Sermon Central
As a pastor, it is easy for me to get busy running my ministry and living my own life and as a result get disconnected from those who are far from God.
This past week I was reading the story of the Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts 8 and was struck by God’s tenacity in getting the gospel to this one man.
In those early days the church was spreading like wildfire. And after Stephen is martyred in Acts 7, the first verse of Acts 8 says that “on that day a great persecution broke out against the church…” Yet, in the midst of the swirl of all that was going on, God goes to tremendous lengths to get the gospel to one man from a foreign country.
It reminds me of Jesus’ parable in Luke 15 about the man who lives the ninety-nine sheep in his flock and relentlessly searches for the one lost sheep. If we are going to have the heart of God we must go hard after those who are far from God.
In Acts 8, Philip has a divine interruption. Earlier in Acts 8 we find Philip in Samaria carrying out his ministry and then an angel of the Lord tells him to go to the desert road that goes from Jerusalem to Gaza.
Now, you are not likely to have an angel tap you on the shoulder and give you specific instructions. But we can expect the Holy Spirit to prompt us.
This is all about awareness and sensitivity to those opportunities that God brings across our path.
What if this next week you put up your spiritual antenna and started being sensitive to opportunities to have God conversations with those in your community? When is the last time you prayed and asked God for opportunities to share the gospel.
Just like in Philip’s case we can have confidence that God is already at work in the lives of those around us. This is evidenced by the fact that this official from Ethiopia just happened to be reading Isaiah 53, one of the most powerful prophecies about the coming messiah.
When this Ethiopian man asked Philip who the prophet was talking about, verse 35 says Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
I love that Philip starts with Isaiah 53 and then takes the conversation to Jesus. Philip didn’t focus on this man’s moral condition, or talk about how sinful he was or invite him to a local church. No! He took the conversation straight to Jesus. It is a good reminder for me that ultimately it is an encounter with Jesus that transforms people’s lives. This man needed to be born again.
As Christian leaders living in the 21st century, we find ourselves in a culture that is unfriendly to the claims of the gospel. We are living in a post-Christian era. To declare that Jesus is the only way to heaven is not politically correct these days. When you declare that Jesus is the only way to heaven, you can expect to be ridiculed as intolerant, arrogant, and narrow-minded.
This is one of the non-negotiables our faith and a cornerstone of our churches. We cannot let cultural pressure cause us to be unclear about the gospel. When we boldly declare that Jesus it he only way to eternal life, we are not being arrogant or intolerant. We are simply declaring for Jesus what he declared for himself. He said of himself I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
In 1 Corinthians 1:18, the apostle Paul said For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
The cross is the dividing line in history. Paul says that the cross divides all of humanity into two groups of people. On one side, there is the group who would look at what we believe and what we stand for and say it is “foolishness.” The word that Paul uses here is actually the Greek word that we get our English word “moron.” Some would look at us and say we are morons for believing that a death on a cross could give us eternal life.
But Paul says that there is another group. For them, the cross is not foolishness, it is the power of God. The root word for power is the same word that we get our word “dynamite.” The gospel has explosive power to change a life.
So, in this ever-changing culture, may you unashamedly proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. Don’t back down from declaring Jesus as the only way.
It is widely believed that this Ethiopian eunuch was responsible for taking the gospel to Africa. You just never know how God might use somebody you share the gospel with.
Related Preaching Articles
-
94 Servant Evangelism Ideas For Your Church
By Steve Sjogren on Apr 8, 2023
Servant evangelism wins the heart before it confronts the mind. A small act of kindness nudges a person closer to God, often in a profound way, as it bypasses one's mental defenses.
-
3 Lessons I Learned From Jerry Rice About Preaching
By Derwin Gray on Jun 26, 2024
Evangelism Linebacker Derwin Gray talks about how he became a better preacher by admiring NFL record-holder Jerry Rice.
-
10 Reasons Not To Give An Altar Call
By Thabiti Anyabwile on Mar 13, 2020
Thabiti Anyabwile offers a compelling argument against the use of altar calls. We invite you to share your thoughts and opinions.
-
Megaphones And Soapboxes: Is Street Preaching Worth It?
By Greg Stier on Jul 26, 2024
Greg Stier offers insight into the effectiveness of hard-core street witnessing.
-
Has Mission Become Our Idol?
By Skye Jethani on Jul 29, 2024
Skye Jethani: "While a vision for serving God is needed, and the desperate condition of our world cannot be ignored, there is a higher calling that is going unanswered in many Christian communities."
-
4 Ways To Keep Your Evangelistic Edge In Preaching
By J. John on Apr 2, 2020
"I believe that if a preacher will take these four principles and apply them, then the Lord will honor them, and they will see people turn to Christ."
-
7 Benefits Of Hosting A High-Profile Guest Speaker
By SermonCentral on Jan 9, 2023
Are high profile guest speakers worth the time and money? "Only if you value lost people," says Hal Seed.
-
10 Global Churches Larger Than America's Largest
By James O. Davis on Jun 5, 2020
In the last six years, the Global Church has witnessed more than 1.4 million new church plants with more than 250 million coming to Christ. The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ is growing faster than any other time in history.
