Samuel Haddon

Northside Community Church

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

www.northsidechurch.org.au

Introduction

And by what account do I have the pleasure of this call

Sarcasm

Tonight we are looking at how we can effectively share our faith. How we can effectively cold call, on behalf of the Kingdom of God

Tonight we will uncover an intriguing story… a story where a person like you and I leaves a thriving and powerful ministry to share the gospel with just one man.

The message tonight is called, into the zone, in its final sermon in a four-week series called walk across the room.

1. The greatest Walks in History – God spanned the unverse through

2. Your Story, Warts and all – Power of sharing who we really are
3. Building Bridges for God – Ways to connect

Over the next 15 or so minutes I hope we can work through the questions of

How do I tell people about Jesus
How do I get over that fear?
Will I look stupid
Will my friends diwon me
How do I move from the comfort zone to the Action Zone

Let Us Pray

Heavenly father

Open our hearts and minds

Convict us – move amongst us tonite

Guide every word/ every syllable/ every story as we eagerly await a great revelation of you through the spoken word

Setting the Scene

Phillip Story – Paint Picture

Phillip/Phillip

I gotta go to the desert
What was he leaving?
WHY – It was not about him. He knew something bigger was going down.

Acts – Outlined

Ascension of Jesus – Acts 1
Church rapidly expands at Pentecost (over 3,000)– Acts 2:41
Apostles Keep preaching and more believe – Acts 3
Church is scattered and starting to be persectuted

Have to ask ourselves the questions

Why did he go?
Why did he leave a fruitful ministry – particularly the samaratins
Why did he trounce al they way into the desert

Because we see through his actions – not necessarily his words a blind obedidence, you know the type that doesn’t even ask WHY?

Yep – I’ll go

!! Vanessa Williams Approach – Save the best for last

Compulsion through Obedience

Do I really have to???

Phillip had a drive that empowered him to walk out that way and leave it all behind

Define Compelled – A burning hunger, he was driven.

You would have to be to walk all the way out into the desert to wait for a guy you’ve never met and to await further instructions from a God you can’t see.

(a) Problem: Sometimes our compulsion is not for the right reason

The compulsion to preach a portion of the evidence by simply planning our message of Jesus Christ. We see with people that have the sensitivity of the scriptural shotgun firing of rounds of :

Jesus loves you Jesus loves you Jesus loves you,

or randomly sending description versus that of no relevance to the person tunnel engage tem

as a a side note : Verse 35:

Then Phillip opened his mouth and began at this scripture: Listen then Talk

We think we always have to be making pre-emptive strikes with Words of Mass desctruction

Magic Eye example –

What is this?

Can anyone so the picture?

!! Philips example

Dropped falaffel

30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.

31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

[1]

(do you see the picture in the magic eye)

Like the magic eye example they could stare at this for ever UNLESS we are compelled to intervene by coming along side people and saying… that sounds interesting…

what do you mean.

Our respsonsibility is not to describe the experience but help them find the answer.

Video Store example –

See from my example: I have to admit I am not the best at this

Why we share the gospel – significance of eternity

My compulsion to share the gospel should be born out of a sense of obligation (like taking out the trash) but rather a recognition that the message of Eternity is to precious to be left up to the sides of harbour bridges and chalked pathways as a means to

It’s not good enough to say – oh they get it. They don’t!

Pause: Damo situation.

How come you never shared Jesus with me. You were the only Christian

Step 3. Compulsion - Courage

a) I did not have Courage through faith in who Jesus really is

I did’n realize that God Was a

b) Personal God – Within me

c) Peripheral God – Around me

a) Boils down to the issue of: do I believe everything Jesus Christ is right or is it just some sort of moral guideline

Matthew 16:13-17

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ,the Son of the living God.”

17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. 1

Post-Modern World – Who do they say jesus is.

Spiritual Leader – Sorta like Buddah

Brainwasher

A Man - Not God

A Good Guy -

We get so knocked around by the post-modern mindset: If that’s OK for you then it’s true

Lack of Confidence

Lack of Courage

Doubt

We have to realize Jesus is with us:

Matthew 28:17-20

16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them ina the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Courage in the Scripture: Acts 8:35

35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. [2]

Step 2: Courage only comes from Knowing Jesus

AAPT Approach – Tell it like it is

There was a Hidden Character at the centre of this story

Brought to the forefront through the words of Phiilp.

Step:1 A commitment to Jesus Christ.

a) None of this matters if we do not make connection with Jesus Christ:

John 5:39-40

39 You diligently studya the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

Consequences

Evidence

Verse 36 Consequences of hearing the word-

Acts 8.36

36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. Why shouldn’t I be baptized?”

Note: Action on Philips Part

Verse 39 Evidence:

Acts 8.39

39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.

What does your commitment to Jesus Look like

! Conclusion

There are Etheopians everywhere:

They are:

Brothers/Sisters

Mums/Dads

Co-Workers

Friends

Fire Story

Wrap Up:

As this spiritual drought worsens – I don’t know about you but I wanna be afirebug for God

So whether you are: 3 choices – 1 consequence: A closer relationship with Christ

Already fired up for God

Looking for some courage

Most importantly – Have not made a commitment to Jesus or need to recomitt

1Just walk across the room tonight.

2 Receive prayer

3.And receive a fire within you that may burn hotter than you ever imagined – it has in my life

Seque – Whether you walk out for prayer or stay in the seat you have the same ability to connect with our almoighty God.

My heart and my soul – I give you control

Prayer:

Lord God fill this room.

We pray now that there is just one person here who is willing to stand up and be counted.

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[1]The Holy Bible : New International Version, electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996, c1984). Ac 8:30-31.

[2]The Holy Bible : New International Version, electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996, c1984). Ac 8:35.

Into the Zone