Sermon Central
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Ful-Philing Your Commitment Series
Contributed by John Baggett on Nov 12, 2005 (message contributor)
Summary: Fulfilling/Ful-Philing you commitment to Christ by the example of Philp we can observe at least 3 things. (1)Speak Great Words about Jesus (2)Show a Holy Spirit Witness to those around us. (3)See the Worth of our Work for the Lord. We ought to be doing t
Part three in a series entitled Back to the Future but this is perfectly supported as a stand alone sermon to be preached by itself.
Ful-Philing Your Commitment Acts 8:5-8
Let me see the hands of those of you here today… who have commitments to anyone?
Do you have any commitments to anyone at all…raise your hand?
Probably most of us…(okay put your hands down)
Now…How many of you are just totally unaccountable to anybody?
You don’t have any commitments to anyone?
Well, If you’re a husband or a wife then you have a commitment to fulfill to your spouse.
If you are a mother or father… then you have a commitment to fulfill to your children.
If you are gainfully employed,…. you have a job…. then you have a commitment to those whom you are employed by.
And let’s of course never forget….that if you are a follower of Christ you must take seriously your commitment to Christ….(but do we?)
If you have said “I Do”,…. If you have said “Yes” to Jesus than you have a commitment that comes with your decision to follow Christ.
Jesus is counting on each of us…. as His faithful followers to fulfill our commitment to Him.
I want to speak this morning on the matter of Full Phil-ing Your Commitment to Christ
In Acts chapter 8, Philip was a follower of Christ and it meant He had a commitment to fulfill
Today as we think about fulfilling our commitment…. of following Christ we want to look at this example of an enthusiastic follower of Christ… whose name was Phillip and was fulfilling his commitment.
Here is the challenge to you and I today….When the Lord looks at us. Does he see an individual who is fulfilling their commitment of following Christ.
Could God place your name right there in the blank and say….
that you are a living example of one who is … seeking to fulfill your commitment of following Christ?
We see Philip’s desire because
We see his commitment in that HE SPOKE GREAT WORDS
We see his commitment in that he showed a Holy Spirit filled witness to those who observed him.
We see his commitment was fueled by the fact he Saw the Worth of his WORK for the Lord.
These three things that Philip did which are great examples for us of what we need to be doing as part of full-Phil-ing our commitment to Christ.
I. First let’s notice that Philip spoke GREAT WORDS….but what were his words filled with?
What made his words so great?
verse five tells us about his words…it says
5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there.
Philip spoke great words because his words were about Jesus. There can be no better words than words that speak of Jesus.
The verse tells us that as Philip went his way he was proclaiming Christ.
Are our words great words.. ?
We can be certain they are…. if we are speaking to others about Jesus?
Philip was speaking ABOUT Jesus
Who do you talk to people about or What do you talk to people about?
Do you talk to people about….Sports, weather, the upcoming holiday, your family, their family.
All sorts of things….
How difficult is it to mention the Lord somewhere in the conversation of those things.
It really isn’t difficult at all.
In the world of sports how are hard is it to mention the Lord?
If you are talking about the big game that is coming up on Thanksgiving day. Use that as an opportunity to say that your thankful for Christian athletes who aren’t shy about letting the public know they’re a Christian.
If you are talking about the weather…how hard is it to say
“The Lord sure has blessed us with a beautiful day.” Or talk about how only God could make the changing of the seasons as beautiful as they are.
If your talking about the holiday say …“The Lord sure has given me a lot to be thankful for.”
If your talking about your family say…”God sure has been good to us.”
You see Phillip’s desire was natural that he wanted to talk …about the Lord.
When it is my desire and your desire to talk to others about Jesus …then we will be amazed at how nearly every conversation we have with others will provide an open door to say something about the Lord.
As Philip spoke great words…words about Jesus
He was not only speaking ABOUT Jesus but also
He was speaking FOR Jesus.
The Lord has many things he wants us to do.
Read the Bible, Pray, Sing praise to God
But one of the greatest things we can do is be speaking FOR Jesus.
Who do you speak for wherever you go.
