Stop The Chariot

How many of you love St. Peter jokes? Here is one which I hope ties into our message for this morning. It goes like this:

A man arrives at the gates of heaven. St. Peter asks, "Denomination?" The man says, "Methodist." St. Peter looks down his list, and says, "Go to room 24, but be very quiet as you pass room 8." Another man arrives at the gates of heaven. "Denomination?" "Lutheran." "Go to room 18, but be very quiet as you pass room 8." A third man arrives at the gates. "Denomination?" "Presbyterian." "Go to room 11, but be very quiet as you pass room 8."

The man says, "I can understand there being different rooms for different denominations, but why must I be quiet when I pass room 8?" St. Peter tells him, "Well the Baptists are in room 8, and they think they're the only ones here.

If that is true then we all need to go home right now but if not, we need to do everything in our power to send as many Anglicans up there to prove them wrong. I hope this message will help you do just that.

I am using our reading from the book of Acts this morning for a message entitled “STOP THE CHARIOT”

This story is about Philip’s ministry but it really has a message for us on personal evangelism. We have talked about this many times before and I would like to remind you again that there is a harvest ahead of us. It will be the most important event in all of history. This harvest is not about crops and grains but about a spiritual harvest of souls. Just like the Father had a plan to save us from our sins, he has a plan to continue the work of His son here on earth to save others through you and me.

Perhaps you are saying I am not really equipped for that kind of work. I do not know the bible well enough; while that may be somewhat true it’s not enough to get you off the hook my friends. By the time I am done this morning you will know why. I want you to pick up your pew bibles and turn with me to Acts ch.8 and go down to verse 4. When you get there, let me hear an Amen! (Acts 8:4)

“4Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. 5 Philip went down to the city[a] of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. 6 And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was much joy in that city.”

As you can see, Phillip (who by the way was not one of the 12 disciples) wasn’t warming the pews of his church. He was in the middle of a very successful ministry. God was watching everything he did and had another assignment for this evangelist. He wanted him to chase a chariot and stop a spiritually lost man in his tracks. We find that story couple verses later and if you go down to vs. 26 it is there… (please again use your bibles)

26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south[d] to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.”This is a desert place. 27 And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship 28 and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.”

God is in the soul saving business and while this one man may not seem significant, I believe the word went to all of Ethiopia through him. Likewise, there are many in Quinby and Florence today who need the Lord and I wonder if you can chase a few and bring them to the faith?

Before Jesus left this earth he did not tell his disciples to try and make it big in life. He never suggested they go and buy houses and lands and get gainful employment either. Instead he said, “Go out into all the world and make as many disciples as you can.” In other words spread the gospel because nothing else is going to matter in this life. We have a choice as to whether we want to lay up treasures in heaven or here on earth. As his disciples, all of us are called to be fishers of men and women!