June 26, 2021

Dear Road Church Members and Friends,

In the weeks since Pentecost the theme of the Sunday sermons has been “Being the Church.” By looking to the Church in Jerusalem with its outstanding leaders as models and sources of inspiration, we are hoping to discover the secrets of their success in taking the gospel from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. Each evangelist was spirit-filled, but each embodied a particular kingdom virtue that added power to their preaching about Jesus. Barnabas was an encourager. Stephen was courageous. The story of Philip in Acts 8 shows us that he was inclusive in his outreach. No one was left out. May we too be as inclusive as he.

SCRIPTURE READING: (excerpts from Acts 8:5-39)   SERMON TITLE: “BE INCLUSIVE”

Philip went to Samaria and proclaimed Jesus to them. The crowds listened eagerly. A resident there named Simon had previously amazed the people with his sorcery.  But when the Samaritans heard the good news about the kingdom they believed Philip and were baptized, both men and women. Even Simon believed and was baptized, and the whole city rejoiced.

Then an angel told Philip to travel south on the Gaza Road. Meanwhile, an Ethiopian eunuch, who was the chief financial officer of the Queen of Ethiopia, who had come to Jerusalem to worship God was beginning his journey home on that same road. In his royal coach he was reading from the book of Isaiah. When Philip saw the carriage the angel told him to catch up to it. As Philip approached, he heard the man reading out loud. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” The man replied, “Not without someone to explain it.” Then he invited Philip to get in and sit beside him. The scripture he was reading said: “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and like a lamb is silent before its shearer, so he does not open his mouth. He was humiliated and treated justly. Will he have any descendants? For his life is taken up from the earth.” The Ethiopian asked Philip, “Is the prophet talking about himself or about someone else?” Then, starting with this scripture, Philip told him about Jesus’ humiliation and resurrection. When they came to some water, the eunuch said, “Look, here is water! Do you know any reason I should not be baptized?”  The eunuch commanded the driver to stop the carriage. Then Philip and the Ethiopian went into the water, and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, Philip vanished, and the Ethiopian went home rejoicing.

OUTWITTED

He drew a circle that shut me out,

Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.

But love and I had the wit to win,

We drew a circle that took him in!

by Edwin Markham

     May the grace of Jesus Christ, the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you.

Pastor Norm

June 27, 2021 Road Church Sunday Service on YouTube: https://youtu.be/dhBldZKoQZw