Cork Free Presbyterian Church, 10 Briarscourt
(Annex) Shanakiel, Cork, Ireland
Pastor: Colin Maxwell. Email: colin.maxwell@fpcmission.org
FREE PRESBYTERIAN ISSUES -- GOSPEL ISSUES -- PROTESTANT ISSUES --EVANGELISM ISSUES -- CALVINISM
ISSUES -- C.H. SPURGEON INDEX -- SERMON NOTES -- MAIN PAGE
ACTS 8:26-40 TEXT: v30 [MISSING OPPORTUNITIES]
And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
A very practical message re:
witnessing/Christ. Our Christian duty: 1:8 Witness: truth/gospel Basic
facts & to apply the message. Something definitely active. Although
text relates to Philip who held the office/evangelist (Acts
21:8/Ephesians 4:11) yet the chapter (v1/4) relates that the
work/evangelism belongs to every single Christian. Our passage relates
how Philip took/opportunity to witness/Christ: v26-30 I think v30
was very opportunistic. Word fitly spoken. Worked! See how smooth it
all went (v31) & the rest: glorious! (v37-39) Answer me
this…do you take your opportunities/speak to lost souls? Under
God…do you try & create opportunities? Or like
me…miss more than you take? We want to tackle the reasons why
so...under God…we might be able/overcome them & do what the
Lord Jesus/saved to do: bear testimony/Him: Acts 20:24 5 main
points to consider:
1) WE ARE SIMPLY NOT IN THE LOOK OUT FOR SOULS:
A/ Watch/souls appears/relation: oversight/church: Hebrews 13:17
Shepherd watching/flock…anticipating trouble & preventing it.
Likewise in evangelism…Christians are to be ever looking for opportunities to witness.
Certainly Philip was (See
Introduction) Just come from active preaching (v25) & when
directed…went to Gaza (!) to look for souls.
B/ Philip knew: worth/soul (Mark 8:36) Easily forgot.
So great a matter that we cannot think long upon it & so we can easily forget it.
We need therefore to meditate long/often upon Bible:
Turn to: 2 Corinthians 5:11 Greek literally rendered: "Having known
& knowing: terror/Lord"…Keep it constant before us.
C/ Consider cost/Lord Jesus: Ephesians 1:7
Once we do this…ever be willing to ensure that He shall see: travail/soul…satisfied (Isaiah 53:11)
D/ Perhaps: our inactivity here…symptom/deeper spiritual ill:
Are we too earthbound/thinking?
Cf. Paul: Philippians 1:21-23 Whatever…if not on the lookout/souls…not likely to reach any.
2) WE FEEL OUR TOTAL INADEQUACY FOR THE WORK:
Perhaps we are spiritual & aware of danger/lost &c., but still…we let opportunities go by.
Why? Feelings of total inadequacy etc.,
A/ Nothing new.
Best have felt it: Moses (Exodus 4:10) Solomon (1 Kings 3:7) Jeremiah (1:6) & Paul/soulwinner: 2 Corinthians 2:16
B/ Big fear…"If I try to
witness…I will say something wrong…blow it & bring
the gospel in to disrepute."
Tackle this. One hand: True: Romans 10:2 is not good: Galatians 4:18
Ans: Get knowledge. Not that hard!
Not being asked to preach an expository sermon…just being asked to convey information.
Seeking an opening which (if needs be) others can exploit.
C/ If you had it all perfect…may be too good for God to use!
Always a danger! Qualifications: 1 Corinthians 1:27-28 Cp. Gideon
Without encouraging recklessness…remember God has often used sincere though ill equipped folk/past.
Not the norm. A sound mind will prepare etc., but don't pigeon hole God either. Good verses/guide: 1 Corinthians 14:33/40
D/ Don't make this particular weakness an excuse.
Paul quoted 2 Corinthians 2:16 (as above) but also said: "Our sufficiency is of God" (2 Corinthians 3:5)
3) WE ARE OFTEN ASHAMED OF THE LORD JESUS:
A/ If so…spiritual problem. Far removed: Romans 1:16/Galatians 6:14
B/ My problem: Not ashamed/gospel…but I recoil thought of rejection on 1-1 basis.
Can cope with general rejection (Not hard in the FPC!) - I have myself
fortified against it - but being rebuffed on a 1-1 basis fills me
with dread. Problem deeper?
Am I ashamed of Jesus?
If so…I ought not to be.
He was not ashamed of me even though He had every right/be: Hebrew 2:11
C/ Once proud Apostle could overcome it & so should we.
Paul got it all into perspective: Galatians 1:10 & again: 1 Thessalonians 2:4
In passage: Philip had every reason to feel inferior (v27) but he
overcame it. A greater had sent him (v26) & so us: Mark 16:15
4) WE LACK FAITH IN THE POWER OF THE WORD OF GOD:
A/ Doctrinally we don't. Fundamental. Practically: Seems we do.
B/ We might fear face/man…but can it not be that having raised matter/salvation…we might be in for a surprise?
Did Philip expect v28? or v31? or v34? Or v36?
Remember: God has an elect people whom He will bring through means/evangelism: Acts 13:48
How did they believe? Through evangelism. Through men who believed in the absolute power/Bible:
C/ Never pare down/message. It's not your part of the work once the word has been delivered: 1 Corinthians 3:6
5): WE ARE EVER GETTING READY TO GET READY & NEVER GET READY:
A/ In other words…Just do it!
Pray for leadings (v26) & be determined to speak to someone every day.
Avoid: Matthew 20:6
B/ Better to do something (even if imperfect) than nothing. Redeem/time.
Go for it! God will not let His word return unto Him void (Isaiah 55:11).
Your labour will not be in vain in the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58)
THE END