Where ever He leads, I’ll go
Acts chapter 8
Introduction- (Some ideas taken from fellow coleagues of Sermoncentral)
Please turn to Acts chapter 8
I want to challenge you this morning, to really see if you are willing to do all that the Lord would have you do.
We have all heard preachers say we are all missionaries in our own particular mission fields. I’m no different.
I believe each one of us are missionaries where we are- to make an impact with the people we come in contact with.
The whole book of Acts is about the early church. The good, the bad, and the ugly things.
It exposes their weakness and it shows us that God had a plan for them and it included the Holy Spirit leading and directing their lives.
Chapter 8 is about the scattered church, about a devout Jew named Saul (later changed to Apostle Paul) who wanted to destroy the church.
(v1) tells us that all were scattered except the apostles.
In that scattered bunch of leaders and lay people was a man named Phillip.
Phillip proclaimed the word of God in Samaria, drew large crowds and miraculous signs followed him.
Evil spirits were cast out.
People were healed.
One in the crowd that witnessed all of God’s workings was a sorcerer named Simon.
Simon also had a following and amazed people and was known as “The great power”
I think that was funny, because I hear often as people refer to God as “The man upstairs, Higher power, the Big guy.”
People have misplaced ideas of who God is and how to respond to Him.
Simon the sorcerer followed Phillip, amazed by what he saw- believed and was baptized.
(13) He watched Phillip and other apostles lay hands on people, watched healings and people receiving the Holy Spirit.
Simon goes to Peter and John (Phillip present) and desires to be able to do the same things.
(18) “When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying of apostles hands, he offered them money and said, give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
God help us the day we think we can receive the things of God for a price or feel that we can use the power of God for gain or selfish desires.
Here’s the springboard as we look at the text this morning.
Persecution scatters the church, we seen it in the early church and we see it today.
God places key people in key spots to be a vessel and tool to be used right where they are.
We are going to look at Phillip meeting the Ethiopian and how God used him to enhance the kingdom.
Remember Phillip was a witness to all the things I just said about the scattered church.
Acts chapter 8:26-35 read
Prayer
Wherever God leads you…
He may never lead you across an ocean.
He may never lead you to a pulpit.
But He will lead you, and He does have a plan for your life.
(26) Angel of the Lord spoke to Phillip Go…south to the Road, the desert road (27) so he started out!
Let that sink in a minute. God said go, Phillip started out.
Illustration-
Remember me telling you of my calling. At 14 years old, Billy Graham preaching on TV, the Lord got a hold of my heart.
At first, it was a question- Lord, do you want me to preach?
Awhile later- thought- I think you want me to preach.
Years later- conviction- Lord, if you don’t want me to preach, you need to let me know.
Finally- a decision. I took the necessary steps and schooling and was determined to make it happen.
This is not how God usually works when He calls us to minister to people around us. He doesn’t give us such advanced warning that we can think about it , be convicted of it, ask questions, just like Phillip, God said go. We must put feet to it. He looks for us to respond
Here’s how we can understand what God expects from believers.
I. You must perceive the call of God
The generic phrase “we are all missionaries” don’t set well with most of us, but there is truth there. We are all called to share our faith at opportunities given by God to those we come in contact with.
God has never sent an angel to talk to me that I know of, but He has spoken to me many times, and He desires to speak to you also. Many times God has a plan and you are in it. We pray often- “God use me” and then when he doesn’t, we ask “Why doesn’t God use me.”
You pray God use me- you can be assured God desires to use you.
If you find that God does not use you, I think of two reasons,
(1) you are not useable. There is something God is wanting to do in your life first before He uses you.
(2) you are unavailable. You are not listening to God or your scared that He would use you.
Adrain Rodgers
“God never leaves a surrendered vessel unfilled, and God never leaves a filled vessel unused.”
You surrender yourself. Make yourself available. He fills you and will use you.
There are many people today sending out SOS’s- people reaching out to God and God’s people.
We can have our own idea of what SOS stands for- I choose “Scared on Sunday”, “starting over Syndrome”, “service oriented saints”
Psalm 70:5
“I am in deep trouble Lord! Rush to my aid, for only you can help and save me.”
You ever pray that prayer?
That to me is an SOS!
In this case, David is admitting to God that He needs help. To others, it is reaching out to God or God’s people and we become a vessel God can use.
We get a chance to point people to the ultimate rescuer Jesus Christ!
Jesus does not save people who think they don’t need saving, or rescuing, or deliverance.
But he does use his people to respond to people who do want to be delivered.
II. God ways are often unknown
Phillip had no way of knowing what to expect as God said go.
He had no way of knowing the influence he would have as a man sitting in a chariot reading and trying to understand the word of God.
Truth is, we would blow a gasket if God filled us in on all the details.
God gives us little bites so that in the end we can eat the elephant and it does not intimidate us.
He was witnessing to the most influential man from Africa. The Ethiopian man that would take the Word of God back to his native country.
A Sunday school teacher led D.L. Moody to the Lord. D.L. Moody led 100’s of thousand to the Lord.
An unknown leads Billy Graham to the Lord, Billy Graham reaches millions. We remember all the big names, but in the eyes of the Lord, who lead these men to Christ to allow them to do what God called them to do.
Perfect obedience does not always have to know why and how.
God said to Phillip Go- and Phillip got to stepping, trusting God to give him what he needed as he went.
Somebody has said,
“You get it right with God, and you almost have to backslide to keep from winning souls.”
Have you ever wondered how many opportunities you have missed?
How many times we have not been sensitive to the Holy Spirit.
Listen,
(1) We have to perceive that we are all called to those God puts in our path.
(2) God ways are often unknown, unannounced, and demand that we respond immediately.
And the last one-
III. You have to preach Christ
By example- living our faith
By witness- showing our faith
(30) “Then Phillip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. Do you understand what you are reading? (35) Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.”
Our job is to be faithful
Our job is to make the message clear and help people understand it.
Phillip taught three simple facts
(1) He showed the man that he was a sinner
(2) He showed him that Christ died for him.
(3) He taught salvation.
God is calling us to chase down chariots if need be.
Phillip was available.
Phillip was ready.
Phillip was prompt.
You are one choice away from God changing your life.
And you are one choice away from changing someone else’s life.
Closing
“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved , it is the power of God.”
Do you realize if we would truly believe that verse and respond to it, the impact that each one of us would make in our own unique way. Once we realize that it is not about us. We can’t save anyone, but God can use us.
Illustration
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." 1.
Paul Harvey said, "Too many Christians are no longer fishers of men but keepers of the aquarium."
"What is the church? The best way to kill a church is to squeeze it into a building. For without contact with people in need and publicly witnessing faith and trust in Jesus, a church will quietly die."
