Title: Start Spreading The News
Bible Book: Acts 8 : 26-40
Author: David Cook
Subject: Evangelism; Comfort Zone; Missions; Church Growth
Objective:
Introduction
Have you ever noticed how easy it is to spread really good news? (Baby, New Job, Raise, Answered prayer). It’s easy to share news that encourages us personally. We must learn to communicate the good news of the Gospel to those around us who are perishing!
A new Christian asked his pastor, “How can I keep from being like most members in our church?” Puzzled, the pastor asked, “What do you mean?” “I read in the Bible about how Jesus came to seek and save the lost – and led His disciples to do the same. Most folks in our church are content to attend services – but rarely extend Jesus Christ to the lost in our community,” he said.
Evangelism, soul winning, reaching out, sharing our faith, witnessing is part of the mission of every Jesus loving, people loving, and Bible preaching church. Jesus Christ made this very clear in the Great Commission, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20
This means every single believer in the Lord Jesus Christ has a greater purpose for living than making it payday to payday, getting married, raising children, retiring, and dying. God has called us all to be His missionaries beginning in Lawrenceville, GA. His first work for each of is to be faithful to share what Jesus Christ has done in our lives with at least one soul.
We have such a wonderful Savior. He would preach and teach the Word of God to the masses, yet
He would also take the time to touch one soul (ex. The woman at the well, the woman caught in adultery, Zacchaeus, Matthew the tax collector). Jesus was the greatest soul winner of all time.
Phillip also had that soul winning spirit! He had spent time watching His Lord ministering to the masses and also reaching out to the one who was bound by sin or sickness. No one was overlooked.
As the early church was persecuted for their faith, they were scattered abroad. Some feel that God allowed this persecution to come to the new believers to move them out of their comfort zone and get them busy spreading the gospel!
The Holy Spirit was promised to empower their witness. By His mighty power flowing through they would share Christ from Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, to all the world (Acts 1:8). This meant they would be sharing the love of Christ with people they once considered their enemies. The Jews once considered Samarians worthy only of God’s judgment – in Phillip’s witness to the Ethiopian eunuch – we see a change of heart. (That’s the change Jesus alone can bring!)
Something new is going on here! In John 4, Jesus had ministered to the woman at the well in Samaria. Her witness for Christ shook up Samaria and many believed because of her word! The disciples were beginning to see beyond their comfort zone into the heart of Jesus Christ for all the world. Phillip no longer was a man of a prejudiced heart, now he has a heart for peace and proclamation!
Now, God does something interesting here. The Spirit of God spoke to Phillip in the midst of a great revival in Samaria and calls him from Jerusalem to Gaza – straight to the desert! There was a purpose in God’s plan! The Spirit leads Phillip to a disappointed worshipper.
Think of that. This Ethiopian eunuch was a rich ranking government official. He was a man of class, a man of excellence, a man of leadership, a man of wealth – also he was a man who had a “religion” but no “relationship” with the Lord Jesus Christ.
This morning, let’s see three ways from the life of Phillip that will challenge us to always be ready to spread the good news of new life in Jesus Christ!
I. Phillip Was Willing To Go To Anyone
Rarely will you see someone be a soul winner who is not walking in fellowship with God. God wants to speak to us continually so we can listen to His voice and be on “active duty” at moments notice.
Christians in their comfort zone may need to retrace back to the last time they heard God’s voice and begin to obey His will immediately. Obeying God faithfully will lead to opportunities to share the plan of eternal life.
What keeps Christians in their comfort zone? (Ease- “Woe to those at ease in Zion!” Excuses – “Don’t have the gift of evangelism, don’t know what to say.” Embarrassment – ridicule, rejection. Entertainment – satisfied as long as bills are paid. Elitism – “Us four and no more!”)
Phillip was different than many Christians. His heart was beating with the love of Jesus for souls! What made Phillip different? Several things:
A. He Was Commissioned Man
Note in Acts 8:26, “Arise and go.” Then in verse 27 we see his response, “…he arose and went.” Phillip was a man who was under the marching orders of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
He wasn’t living for the will of Phillip – rather for the will of the Father! The will of the Father is that “none should perish, but that all come to repentance.” If we are walking in the will of God we will desire what God desires. We will want others to come to know the Lord who has changed our lives!
A man once testified in one of D.L. Moody's meetings that he had lived "on the Mount of
Transfiguration" for five years. "How many souls did you lead to Christ last year?" Moody bluntly asked him. "Well," the man hesitated, "I don't know." "Have you saved any?" Moody persisted. "I don't know that I have," the man admitted. "Well," said Moody, "we don't want that kind of mountaintop experience. When a man gets up so high that he cannot reach down and save poor sinners, there is something wrong."
Christian, do you need to remember this morning that you are under the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ to be a soul winner? You are under the same marching orders as Phillip to go and tell!
An elderly pastor said, “The gospel is not something you come to church to hear – but leave to go tell!”
B. He Was A Concerned Man
Phillip is ready to tell and explain the truth of the Word of God to this lost seeker. The eunuch was reading from Isaiah 53 about the suffering Messiah who would die on the cross to pay for the sins of all mankind. Phillip asks, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me.”
With the way things are going in this world – every Christian ought to be eager and able to guide another soul to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ! (Beginning March 8th – “Way of the Master” – Fellowship Hall – 9:45 AM).
Being genuinely concerned about another’s salvation is a sign your heart is in tune with God. Every soul is precious to God and He may have laid that person on your heart so you could be a messenger of good news to him or her.
We sing the hymn, “Lord, lay some soul upon my heart - And love that soul through me - And may I nobly do my part - To win that soul for Thee.”
C. He Was A Compassionate Man
A popular saying states, “Real men don’t cry.” Jesus wept over broken sinners. David wept when depressed. Jeremiah wept over the sins of his nation.
George W. Truett - 40 years pastor of FBC Dallas Texas. An associate minister found him near the church weeping as he watched the people passed by on their every day business.When the associate asked him what was wrong, Dr. Truette replied, “Look at them! They are lost, they are lost, they are lost!”
That is the heart of a soul-winner, when you are burdened and broken about the condition of the lost! The Apostle Paul says in Romans 9:1-3. He says, “I am so burdened for my fellow Jews that I would go to hell if it would cause them to be saved!”
Some churches and Christians major on the minors instead of majoring on the majors. Majoring on the majors means being a co-labor with the Lord Jesus Christ in evangelizing the lost and equipping the saved to reach the lost!
Is your heart breaking this morning for a soul lost in sin? Do you think about standing before God one day and giving an account of how you testified faithfully to the name of Jesus Christ? Do you think of how wonderful it would be if that friend, family member, neighbor came to know Christ personally through your witness?
What does it mean to be lost? The Bible teaches that those without personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ are “dead in sin,” “doomed,” “denied.” Successful soul- winners have a burden for the lost! They want to do all they can to share the Word of God and lead that soul out of darkness and into the kingdom of God’s dear Son!
II. Phillip Was Willing To Go To Anywhere
Never tell God – “I won’t.” When you say “no” to the will of God for your life, there will be a lack of real joy, peace, and power.
The statistics say 95% of Christians never share their faith once with a lost soul – today is a wonderful day to say, “Yes, Lord,” I will learn to share my faith. “Yes, Lord,” I will speak boldly for your Holy Name.
A willing heart to obey God and share our faith grows as we understand -
A. The Gospel Is For Every Place
Verse 26, “…road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” Many Christians today are willing to “go up” for the Lord but few are willing to “go down.”
Aren’t you glad to know the Savior who came down so that you might go up?!
Danny Wuerffel was the Heisman Trophy while QB at Florida. He spent seven season in the NFL making millions. You would think this man would be living the high life in his mansion, taking it easy. Instead, he now serves the Lord in one of the poorest areas in New Orleans with Desire Street Ministries.
Gaza was a rough and needy place. Not only that, but Phillip’s ministry was prospering in Samaria – lives were being changed radically by the grace and power of Jesus Christ! God’s plan may have seemed foolish to Phillip in the beginning – but believe it or not – God knows what He’s doing!
God is looking for men, women, boys and girls who will stop saying, “God, here is what I want to do for you.” Instead in maturity and faith they say, “God, what would you have me to do?”
The gospel for every place is found in verses 32-33, “ He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He opened not His mouth. In His humiliation His justice was taken away, And who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth.”[a]
Jesus’ Suffering (every murder, abortion, hateful deed) was laid upon our Savior on the cross of Calvary.
Jesus’ Sacrifice (Innocent for the guilty). Jesus doesn’t want us carrying around a load of sin – we can’t pay for our sin – Jesus paid it all!
Jesus’ Salvation – “So the eunuch answered Phillip and said, “I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or some other man?” Then Phillip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.”
B. The Gospel Is For Every Person
Think of the differences between Phillip and the Ethiopian eunuch. There were racial differences – Greek and Ethiopian. There were religious differences – Jew and Gentile. There were regional differences.
What does this mean to you and me? All ground is equal at the foot of the cross!
Think of what friends and family need today. Hope – Help – Heard – Heart – Heaven
III. Phillip Was Willing To Go Anytime
A. The Obedience Of The Eunuch
Baptism in water always follows belief in Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior. Water baptism is a powerful testimony of the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord! In the waters of baptism we proclaim outwardly what God has done in us inwardly! We are dead to sin and raised to walk in newness of life!
I was baptized as a child but knew nothing of what it meant to have personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. As I sat under the faithful preaching and teaching of the Word of God at Broadmoor Baptist Church in Shreveport, LA – the Scriptures and the Spirit caused me to see my lost condition before God.
Upon receiving Christ as my Savior – the first thing I wanted to do was follow Christ in baptism. All I can say is that it was pure joy to follow the Lord in obedience and brought about great rejoicing in my life and the lives of others.
Satan lies and says, “Follow me and you will find joy.” Sin never leads to joy. The Bible says in Romans 6:23, “…the wages of sin is death.”
Savior says, “These things I say to you that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” What about you? Don’t let anyone or anything stop you from obeying the command of our Lord Jesus Christ to be baptized.
B. The Opportunity Of The Evangelist
Acts 8:39-40
This miraculous work in Phillip’s life through the Spirit of God was for one reason – that more souls would be saved – and that others may realize the urgency of our Lord in reaching the lost.
We are reminded by R. Kent Hughes of our purpose as a Christian. He says, “To bring a touch of the Master’s hand to those around us, we must: (1) Daily yield to the Spirit’s guidance, remembering He guides in different ways. (2) Understand and proclaim the gospel – the old, old story of God’s gracious rescue of repentant sinners. (3) Love people with God’s love.
Historians tell us this Ethiopian eunuch became the first missionary to the Ethiopians! The evangelized turned to evangelist!
What about Phillip? Acts 21:8-9, “…came to Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. 9 Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.
Twenty years had passed from his meeting with the Ethiopian - but Phillip was still being mightily used of God to bring up a wonderful family in the Lord Jesus Christ!
The soul you reach for Christ may not turn into a missionary to a foreign country – but they are just as valuable. It may be that young person, that neighbor, that co-worker that God uses to bring up the next generation of young people who are going to serve the Lord with all their heart while they live on this earth.
Those aren’t just bodies you walked by, They will all live on, after they die,
The men, the women you meet each day, The people that come across your way, Are going to live in heaven or hell,
Don’t let them pass, thinking all is well!
Will you allow the Lord to stir up your heart for personal evangelism this morning? Instead of dwelling on your fears – let faith in Jesus arise! Think of the difference it will make in the lives of others as you focus on others instead of self. Think of the joy and changed lives that Jesus brings when one receives the gift of everlasting life. Like Phillip become a believer who is willing to go for the Lord – anyone – anyplace – anytime!
