Divine Appointments

Divine Appointments

February 23, 2020 Morning Service

Immanuel Baptist Church, Wagoner, OK

Rick Boyne

Message Point: Take advantage of every opportunity to turn it into a divine appointment.

Focus Passage: Acts 8:26-39

Supplemental Passage: but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; (1 Peter 3:15 NASB)

Introduction: Who was Phillip? This isn’t the Apostle Phillip. This is the Deacon or Evangelist Phillip as in Acts 6. He was just a common man who loved serving God.

I. Willingness to engage

a. Phillip didn’t know WHY the Holy Spirit told him to go, he just went

b. The Holy Spirit told him to go up to and join the Royal Representative in his royal chariot

c. He could have been intimidated by that fact, but obedience was better.

d. Are you willing to engage people you could be intimidated by? Race. Wealth. Size. Age. Status. Politics. Are any of these more important than salvation?

II. Where to engage

a. Phillip wasn’t at home or even in a place of safety.

b. He was out on the desert road (a place of danger)

c. He was likely out of his comfort zone.

d. He was where he found the court official.

e. Are you willing to go out of your comfort zone to share the Good News?

III. Which way to engage

a. Phillip heard the official reading Scripture. He simply asked him a question, “Do you understand what you’re reading?”

b. Asking a question is one of the best ways to engage someone, that is, start a conversation.

c. It can be almost any question; from “Nice weather, huh?” to “When do you think we’re going to be back to normal?”

d. I came across a conversational evangelism tool called “FIRE.” It stands for Family and Friends, Interests, Religious background, and Evangelism.

e. A conversation might go something like this: Are you married? How many kids do you have? Do you get to see them very often? Do you like to fish, crochet, read, etc? What’s your favorite….? Do you go to church anywhere? Do you mind if I share something that changed my life?

Application/Invitation: When was the last time you shared the Gospel with anyone? Have you ever shared the Gospel with anyone? That is one of the things that we are called to do as a believer. In this difficult time in our history, it is harder to engage people on a 1 to 1 basis, because of the “safer at home” orders. HOWEVER, people are needing to hear the Good News right now! They are afraid of the future; afraid of dying; and afraid of the unknown. We can share God’s love by sharing the Gospel, saying encouraging things based on truth, and giving an act of service.