Saturday, January 06, 2024

Sermon Notes

Awaiting Further Instructions
Acts 8:26-40
Lee Taylor JFBC (Heather Swilley's husband)

The new 12 apostles are starting the church, and need deacons to minister while the apostles preach. The deacons include Steven walking around the market preaching Jesus, which angered people, who killed Steven. This caused many of the new Christians to flee Jerusalem for Samaria.

Deacon Phillip fled, and was led by an an angel to go to a road in the desert, in the middle of the day - while the ministry was going so well in Samaria.

Four questions to help us in 2024…

1. What channel are you on? Are we on the same channel as God when we're not worshipping Him in church? Is it really that we want God alone? All the time? Monday through Friday? God is giving us instructions…are we listening? 
Matt 28 the great commission 
Mark 16:15 
Acts 1:8

Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby - God speaks through us through the Bible prayer circumstances and community/church

2. Are you willing to do the small things? For Philip to go to the road sounds like a strange thing to tell someone to do. 
V 27 But once Phillip follows this, he receives further instructions, to go hang out with people who are nothing like him. But when Philip does, he hears his language, his scripture.

Isaiah 53:4 pierced for our transgressions…by his wounds we are healed. Who is this scripture talking about, the Ethiopian asks? Philip asks 'do you understand what you are reading?' Maybe there is someone in my life that God wants me to guide, despite my struggles and pains. You don't get to ride in the chariot unless you go to the road. You gotta do the small things

3. Are you ready to share the gospel? Philip used what was in front of him.

Look for tools to use, like the "A life on mission" app. Ask people "How can I pray for you?"

How to share the Gospel, the basics need to include… 
A. Creation 
B. Fall 
C. Redemption (Jesus died for our Sins) 
D. Restoration to a relationship with God

4. Are you ready to go public? 
Romans 10:9-10 if you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart…

The Ethiopian says "Look! There is water. What prevents me from being baptized? The Ethiopian will tell this story for the rest of his life.

Ask yourself: how can I go public?

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