August 8, 2004

Engaging Faith
Soul Talk Series, Part 4
Speaker: Adam Edgerly

Being a friend to others on their spiritual Journey

Acts 8:26-40
²⁶ Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Go south to the road--the desert road--that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." ²⁷So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, ²⁸and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. ²⁹The Spirit told Philip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it."
³⁰Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked.
³¹"How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
³²The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture:
   "He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
       and as a lamb before the shearer is silent,
       so he did not open his mouth.
    ³³In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
       Who can speak of his descendants?
       For his life was taken from the earth."
³⁴The eunuch asked Philip, "Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?" ³⁵Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
³⁶As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?" ³⁸And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. ³⁹When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

Go wherever God sends us on our own spiritual journey
Serve those we meet people along the way (Acts 6:1-7)

Stay Near our friends along their journey
Listen and Ask questions

Stuff to know: Where are your friends on their spiritual journey?

What are they learning and from what sources?

Be prepared and willing to explain what God is teaching you (1 Peter 3:15)
Begin where our friends are in spiritual dialogue
Explain the good news about Jesus In Scriptures & Experience
Help when your friend is ready for commitment and community

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