Destiny on a Detour

Put on the playground right now. All over the building for what he has done and what he is about to do it now. And I come on, let's just bless God In This Place. Probably got in his gratitude. We thank you we thank you for your Living Word. God, we thank you for your holy where we thank you for your spoken word, God. And we asked me right now, God that you're worried B manifested so much to the people who are gathered here today. To those who are online you all, who might hear God, let them receive. What is you would have for them. Lord, we ask for your encouragement through your mind. If we pray. Amen. And thank God. How long do got to hand The Voice?

I am excited to be standing before you yet again on another fifth Sunday that we recognize as our mission Sunday. And so here's an opportunity for us to highlight the missionaries. But to revisit what it is that God has called us to do in the mission that we called Christianity, a mind and soul, About what it is, y'all wanted to say today.

Scripture is that of Acts 8:26 starting a 26 and why you find it? If I could just tell you that this is the first account, the early churches missionary people who were recipients of the Great Commission. Do you down for, and teach All Nations how to do level four, and teach All Nations. I'll be reading from the King James version.

Do you have a say, a mess? If not. They hold on a man and you're peeing. an angel of the Lord speak to Philip saying, arise and go towards the South unto the way that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza which is Desert, and he arose and behold, a man of Ethiopia, a unit of great Authority Under Candace, queen of Ethiopians who had charge over all her treasure, had come to worship and was returning and sitting in his Chariot reading the prophet Verse 29 say, then the spirits set on to Philip, golden are enjoying myself to The Chariot and tell him. Randy, is it to him and heard him read the prophet. Isaiah and said, understanding about what don't read it and he said, how can I accept some bands to guide me and you desire, that Philip would come up with him.

Scroll down to the prophet of this himself or some other man. And then still have open his mouth and begin at the same scripture and preach Jesus unto him. And as they went that way, they came to sparkling water and see their water. What do attending me for being baptized and feel offended. I believe, they're not hard. Made it, and he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God from remedy will stop there. And we'll talk for a moment about design.

I wanted to tell you this morning that

your destiny is in the beetle. Your destiny is in the detour. The first thing that grabbed my attention, when I began to look at this, this text was that there was a road trip going on and I submitted a picture of the map because the 8th chapter and the detours are Derivation from the path that we planned to take every Sunday morning even on my way to work. Every morning when I get up and I get moving, I have a plan in mind. I have the route that I plan to take. I know about how long it's going to take me to get there and I really gets upset when things don't go the way that I planned to take every now and then even though I know I'm going to work you and I know my way to church, I put the little Google directions on because I kind of want to know if anything is about to jump off as of the making me have to detour or be Reader X. Anything about detours has this is that I don't like you because I like to be in control. I like I like to know what's going on. I don't like unexpected and I don't like to be delayed and they are they are they end up causing us a delayed and they put the situation.

It's all when we coming to a detail, Detroit, you like me. You know, it's not the best attitude. When there's a traffic stop and I have to do what I miss my exit and I got to go around the circle, I just prefer to have a direct route it. So when I began to look at the instructions that are the Evangelist in love with you and I was like, man, he didn't look at all of you could probably admit that there was some point in life where you are just about to make it to that dream life you were just about to have a life, you always wanted, and then you got hit with a detour. It seems like if you don't have to turn all the way around, you definitely had the backup. I'll go in a way that with unknown and uncomfortable and unforeseen and it's in our lives. That God does his death work. If you know somebody

Decorative Destiny in the destiny is not always in the destination.

Look at what was happening in. And I told Pastor Sumer that I was struggling this morning, because there was so much in the text so little time, and so I'm just asking the holy spirit will pray to God. For the what is fed is what you need to get in the New Testament. Does Philip the Apostle? He was a sick person that would call to follow Jesus. And he was with him, he had a bird's-eye view. He was with him when he fed the 5000. But the Philadelphia talking about today is Philip the Evangelist. He is a newcomer he is from Grease. You're so, there's already a kind of divisiveness of that going on in the early church, even though it's early because you have the the Jews who speak, so they have the same beliefs and they have the same. So now these Jews that because of Pentecost, who speak Greek, Now understand the gospel, there they're growing and number and the people who were speaking Arabic, who were already Believers in Christ are feeling like the church is kind of growing beyond their stand of influence. And so were, there is a disruption in the body. The new body of Christ, the issue is that there are a women who are indeed there, that widows and widowers would also need to be taken care of, but it's not enough hands working and so the people who are of the airbag Jews, they already got anything set up so they already have a system but the new converts the Greeks, have anybody who's working on their behalf and they feel like they're widows and them and their patrons are being are at a disadvantage and it has this time that Philip is recognized for being a man who is worthy of to be what we call now, a deacon, and he has a spine, because of his faithfulness, because of his righteousness, because of his wisdom, to be one of those deacons of the early church, who is charged with the day-to-day labors of not the gospel, but serving the Christian people, Tell Dez the agreement at the end of the thing. Was we going to let the apostles do the preaching, and we going to let the deacons deal with the people. And this was working all well and good. Except at the end of chapter 7 of Acts in the beginning of chapter 8, of at it, just got real real, okay, in Jerusalem. And so, we find that price is it has to have gone and he said, he's left us with recognition. Go ye, therefore, teach all nations with all of the teaching at this time is happening in a rush of persecution. So it gets really real why? Because What is the season 1 of the new Beacon? Is murder killed persecuted for righteousness. And we look at the beginning of chapter 8 in women, can anybody who can bet you that belief in Christ and it's going down.

The Apostle say Philip, is he please? Where did he? Go goes to Samaria. 1 Samaria.

is Samaria, not only that, but he Cuz he can now communicate with the people in the area. But what did he do? When he decided to flee, he continued to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to begin. I'm just supposed to serve the people everywhere. He went, he shared the gospel and it changed to rain it. Move the gospel from the borders of Jerusalem. But now the outskirt area, but there was a put those who are ostracized, I want to know this because I want to know that Philip had a Ministry of reaching out to those who were left out. Can I tell you that Philip had a Ministry of reaching out to those who were left out? That's going to be important later. So now, this is reaching out to those who are left out and it is blowing up. This thing is Samaria is turning into a big deal in so much that. Now, the apostles from Jerusalem have to come down to check it out and see if this is And when they do they find new Believers that have been baptized. And what they do is they bless them with the holy spirit. So now the church in Samaria is lit. Why you got people who believe? People are baptized and now that's exercising their spiritual gifts. It's about to go down and then A 26-year. Come on. Go with me this way. And I'm sure as as a minister, I'm sure as a deacon I'm sure at the end of visual who is moving forward and we feel like we're supposed to be in line with God program is going to be discarded when God said yeah but come over here. We will follow God's plan is simply that if we want to find Destiny and I detour we have to be willing to follow God's plan. We have to be willing to participate. We can't be a Jonah if you like,

I want you to go south and I don't even want, I want to dictate the route in which you go. I want to go south on the road. That is a desert road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. I want you to go bad past where you left and I only want you to take you to the main road. I want you to take this deserted Road. Cycles are in go back to Jerusalem but now, Philip is commanded to go beyond. Commanded to go alone. And it looks like it's going to be kind of dangerous if not just because he is a Christian, but also because he's traveling alone. What is the speech? And what is his tell us? Tell me that we need to be willing to participate in God's plan even when it feels like, it's a demotion, even when it feels like it's dangerous. And even if we have to go, that everybody is not your destiny is for you and you can't take everybody else with you. You know what did, what is the saying people in your life for a reason and for a season and we got to be able to shake those things. And let them go when God said so. So that we can move forward towards my destiny. I can imagine You know what you know about making disciples. In fact, I don't under

I'm having that attitude of his attitude was, how can I participate and God's plan? Even when I don't understand the directed, how do I sometimes? God gives us turn-by-turn directions. Turn-by-turn that time I Turning Works my nerves but sometimes that's how God managers us and I detoured. Yeah, I know you want to be over there, but I need you to turn left right here. I need you to pause for a minute. I'll let you know what time it is in order to be a part 2 to realize I Destiny and ID to be willing to participate in God, we trust and faith and be faithful.

So, where are you? Are you and your life? What part of your of your detour? Are you in? Where it seems like God has given you turn by turn directions. Don't continue to be participating in God's plan. I'm almost through here. look at verse 27 sold and it's Met m e t o p in unit Poison official in charge of Treasury upended, which means the queen of Ethiopian. This man was going to Jerusalem to worship and on his way home was sitting in the chair, in the book of Isaiah, the prophet How much? Brightest at 28 29 weeks.

Play De God's plan it because he would God's plan. God has positioned the right people. In his past. How many you know that when you begin to participate in God's plan even if God will position the right people in your panties you need to be willing or number to be willing to participate are willing to proclaim the good news without prejudice Unity Willy. To proclaim the good news without prejudice. You can't be caught up in you supposed to be over here. I was on my way that way you got to be willing you on you and the friend. You got to be willing to proclaim the good news. When I read this, I thought about what was the alternative he could have done a Jonah, you know, hey Find me right? On the desert road you strange-looking. This is a lot going on here and I don't know what what what does he do. So the Holy Spirit tells him you know, go up to the to the champion be willing to do, he's willing to Proclaim good news without prejudice by describing the person play center. I want you to understand that the person that God places in your path, may not be like, may not be ideal. Mississippi open.

Probably hundreds of not ideal. The Ethiopian and he's not an average Ethiopian. Why we know that he is a treasurer of the queen. So he's he's well to do in society but at the same time you got a lot going on. Because after they describe where he's from and what is position is when they begin to describe him as and we talked about last week, the kids was so funny what we talked about what that meant to be a unit and I just want to express to you. That it could be somewhere, it could be it. So that could mean that he is the man, but you're not a man, but he's a slave, but you're not really a slave because of your high of slave, he of a God-fearing, which means he's hungry and thirsty, after God. But because of his status, because of his your background, and because the fact that he's a eunuch, he drove all the way out. He traveled all the way to Jerusalem.

How do we know that? Because he obtained a copy of the script? Right now, everybody. He has a copy of the scroll, which apparently he obtained all week, until he would have changed because of his great will, but he was interested enough to open up a guy to travel to Jerusalem and then even know he was turned away at a facility. He managed to walk away with something because he was about to tell us about those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, they shall be fine in an opportunity to proclaim. The good news without prejudice came up in conversation. Ethiopians.

Address him right where he was. And what I want to do is I want to tell you that we need to be able to proclaim the good news without prejudice. I want to tell you because I believe that the reason why this text is highlighted here for us today is because somewhere throughout the weeks away throughout the month we're going to be on find ourselves in the detour. We're going to find that God has placed our position. Someone in our past, we need to be ready to proclaim the gospel with out, president copani, skip it in time. So it has a plane to scroll and so you don't have to go poking and prying and converting people because he does all that for you. You just need to be willing to participate.

The foundation is laid. He's traveled. He has been to church, he back, he's a pain. The scroll and he's already reading. What is he read? Isaiah 53 + 7. It would have said this is a passage of scripture that unit was reading when he led the Sheep to slaughter, the unit was reading. He was laying like a sheep to the slaughter and as a lamb before it's here so he can open his mouth and his humiliation, he was deprived of Justice.

I want you to know that often times of Wednesday night and pass. It was a Wednesday night. Bible study was talking about us being being prepared or being fearless. And a lot of times that we encounter is out of knowledge but I want to tell you that. The interesting thing about this text is that this question? Was just the right question to ask Philip, why is that? Because if you had an apostle it would have been like a little back and forth because they said that they really didn't recognize Jesus Messiah have been indoctrinated and he'll understood the role of Jesus in the new and the Old Testament. He was able to answer the the scripture where it was and then take him to the scripture but then he took him to the What does he do that? He says. So it says Begin with that. Very passage of scripture and they told him the good news about Jesus. So if you want to walk away and say I know this happens to me I need to be able to share price, I say start with a r Take me to the scriptures. Whatever that is in the description.

Make sure you take them. And then the next verse 37 is, which is why I chose the the the in the King James version, that says, if you believe in your heart, you make it that time. And over here professional face. And he answered and said, I believe in Jesus Christ, the son of God, So you got to take him to the, you got to take him to the Savior. When you got to take them to Salvation, you got to take me to the scripture Point them to the Savior and then take them to Salvation the opiates. This is the news that was carried from place to place. This is why the journey was set in Motion in the first place because people need to understand that the god of the Old Testament is the god of the New Testament or the New Testament.

Lord, we we

no matter where you start the conversation, I wear this conversation, start, you got to make sure you take him to the scripture, John 3:16 for God. So loved the world that he gave his only begotten son.

But have everlasting life take us to the scripture of Jesus and that is through Jesus Christ. And then, yeah, that's what you must be doing.

It's about making sure that you in line with God's plan. Well, how we know that because the third things we've the third point is finally this. If we are willing to participate if we are without prejudice, we will find that identity of lying. You been running around trying to get.

Your destiny was right here, looking at the life of Philip and discussed. In chapter, do this narrative really, really highlights the high point of what God want us to know about Philip. But later on 20 years later in the book, we find that Phillip has retired or he is, he is settled. He's no longer traveling. He settled in caesarea and apparently he's married. It might Angeles by the way.

He is entertaining or hosting.

Because he was trying to get away from song. He has helped to develop the church, not just not just in in Gaza, not just on the way to I30. But in that one encounter with a happened to be in, he was able to carry the gospel back to

prophesied.

I think I'll try not to say too much. Pray with you, it was prophesied that one time. You notice these countries change? Name is not protected. It's just everything in North Africa and testament that Crush

I would reach out her arms to cry. Now, who would have thought that by taking this. And leaving a crowd with talk to an individual. That ship now for Bill. biblical prophecy of those that you were going to be, and all he Perpetuate, his playing a violin.

What is inside your destiny with a line with God's plan?

As I look at the text, so many different ways to look at it and I thought that was the best way to close. Look at it as the Evangelist have a relationship with Christ and you are you on your way, you're doing the right thing by your message but now your messages turn around. You got to go back. When you got to go by yourself, you got to go into either territory. Stop talking to several people. You stop medicine at several people that use medicine at 3.

You may be disappointed by The Detour. I want you to remember that. It's all the lines. And so we have to put aside our pride and our personal concern and be willing to participate in his plan so that he can use of your kingdom.

When I call to get rich, when I call to have a lot when I call to do what I would not call out, but that's not what we were called to do. God did not leave the money, get the bag.

All Nation the weekend.

What's this song?

Living the Great Commission. did you look at it from the standpoint of

Ethiopian.

Taking out the garbage when I get out turned away.

But yeah, I got to say, I see you. I hear you. I am sending somebody. Why?

Because that's how I want to buy. I see your heart. I see what you're needing and I'm willing to support. You just keep speaking and I'll be there. I will be home tonight, if you are.

the worst stuff for,

He cannot have any Offspring, any generation of his own. it is something that he's reading, Isaiah 57 in the last, the last Burnt what he reads is not know who can say he had any children because he was taken from us. What is a call on the train? And everything is such a way that he wanted you to know that. I'm I'm talking to you and I know what you mean and I know what you where it hurts and I don't know what was

I want to tell you today that you can find. If you're willing to participate.

Avant. With God, purpose, bible say that you ran out of there. Praising God.

What do I do today?

How do you go poop? I'll put you in. Eddie Bauer. We sent you all over the building for your preach. The word we've been to that. There was power in your word That Into You.

Delivering, even now.

There was moving forward, but according to your plan, and that's a shift. Identity is not in, the 50 is not in the destination, but it's in the dryer. So I'm almost got to appreciate the journey. Allow us to find joy in the delayed. Allow them to find a hope. It's a setback and feeling a marginalized.

Thank you, God.

Relationship. Deliver right now. And what was your home? I'm almost to know that your son, Jesus Christ died from that week.