A life of adventure. A life of significance, not merely success. That’s what we all really want deep inside our hearts. But how do we get there?
It’s
the lesson Robin Williams was teaching his students in the movie, Dead Poet’s
Society. This is one of those movie
scenes that imbeds itself in your mind. A
light suddenly comes on as you watch it, one that all of us need while groping
in the darkness for life’s significance and meaning. We want to make a
difference. We desire our life to be an adventure. We
hunger for our lives to be extraordinary…and not just run of the mill, ending
up as Robin William’s character puts it: “fertilizing the daffodils.”
So we seek to Seize the Day!
But How? Part
of it involves starting where you are! Seizing the Day is NOT about:
“If
only I were in another position,”
or
“If only I were in a different place.”
or “If only things
were like the used to be.”
Seizing
the Day means starting right now and grabbing hold of God’s significance for
you in this very moment! That’s
our story today from Acts 8. Today, we
examine a story of a member of the FIRST CHURCH who seized the day! Acts 8:26-40
(v
26) An
angel appears to Phillip. Here is what
is interesting about that … If that were me?
I would have run! Phillip doesn’t
run. This
angel doesn’t have to say, “Don’t be afraid!”
For me the angel would have had to yell because I would have been out of
there. Instead it appears that Phillip
expected an encounter with God.
Do you expect an encounter with God? When you come to church? When you go to Sunday School? When you pray? Daily are you expecting to encounter God or are you just filling time … going through the motions.
Apparently,
Phillip was expecting something to happen and it does! God
sends him to the Desert. You understand
people don’t go to the desert. It’s
just not the cool-hip place to be. The
desert is not a healthy or safe place. But
understand that God knows where the people are that are hurting … God knows
where the people in need are … We need to be able to tune into the places God
is calling us to go.
(v
27) Philip
begins his journey. Have you ever
noticed that you can’t get anywhere without starting out? You want to get organized? Straighten up the
garage? Learn a new hobby? Exercise? Write a book? Nothing happens until you get started!
(v28-29) The
chariot had just come from Jerusalem. The man, we can infer, went to Jerusalem
to do business, but he was also searching as he is now reading from Scripture.
This man who was looking for answers left empty and still searching.
(v 30-34) Opportunity
presents itself. As Phillip inquires, he
is invited in to converse. Phillip shares the Good News. In the moment of opportunity, Phillip Seized
the Day! Are you following this? He shared the story as he had learned it and
as he had lived it.
(v
35) The story
he told was about Jesus.
Before
we continue, let me insert a thought about the dreaded E word –
evangelism. Evangelism isn’t a real
popular word in the church today and yet we are each called to be evangelists –
that simply means that we are to be messengers for Christ. But here is what happens ….
The
longer we are in church the less we do with other people. Our circle of friends constricts to just our
Church friends. If
we are to actually GROW the community of faith, we need to find new ways to
reach people OUTSIDE of the church. In
our story ….. Philip willingly crossed barriers to reach others:
Cultural barriers – the person he is about to meet was from an entirely
different culture and nation
Racial barriers – while Philip was Jewish, this person was most likely black-skinned and, therefore, visibly different
Economic Barriers – while we don’t know Philip’s vocation, it is unlikely it would have come close to being as prestigious or profitable as this man who was in charge of his nation’s entire treasury. Yet Philip did not let this dissuade him from obedience to the Spirit of God when prompted to connect with this man.
Religious Barriers – this person came from an entirely different background than that based on a personal faith in Jesus Christ.
Without
question, Ethiopia was a society of multiple deities and probably characterized
by pluralism (taking a little bit of
one belief and combine it with a little bit of another, or a few others, and
developing a religion that you like for yourself personally – sound familiar?).
(v 36-38) Having
heard the story the man responds. Take
note of what Phillip did not do: He
did not go to him and declare: We need to talk about God! He did not tell him he was a heathen in need
of repentance! He did not condemn his actions or ideas! There
were no demands or conditions placed on him.
Phillip never had to tell the man what to do. None
of that …. Phillip just walked along side and waited and earned the right to be
heard. I believe in the notion that no one will believe you care about them
until you show them that you care about them …. But if all your faith is directing you to do is meet their physical needs
then you have missed the point of the Gospel message.
When
the opportunity presented itself – Phillip – Seized the Day! and simply told
the story of God’s redeeming love revealed in the life of Jesus and left the
rest to God and the Spirit. Evangelism
has not changed in all these centuries, as it is still one person, telling
another person, how they made the discovery of a lifetime…and how anyone can
make that same discovery.
This
is our day! Our opportunity … like those
that came before us … in the First Church in Acts …. in the First Church in
Hagerstown … this is our opportunity. Will
we seize it and make a difference? Will
we live our faith in ways that will be remembered?
If
you’re going to Seize the Day, God is going to look for the same qualities in
you that He found in Philip. He’s going to look and see if you’re faithful, available,
and teachable. When
God finds those qualities in you, God will never guide you where He will not
provide for you!
Seize
the Day! Do you hear the voices from the
past? Can you hear the Holy Spirit
cheering you on? Carpe …. Hear it? Carpe
… those people in the First Church in Acts had the same kind of dreams you have
…. they wanted their lives to make a difference …. They wanted to be
extraordinary … they wanted to leave a legacy … Capre … Carpe Diem …
Seize the Day!
Seize the Day! Seize the Day!
No comments:
Post a Comment