Spreading Grace
Scripture Reading — Acts 8:26-40
"Do you understand what you are reading?" Acts 8:30
Believers and nonbelievers both hear the word "witnessing" and want to run. Many church people will bake a pie, work a sound booth, change diapers in nursery, even clean the bathroom, but they don't want to "witness." If you attend a neighborhood barbecue and say the word "evangelism" a bit too loudly, you just might not receive an invitation next time.
Philip had a lot of reasons not to walk up to the Ethiopian and his chariot:
? ?Philip wasn't Ethiopian; they were worlds apart culturally.
? ?Philip was out of his league. The Ethiopian was a high government official, the secretary of the treasury.
? ?Philip's friend Stephen had just gotten killed as a result of "witnessing."
Yet Philip obeyed. Why? Maybe he heard the Spirit whisper, "I will give you the words to tell about me." We do know God prepared the Ethiopian's heart, leading him to read a text about Jesus and to ask Philip what it meant. And God caused the man to believe.
If God leads, will you follow? If we think of "witnessing" less as marketing and more as listening--to God and to the people he puts in our path--maybe our courage will grow. And maybe God will use us to help change someone's life for eternity.
Lord, please prepare people's hearts with earnest, spiritual questions and lead them to us. Please also give us the answers we need in order to share your truth and love. Amen.
About the author — Kevin Adams
Dr. Kevin Adams has served as a church planter/pastor in the Sacramento, California, area since 1991. He and his wife, Gerry, began Granite Springs Church in Lincoln, and this congregation has helped to nourish several other church plants. Kevin also serves as a director of the Sierra Leadership Network, a training program for new church leaders.
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