How to Be an Effective Witness

Sometime ago there was a movie that chronicled the early developments of the space program as we know it today. This film showed the strenuous training and planning it took to put a man on the moon, for man to orbit the earth, and to attempt the first space walk. In the midst of this program there were several astronauts competing for a place and opportunity to make history. As they trained, they were challenged to prove who had, “The Right Stuff.” Who had the right stuff to represent the country in its expedition, its mission to accomplish this duty?

I submit to you today that in order for us believers to accomplish the duty and mission, God has placed before us; in order for us to be effective witnesses we must possess the right stuff. Let the truth be known today that God has given us each the right stuff. He has equipped us with all we need to spread and share the gospel with others.

In perusing, examining and inspecting this passage I could not help but notice through the example of Phillip what it takes in order to be an effective witness.

The text compels us to…

I. Be Sensitive to the Direction of the Spirit (vs26)

Acts 8:26 ESV

Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place.

Acts 8:26

A. It means to be responsive to the will of God, be cognizant of his will not our own.

B. Go where God says go, He doesn’t always send you where you want to go.

C. Sometimes He’ll send you down.

D. Sometimes He’ll place you before strange people.

E. "Jesus . . . wants us to see that the neighbor next door or the people sitting next to us on a plane or in a classroom, or at our jobs are not interruptions to our schedule. They are there by divine appointment. Jesus wants us to see their needs, their loneliness, their longings, and he wants to give us the courage to reach out to them"

II. Be Swift to the Demands of the Spirit (vs29)

Acts 8:29 ESV

And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.”

Acts 8:29

A. This is not so much command as it is supply for the demand.

B. Our job is to teach Christ, with a sense of urgency (Live Christ, Talk Christ, Walk Christ) we ought to be running to tell everybody.

C. I mean it ought to be the first thing on your list. After saying thank you Jesus, the next thing on your list of things to do should be to direct somebody to Christ. Be swift to give understanding to those who just don't get it.

D. The problem with many of us is we have become too busy to witness, "It used to be that Christianity was a revolutionary faith that turned the world upside down.

But today Christians sit in Sunday morning church services looking at their watches, wondering what time dinner will be served, or thinking about the kickoff. And we hope that church won’t interfere with the things we would really rather be doing."

III. Be Steadfast to the Desires of the Spirit (vs36)

Acts 8:36 ESV

And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?”

A. Have some conviction, Paul Little in his book "How to Give Away Your Faith" defines witnessing:

"Witnessing is that deep-seated conviction that the greatest favor I can do for others is to introduce them to Jesus Christ."

B. This is to say that nothing should move us from the goal of salvation for all we come in contact with.

C. Nurture the new convert

D. Nothing should impair us, don’t give up, don’t give in, hold on.

It’s going to get hard but be strong, you going to get weary but be faithful, be patient.

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