The Witness of Christ To One Soul
Notes
Transcript
Review
Review
Turn to Acts 8:26-40.
In Acts chapter eight, the Good News of Jesus Christ spread as far as Samaria, a region of Israel to the north of Jerusalem. New churches were established and many were saved, but this happened largely because of persecution in Jerusalem. We learned that God can use even the seasons of persecution and hardship for good in our lives.
The tremendous growth in Samaria was not without conflict, however. A man named Simon became a great danger to the churches in Samaria. Why? Because he wanted the power and blessing of God more than he wanted a relationship with God. I fear that many Christians are guilty of this today. Peter rebuked Simon and the believers were protected from following this man, but there is no record he ever repented and turned to Christ. Despite the conflict with Simon, the witness of Christ continued to spread throughout Samaria.
Message
Message
People like to be a part of something great. There is a natural draw in the human heart to contribute to something bigger than oneself. There is a natural urge to participate in a cause or a movement greater than one’s own individual goals or interests.
One of the earliest examples of this is found in the book of Genesis. In Genesis chapter eleven, all of humanity agreed to make bricks and to build a city and a tower, “whose top may reach unto heaven.” They joined together in a cause greater than themselves. Their effort is remembered as the tower of Babel.
People still do this today.
Some people become activists for causes that they believe in.
Some seek employment at prestigious law firms or seek to enlist in the military.
Others work on great projects like the Hoover Dam or the various programs in space exploration.
Why? Because people like to be a part of something great.
I have no doubt that it was gratifying for Philip to see his ministry be so fruitful in Samaria. The city of Samaria saw many people trust in Christ as their savior from sin, and beyond that, they preached Christ in many villages also. We can be certain that many believed on the Lord. But it was at that time, right when Philip was participating in something great, that God called him away from that ministry and to another. Philip’s witness of Christ in Samaria was replaced by his witness of Christ to one soul.
Next slide here:
The effort to reach one soul - Acts 8:26-29.
Read Acts 8:26-29.
Now it might be easy for us to focus immediately on Philip’s effort to reach this man, but that’s not where the effort originates. It wasn’t Philip’s idea to witness to this man; it was God’s idea.
God loved this Ethiopian.
God desired to see him come to a knowledge of the truth.
God saw this man respond to the knowledge of God that he did have, so God sent a witness of Christ across this man’s path.
Oh the great love that God had for this one soul! Oh the great desire that God had to see this man saved from his sins! Oh the great lengths that God went to so that this man could hear about Jesus.
But I can think of something even better: it is the fact that God still does the same for souls today.
God loves you with an everlasting love just like He did this Ethiopian.
God desires to see you come to a knowledge of the truth.
God wants to show Himself to you through Jesus Christ, but are you willing to trust Christ alone or not?
Application: All of this effort for one soul. That’s what God has done for you so that you would choose Christ alone to save you from your sins. I plead with you to reject everything else and to trust in Christ alone to save you today.
Philip, of course, exerted great effort in this cause. He left Jerusalem and headed southwest - straight into the desert.
Show slide of Jerusalem to Gaza.
Application: Philip’s simple obedience is so refreshing. He didn’t question God! He just obeyed! Christian, learn from his example and just obey God even when it doesn’t make sense and even when it’s not easy!
It wasn’t going to be easy for Philip because God was sending him to a man that was very unlike Philip. I want you to notice all of the divides that Philip had to overcome in witnessing to this man:
Racial divide
Verse 27 says that this was a man of Ethiopia. He was from a kingdom in Africa to the south of Egypt. He was a long way from home! He was dark skinned - which is what the word Ethiopian means. He was different than Philip.
Social divide
This man was like the secretary to the treasury for the entire kingdom of Ethiopia. He was wealthy.
As I heard one preacher say, Philip was walking while this man was driving a Lexus.
Besides that, this man was a high ranking officer of the court, and no doubt, he had the entourage to go with it. I can imagine Philip walking on the road and looking off in the distance, he sees a long caravan. In the middle of the caravan is the nicest carriage of all, and the Holy Spirit whispers quietly in his ear, “that’s the one. Go to that chariot.” Meanwhile, there are body guards in front and behind it.
“Lord, are you sure this is the right caravan? Maybe I took a wrong turn?”
Application: I want you to feel the effort that Philip expended to reach this one soul. I marvel at the divides that he was willing to cross. Christian, are you? Church family, are we? Are we willing to cross those divides?
All of us are wired differently. You may be able to reach some people better than I can and I might be able to reach someone better than you can. But every Christian must make the effort to reach one more soul.
Next slide here:
The guidance given to one soul - Acts 8:30-35.
Read Acts 8:30-35.
I love what the eunuch says in verse 31.
The man was looking for a guide! He was looking for someone to point the way to God! He needed someone to show him that the way to God was through Jesus Christ! God knew, so God sent him a man to show him the way.
There is a reality that is openly and repeatedly declared throughout Scripture: when someone is seeking God with a true and honest heart, He will be found!
The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, To all that call upon him in truth.
But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
Application: God passionately desires to reveal Himself to anyone who will seek Him with an honest heart. If today you don’t know God through Jesus Christ, you can start knowing Him today! If you do know God through Jesus Christ, this principle applies to you also. God wants to reveal himself to you more and more day by day.
This man was seeking God and God was about to be found. At the perfect time and at the perfect text of Scripture, God brought Philip along to be this man’s guide. The man was reading Isaiah 53 - arguably the clearest Old Testament text that points to Jesus Christ and his suffering on the cross for our sins. It was as though God had rolled out the red carpet for Philip, and so Philip started preaching the same message that he had preached in Samaria.
Read Acts 8:5.
Read Acts 8:35.
Philip preached unto him Jesus.
Application: Christian, enjoy the beautiful simplicity of the Gospel. Don’t overcomplicate it. Preach Jesus Christ to whomever will stop and listen. Guide them to Jesus.
The good news is simple.
All men are sinners. We cannot meet God’s standard of righteousness.
God loved mankind so much that He sent His Son to earth. Jesus met God’s standard because Jesus is God.
Jesus died on the cross, was buried, and rose again to live forevermore.
If you realize that you are a hopeless sinner and trust in Christ alone, you will be saved from your sins.
That’s how simple the good news is. So be their guide and point them to Jesus.
Next slide here:
The joy experienced by one soul - Acts 8:36-40.
Read Acts 8:36-40.
It’s apparent that Philip explained to this man more than salvation. He also explained the importance of publicly committing to follow the Lord by baptism.
One person said,
“The Ethiopian eunuch is a contrast to Simon the sorcerer. Simon had mental reservations and no heart submission to the truth. The Ethiopian gave complete heart submission to the truth about Christ and was prepared to obey all he had learned.” - Stewart Custer, Witness to Christ, page 114.
The eunuch asked Philip about being baptized, but notice, Philip was not going to baptize the man until it was clear that something else had already happened. The man needed to believe that Christ alone would save him from his sins. So Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” I love the man’s response.
“I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God!”
That was it! That was all that was required! Instantly, in that very moment that he believed, that man was forgiven of all his sins!
And so he was baptized, testifying before all that he was a committed follower of Jesus. They made their way out of the water when suddenly, there was only one man remaining - the eunuch. God snatched Philip away for another mission.
Read Acts 8:39.
I wish I could have seen this man’s smile! I would have loved to have heard his shouts of joy, his sighs of relief, and his thrilling laughs of excitement! He was forgiven! He had peace with God! Many years he had searched in vain for this gift and at last, he had found salvation in Jesus Christ.
But I want to remind you that this isn’t the first time that joy is mentioned in this chapter.
Read Acts 8:5, 8.
Every time that someone believes in Christ alone to save them from their sins, there is great joy. Oh the joy that was experienced by this one soul!
Application: Do you know that joy? Do you know the joy of sins forgiven? Do you know the joy of salvation that is in Jesus Christ ? One that you don’t have to work for? A salvation that God accepts without reservation?
God, the creator, loves you so much that He wants you to experience that joy - the joy of knowing Him. But there is only one way that He offers that joy and its through His Son Jesus. You must choose to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ alone to save you from your sins. You make that choice, and He will do just as he said. He will save your soul! I invite you to make that choice right now and then to come tell me about it after the service. You could be the next person to know the joy of His salvation!
Conclusion
Conclusion
One soul. Did one soul really matter that much to God?
2 Peter 3:9 - The Lord is …not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
One soul. Was it worth the effort? Church history says that it was. Christianity spread to Ethiopia very early and it’s widely believed that it was brought by this man.
God puts a high value on one soul. Do you? Church family, you may not know the Bible from cover to cover, but you know Jesus. So I challenge you: be the witness of Christ to one soul.
Invitation
Invitation
Point the unsaved to Jesus Christ
Inviting people to kids fun day, to revival services. Telling them of Jesus.
Praying for one soul.