POST SERIES
0: Church is (____HOPE____)
1: Church is (___DEVOTED___)
2: Church is (__BEDAZZLING__)
3: Church is (___PREPARED___)
4: Church is (_BARRIER-FREE_)
5: Church is (__GRACIOUS & HONEST__)
6: Church is (____GIVING____)
At the beginning of this teaching on Acts 8, my lovely wife shares a story. And what I love about her story is that she was prepared to share parts of God’s story of rescue in Jesus Christ. Prepared to give answers. Even prepared for his skepticism and criticism.
Because that’s what the Church is. Not only is the Church dedicated and bedazzling. We are called to be prepared to do what Melinda did. Prepared to give an answer to everybody who asks us about the hope that we have in Jesus Christ.
Are you prepared? Are you prepared to give an answer for the hope that is within you? Prepared to share God’s magical, revolutionary Story of Rescue when the time is right?
Today we come to a story of preparation in our journey through the Book of Acts. It’s a very interesting story about Philip, on of the disciples, and this Ethiopian eunuch, who was this governmental official from the Kingdom of Ethiopia.
And one day the Spirit of God calls on Philip to share the hope of Christ with this man and then lead this man to place his faith in Jesus.
The reason why Philip and Melinda were able to share Jesus’ story was because of one word—prepared. And as we walk through this story we are going to see 3 important aspects of being prepared.
In order to be prepared to share we need to be available, be watchful, and be knowledgable.
1 Peter 3 instructs us to “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”
There are people in your life right now who you will have a chance to give an answer. Not for the sake of converting people to your religion or getting people to join your social club. But for the sake of helping them explore and experience new life in Jesus Christ. So they can have the same hope that you have.
