Say What?

In another couple of weeks our thoughts will turn to Christmas and people will talk about how we’ve lost the true meaning of Christmas, will you take that opportunity to invite them to one of our regular services or to our Christmas Eve Service.

In January our midweek small group is going to be looking at this book, becoming a contagious Christian, and it will give you some of the tools that you need so if you are asked about your Christian hope, you will be ready to explain it.

4) A Story of Celebration. Don’t you just love a story with a happy ending. They are riding along in the chariot. Listen to the story, Acts 8:35-36 So Philip began with this same Scripture and then used many others to tell him the Good News about Jesus. As they rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look! There’s some water! Why can’t I be baptized?” “You can,” Phillip answered, “if you believe with all your heart.” And the eunuch replied, “I believe that Jesus is the Son of God.” Hot dog, the man got saved. You gotta love it when a plan comes together. That’s what it’s all about. And do you know what he wanted to do? He wanted to get baptized. I sometimes wonder if we have neglected that in our church today. When you become a Christian there should be a desire to be baptized, that’s what the Bible tells us we are supposed to do remember Acts 2:38 Peter replied, “Each of you must turn from your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. If you have accepted the forgiveness of Christ and have turned your life over to him but have never been baptized you’re forgetting something and you need to talk to me about getting baptized. You alright?

Do you remember how you felt when you suddenly realized that your sins had been forgiven, the joy the excitement? The Bible tells us that after the traveller was baptized that Philip left and the eunuch went on his way rejoicing. But even though it doesn’t say it I would imagine that Philip went away rejoicing as well because of what had happened. And we are told that there would have been a great celebration in heaven. No I could end the message here, and probably should, but I won’t.

5) A Story of Disappointment Historically we are told that Christianity found it’s way to Ethiopia in the fourth century, when a Christian philosopher from Tyre named Meropius was shipwrecked on his way to India. It was through his influence that the Gospel was introduced to the country. Four Hundred years after the Ethiopian Eunuch had returned home a changed man.

We know that when Christianity was introduced to Ethiopia that it had a huge impact on the country, probably because of the Jewish influence from a millennium before but why hadn’t it had the impact 400 years before? Could it have been that the Eunuch remained silent about his newfound faith out of fear of alienating others. You understand don’t you that Christianity is always only one generation away from extinction. If we don’t tell others then what? Will our faith die with us as it died with the traveller?