Friday Features

April 20, 2018

Jesus Calls His Disciples

KNOW THE STORY

In the early days of His public ministry, Jesus intentionally gathered a number of disciples around Him. As was the custom of rabbis in those days, Jesus intended for these young men to follow Him during His travels in order to both learn from Him and contribute to His ministry.

The following story shows how Jesus called two of those first disciples.

43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. He found Philip and told him, “Follow me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the hometown of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the law (and so did the prophets): Jesus the son of Joseph, from Nazareth.” 46 “Can anything good come out of Nazareth? ” Nathanael asked him. “Come and see,” Philip answered.

47 Then Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said about him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” 48 “How do you know me? ” Nathanael asked. “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you,” Jesus answered.”

49 “Rabbi,” Nathanael replied, “You are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel! ”

50 Jesus responded to him, “Do you believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” 51 Then he said, “Truly I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

JOHN 1:43-51

What do these verses teach us about following Jesus?

How would you summarize the process through which Nathanael became a disciple?

UNPACK THE STORY

DISCIPLES HAVE AN ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS

The first step in becoming a disciple of Jesus is encountering Him in a deep and meaningful way. Nobody inherits a relationship with Jesus from their parents. Nobody earns their status as a disciple by attending church, doing good things, or avoiding bad things.

We become disciples of Christ when we experience Him in a way that changes our lives.

How has your life been changed by an encounter with Jesus?

Looking at John 1:43-51, it’s interesting that Philip and Nathanael encountered Jesus in different ways. Philip received a direct call from Jesus. The Savior sought him out specifically and said: “Follow me.” Nathanael, on the other hand, took a little more seasoning. He resisted Philip’s attempts at evangelism, scoffing at the notion that the Messiah—the One prophesied in the Scriptures as the Savior of God’s people—could come from an insignificant town like Nazareth. Even when he met Jesus, Nathanael challenged His assessment of his own character, asking, ”How do you know me?”

Fortunately for Nathanael, he wasn’t stubborn to the point of unbelief. When Jesus revealed Himself in a supernatural way, Nathanael responded by submitting himself before the Savior in worship and praise. “You are the Son of God!” he said, acknowledging that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. “You are the King of Israel!”

All of this tells us there’s no template for receiving the call to follow Jesus. There are no magic words you have to say and no amount of steps you must follow in order to officially be considered a Christian. Instead, followers of Jesus are simply those who respond to His call.

Excerpt from Disciples Path: The Journey Volume 1, Session 9

Friday Features

April 13, 2018

I Am Wonderfully Made

By Group Ministry

“For it was you who created my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I will praise you because I have been remarkably and wondrously made. Your works are wondrous, and I know this very well. My bones were not hidden from you when I was made in secret, when I was formed in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw me when I was formless; all my days were written in your book and planned before a single one of them began” (Ps. 139:13-16).

The psalmist described us with a beautiful phrase: “remarkably and wondrously made.”

Remarkably … made. The Hebrew phrase expressed great reverence, awe, and even fear. It reminds us that the all-powerful Creator of the universe made us—the psalmist wrote that God “knit me together in my mother’s womb.”

God also created us—and He created us in His own image (Gen. 1:26-27). You and I were made by God, in the image of God, for the purpose of glorifying God. People are created as either male or female, in all shapes and sizes, with different appearances, and a wide variety of ethnicities. But God didn’t create us to look like Him physically. He created us to be like Him spiritually. And that is remarkable!

Wondrously made. God created every person walking the face of the earth as a unique individual, distinct and set apart. The intricacies of the human body and the amazing ways our physical bodies move and function are wondrous in themselves. But God also made each one of us unique.

David praised God for the wonderful and special way He created us. That doesn’t mean we were born perfect according to the world’s standards. We can rest assured that, no matter what flaws, ailments, or challenges we may have, God loves us—and has a purpose for us.

There’s no greater value than being known and loved by God—and God knew us and loved us before we were ever born!

Where in our culture do we see life being devalued or disrespected?

What actions can we take that reflect our belief in the value of all human life?

Your life matters. Let that truth make a difference in your life this week. Commit Psalm 139:13-14 to memory. Let these verses take hold in your mind and heart, so that it not only impacts how you see yourself but how you see those around you.

Excerpted from Jordan Easley, Bible Studies for Life: Made for Something More © 2018 LifeWay Press^®. Used by permission. Scripture quotations are taken from the Christian Standard Bible^®. Copyright 2018 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

Friday Features

April 6, 2018

Unhappiest Woman in America

By Group Ministry

A few months ago, I had an informational meeting with some new people at a little coffee shop in our small town. After I got my coffee, I walked over toward two women sitting at a table in the corner and asked if they were there for the same meeting. They replied with a quick “yes” and then continued their conversation, completely ignoring me.

Unsure if I was interrupting them, I pulled one of the other chairs at the table away from them and sat down, as if the space would create some type of emotional barrier between us. It didn’t work, but at least I tried.

Getting more and more insecure by the moment, I tried to grasp what they were talking about so I could jump into the conversation. They mentioned a name that was familiar to me, so I jumped in, “Oh, I know her!”

They both gave me the strangest looks. Then one of them replied in a rather snobbish tone, “Her, is a him.”

Ahem. Blush.

Obviously, I stopped trying to figure out who they were talking about and just sat quietly, feeling like a complete fool.

In the midst of the awkwardness, I was reminded of how important it is to know the context of a situation. We can’t always just jump into conversations assuming we know what’s going on.

Which is also true about studying the Bible. Sure, there are no Bible-reading rules saying we can’t open our Bibles, read a verse in one book, and then jump to a verse in another book.

But taking the time to understand what’s happening where we pick up in the story, understanding who is who, and studying a story inside and out is valuable. It’s important so that we don’t miss out on what’s really happening.

God doesn’t require you to have a ton of previous knowledge about the Scripture passage you’re studying. Jumping into the middle of a story is fine. But, usually we gain a deeper understanding of the story by learning more of the background. God is the best teacher—always welcoming our questions, our curiosities, and even our doubts. There’s never a snobby response back from Him if we get something wrong or don’t understand things. But, when we understand the whole picture of what we’re studying, we gain amazing insight.

I want to talk about your journey and share a little more about mine. For way too long comparison stole so much from me. It made me miss out on the special, unique, and incredible plans God had for my life. It kept me looking to the left and to the right, missing what was right in front of me. I was miserable in my lane of life. And my license plate could have read, Unhappiest Woman in America.

I have a feeling you’ve had a moment or two like this in your life, too. Because no matter how confident the woman, at some point she’s been compared to someone else, and she’s done the comparing. None of us are given a pass on this struggle. I’ve discovered most of us women love to shout our successes, but we seldom speak of our sorrows.

And battling comparison, unlike wanting to quit, being disorganized, or not having it all together, is a struggle we rarely admit.

Maybe you’ve not allowed yourself to admit the struggle of comparison in your life. Or maybe you’re so fed up with this struggle you are ready to suffocate it.

But we’re here. Together. Ready to do the best we can do to combat this comparison compromise.

By the end of this study, I want you to have a greater understanding of what God thinks of you. When we shift our minds to resting in what God says and thinks about us, we’ll shift our thinking and words about ourselves.

This was an excerpt from Rachel & Leah by Nicki Koziarz—Week One, Day One. Through six sessions, you can arm yourself with biblical truths to combat comparison by studying the account of Rachel and Leah. Find out more here.

Friday Features

March 16, 2018

Making Space for Your Heart

By Group Ministry

As a believer, you need to have a biblical view of your heart, how it relates to the way you live, and why you can trust God with your inner life. It’s important to guard and examine your heart—to take time and make space to slow down, be silent, and invite God to search your heart.

The Problem with Our Hearts

“Follow your heart” is popular advice today. What does God’s Word say about that?

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick;

who can understand it?

JEREMIAH 17:9

We’re not outside-in people but inside-out people. When we feel that something is wrong with us, most of try to fix the problem by doing. We change our schedule. We tell ourselves we’ll eat better, exercise more, or spend less time on our phones. But the problem isn’t any of those things; the problem is our hearts. They’re sick and in need of God’s help. We can’t change our hearts through behavior modification; we need heart transformation (see Ps. 51:9-10).

Psalm 139:23-24 shows the importance of searching our hearts:

Search me, O God, and know my heart!

Try me and know my thoughts!

And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

It’s impossible to have a clean heart without gospel transformation. God must come to us and make us new. We need to examine our hearts and invite the Holy Spirit to continue to change us. The gospel isn’t just for the moment we believe. We need the gospel every moment of our lives. Our hearts are made new by the Holy Spirit the moment we believe; they’re renewed as we pursue the Spirit day after day.

Our Fruit Reveals Our Hearts

Jesus said:

No good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

LUKE 6:43-45

What comes out of our mouths is born and bred in our hearts. Good fruit doesn’t come from bad trees. In other words, the fruit of our lives corresponds to the health of our souls.

The beautiful reality of the gospel is that God is concerned about your heart—about your soul. Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection purposefully restored, redeemed, and healed your heart from the power, presence, and penalty of sin.

Trusting God with Our Hearts

We often avoid making space in our lives to focus on our hearts because we’re afraid of being overwhelmed by what we’ll find there. It’s scary to imagine all of our wounds, desires, and disappointments, and we think life is easier if we avoid them and press on. Seeing God as our hope makes us contented children. We find peace in our souls when we wait and hope in God. The Bible invites us to cry out to God. To wait on Him. To find rest.

The Peace of God Will Guard and Renew Our Hearts

Paul wrote:

Rejoice in the Lord always. … The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

PHILIPPIANS 4:4-7

If you don’t slow down and say, “God, work on my heart; reveal what I’m believing; reveal what I’m thinking; reveal what I’m wanting; reveal what I’m lacking,” you’ll continue to run away from your heart. However, your heart is driving everything you do. If it continues to go unexamined, you’ll lose your life chasing things you don’t even understand. You’ll be tired. Your soul will be exhausted.

It’s possible to be so busy that we never stop to reflect on what God is doing in our hearts. After we’ve spent time in His Word, we must pause to reflect on ways that truth needs to be implemented at the level of the heart.

Scripture quotations are taken from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Friday Features, Uncategorized

February 23, 2018

Connected Through Prayer

By Group Ministry

Introduction

It has been said that there is only one person in the kingdom who can wake up the king at midnight to ask for a glass of water without fear of being punished—the king’s kid. Through faith in Jesus, we are the King’s kid. Yet we often forget that we have been invited to have limitless interactions with an infinite God. Whether it is because we take it for granted or we allow ourselves to be wrapped up in earthly things, we often neglect and fail to enjoy this tremendous gift of prayer.

As we take a closer look at Jesus’ life, it quickly becomes apparent that Jesus consistently responded to God the Father’s invitation to interact with Him. Whether Jesus was alone or with others, He was constantly aware of the Father and engaged in continual conversations with Him. Time with God was a critical high priority in Jesus’ life.

In the same way that Jesus interacted with God, so too can we. Prayer is far more than
a one-way monologue, listing our wishes before God. Instead, prayer can be as dynamic, intimate, and engaging as the way we interact with those closest to us. Prayer involves waiting, listening, remembering, affirming, pleading, petitioning, thanking, confessing, worshiping, and so much more.

To get off on the right foot, we must remember a foundational aspect of prayer:
Prayer doesn’t actually begin with us; it begins with God. God has already initiated an interaction with us through a variety of ways and means but most fully through His Son, Jesus. Through faith in Christ, we have become the beloved child of the King, who is always welcoming us into His presence. Because prayer is a continuous response to God’s interaction, we can have confidence that God hears, knows, and is present to our interactions with Him. Though it may feel like we’re the ones initiating the conversation and God is silent, the truth is God is always waiting and inviting us to engage with Him. He is ready, willing, and able to listen, not just to our words but also to our hearts.

Discuss for a moment the ways in which we interact with those closest to us.

Does this description of prayer—our response to God’s constant invitation to interact with Him—differ from your perspective of it? If so, how?

KNOW THE STORY

Though you can find numerous examples of Jesus interacting with God throughout the Bible, probably the most famous prayer in all of Scripture is the prayer that Jesus taught His disciples. This is the centerpiece amid the set of foundational teachings on a variety of topics addressed by Christ, commonly referred to as the Sermon on the Mount.

⁵“Whenever you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray standing in the synagogues and
on the street corners to be seen by people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward. ⁶But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. ⁷When you pray, don’t babble like the Gentiles, since they imagine they’ll be heard for their many words. ⁸Don’t be like them, because your Father knows the things you need before you ask him. ⁹Therefore, you should pray like this: Our Father in heaven,
your name be honored as holy.
¹⁰Your kingdom come. Your will be done
¹¹on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
¹²And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors. ¹³And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. – Matthew 6:5-13

Discuss the differences you see between verses 5-8 and 9-13.

When you read this prayer, what is mentioned that resonates most with what you need from God right now?

This was an excerpt from Disciples Path: The Journey – Volume 3, Session 2. You can purchase it here.

Friday Features

February 16, 2018

See How God Reveals Himself Through Scripture

By Group Ministry

A 10-Session Study in Genesis from Author and Speaker Jen Wilkin

It all began with the Word.

The opening chapters of Genesis teach us fundamental truths about God. We watch Him bring light after darkness, order after chaos, and rest after toil—all through the power of His Word.

Over 10 sessions of verse-by-verse study, dive into Genesis 1-11 by following three critical stages of understanding: comprehension, interpretation, and application. Revisit familiar stories and historical figures, challenge your basic knowledge, and discover deeper meanings in the text. As God reveals Himself through Scripture, we can only begin to understand ourselves when we first glimpse the character, attributes, and promises of our Creator.

Friday Features

February 9, 2018

Holiness is Possible Only When We Are in Christ

By Group Ministry

Read Galatians 2:19-21.

Dying to the law is the negative; living for God is the positive. They both work hand-in-hand and show us the blessed catastrophe of the cross of Christ, the paradox of salvation. The way to life is through death. Christ made eternal life possible for us through His death, and we find life in Christ by losing ours.

The verb tense Paul used here demonstrates that his dying in Christ had happened in the past but had not lost its effect. But what did Paul mean by dying to the law? Was he suggesting that we are anti-law, that we are free to live apart from all of God’s commands, or in other words, that anything goes? We know that isn’t the case because he speaks against it elsewhere in Galatians and in the rest of his letters.

Paul was not saying that in Christ we are dead from the need to obey God; he was declaring that we have put the wrong view of that obedience to death. We die to the notion that our obedience can save us. We die to the notion that we are identified by our obedience. We die to what the Jewish men from James argued to Peter that led him astray (see Gal. 2:11-14).

We are certainly not dead from looking to the law to understand God’s character and heart better and allowing that to frame how we live each day. The law shows us what it looks like to love God and love other people, and so, out of gratitude for what Christ has done and with joy, we live out the eternal truths of the law without relying on that obedience to save us, define us, or sustain us.

Because Paul died to the law and to himself, he experienced the positive aspect of those deaths—life. “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20a). Obviously Paul wasn’t referring to his physical life, as if he had died physically when he trusted in Christ; he was speaking of the spiritual reality that guided his life. He explained this clearly in the next sentence: “The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (v. 20b). Christ had indwelled Paul, given him new life, and continued to empower him to live a life of holiness for the glory of God. The gospel that saves us is the same gospel that sanctifies us as we grow in our faith.

How do we live a life pleasing to God? Through Christ. How do we continue to put the desires of our flesh to death? Through Christ. How do we discern how to obey God without falling into the trap of legalism? Through Christ.

Paul added the perfect conclusion to his line of thinking with verse 21. When others may try to void the grace of God and return to the law as a pathway for salvation, Paul reminds us once more of the weakness of the law to rescue sinners from sin. If the law could do such a feat, then Christ’s death was unnecessary, as if the Son of God robed Himself in flesh, came to earth, suffered, and died for no reason. But Christ had to die because there is no other way. And because of His death, we have been given the only way we can have eternal life—through faith in Him.

This article was adapted from The Gospel Project for Adults Spring 2018, Session 1— Toward Faithfulness in the Gospel. The Gospel Project takes adults, students, and kids on a chronological, Christ-centered journey through the storyline of Scripture. Preview four sessions for free.

Friday Features

February 2, 2018

Parenting in a Digital Age

By Group Ministry

We are pioneers in parenting. We’re the first generation of parents having to navigate the influence and impact of technology in our children’s lives from day one. Not only that, but also every day we must make the choice to connect with our children, so that we can set them up to be successful as technology changes for them. The moment you think you have a handle on the latest app, there’s an update with new features—or they’ve found a new app altogether.

But we don’t need to feel overwhelmed. There are practical strategies we can use to connect with our children that will set them up for success in this ever-changing, digital world. There is a familiar proverb that informs us on this topic of parenting in a digital age.

Teach a youth about the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 22:6, CSB

You don’t need expertise in social media and technology to step in and connect with your teens on the subject. Training a child up in the way he should go primarily means we point them in the direction of following the Lord. Just like every other area of life, we help them navigate technology practically so that they honor Christ.

Rules alone are insufficient for dealing with technology in the home. We must build meaningful connections. For the most part, we tend to model our own parenting styles after our parents. If our parents didn’t talk to us openly about difficult topics, we are likely to struggle to do that with our own kids. Whether your example growing up was one of strong, spiritual communication or not, Scripture is clear. Parents are not to simply lay down the law; we must make it a priority to engage regularly with our children, building connections that will lead them in the way of the Lord.

When God gave Moses the Law, He emphasized the importance of parents teaching the commands to their children. But even then, the rules themselves weren’t enough. Parents weren’t to simply list the rules for their children. Israel needed to know the rules, and they also needed to connect with each other in applying those rules. God’s instruction wasn’t to enforce rules on your kids when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. It was to talk about those rules. Engage in meaningful connections so that when your child needs to make a decision for himself, he will be equipped.

This was an excerpt from Jason Gibson’s sermon series and small group study, Parenting In A Digital Age. Sessions 1 & 2. Series and study are available exclusively at smallgroup.com.

Friday Features

January 19, 2018

Know The Story

By Group Ministry

Jesus’ earliest disciples experienced a roller-coaster ride during the final weeks of His public ministry. First, Jesus’ death on the cross sent them into confusion and deep despair. Second, His resurrection lifted them back into the clouds of joy. Finally, His ascension ushered in the sobering reality that the disciples would continue carrying out Jesus’ mission without His physical presence and leadership.

Before Jesus returned to heaven, however, He gathered His remaining followers in order to summarize the mission for His disciples and deliver final instructions. Today we refer to Jesus’ final words as the Great Commission.

“16 The eleven disciples traveled to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had directed them. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped, but some doubted. 18 Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

MATTHEW 28:16-20

What are your first reactions to these verses? Why?

In what ways has this commission been carried out in the centuries since Jesus sent His earliest disciples?

In what ways is Jesus’ commission still incomplete?

The Great Commission summarized Jesus’ mission not only for His earliest disciples, but for all of the disciples who have joined the ranks of His followers throughout history—including you. We’ll conclude this study by taking a close look at Jesus’ commission and command for those who choose to follow Him.

JESUS TELLS US WHERE TO GO

The first thing to highlight about Jesus’ statements in these verses is His claim to authority. Why is it important that “all authority has been given to [Jesus] in heaven and on earth”? Because His Great Commission is a series of commands. He is ordering us to obey Him. Therefore, He first wanted to state clearly that He carries the authority to do so.

What does it mean to recognize Jesus’ authority in our lives?

Next, the Great Commission has a geographical connection. Jesus commanded us to “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations.” Notice that Jesus’ command is active rather than passive. He didn’t command His disciples to think about the world. He didn’t ask His followers to say nice things about different people groups. Jesus commanded His disciples to “Go.”

This doesn’t mean all Christians should abandon their jobs, leave their families, and serve as international missionaries. However, it does mean all Christians should take an active role in spreading the gospel throughout the world—and it certainly means we should be open to the possibility of physically traveling to other places to spread the gospel.

How would you describe your experiences with missions?

Notice also that Jesus’ command involves “all nations.” Jesus died for the sins of all people, which means the gospel has power for every tribe and nationality across the world. We cannot forget that Jesus has commanded us, His disciples, to proclaim the gospel message to all who need to hear it.

To ignore the spiritual needs of people outside our own country is to disobey the Great Commission and ignore what Christ has commanded.

Volume 1, Session 12 excerpt from Disciples Path: The Journey

Friday Features

January 12, 2018

Available and Obedient

By Group Ministry

There’s a thread throughout the Gospels and the Book of Acts that accentuates the reality of God’s providence and planning. People find themselves suddenly prompted to hit the road, or they suddenly show up just in time to encounter Jesus or the apostles. Through these many surprise encounters, God built up His church. On one such occasion, recorded in Acts 8:26-29, a disciple of Jesus was sent to the middle of nowhere without any clue why.

²⁶ An angel of the Lord spoke to Philip: “Get up and go south to the road
that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is the desert road.)
²⁷ So he got up and went. There was an Ethiopian man, a eunuch and high official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to worship in Jerusalem ²⁸ and was sitting in his chariot on his way home, reading the prophet Isaiah aloud.

²⁹ The Spirit told Philip, “Go and join that chariot.”

Acts 8:26-29

When we think about sharing the gospel with a lost world, we often focus on the hostility and resistance Christians experience. That’s not without justification; often the world’s reaction to the gospel is visceral, violent, and harsh. But that’s not always the case. The story of the Ethiopian reminds us that many are seeking God.

In this case, the Ethiopian knew enough to come to Jerusalem to look for God, but in many cases, people will look wherever some semblance of hope and spirituality can be found. People rush to these transcendent promises because they’re hungry. They’re desperate, and they will cling to whatever hope they can find. If we’re attentive, we can see it happening all around us, and we just might be able to point them to something more deep, lasting, and meaningful in Jesus.

How have you witnessed people looking for God in all the wrong places?

Philip was sent by God for just such an encounter. Upon hearing the angel’s command, Philip obeyed, dropping what he was doing and heading out on the road. Just a few verses earlier, Philip was enjoying a thriving ministry in Samaria. (See 8:4-8.) One could imagine that a command like this might be met with some inner resistance. Any thriving work is hard to leave, and doing so takes a great deal of faith. Philip, of course, had such faith and hit the road, traveling through the wilderness until he encountered a single chariot bearing a single Ethiopian man.

There are many reasons for this encounter not to have happened. Philip had a good thing going in Samaria; he might have just stayed home and enjoyed the community he was already a part of. The Ethiopian might not have come to Jerusalem to seek to worship God; there was surely no shortage of religious opportunity in Africa at the time.

Likewise, Philip might not have overcome the social anxiety that would likely have accompanied this encounter. Not only was the Ethiopian ethnically different from Philip, a hurdle significant enough at any point in history, but he was also of a higher social status than Philip. Luke tells us that he was a high official of “Candace, queen of the Ethiopians.” Philip was an ordinary Jew living in Judea, a commoner; approaching someone of the Ethiopian’s higher station wouldn’t have been easy.

The Holy Spirit sent Philip in spite of all of these things, inviting him to overcome several layers of fear and resistance. His prompting ran against common sense expectations, reminding us that the kingdom of God advances in surprising and counterintuitive ways.

What are some ways you’ve been surprised by how God has led you, your church, or your friends to be on mission?

How can we cultivate a heart willing to respond obediently to the Spirit’s leading, no matter the risks?

Jesus Calls His Disciples

I Am Wonderfully Made

Unhappiest Woman in America

Making Space for Your Heart

Connected Through Prayer

See How God Reveals Himself Through Scripture

Holiness is Possible Only When We Are in Christ

Parenting in a Digital Age

Know The Story

Available and Obedient

All Ministry Sites

Digital Resources

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