A Mission Outside Your Comfort Zone • Acts 8:26-38
By Bobby McKay
I am admittedly a lover of all kinds of music. While I can listen to most kinds of music, the older I get, the more I enjoy the songs and artists I grew up with in high school or college. One such group is R.E.M. They have since retired as a group, but their music was unique and varied. The song “Stand” exemplifies their distinctive sound and approach. The song contains one line, “Stand in the place where you live. Think about directions and wonder why you haven’t.”
For many of us, we can become so accustomed to our homes, communities, and churches that we forget to consider the big world around us. In that world beyond our own horizon are billions of people that need to hear the good news of Jesus. The Great Commission is an active call for all believers, not only ministers or staff in your local church. While fulfilling that call, it sometimes stretches us beyond what we view as easy or predictable. When that time comes, two things are in play: the testing of our faith and the goodness of God.
Be willing to go where God sends — even when crossing cultural boundaries. (26-29)
It may be a bit uncomfortable, but you should be familiar with what a eunuch is. Many think it is the title of a government official, but it is not. The boundaries Philip faced that day were multifaceted and challenging. However, he was willing to leave what was comfortable for him to share the Gospel with someone who was not like him in many ways. Notably, on more than one occasion, Philip demonstrates this type of commitment and obedience to God. For him, the message was more important than any restraints the culture or others may have placed on him.
Be ready to share Jesus. (30-35)
I do not want you to think I would ever minimize the importance of prayer in a believer’s life, but notice what Philip did not do. After the Spirit led him to minister to this man, he did not think he needed to pray, reflect, or wait for more time. He simply got to work. Many times, we know what God is leading us to do, yet we dismiss it by drowning it in spiritual blabbering. Not only did the Lord use Philip to witness to the Ethiopian, but also to help him understand the Scriptures and point him to Christ.
When God leads you to share the Gospel with someone, He will also equip you with the words to speak. Your availability is more valuable to God than your ability. You are simply an instrument of Jesus, and He will guide you as you exercise faith and obedience in Him.
Be prepared to help others take the next step. (36-38)
A person genuinely changed by Christ will seek to obey Him. The eunuch was no exception. While I hold the traditional Baptist view that baptism does not save or regenerate a person’s soul, I also believe that a new believer will be eager to seek opportunities to honor Christ through outward expressions of obedience and trust. The new convert asked Philip to baptize him, and Philip was quick to comply. Baptisms should be occasions for celebration in our churches. How many more baptisms could our church experience if each of us were willing to pause for a moment, consider the world around us, and share the gospel without borders or hesitation?
McKay is pastor of New Liberty Baptist Church, Morton.
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