A couple Sundays ago I got my heart broken after church.
[Whataburger closed story, (didn’t get the word out).]
What if that happened in Christianity? What if we didn’t get the word out? Then more churches would start closing and more people would be going to Hell.
But what if more Christians were dedicated to getting the word out? What if more Christians were as passionate as the early church was about telling others about Jesus? [2] What if every one would reach one for the Lord?
If every one would reach one churches all over our world would be full. Our church would be full as well. Wouldn’t that be great? And you know why it would be great? Because a church full of true believers in Christ means you have a church full of people who aren’t going to Hell! You’ve got a church full of people who’s lives have been restored! You’ve got a church full of people living as they were born to live! And you’ve got a church full of people who can go and reach others as well! And it will happen if every one would reach one!
Today the Lord is putting a challenge before us – every one reach one. All of us who know Jesus as Savior are being challenged to reach someone for Christ this year. If we’re going to be the church in this world then we need to do our best to reach others.
And it all starts when we [3] keep an evangelistic mindset. Turn with me to Acts chapter eight as we’re going to look at how Philip was able to reach one for the Lord.
Now this takes place after Philip had come to Samaria and started reaching people for God. Peter and John had come down to the region to see what was going on and to impart the Spirit upon the new believers. Once they believed they were done there they started back to their homes in Jerusalem. That’s where we pick up the story.
[Read Acts 8:25.]
They finished their job in the southern area of Samaria and were traveling for home. But instead of putting their heads down and making a b-line for Jerusalem, they stopped and preached at the little villages along the way. This would greatly delay their journey, but to them it didn’t matter. There were people who needed the Lord and they were going to take every opportunity to share salvation with them. They kept an evangelistic mindset. This was their mission in life. This is what drove them. This is what got them out of bed in the morning. To help others come to the Truth gave these men purpose.
Jesus tells His followers, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” In Mark 16:15. In Acts 1:8 He said, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”
II Cori 5:20 the Apostle Paul wrote, “We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”
God is so consumed with reaching people that He’s sent the Truth about salvation through the prophets down through the ages.
Jesus is so consumed with reaching people that He came to the earth to die for the sins of all humanity.
The Holy Spirit is so consumed with reaching people that He actively pulls at people’s hearts even when they don’t deserve it.
The early disciples were so consumed with reaching people that not even the threat of death could keep them quiet.
What about us? Are we consumed with reaching people for the Lord? Do we care enough about people’s lives and souls to share the gospel with them? If every one is going to reach one we must keep our minds focused on evangelism.
Because when we keep our minds right, [4] then we can be sensitive and obedient to God’s leading. Look back at the story.
[Read Acts 8:26-30a.]
Philip was so in tuned with the Lord that when an angel spoke to him – he heard it. When the Spirit spoke to him – he heard it. He heard and obeyed! Philip was sensitive and obedient to the Lord who led him to minister to man searching for Truth.
Now from what we have here in the passage, this eunuch was from ancient Nubia which is in the southern regions of Egypt. He was a very important court official who probably had lots of money since he’s riding in his own chariot. It also says that he was coming back from Jerusalem where he went to worship. Philip finds him by the side of the road reading from Isaiah chapter 53.
Now this is very interesting. Obviously, this Ethiopian had been converted to Jerusalem some time before this which would be why he went to Jerusalem to worship. He might have even been there during Pentecost when Christianity exploded onto the scene. No doubt he would have seen and heard of these people who believed that Jesus was the Jewish Messiah that had been promised for thousands of years.
But he still wasn’t there yet. He needed someone to help him connect the dots between Old Testament prophecy and the fulfillment of those prophecies through Jesus Christ. So God sent him Philip to be the one to help him.
God operates the same exact way today. He’s constantly leading us to people who are searching for the Truth.
[Witnessing to security Guard Robert in Chattanooga story.]
We need to be sensitive and obedient when the Lord is leading us to share the gospel with people. But when we decide it’s time to share the truth with someone, we need to make sure and [5] start where people are spiritually.
Every person is different and no two spiritual journeys are the same. Now the gospel truth is the same for everyone, but how we approach people with that truth depends on where they are in life. Look at how Philip approached the eunuch with the gospel.
[Read Acts 8:30-35.]
Philip took this man from where he was spiritually and preached Jesus to him.
Now here’s why this man was confused about what Isaiah was referring to in Isaiah 53. Before Jesus came on the scene, the Jews commonly held that Isaiah 53 referred to the coming Messiah. Well, when the Christians recognized that Jesus was the Messiah talked about in that chapter, the Jews who wouldn’t believe in Jesus now said that the passage referred to either Isaiah himself or possibly the nation of Israel. They changed their theology to fit their biases against Jesus. The eunuch probably got a little taste of this when in Jerusalem, so no wonder he was confused. So Philip took him where he was and showed him the reality Jesus in that passage.
Too often we make the mistake of assuming where a person is spiritually when we approach them about the gospel. Watch this next video clip and see what I mean. [6]
[Watch “Sales Pitch” video clip.] [7]
Telling others about Jesus isn’t some kind of one-size-fits-all sales pitch. We aren’t telemarketers for the Lord. We’re simply people who have found the truth and want to share it with others. We get to know people, find out where they’re at spiritually, let them get to know us and what makes us tick, and when the Lord gives us the green light we share with them the greatest story ever told – the story of Jesus.
You see when God gives us that green light, we need to care enough to [8] give people an opportunity to know Jesus.
[Read Acts 8:36-39.]
The eunuch had come to a place in his life where he was ready to put his faith in Jesus as the Christ. Philip gave him an opportunity to do so when he told him that all he had to do was believe. Now, the eunuch didn’t need his permission to do this and I suppose he could have done this all on his own. But many times it helps when someone who already knows God gives someone direction in finding God. Most of us in here this morning had someone show us through God’s Word how we could be saved and ask us if we wanted to actually be saved. Thanks God for those people, right?!
If it wouldn’t have been for all those people showing me Christ in the Scriptures I wouldn’t be here today, I’m sure of it. But they were willing to step out on a limb and show this rebel that God loved me and that I could have a real life if I would simply believe.
Now let’s be honest, offering God’s salvation to someone else is a little scary, and for a couple of reasons. One, we don’t know how the person is going to react to our offer. That makes us nervous. But you know what? It’s my experience that as long as we’re being kind and non-judgmental when talking to people about Jesus, even if they don’t respond in faith they’re usually not angry about it.
But another reason we get nervous about sharing our faith is we sometimes feel like we don’t know what to say. We don’t know what Bible passage to show them and what if they ask me something about God that I don’t know? Well, if you don’t know, then say – “I don’t know!” We don’t have to have all the answers. But we should know where to go in God’s Word to show someone how to receive eternal life.
If you don’t know from memory what verses can help someone come to know Jesus for themselves, then write these verses down that you see on the screen. You could even write them down on the flap of your Bible.
Some people use what is called the Romans road of verses to show someone how they can know Jesus by using selected passages in the book of Romans. Romans 3:23, 6:23, 5:8, 8:1, 10:9-10, and 10:13. Write these verses down, carry them around with you, and be familiar with them yourself.
Some people like to show people passages in the book of John that talk about who Jesus is and what He said about how a person can go to Heaven. The first parts of John chapters 1 and 3 are great for that.
Bottom line is, we need to give people an opportunity to come to know Jesus for themselves and we do that by showing them God’s Word.
Philip cared enough to share and when he gave the eunuch an opportunity to believe, he did. He was gloriously saved and was even baptized right there on the spot. But when his mission was over, the Lord whisked him away to another town in supernatural fashion. But Philip didn’t miss a beat. He kept right on preaching the gospel no matter where God put him. [9] That’s because Philip kept an evangelistic mindset.
[Read Acts 8:39-40.]
The Lord probably worked this miracle in front of the eunuch to encourage his new faith and to validate that Philip was a true messenger of God. It worked since the eunuch goes of rejoicing and no longer confused.
But Philip picks up where he left off, telling others about Jesus. Wherever he found himself, his mind was on getting the good news of Jesus out to the people.
[10] Friends, if every one is going to reach one we need to keep our minds focused on loving God and loving others. When we’re consumed with ourselves we stop hearing what God wants. When we’re consumed with ourselves we stop seeing what people need. And God wants us to get the message of life to those who need salvation!
Will you do your part? Will you do your best to reach someone for Christ this year, this month, this week? Every one reach one.
[Salvific and closing prayer, altar call?]
