Sent {Acts 8}
11:30 PM
By Lisa Thayer
For
several weeks the word ‘Sent’ has been repeated in my head. I’ll admit, when I was very young, I sat in a
church and began the process of filling out the paperwork to go into the Peace
Corp. Then I met my first husband. I truly believe God’s hand has been involved
in every part of my life. Sometimes it’s
amazing where He’s taken me and sometimes I struggle with why He’s placed me
where I am.
Today
I want to focus on Philip. Philip was
just an ordinary man, not an apostle. At
this point and time, Christianity had grown rapidly and Saul was on his own
mission to stop the growth. So God
scattered these believers. We see
persecution around the world in this day, and are heartbroken because families
are left homeless and some people are thrown in jail. But we have to remember how it all
began. And sometimes we have to trust
that God is doing a good thing .
Not
only are we called into salvation when we turn our lives over to the Lord, but
we are called to mission at the very same time.
We just cannot hoard this belief, we are called to share it. Our story does not have to become a ‘perfect’
example and then we can share
it. We are called to share it now. Just look at this story of Philip being sent
to Gaza. Gaza was this nasty place of a
lot of pagan rituals. Gaza was in
Samaria, you know, the place with the half-breeds (Jews/Gentiles) and any true
Jew would not set foot near the place, lest he defile himself. Sort of like the inner city of larger cities
where the drug addicts and dealers are crawling. Or perhaps the women’s facilities where women
go to discuss abortions. Or maybe, it’s
the grocery store behind the person paying with WIC. We all have that nasty place we just don’t
want to go. But we are ordinary people
with a huge gift that God is calling us to share. WE, yes you, are called to go out and share
what you know. You cannot just sit in
your bible studies, in your comfy churches, you really need to be willing to
get dirty and rub shoulders with some nasty people.
Jesus
told us we would not have to worry about what to say in Matthew 10:19, “But when they arrest you, do not worry
about what to say or how to say it. At
that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but
the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”
Let’s
just say, you’re not in the situation of being arrested for your faith, but on
a plane, or sitting in the doctor’s office, or on the phone with a friend, and
somehow you are like Philip next to an Ethiopian eunuch and you get to explain
a passage of the bible. You don’t have
your notes or a script, much less your bible handy. I am sure that if you are completely sold out
on the power of the Holy Spirit and you are completely sold out on the power of
the resurrected Christ, you will be enabled to speak exactly what is necessary
to perfectly share the gospel message.
I
have heard people share over and over the stories of how they have shared the
gospel message with people so many times, especially with friends and family,
and they become discouraged with their unbelief that they wonder if these
people will ever believe. But I don’t
know is, are these same people praying to God to send them people to share the gospel
with? Or are they trying to be in
control of who they share with? Are you
asking God to ‘Send Me’? Or does the
thought of being lifted out of where you are, sharing your story with the
eunuch and seeing the belief right where you are frighten you? God may be trying to lift you out of where
you are to place you where you belong.
It may be time to let go of something that is holding you back. Let the eunuch rejoice, and let God use you
where He needs you!
Here
are some verses which may inspire you.
Isaiah 6:8, ESV And I heard
the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then
I said, “Here am I! Send me.”
Hebrews 13:21, NLT May he equip you with all you need for doing his will.
May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that
is pleasing to him. All glory to him forever and ever! Amen.
Ephesians 2:10, NIV For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to
do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Jeremiah 32:27, NASB Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh; is
anything too difficult for Me?
Jeremiah 29:11, NIV For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the
Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a
future.
Philippians 2:13, ESV For it is God who works in you, both to will and to
work for his good pleasure.
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