Sharing Christ Without Fear
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Turn to Acts 8. This message is titled Sharing Christ without Fear. We all know we need to tell people about Jesus, but we usually have some fear. So how do we share without fear? We’ll get there in a moment.
Last week I mentioned that the soul is arguably the most valuable thing in the world. Jesus said in
For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?
For what can a man give in return for his soul?
In other words, there is no amount of wealth or power or whatever that would equal the value one’s soul. Then I mentioned that we could do everything right and win every cultural battle, but if we never win souls to Christ, what have we accomplished.
So, how do we win souls or share our faith. It just so happens that one of the workshops I attended at PALCON was Sharing Christ without Fear. I’m going to share that with you. This was
developed by Scott Rainey, the Global Discipleship Director for the Nazarene Church.
Most of this is his ….
Before we get into his part, we all need to know that sharing our faith with others really is a love issue. Love God, love others, if we love we obey, we talk about things and people we love ….
Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place.
And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship
and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah.
And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.”
So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this: “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth.
In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.”
And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?”
Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus.
1) Listen to the Spirit
- v26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip …
They key here is to make sure that we are available every day to listen to the Holy Spirit. We need to prepare ourselves to listen – a consistent time every day - no phone, no social media, no … just you and Jesus. He may or may not speak, but that’s not the point.
It’s not just about routine but desiring to hear. Most people spend time telling God rather than listening to God.
So, if you want to share without fear, listen to the Holy Spirit.
2) Obey the Spirit
- v27 “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” And Philip rose and went.
Had no idea what he was going to do, what would happen, but Philip when anyway. This is typical God Operating Procedures - not a lot of detail in the instructions.
3) Go to people who show spiritual openness
- v27-28 [The eunuch] had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah.
We would be wise to have our Holy Spirit Radar System always on. In the military we call this situational awareness. People have spiritual conversations or questions around us, but are we listening or too busy? Mentioned this before – Dr. Michael Heiser, a brilliant scholar (10 languages brilliant) enjoys sci-fi / alien conventions …. Why? Because they’re spiritually open. If someone is mindful of the supernatural, then maybe they’ll be open to biblical supernatural – especially if the Holy Spirit is leading you to them.
On the flip side, some people are not open and might not be a wise use of our time and resources. Jesus told the disciples – “Go, if a town receives you ….” But we’re not always smart enough to make that decision – we really need the Spirit.
Do you see how listening to the Spirit, obeying, and being around people who are spiritually open takes away some of the fear?
4) Hang close to someone who is seeking God
- v29 The Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet ….
I know 3 and 4 overlap a little, but there is a difference. Some are spiritually open but not necessarily open to God or seeking God or Biblical truth. But this guy was reading the Bible. These are the people we really need to be attuned to.
I heard that,
“Evangelism is like rowing around an island looking for a place to land.”
Pay attention to opportunities. Look for opportunities. When I worked in a juvenile facility or drove school bus – teens would ask me questions all the time. Game on!
This may be one of the biggest problems we have – curious – on any given day, how many of us are looking for opportunities to share our faith? What’s a simple fix?
5) Ask good questions
- v30 Philip asked, “Hey bro, do you understand what you are reading?” Good question. “Hey, did you watch the game last night?” Bad timing.
Pay attention to what’s going on with the other person (the context) and ask applicable questions. Be curious. Show interest. Care about the person – their soul. Don’t talk about yourself – “I love Isaiah. It’s my favorite. My favorite chapter is ….” What just happened?
Avoid critical and _____ comments. “I didn’t know your kind read the Bible.”
6) Receive hospitality
- v31 And he invited Phillip to come up and sit with him
When we share our faith, we often do it from a “power position” (we’re in control) or on our turf or according to our agenda. Don’t want to get too close and get cooties. But is that how Jesus did it? He left His throne, took on flesh, humbled Himself …. Think about Matthew a tax collector, he invited Jesus to dinner with other scoundrels. What did Jesus do?
Or think of Peter – Cornelius, a Roman Gentile invited Peter, a Jew into his home, which as a no-no. Sometimes the hospitality from an outsider is the make-it or break-it deal and the key to witnessing. Missionaries have been experiencing this for centuries. Some of us need to learn this – go for coffee, the party ….
7) Point people to Jesus
- v35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture [starting with the context] he told him the good news about Jesus.
May happen in a single event as with Philip or these 7 steps may happen over time.
Question – do you now the good news? Have you experienced the good news of Jesus? Sin, salvation, sanctification?
Point people to Jesus.
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’
I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.”
I do what I do so that Jesus can be revealed?
What about you? Living so Jesus can be revealed? Living redemptively?
Take a minute and assimilate what we just covered. Allow the Holy Spirit to speak, to give you some ideas so that when we walk out of this church building, we’re ready to listen, obey … and point people to Jesus.
Disturb us, Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves, when our dreams have come true because we have dreamed too little, when we arrived safely because we sailed too close to the shore.
Disturb us, Lord, when with the abundance of things we possess we have lost our thirst for the waters of life; having fallen in love with life, we have ceased to dream of eternity, and in our efforts to build a new earth, we have allowed our vision of the new Heaven to dim.
Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly, to venture on wider seas where storms will show your mastery, where losing sight of land we shall find the stars. We ask You to push back the horizons of our hopes, and to push into the future in strength, courage, hope, and love.
Sir Francis Drake — 1577