Sunday Recap

Here is a recap of the sermon Sunday. Acts 8:26-40. The story is about Phillip and his experience in sharing the Gospel with an official from Ethiopia that was going home after worshipping in Jerusalem.

Basically, this is the gist of the story. An angel tells Phillip to go the Gaza Road. Once there the Spirit leads him to run next to a chariot. In the chariot this Ethiopian is reading out of Isaiah. Phillip asks if he understands. He says no. Phillip gets in the chariot and rides with him and tells him about Jesus Christ starting with that prophecy from Isaiah. The Ethiopian sees some water and wants to be baptized. Phillip baptizes him under the water and as he comes up, Phillip is teleported by God to another place.

Here is the main point…
Hear the Lord…Head out.
Head out…Hear the Lord.

When you hear from God, do what he says. When you do what he says, you hear more from God…at least that is how it typically works. This is a principle from a narrative not a law from instruction.

There are two types of callings and two types of obedience for Christ followers. General call and general obedience. Specific call and specific obedience. The principle…typically you must be generally obedient to the general call of Scripture before you will hear a specific call from God.

One of the biggest obstacles people have in living faithfully is that too many believers believe a lie. People somehow believe that God always provide specific calls to general obedience. He does not. Phillip did not have to stop and pray about whether he should share with the Ethiopian the Gospel. Jesus told us to “Go and make disciples of all nations…” The call already exists. Does the obedience?

So, basically, quit doing nothing until God tells you something specific to do. Do what he generally told you to do and he will get more specific as you go. You will never know the specific until you are faithful with the general.

Probably the point that I have heard repeated back the most is this one…

You will never know the depths of your giftedness until you walk in the shallow waters of obedience.

I will flesh that out more in another blog this week.

Also we announced the move to 3 services in August. God is doing great things at Fellowship.