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ME: Intro
In preparing this morning’s sermon I came across this account of a guy named Skylar.
Skylar was sitting in a crowded coffee shop working one day,
When a guy asked if he could share Skylar’s table.
Skylar made room for the man to sit and work alongside one another.
Naturally, as the two were working, they were talking.
The man began opening up about some stress he was presently experiencing.
Instead of just offering sympathy,
Skylar shared about a time God provided for him when he was experiencing stress in his life.
Then he simply asked the man,
“What do you think about Jesus?”
The man responded,
“I am not against Jesus, I just don’t know much about Him.”
“Even though I grew up Catholic, I have never really read the Bible.”
Skylar followed up by asking,
“Based on what you do know, what do you think?”
The man responded by saying,
“Well the last time I remember opening a Bible,
It just opened up to Psalm 18.”
Skylar said, “Let’s check out what that psalm says.”
He opened his Bible and scanned through the themes of judgment and salvation in the psalm.
Then, he asked the man if he knew the story of the Bible.
The man said no,
So, Skylar went on to explain how Jesus was judged in place of sinful humanity to give us salvation.
A few minutes after Skylar shared the gospel message with this man.
The man simply said,
“Wow…I believe it.”
He followed up with Skylar trusting in Jesus as His Lord and Savior.
The two eventually went their separate ways that day.
The man said, he would go home and read the whole Bible.
So, Skylar arranged to meet with the man for the next several months to read the Gospel of Mark together.
I share this story because Skylar did not go to the coffee shop that day to evangelize.
The man did not go to the coffee shop that day to be taught the gospel.
God providentially guided this meeting.
Skylar summarized this meeting as “the easiest gospel conversation he ever had with anyone!”
Because God arranged for this divine appointment,
And led Skylar to guide this man to the gospel.
Divine appointments like this may be waiting for each one of us as we go throughout our days.
So, we should be on the lookout for them.
When we are at the coffee shop or the grocery store,
We should be prepared for evangelistic opportunities.
God offers salvation to the world through ordinary conversations that display the glory of His grace.
That is how we became Christians.
Because someone guided us to the gospel.
So, we must live with a sensitivity to Go with God’s guidance.
In Acts 8:26-40, we see an example of this.
God’s saving grace is at work among the nations,
As God guides Philip to guide an Ethiopian man using God’s Word into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.
Slide (Stott)
John Stott introduces the goodness of this passage this way:
“God has given us two gifts, first the Scriptures and secondly teachers to open up, explain, expound and apply the Scriptures.
It is wonderful to note God’s providence in the Ethiopian’s life, first enabling him to obtain a copy of the Isaiah scroll and then sending Philip to teach him out of it.”
God’s grace leads us to repentance.
In His grace, He provides His Word and guides for His Word.
In this passage, we also begin to see an increased involvement of the Spirit,
As God’s offer of salvation continues to spread globally.
The church has already begun advancing across ethnic and social borders when Philip evangelized the Samaritans.
In this passage, the gospel reaches even farther by saving an Ethiopian.
God does this by guiding Philip to this man.
Philip embodies God’s mission.
After scattering in response to persecution,
And teaching the gospel to Samaritans,
Philip continues to obey God’s guidance where he is led to an important meeting in the desert,
Teaches the gospel, and gets the privilege of baptizing a new believer.
Slide (outline)
That is the outline we see in our text this morning:
Providential Guidance (vs.
26-31)
Privilege for Guides (vs.
32-38)
Powerfully Going (vs.
39-40)
Obey the Spirit’s guidance to go make disciples.
Once again, Philip is the central person in this passage.
Remember, last week we ended right after the Samaritans received the gospel in response to Philip’s teaching.
So, Philip was still in Samaria.
The fact that he taught the gospel to the Samaritans shows that his heart is open wide to all people.
His heart reflects God’s heart.
He loves with a Christlike love.
In our passage this morning he continues to prove this love by caring for an Ethiopian man.
Philip loved Jews, Samaritans, and Ethiopians.
He loved sorcerers, officials, and everyone in between.
His love for all people is what makes him an effective evangelist,
Especially loving people across human barriers.
Slide
So, as we prepare to look at his example,
Let us consider if a similar spirit of love is present in us.
Do we love Muslims?
Do we love people who are a different ethnicity?
Do we love people from different social classes or political parties?
Let us determine to follow Philip’s model of loving people across all barriers.
How?
By meditating on the cross and being led by the Spirit.
Remember God demonstrates His love toward us by dying for us while we were still sinners.
He loved us at our most unlovable.
We did not deserve to be saved by Jesus.
And the more we remember who Christ is and what He has done for us,
The more we will love others in a similar way.
We will be empowered by the Spirit to love the unlovable,
And even love our enemies.
Because ultimately, love is a fruit of the Spirit.
Remember back in Acts 6, Philip is described as being full of the Spirit.
Being Spirit-filled and Spirit-led results in Christlike love for people.
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