GO – GO -- GO
ACTS 8:26-40 NOW AN ANGEL OF THE LORD SAID TO PHILIP, "GO SOUTH TO THE ROAD--THE DESERT ROAD--THAT GOES DOWN FROM JERUSALEM TO GAZA." 27 SO HE STARTED OUT, AND ON HIS WAY HE MET AN ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH, AN IMPORTANT OFFICIAL IN CHARGE OF ALL THE TREASURY OF CANDACE, QUEEN OF THE ETHIOPIANS. THIS MAN HAD GONE TO JERUSALEM TO WORSHIP, 28 AND ON HIS WAY HOME WAS SITTING IN HIS CHARIOT READING THE BOOK OF ISAIAH THE PROPHET. 29 THE SPIRIT TOLD PHILIP, "GO TO THAT CHARIOT AND STAY NEAR IT." 30 THEN PHILIP RAN UP TO THE CHARIOT AND HEARD THE MAN READING ISAIAH THE PROPHET. "DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE READING?" PHILIP ASKED. 31 "HOW CAN I," HE SAID, "UNLESS SOMEONE EXPLAINS IT TO ME?" SO HE INVITED PHILIP TO COME UP AND SIT WITH HIM. 32 THE EUNUCH WAS READING THIS PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE: "HE WAS LED LIKE A SHEEP TO THE SLAUGHTER, AND AS A LAMB BEFORE THE SHEARER IS SILENT, SO HE DID NOT OPEN HIS MOUTH. 33 IN HIS HUMILIATION HE WAS DEPRIVED OF JUSTICE. WHO CAN SPEAK OF HIS DESCENDANTS? FOR HIS LIFE WAS TAKEN FROM THE EARTH." 34 THE EUNUCH ASKED PHILIP, "TELL ME, PLEASE, WHO IS THE PROPHET TALKING ABOUT, HIMSELF OR SOMEONE ELSE?" 35 THEN PHILIP BEGAN WITH THAT VERY PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE AND TOLD HIM THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT JESUS. 36 AS THEY TRAVELED ALONG THE ROAD, THEY CAME TO SOME WATER AND THE EUNUCH SAID, "LOOK, HERE IS WATER. WHY SHOULDN'T I BE BAPTIZED?" 37 38 AND HE GAVE ORDERS TO STOP THE CHARIOT. THEN BOTH PHILIP AND THE EUNUCH WENT DOWN INTO THE WATER AND PHILIP BAPTIZED HIM. 39 WHEN THEY CAME UP OUT OF THE WATER, THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD SUDDENLY TOOK PHILIP AWAY, AND THE EUNUCH DID NOT SEE HIM AGAIN, BUT WENT ON HIS WAY REJOICING. 40 PHILIP, HOWEVER, APPEARED AT AZOTUS AND TRAVELED ABOUT, PREACHING THE GOSPEL IN ALL THE TOWNS UNTIL HE REACHED CAESAREA.
INTRODUCTION: BEFORE WE LOOK AT THE PASSAGE THIS MORNING, I NEED TO ASK YOU ALL TO DO SOMETHING FOR ME TODAY. I NEED YOU ALL TO HUDDLE UP. IN OTHER WORDS, KIND OF GET CLOSER TO EACH OTHER. IN FACT LET US KIND OF POOL OURSELVES TOGETHER IN THE CENTER OF THE SANCTUARY. THOSE SITTING IN THE OVERFLOW ROOM, COME ON IN AND JOIN THE GROUP. NOW THIS ONLY WORKS IF EVERYBODY PARTICIPATES, SO COME ONE, ….
NOW, THE REASON I DID THIS IS SO THAT YOU CAN LOOK AROUND AND SEE WHERE WE ARE AS A CHURCH. SEE THE SPACE. SEE THE POTENTIAL
TRANSITION: I DID NOT ASK YOU TO DO THIS AS A DOWNER, BUT AS AN ILLUSTRATION OF OUR TEXT TODAY. FOR IN OUR TEXT TODAY, WE SEE GOD DOING SOMETHING THAT IS “UNUSUAL” FROM THE HUMAN STANDPOINT.
PROPOSITION: WE NEED TO FOLLOW GOD FOR THE RESULT.
I. THE NEED TO GO – 8:26
a. IT ALL COMES DOWN TO OBEYING GOD
i. PHILIPS FIRST START IN SAMARIA CAME FROM THE INABILITY OF THE CHURCH TO FOLLOW GOD’S DIRECTIVE IN THE GREAT COMMISSION AND IN THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
ii. THE CHURCH DID NOT GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES
iii. THE CHURCH DID NOT EXTEND BEYOND JERUSALEM.
THEY WERE CONTENT TO BE THEIR OWN GROUP – SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HAVE TODAY AS WE ARE “HUDDLED UP”
SAFETY IN THE HUDDLE:
· PROTECTION
· FAMILIARITY
· COMRADELY
TROUBLE WITH THE HUDDLE
· TAKES MOVEMENT TO GET OUT
· IF WE STAY IN THE HUDDLE WE NEVER GET IN THE GAME
· STAYING IN THE HUDDLE ENOUGH WILL DELAY THE GAME AND LOSE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A VICTORY
b. PHILIP UNDERSTOOD THE NEED TO OBEY GOD
i. NO QUESTIONS RECORDED
ii. NO OTHER COMMITMENTS
iii. GOD SAID GO, PHILIP DID NOT SAY NO!
iv. PHILIP COULD HAVE SAID
1. I AM DOING A GOOD WORK HERE
2. NOT NOW – THINGS ARE GOING SO WELL HERE
3. THERE IS BLESSING HERE IN SAMARIA, IT WOULD BE A SHAME TO TURN OUR BACKS ON THIS WORK
4. LORD I AM NOT THE ONLY CHRISTIAN AROUND, HOW ABOUT SENDING SOMEBODY ELSE
5. NOT THE DESERT – NO ONE EVEN LIVES THERE, OR BETTER, DO YOU KNOW WHO LIVES THERE?
6. GOD, DON’T YOU KNOW THE PLACE TO BE IS SAMARIA.
THIS IS WHAT WE SAY WHEN WE WANT TO STAY IN THE HUDDLE!
c. WE NEED TO COME TO GRIPS WITH THE SCRIPTURE IN THIS AREA
ISAIAH 55:8 "FOR MY THOUGHTS ARE NOT YOUR THOUGHTS, NEITHER ARE YOUR WAYS MY WAYS," DECLARES THE LORD.
1 CORINTHIANS 1:27 BUT GOD CHOSE THE FOOLISH THINGS OF THE WORLD TO SHAME THE WISE; GOD CHOSE THE WEAK THINGS OF THE WORLD TO SHAME THE STRONG.
d. JAMES BOICE WRITES IN HIS COMMENTARY ON ACTS:
THIS MEANS THAT ALTHOUGH CHRISTIANITY IS NOT AN IRRATIONAL THING AND ALTHOUGH NONE OF US ARE CALLED TO BE IRRATIONAL, NEVERTHELESS WHEN WE ARE ENGAGED IN SPIRITUAL WORK THERE ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE AREAS WE WILL NOT FULLY UNDERSTAND. WE WILL FIND OURSELVES ASKING, "WHY DOES GOD DO THAT?" OR "WHY DOES HE DO THAT RATHER THAN SOMETHING ELSE?" THAT IS JUST THE WAY IT IS GOING TO BE.
HAVEN'T YOU EVER ASKED QUESTIONS LIKE THAT? I KNOW I HAVE. TAKE THE CASE OF SOMEONE WHO IS EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE IN SOME PARTICULAR BRANCH OF CHRISTIAN WORK. HE IS THE ONE WHO GETS SICK OR DIES. DO YOU FIND YOURSELF ASKING, "WHY THAT ONE, LORD? THERE ARE ALL SORTS OF CHRISTIANS YOU COULD DISPENSE WITH. WHY TAKE THE ONE THAT IS SO VALUABLE?"
OR WE LOOK AT A GOOD CHRISTIAN WORK. IT IS SPIRITUAL. IT IS A PIONEER EFFORT IN SOME DIFFICULT AREA. BUT THAT IS THE WORK THAT DOES NOT SEEM TO GET THE NECESSARY FUNDS TO KEEP GOING. IT STRUGGLES AND STRUGGLES, WHILE OTHER PROJECTS THAT SEEM WEAK, SUPERFICIAL, AND UNNECESSARY THRIVE. DON'T YOU FIND YOURSELF ASKING, "WHY, LORD? WHY ARE THOSE WHO WORK IN DIFFICULT PLACES STRUGGLING?"
I CAN THINK OF SOME ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS, OF COURSE. IT IS GOOD TO STRUGGLE. STRUGGLE BUILDS CHARACTER, JUST LIKE TRIBULATION BUILDS PATIENCE—THAT SORT OF THING. BUT THOSE ANSWERS ARE NOT ALWAYS SATISFACTORY.
THE REAL ANSWER FROM OUR SIDE OF THINGS IS THAT REALLY THERE IS OFTEN NO ANSWER, AT LEAST NONE THAT WE CAN COMPREHEND. GOD'S WAYS ARE JUST NOT OUR WAYS. WE JUST DO NOT KNOW WHAT GOD IS DOING. SOMEDAY WE WILL KNOW, I THINK, THOUGH IT MIGHT TAKE US AN ETERNITY TO FIND OUT. WE MIGHT HAVE TO ASK GOD QUESTIONS ONE AFTER THE OTHER FOR PERHAPS ONE THOUSAND OR TWO THOUSAND YEARS UNTIL WE GET IT SORTED OUT. BUT NOW WE CANNOT UNDERSTAND IT.
e. PHILIP WAS CALLED FROM PROSPERITY TO SECLUSION
f. THE PLANS OF GOD ARE FAR REACHING FOR THOSE WILLING TO GO
NOW, BEFORE WE MOVE ON IN OUR TEXT, I WANT YOU TO STAND UP AND TAKE A STEP AWAY FROM EACH OTHER. THE VISION OF THE CHURCH SHOULD NOT BE THE SPACE AROUND US THAT IS EMPTY, BUT THE SPACE BETWEEN US THAT NEED TO BE FILLED.
THIS BRINGS US TO THE HINDRANCES TO GOING, ….
II. THE HINDRANCE TO GO – 8:27-30
a. WE LEARN SEVERAL THINGS ABOUT THE MAN PHILIP IS TO SPEAK TO
i. HE IS IMPORTANT
1. COURT OFFICIAL
ii. HE IS WEALTHY
1. COULD MAKE THE TRIP
2. HAD A DRIVER (AT LEAST)
3. HAD A SCROLL OF ISAIAH
iii. HE WAS A “GOD-FEARER”
b. WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE ETHIOPIAN AND PHILIP GIVES US SEVERAL HINDRANCES TO PHILIP GOING TO THE ETHIOPIAN
i. RACIAL HINDRANCE – GREEK/ETHIOPIAN
ii. RELIGIOUS HINDRANCE – JEW/GREEK
iii. VOCATIONAL HINDRANCE – EVANGELIST/GOVERNMENT WORKER
iv. SOCIO-ECONOMIC HINDRANCE – RICH/POOR
v. PHYSICAL HINDRANCE – CLEAN/DIRTY
THERE ARE MANY HINDRANCES TO NOT GOING, AND ONLY ONE TO GOING. GOD SAYS GO, DO YOU SAY KNOW?
c. STARTING WHERE PHILIP STARTED. PHILIP STARTED WHERE THE ETHIOPIAN WAS, AND WENT FROM THERE. PHILIP DID NOT LET THE CHARIOT PASS HIM BY
HOW THIS LOOKS IN REAL LIFE:
AT YOUR JOB WHEN YOU HEAR: "I'M WORRIED ABOUT MY JOB, MY FUTURE, MY MARRIAGE, MY CHILD. I'M SCARED OF DYING." IT COULD BE YOUR PASSING CHARIOT, AN OPEN DOOR FOR THE GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL.
AT SCHOOL WHEN YOU HEAR: "I DON'T LIKE MYSELF. NOBODY LIKES ME. SHOULD I BE INVOLVED IN THIS OR THAT? WHAT DOES GOD HAVE TO DO WITH ALL THIS?" IT COULD BE YOUR PASSING CHARIOT, AN OPEN DOOR FOR THE GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL.
ANYWHERE YOU ARE IN LIFE (NEIGHBORHOOD, GYM, CLUB) WHEN YOU HEAR: "MY BOYFRIEND ASKED ME TO MARRY HIM. I'M HAVING A BABY. MY CANCER IS BACK. MY WIFE IS LEAVING." IT COULD BE YOUR PASSING CHARIOT, AN OPEN DOOR FOR THE GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL.
III. THE BLESSING OF GOING – 8:31-40
a. YOU ARE OBEDIENT TO GOD
b. SOMEBODY GETS TO HEAR THE GOSPEL
c. THE DOMINO EFFECT
d. THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPEL MOVES INTO NEW TERRITORY (BY THE WAY, IT WAS PHILIP, NOT PAUL, WHO BROUGHT THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPEL TO THE GENTILES FIRST!)
e. IT IS EASIER TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT AREA – PHILIP WENT TO OTHER CITIES UNTIL HE FINALLY SETTLED IN CAESAREA AND RAISED A FAMILY
ACTS 21:8-9 LEAVING THE NEXT DAY, WE REACHED CAESAREA AND STAYED AT THE HOUSE OF PHILIP THE EVANGELIST, ONE OF THE SEVEN. 9 HE HAD FOUR UNMARRIED DAUGHTERS WHO PROPHESIED.
f. THERE IS JOY
WHERE DOES GOD WANT US TO GO? WE NEED TO ASK HIM AND GO!
ALL WE CAN KNOW FOR CERTAIN IS THAT HE DOES NOT WANT US TO REMAIN HERE, WHERE WE ARE AND THE WAY WE ARE.
WE DO NOT NEED AN ANGEL OF THE LORD WE HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT. WE HAVE THE GREAT COMMISSION. WE HAVE A COMMUNITY THAT NEEDS JESUS.
HERE IS ALL YOU NEED TO DO:
· Be where God wants you (8:26-30, 39).
· Be watching the people around you (8:27, 32, 34).
· Be ready to adapt yourself to where others are (8:35-36).
· Be bold in telling those you meet about Christ (8:35-36).
GOD SAYS GO, DON’T SAY NO!
