gospel, then goes to a desert road to convert an Ethiopian.

There’s nothing before this and very little after this (other than where he ends ups settling down)

This is why we don’t hear many sermons about this Philip.

He’s not exciting.

He’s not exceptional.

Christianity is all about the concept of world-changing impact right now.

It’s a trend.

Every speaker, every author, every pastor wants you to be a world-changer for Jesus.

It’s what I call the “if only” theory.

If only you loved the way God loved, you’d have revolutionized your entire neighborhood and your workplace by now.

If only you had the faith that God asks of you, then you’d go do that Big Awesome Thing that you said you never had the time strength or energy to do.

If only you took off your spiritual blinders, miracles of all sorts would be happening up and down the street every time you reached out in the name of Christ.

You are called, everyone says, to great things.

Big things.

Huge things.

Life-changing, earth-shattering, paradigm-shifting amazing things.

All in the name of the Savior Jesus Christ.

(L.

Philips)

But with Philip we see that this isn’t true.

God uses ordinary, unexceptional people.

What then about Paul?

Everyone knows his story.

Paul was certainly extraordinary.

His story is exciting.

(I’ve always wanted Mel Gibson or someone to make an epic movie of his life—ship wrecks, imprisonments, miracles, martyrdom).

But is this why God called Paul and converted him?

No!

Paul tell us why: ,

God chose Paul in order to show his glory through his brokenness.

What we see in Paul is that God uses broken, messed up people in exceptional ways for his glory.

God can the worst, most messed up people—in fact if you survey the Bible you will see that is the most common type of person God uses.

So we see that God can use anybody, not matter how unremarkable or how messed up.

To Go Anywhere

God called Philip to the desert road.

He did not tell himWe are if he would meet anyone there or if anything special would happen.

"The most strategic place you can be is the very place where God calls you."

Eric Alexander.

God was calling Philip to the desert, and he went.

If God calls you to the desert, will you go?

Will you follow God's will even if it means the dark valley or desert road?

To Save Anyone

So let’s take a look at this part of Acts from the perspective of the early Jewish Christians.

We need to see the truly remarkable nature of these two conversions.

So Philip is called to this desert road.

And there happens to be a Ethiopian eunch, a court official of Queen Candace.

First of all, this Ethiopian is Ethiopian.

A foreigner.

Secondly, he’s a eunuch—which meant he would have been barred from participation in Jewish worship rites.

He’s traveling to go worship but he will not be included.

Then there’s Paul.

Yes he is a Jew, but he is seeking to kill and imprison Christians and destroy the church.

So both of these men are perfect examples that no-one is too far outside, too far gone for the grace and love God.

Conclusion

Illustration: Jesus saves the demoniac at Gerasenes ()

Jesus was willing to go to the worst places to save the worst off.

Jesus was willing to go to the worst places to save the worst off.

But this is the story of Jesus.

God sending his Son to the worst place to save the worst off—us.

There is nowhere too far, too remote that God does call us to take the gospel

oint 1: there is nowhere too far, too remote that God does call us to take the gospel

There is no-one too far gone, too resistant that God doesn't call us to take the gospel

• Point 2: There is no-one too far gone, too resistant that God doesn't call us to take the gospel

Are you not exceptional enough to be used by God? Are you not good enough or worthy enough?

Are you too far gone for the love of Jesus?

Are you willing to go where God would call you?

Maybe that’s means to continue on in your mundane life being faithful?

Maybe it means heading to the desert?