Sunday Morning’s message: 27th of May 2024 – Baptism Service
Pastor David Jones
Objective
Encourage people in your group to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit and reach out to the one person.
Leaders Note
Help your group to think about reaching the one, one at a time. This feels a little more achievable and not so daunting as reaching the multitude.
Please choose and discuss what best suits your group. Have fun Jesus People!
Discussion Time
Background
Philip was having great success in Samaria and was in the middle of a move of God. There were healings, deliverances and many people coming to Christ. An angel came to Philip with instructions to rise and go south along the road between Jerusalem to Gaza. Philip was obedient and listened to the Holy Spirit and was led by the Holy Spirit to this one man.
Be Obedient - Go
Read and Discuss
Acts 8:27 – 39
So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian[a] eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”
Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.
“How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So, he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:
“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.”
The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
As they travelled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptised?” And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.
Possible discussions
Q. What would have happened if Philip had not been led by the Holy Spirit?
Q. What was the one thing the Ethiopian was missing? [A. Jesus]
The Ethiopian was searching for God to the extent that he had gone to worship in Jerusalem and with this hunger had turned to reading the Holy Scriptures. Perhaps he was dissatisfied with the gods of his own people. We can tell from scripture he was ready for a life changing encounter with Jesus. Many people go on a journey to discover God. The Ethiopian needed Jesus and in finding Jesus he found a loving Father too.
The Father cares about the one.
Matthew 18:12 -14
What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.
There are two main people in this story, both were listening, hearing, and obeying the Holy Spirit. Both the Ethiopian and Philip had been led or being led by the Spirit to this moment. We can find ourselves in both places in life, receiving and giving. Someone cared enough to reach out to you. Let’s allow the Holy Spirit to create in us the same heartbeat as the Father.
Share
Who can remember a time when someone reached out to you. Perhaps when you felt like the lost sheep in Matthew 18?
(Leader: Encourage a couple of people to share personally)
Conclusion
Be Bold
Discussion - Philip boldly went up to the chariot.
We have a greater and more powerful message than we realise at times.
Be obedient and be bold.
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