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IN THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT: THE KINGDOM EXPANDED

(Acts 8:26-40—Preacher: Ps Paw Liang)




Following Jesus’ Footsteps
Discipleship is not what we do  in the church on Sunday but  how we live our life everyday. How do we walk like Jesus walked. Amongst the disciple, Philip was the strategic and calculative one. When Jesus asked to feed the 5000, very quick Philip challenged Him, “eight months wages wouldn’t be enough to buy bread for each one to have a bite! (John 6:7).  When Jesus was telling them about his relationship and the Father, Philip asked, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”

Listening and Leading by the Holy Spirit.
There is a significant change after the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in Pentecost Day. He was willing to listen and to be guided by the Holy Spirit.    It’s not that we shouldn’t plan, but we shouldn’t constraint God works with our planning. God’s can achieve much more than our plans. We need to remain open for the leading of God’s Spirit. Therefore we need to listen attentively where the Spirit of God is moving us. After his successful ministry in Samaria, Philip is ready to be sent by God: “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza… Go to that chariot and stay near it.” No one will expect the dessert of Gaza to be a good place for the Gospel. But God wanted Philip to meet the Eunuch from Ethiopia. What will you do is God ask you just go to the next room and stay there?

Asking good question, and explain what you believe. The officer was reading about the Messiah written by Isaiah. Philip doesn’t come with fix strategy, but as needed he asked him, “Do you understand what you are reading? The Eunuch aske “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about , himself or someone?” There are many people who may be seeking God around us. Will we be ready to tell them what we know about Jesus? And why believe in Him? Evangelism is just simply telling about our faith and our life with Jesus. Why is He so good for me, and for others, too? Because of Philip's obedient today there is about 40-50 millions members of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. The founders were some of the converts who happened to be in Jerusalem on the Pentecost Day (Acts 2). This Eunuch also was believed to be effective in the growth of Christianity in Ethiopia since the first century.

The key for us is: to own our faith and know what we believe. Going to church, reading Bible and praying will be insufficient, unless we try know Jesus: Why Jesus matter to me? What does the Bible say about him? How real is Jesus is to me?
The Question: Reflecting on this passage and Philip’s experience, the question for us to ponder: Why am I in my walk with Jesus? How much have I long and been listening to the leading of the Holy Spirit …? How have I been responding . . .? Believe in Jesus is not just about becoming a good person. It’s becoming his disciples, living the kind of life that He had lived.

May the Lord grant us a desire to know Him will all our might, our heart, our strength and our soul.  That we may find ways  how we can know Jesus better each day. To walk closely with Him so we can hear the prompting of the Holy Spirit. And be ready to tell people about Him any time , any where . . .

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