Begin with 2 minutes of stillness and silence before God.

Acts continues in Chapter 8 with the adventures of Philip.  When I read this account, I realized there is absolutely some "only God-orchestrated supernatural stuff" going on here, but I don't think that is the theme for us to chew on.  Pretty cool stuff though.  Running up and catching a chariot. When I run, I feel like I have been run over by a chariot. And the horses pulling it.  Verse 39 tells how Philip was "snatched away by the Spirit of the Lord".  The original, "Beam me up, Scottie." That I would have liked to experience.  But I think the very essence of this story is the simple and obedient act of sharing the Gospel.  

One of my favorite parables comes from Matthew 13.  Here Jesus teaches about the sowing of seed and how each person responds to the Word.  Now he is very clear and specific describing each of those receiving and their depth of belief.  But for me, as a believer, I see myself as simply the Sower.  Not my place to determine what one does with the seed.  I cannot convince anyone of anything without the Holy Spirit.  He knows what makes people respond.  I don't. Just sow the seed, Ron.  That is your job.  I recall a story about a young medical student who was a devout atheist.  One day he was in the lab dissecting the human hand.  When he recognized the intricacies of this delicate and complicated creation, he knew, without question, that there was a creator.  He knew that this was no random evolutionary happenstance.  He knew.  The Holy Spirit, in a manner that this guy would understand, revealed God to him. That is good news for me.  I am not smart enough to debate with others about things that I cannot explain; where God came from, what happened to the dinosaurs, and why it took three years to rescue Gilligan off the island.  But I don't have to.  Sow the seed, lift God up, and leave it with Him.

Back to Philip and back to my point.  Philip sees a guy, follows the prompting of the Holy Spirit, strikes up a conversation, and here is the kicker in verse 35, "preached Jesus to him".  Now that is some seed sowing.  God reminds us in John 12:32 "if I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto myself".  There it is again.  Not our battle to win.  Sow the seed, lift Him up, and see what happens.  Just like Michael Jackson said, "A,B,C, as easy as 1,2,3”.

Take 2 minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

• Who is that one person whom God has placed in your life to lift up and encourage?
• Do you find yourself fretting over how effective you are when sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ?
• A final word from St. Francis of Assisi, “Preach the Gospels every day and only if you have to...use words”.
• Take a moment to ask God to give you the courage and boldness to step out of your comfort zone to share the Gospel with someone in your life.  Ask Him to reveal the simplicity of sharing the Good News.

Reclaimed:

Have you experienced the life-changing grace and mercy of the Cross in your life? Do you have questions about following Jesus? If you or someone you know has questions about salvation or baptism, Venture’s Salvation & Baptism Booklet is a written guide to walk you through an understanding of who God is and what He did for us. To learn more or contact someone from our staff about baptism, go to www.venturechurch.org/baptism.