Family Bible Series for Nov. 11
FAMILY BIBLE SERIES:
The good news is for people of all cultures
___ Acts 8:26-40
___By Christine Hockin-Boyd
___Texas WMU, Dallas
___In studying this week's passage, I can't help being reminded of a mission trip I will be taking in February 2002 to the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. Some attendees will enjoy the breathtaking view of the mountains and snow and observe the athletes performing in various events. Others will take advantage of the opportunity to sell their wares.
___What will I do? I am taking a group of 20 men and women who will focus their attention on finding opportunities to share the gospel. We will adopt the phrase of "as you go" share Christ whether it is on public transportation, distributing hospitality bags, assisting
in a Christian coffee house or Internet café, or providing fan entertainment. Whenever and whatever we are doing, we will look for unique opportunities to share the gospel. As the Holy Spirit impresses our minds and hearts to share with someone, we will obey. Why? Because everyone deserves to hear that Jesus loves you.
___Think of it we don't have to travel to a different country to share with different people groups and cultures. The world is coming here. We are just going to meet them and take advantage of the opportunity before us. We will encounter numerous internationals, cultural differences and language barriers.
___Will we be selective of whom we share with about Jesus? No. We will heed the Holy Spirit and obey his direction. Why? Because all people, no matter where they live or what culture they may be a part of, deserve to know who Jesus the Christ is. God is not partial to any race or nationality but loves all people and wants Christians to cross cultural boundaries to tell the lost about him.
___Philip was having a successful time in preaching and sharing the gospel while in Samaria. So why in the middle of a successful evangelistic journey would God call Philip away to go somewhere else? Simple. Philip was needed elsewhere. God had a job for him, and he needed Philip to go immediately.
___I couldn't help but notice how specific and direct the angel of the Lord was to Philip. In verse 26, he gives specific directions to Philip, "Go south to the road--the desert road--that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." Let's turn that statement into a modern-day set of directions. Go south of town--Interstate 35--that goes from Dallas to Austin.
___God is always specific with us. He is never fuzzy or confusing in his directions to us. We usually cause the distortion.
___Philip immediately went. He didn't say, "But, God, I wasn't finished with my work here. I had one more city block to cover door-to-door witnessing. I'll go tomorrow." Philip, without delay, began the new assignment he had been given. He didn't know to whom he was to talk. He knew he would be given further instruction when the time was right.
___And so it happened. Philip encountered an Ethiopian eunuch who was an important official for Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. He was in charge of the entire treasury. Granted, he was traveling a long way from Ethiopia to go and worship in Jerusalem.
___Now Philip noticed the man was reading the book of Isaiah (v. 28) and was more than likely intent on what he was reading. I believe we can assume the eunuch was an educated man and enjoyed learning all he could. Philip's next set of instructions came.
___"The Spirit told Philip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it" (v. 29). Without missing a beat, Philip immediately went alongside the chariot to be near the man. The next scene is sometimes too unimaginable for us to believe. Philip discovered the eunuch more than ready to listen and understand the Scriptures. He wasn't going to shut the door in Philip's face. Here was a man from a different country, well educated, had a government job, and was readily willing to learn and understand what the Scriptures meant. He didn't care if Philip was from a different land ,and neither did Philip. These two men didn't see skin color, hear voice accents or care about the economic level from which the other came. They only focused on the meaning of God's message, acting upon the Spirit's impression of mind and heart.
___Have you discovered that the secular world only cares about the people closest to them and who are like them? They view others with suspicion, indifference and contempt. As believers, we, too, struggle with others that are different and have our own attitudes about various ethnic identities or people groups. We struggle with showing genuine love and concern to people who are different. And what is the definition of different? I like to say it is someone who doesn't think, dress, act, believe or talk like me. As Christians, we can't focus our attention on the differences but rather claim and share that God loves all people. See people through God's eyes. Allow God's love to flow through your heart, mind and soul to speak to all people.
___Questions for discussion
___ Is there anyone you would not witness to? Why?
___ How can you prepare yourself for witnessing opportunities?
___ Is the fact that most churches are racially segregated a problem?
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