Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Here we are already a month into the new year, and life is going forward day after day.

What did you do during the first month of the year.

What difference did you make for Christ.

Recently, we looked the role of husbands and wives, men and women as they live with each other and in front of God.

And last week we looked at Christ being the

And last week we considered the truth that Christ is the only true foundation for the home.

And that foundation enables us to stand and have success.

But even beyond that, having Christ in our hearts, as our foundation empowers us to be able to go and do as the Lord leads us in this life.

Where is the Lord leading ?

Where is the Lord leading you?

For all of you here today, there are certain places the Lord is leading you and your family as a whole.

Vocations, callings and so forth...

But day to day, where is the Lord leading?

Where is the Lord drawing you to and who is the Lord drawing you too.

I am convinced that each day, if we are open and will allow the Holy Spirit to lead us, He leads us to those around us, those whom the Lord would have us love on, share with and yes, most certainly care about...

This morning I want to take you to a NT picture where the Lord is leading a person in a certain direction for His glory.

So if you have your Bibles, lets go to , verses 26-40

Now as the early church is growing, as the Apostles and others are faithfully preaching and teaching the Word of God, we see great things happening… but there is also persecution......they are facing intense persecution.

Stephen has been stoned and Saul is out for many of those of “The Way” But that didn’t stop those faithful evangelists… they pressed on… in the face of hardships?

Why?

Some will say because the Lord commanded it.... and also because it could mean heaven or hell for that person.

Eternal destinations could be held upon what we do or don’t do....

The Lord Directs

So lets consider this thought today...

1.

The Lord Directs His People....

Friends, I am convinced that the Lord can and will direct our steps if we are willing....

Now not every person believes that, not even every person who claims to be Christian believes that is possible, and that is ok, people have the right to believe or not believe...

Now

But I have seen it and I have experienced it personally in my life....

I have seen it in the lives of other people as well.

The Lord leads or sends a person to do something particular, His mission, His will and it is always for His glory.

And it is one of the very things that we see in the Bible itself, and there is the proof in Scripture.

And when we look back at our text we can recognize this truth.

And when we look back at our text we can recognize this truth.

Lets go back.... Look at verse 26

But I have seen it and I have experienced it personally in my life....

And it is one of the very things that we even see in the Bible itself and when we look back out text we can recognize this truth.

and when we look back out text we can recognize this truth.

Look at verse 26

Do you see what is being said here, the angel of the Lord.

The Lord’s own messenger.

an angel.

We are just not told who this angel is, and that is ok.

The most important truth is the Lord sent the angel to Phillip.

Now the angel comes to the place where Phillip was and speaks to Him.

Phillip rise up and go south to the road .....

That is a definite direction, it is not a general statement it is very purposeful and direct....

Go south until you find the road, the one road that goes from Jerusalem to Gaza..

Now we know from history, there was just such a road, a road across Mount Hebron, where Phillip could travel down toward the land of Gaza, whereby Phillip would not have to travel all the way to Jerusalem to begin.

Now Gaza is not the destination, it is toward Gaza, Gaza is a city which is the southern most city of Palestine, and at the tail end of verse 26, the Bible tells us that Phillip was supposed to head in that direction, but the true destination was a desert place.

See what is happening here, Phillip has been at work, great things have been happening, but now the Lord is directing him, telling him you need to be here… the desert toward Gaza…

The Lord is leading him but even more truly He is sending him for a very special purpose…

Phillip is on mission for the Lord.

Now this reminds me, the Lord desires the same for us.

He desires to use us for His mission and for His purpose… He desires to lead us, to send us to the people He has placed before us...

We can be, we should be like Isaiah, a person who confesses, Here I am, Lord…Send me!

Let me ask you a question, have you ever felt the Lord speak to you, it may have not been a audible word, but you know in your heart He was telling you.. go see this person, go speak to that person…

If you did, were you obedient?

The Lord will direct His people.

Now this leads us to a second thought...

2. We Should Go Where the Lord leads....

My friends, the best response to the Lord’s leading is obedience.

My friends, the best response

Honestly, we are not always obedient, and sadly we miss the greatest blessings of the Lord when we chose to not follow His direction, and sadly those whom the Lord is leading us to will miss that blessing as well because we were not obedient.

Lets go back to our text...

Verses 26-31

Now from verse 27, we know that Phillip is obedient to the Lord’s leading; He rose and went..

Phillip did as the Lord told him, he started on that journey and this is what he finds.

Now verse 27 tells us that there is another person on this same road, an important person, one whom the Lord has prepared as well for that moment.

An official, a eunuch who is a treasurer from Ethiopia, and he served his Queen, Candace.

So he is a part of her court, her royal circle.

He is an important person and he has freedom to travel across the world.

And right now he is on his way back from Jerusalem.

The Bible tells us that he has been to Jerusalem to worship.

So we can call him a God-fearer… He is spiritually close to the kingdom of Heaven, he only needs to hear the truth of salvation through Jesus Christ.

Now we know why the Lord is sending these two men together on this particular day… That the kingdom of God might come to the heart of this man.

A eunuch from Ethiopia, Candace own treasurer.

If Phillip had been disobedient, then this important meeting wouldn’t have taken place… and much would have been lost, physically and spiritually.

Do you see with me just how important it is to follow where the Lord leads… disobedience might cause to miss some of the greatest intersections of life...

I would have missed a great deal if someone had not been obedient, if there was no one to meet at that all important intersection in life.

Again here is a question...

Have you failed to rise up and follow where the Lord leads....

Our choices about life has eternal consequences my friends....

Now, just one last thought my friends....

Are you ready?

When we are obedient, we have the joy of :

3. Enjoying the Blessings of God’s Goodness....

Phillip finds himself traveling toward Gaza, but not reaching it.

and then suddenly we find why the Lord has called him to travel this way.

There is one divine meeting the Lord has prepared Phillip for..... and another as well… this one man we simply know as a Ethiopian Eunuch.

Let go back to our text....

Verse 29-31

Do you see the clear direction…

The Holy Spirit said to Phillip, go run and catch up with that Chariot....

Now listen, there are times everyday where the Lord says to us… reach out to that person or this person.... and when He does, will you do it?

Or will you allow that all important opportunity to pass.

Now this might have been awkward, this might have been a little stressful, but nonetheless, Phillip ran and ran alongside of the Chariot of this important man...

Here is where it is even more interesting… When Phillip ran over, he heard the official reading from the book of Isaiah....

He is reading one of the OT …