The Good News Conversation

John

Conversations / Acts 8:26–40

Romans 10:14–15 ESV

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

And the church is called to provide a response to that cry.  To be a response to that cry that points in one singular direction. It doesn’t mean that we always have the exact answer to every question, but it means we have a God who cares about us in our uncertainty and unknowing. 

Evangelistic conversations are those kinds of conversations where we explicitly have an opportunity to talk about who Jesus is and what He has done and what He means to us.  It may not be all three of those but there is a sense of focusing on the person of Jesus and His saving grace in our lives. 

We join the chariot.  We run alongside. 

This narrative in the book of Acts is where we see someone who is spiritually curious.  They are reading an ot scroll and have a question about it.  As we look into this interaction we will see ways in which we can approach spiritually curious questions toward Gospel response. 

Acts 8:26–29 ESV

Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.

Look for Spiritually Curious people

Acts 8:30–34 ESV

So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this:

“Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter

and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,

so he opens not his mouth.

In his humiliation justice was denied him.

Who can describe his generation?

For his life is taken away from the earth.”

And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?”

And we have a choice.  We can ignore the fact that people are asking incredible questions or we can come alongside them and bring a response. 

Be Full of Grace

Acts 8:35–38 ESV

Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.

And because of Christ who has come alongside us, this passage becomes true:

1 Peter 3:15 ESV

but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.

Take some time to answer the question “my hope comes from.” Look at what brings you hope. If your comes from Christ, what is your reason? How is Christ brought you? Being able to answer that to yourself helps you to answer to other people. When you serve when you care for others when you run alongside their chariots, you can give your reason for, who is Christ

But maybe you’re asking where your hope comes from and whatever your source for Hope is it may not be enough this morning. if it’s not enough, we want to pray for you to find the hope of Christ.