“WIN 1: DISCIPLE 1” Acts 8:26-40
FBCF – 1/2/22
Jon Daniels
INTRO – You want to know how our church will, without a doubt, grow numerically & spiritually? Not some newfangled church growth plan, or some new book that’s been written, or some new strategy that no one’s ever thought of. It’s not a matter of traditional or contemporary worship styles. Or whether the pastor wears a coat & tie or blue jeans. Or being cooler or more cutting edge than other churches. This church will grow when we do 2 things: 1) Win lost people to Jesus. 2) Disciple saved people to grow in Jesus. If you want to see this church grow, do those 2 things.
- Don’t expect the Pastor & staff to be the only ones who do those things – YOU do them.
- Don’t expect other more mature, more committed believers to do them – You do them.
Can you imagine the excitement that we’d experience if we all started doing those 2 things? Imagine what this service would be like today if we were doing those 2 things! Imagine what this church would look like! Imagine the excitement:
- If this past week, we had been out in the community sharing Christ w/ the lost
- If there were people here today who were brought to church by a Christian friend who had witnessed to them this past week
- If there were people here today to make their public profession of faith b/c a Christian friend had led them to Christ this past week
- If, when the invitation is given, Christ-followers would step out into the aisle, bringing a friend w/ them to make their profession of faith
- If lost teenagers were here w/ friends who had told them about Jesus at school, or on the ballfield, or at cheerleader practice, or on the bus on the way to a ballgame, or while they were hanging out on Friday night
Man! Wouldn’t you be excited? Wouldn’t you be encouraged? Wouldn’t you want to be a part of something like that?
Well, you can. It can start today w/ YOU!
EXPLANATION – Acts 8:26-40
Need to define some terms as we start this “Discipleship 101” series & this sermon, “Win 1 – Disciple 1.”
EVANGELISM – euangelion – Can simply mean “the Gospel.” Or it can also mean the activity of telling that news to others. That’s the “Win 1” part.
DISCIPLESHIP – The Gk word for “disciple” is mathetes – student, follower, adherent. So, the process of discipleship, or “making disciples” (Matthew 28:19) is when we intentionally come together to help one another be more devoted, more passionate, more serious followers of Jesus Christ. That’s the “Disciple 1” part.
The two go hand-in-hand. Can’t have one w/out the other. They’re inseparable.
- Lead people to faith in Christ (evangelism)
- Help them grow in their walk w/ Christ (discipleship)
- As they grow in their walk w/ the Lord (discipleship), they will lead others to faith in Christ (evangelism)
- Process continues on & on as long as we are alive.
APPLICATION – As Christ-followers, we must witness to others about Jesus, & disciple others in their walk w/ Jesus.
STEPS FOR WINNING & DISCIPLING:
BE OBEDIENT – v. 26-29 – The foundation of the life of the Christ-follower is obedience. We obey the call of God on our lives to accept Christ as Savior. But that’s just the beginning of a life of obedience.
- Baptism – step of obedience followed by a lifetime of obedience.
One of 1st things we see in Philip is his immediate obedience to God.
- Angel said “Go” – Philip went
- Holy Spirit said “Go” – Philip went – “ran”
Are you walking so closely to the Lord that you can hear Him when He says, “Go”? Another reason discipleship is so important so we will be growing in our walk w/ the Lord so we will KNOW when He speaks, so we CAN hear Him when He speaks, & so we can OBEY Him when He speaks.
- Get your heart right
- Make yourself available
- Get in the right position & the right place – Hard to witness to lost people if you’re not intentionally around them.
- Listen & GO!
Evangelist D.L Moody once asked a man about his salvation. Reply: “That’s none of your business.” Moody: “Oh yes, it is my business!”
- It is EVERY Christ-follower’s business to be obedient to the commands of God to evangelize the lost & disciple the saved!
ENGAGE THE PERSON – v. 30-31 – We don’t normally witness & disciple from a distance.
- Sure, Gospel is shared from this pulpit. Discipleship does happen from this pulpit. Corporate worship & preaching of the Word are necessary parts of our walk w/ Christ.
But God is calling us into the streets, into our community, into our world to engage the people.
- Back of my business card: “Impacting the world from Flora, MS.” – We will never impact the world if we don’t engage the people of the world.
Philip obeyed God & experienced a divine appointment w/ the Ethiopian eunuch. He intentionally engaged w/ the man by asking him a simple question, “Do you understand…?” & the man invited Philip into the chariot w/ him.
Asking questions is a simple, effective way to engage w/ people.
- “Are you doing OK?”
- “How can I pray for you?”
- “You involved in church anywhere?”
- “Can I give you this bracelet?”
- “In your personal opinion…”
- “Would you like to get together once a week for discipleship?”
It’s amazing how just asking simple questions will open a door.
LOOK FOR OPEN DOORS – v. 32-34 – Love this part of this passage! God didn’t just ease open a door of opportunity for Philip – HE KICKED IT OPEN! Look at how God was at work to open the door for Philip:
- Eunuch had been to Jerusalem to worship God. He was already thinking about spiritual things.
- He was reading from Isaiah 53 – the seed bed for the Gospel in the OT. Greatest prophecy about Jesus in entire OT! No better place for him to be reading before a Gospel conversation!
- The eunuch had a genuine desire to understand what he was reading – v. 34
If we aren’t growing in our walk w/ the Lord through discipleship; if we aren’t listening to God & obeying Him; if we aren’t intentionally engaging w/ people, we will miss these open doors.
- There are open doors all around us for witnessing.
- There are open doors all around us for discipleship, even right here in this room.
o How many of you have never been discipled by anyone?
o How many of you would like for someone to disciple you?
SHARE THE GOSPEL – v. 35 – When God opens the door, step through it! Look at v. 35.
- Open your mouth
- Start where they are
- Share JESUS!
FOLLOW-THROUGH WITH THEM (IF POSSIBLE) – v. 36-40
At some point, the non-Jewish black man gave his life to Christ & a party broke out in heaven on his behalf. He made the greatest decision of his entire life! He went from being lost to being found, from being dead to being alive, from being an enemy of God to being a friend of God.
- Some translations include v. 37 – “Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
- Whether or not that was in the original manuscripts, that confession is truth. A person must give their life to Christ before they’re baptized.
- Romans 10:9
Philip didn’t waste any time when the eunuch asked to be baptized. And we shouldn’t either. Baptism is SO important! Not necessary for salvation, but absolutely necessary for an obedient life!
Then the process of discipleship must begin. Can’t always be the one who disciples the new believer. Philip wasn’t able to disciple this man. Have to trust that God will bring others into their lives. You’ve been faithful to share the Gospel – someone else will water the seed.
But when & where we can, we should follow through w/ the new believer & begin discipling them in their new walk w/ Christ.
- Joe McKeever: Former pastor, FBC Columbus – Story of a young believer who was an enlisted man at the Air Force Base & a faithful member of FBC, called Joe. "Joe," I've led this fellow to the Lord & he needs discipling. But that's not my gift. I'm a soulwinner, but not one with the patience to disciple the new believer." "My brother, it doesn't work that way. No one is better situated to disciple a new convert than the one who introduced him to Jesus."
CONCLUSION/TAKEAWAYS – Win 1 – Disciple 1 this year
