The Power of Showing Up When God Nudges|06.29.25|Go.Make.Baptize. pt.2

One of the coolest things about living near a river is the river activities that are available because of the flowing water that’s right here. There’s kayaking, paddleboarding, innertubes, swimming, fishing, collecting shiny rocks…you name it.

My favorite is floating in an innertube. It’s peaceful, it’s comfortable, and because the river has a current, you get to travel and see lots of different things along the river.

And I’ve never been to the very beginning of a river, where a spring turns into a creek and grows from there. And I’ve never been to the end of a river where it flows into a lake or an ocean.

But even though I wasn’t part of the beginning or end, I can jump in right where I am and still participate in the current. That’s how God designed it.

And that image of a river is actually a helpful one for us when we think of how God works in our lives and in the lives of the people around us.

God is always at work, carrying us along with the current of his will, and we’re invited to jump in, work WITH the current, and get to where he’s taking us. We don’t have to initiate the spring or the creek in order to still be carried along by the current of the river.

And we’re beginning a message series walking through part of the book of Acts where we see how the first followers of Jesus actually tried to obey his command that he gave to them at the end of his earthly ministry.

At the end of Matthew, Jesus had risen from the dead and commissioned his disciples to join in with his work, and he told them to “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them into a new identity as members of the family of God, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey the WAY of Jesus’ life.”

And ever since then, every follower of Jesus, every one of us who is learning how to be an apprentice of Jesus, WE’RE given that same mission. Each of us is invited to join Jesus in his work of reaching the ones he is sending us to.

Each of us has a greater purpose in our life to share the good news of who Jesus is, and help guide others to follow him with their lives, learning to be his apprentices, and in turn helping OTHERS follow him as well.

That’s what it means to be a Christian. That’s what it means to be a follower of Jesus, to be a disciple, to be an apprentice of Jesus: we become transformed by Jesus together, and then we guide others to Jesus who guide OTHERS to Jesus.

And this isn’t a job or a task that is given to us to accomplish on our own or in our own power and effort. It’s much more like that image of the river, where we join in with where God has already been at work, following his current to where he is leading us.

But sharing Jesus can still be scary, right?

Maybe you know what I’m talking about. Maybe you’ve felt that sense that God wanted you to say something to someone… but then you didn’t…

Maybe it was an opportunity at work. A conversation with a friend. Maybe it was when someone in your family was going through something heavy.

You had the nudge…but then all the anxious thoughts came rushing in:

“What would I even say?”

“What if I mess it up?”

“I don’t know enough…”

“I’m not a pastor or a missionary… I’m still trying to figure out how to follow Jesus myself…”

And so we hesitate. We pull back. Not because we don’t care, but because we don’t feel qualified! Or because we honestly don’t know where to start.

But what if… what if guiding someone to discover Jesus isn’t about having all the answers? What if it doesn’t need us to have a perfectly prepared sermon, but it just needs a simple step?

What if God’s not asking you to create a moment? …what if he’s just asking you to join in what he’s already doing?

In our Bible story in Acts 8 today, we meet a follower of Jesus named Philip. And what happens is PROOF that God is already at work ahead of us…we’re just invited to obey and join him.

[Scripture Ref]

So open your Bibles with me to Acts 8, which can be found on p96 of the NT in the black, seat-back Bibles. And as you’re finding it, this picks up after Jesus’ resurrection, after he gives them the Great Commission, and after the upper room on Pentecost where the gift of the Holy Spirit is given, and Jesus’ followers preach the good news to all the travellers in Jerusalem in all the different languages, and thousands more put their faith in Jesus.

Since that time, the followers of Jesus have come under persecution, they’ve had to argue with the religious leaders, and one of Jesus’ disciples, Stephen, is murdered for not stopping talking about Jesus.

And that scatters the church a bit, and they start bringing the good news of Jesus to other areas, and other people, even to the Samaritans who are super excited to put their faith in Jesus as the Messiah.

And so our story picks up with one of Jesus’ followers, Philip, who has just finished helping a bunch of Samaritans believe in Jesus as the Son of God.

[Acts 8:26-40]

[8:26]

So let’s just picture Philip. He’s just finished helping a bunch of people put their faith in Jesus from the county just north of Jerusalem, called Samaria. Things are going great. Revival is breaking out.

And then God says, “Go.”

Go out to the middle of nowhere. A desert road. No specific destination. No explanation of what to look for when he gets there. Just Go.

And Philip…did. He gets up and he goes.

I wish I had more stories like that, when I feel the prompting from God — to talk to someone in the store, to reach out to a neighbor — I wish I just listened and obeyed like Philip did.

But way more often I chicken out or I talk myself out of it, “That probably wasn’t God… because what would I say to them? What am I supposed to do? No, that was just my active imagination or ADHD.”

Or maybe we don’t even hear God’s prompting because we’re moving so fast with OUR life, OUR plan for the day, OUR desires and goals and dreams.

But Philip? He didn’t delay. He obeyed quickly. He was on the road before he even knew why.

And that’s all God needed. He gave imprecise direction, and Philip gave clear obedience, and God got to keep the current moving to the next step.

[8:27-28]

And a chariot is there, carrying a court official for the queen of Ethiopia. Luke, the writer of the book of Acts, tells us this guy is a eunuch who is in charge of the treasury.

Now, in the ancient world, it was common for men who served the royal family, especially if they were in charge of the queen or any daughters, for them to be castrated so they wouldn’t be anyone who could pose a threat to the queen. They are a slave who is fully submitted to the will of the queen, but this one has been positioned to carry authority and power on behalf of the kingdom.

And Philip overhears the Ethiopian eunuch reading to himself out of a scroll of the book of Isaiah. He had been to Jerusalem to worship at the temple, and had bought an expensive souvenir to bring home.

Now, in the temple in Jerusalem, there were strict rules about who could come in and who could be there based on their race and social status.

If we were to relate it to our church building, this altar space up here would be like the inner courts, if it were closed off, and only the priests could enter there. Then the main seating would be the court of men, where Jewish men could come to offer worship and sacrifices.

The atrium out there would be the court of women, where jewish women could bring financial offerings to the treasury, and where they could pray and worship God out there.

And then the parking lot? That would be the court of gentiles, where non-Jews could pray and worship. BUT… it was also the spot where the money changers and the merchants were selling animals to sacrifice. That’s where Jesus drove them out, because they were making it impossible for non-Jews to actually worship and connect with God.

That’s as far as this Ethiopian eunuch could have gotten. UNLESS… people knew he was a eunuch. Because there was an obscure passage in Deuteronomy that said eunuchs can’t “come into the assembly of the Lord”, so he might not have even been allowed into the outer court of the Gentiles.

This foreigner, who wants to worship Yahweh, who travelled all the way to Jerusalem to worship God at the temple, was probably denied entry because of who he was. So he purchased a scroll and is reading it on the very long trek home. Maybe wondering if he’ll ever be able to connect with this God that he wants to connect with.

But God has been at work already, pursuing this guy. Because he sends Philip.

[8:29-30]

And then God tells Philip to catch up to the chariot. This time, it’s not just “go,” it’s “run.” And Philip runs to catch up.

And what does he hear? He hears the man in the chariot reading scripture, and not just ANY scripture, he’s reading from Isaiah 53, which is a description of how the messiah will have to suffer and die to win his victory.

But Philip doesn’t just barge in with a sermon or a prepared gospel presentation. He LISTENS. And then he connects with a question: do you understand what you’re reading?

When was the last time you found yourself connecting with someone by asking a question? Chances are you do it 10 times a day! Because listening and asking questions is the easiest way to connect with someone! Why would it be any different when we’re trying to connect with someone that God is sending us to?

[8:31, 35]

The man replies to Philip, “how can I understand it unless someone guides me?” And so Philip climbs in to do just that. He starts with the passage that the man was reading, and then points to Jesus. Simple as that.

Because the guy is asking, “this scroll is full of crazy metaphors and imagery, who is this part talking about? The prophet himself or someone else?”

And Philip says, “No, this is talking about the coming messiah, who will have to suffer and die for us. And let me tell you, I was there and saw it happen!”

And then he talked about the things he had seen and heard from Jesus.

[blank]

And then they happen upon water, and the man wants to be baptized because he wants to put his faith in Jesus. And so Philip gets to baptize him and then he’s swept away by God, some crazy miraculous travel method, and the man goes on his way rejoicing in his new life while Philip goes on HIS way continuing to spread the good news of Jesus.

But if you step back and look at this story, it’s wild how LITTLE Philip is in control of.

Think about it: he doesn’t choose the road, he doesn’t choose the person, he doesn’t choose the passage of Scripture, he doesn’t even stick around after the baptism!

God is actually the one who is already at work. God is the one who is in control of every aspect of this story:

It was God’s messenger who sent Philip to that road.

It was God’s Spirit who told him to catch up with the chariot.

It was God’s Word already open in the Ethiopian eunuch’s hands.

It was God’s timing that brought water at just the right moment.

And it was God’s power that led the eunuch to faith and joy.

[God is already]

Listen to me: God is already at work ahead of you. He’s already preparing the path with the people around us.

That coworker you’re thinking of? That neighbor you’ve been avoiding? That family member you love but you don’t know how to reach?

God is already at work with them. You don’t have to force anything. He just wants you to obey his prompting and join Jesus in the work he’s already doing.

And something that I’ve been learning lately is that the people that God is putting around me aren’t completely oblivious. Because he’s been at work in their story, sometimes over years, they are already curious. They are already questioning. They just need a guide.

What if you believed that? What if the people around you are more spiritually hungry than you realize? And God is just waiting for someone to run up and listen to them and ask a question to connect?

You have to hear me: Jesus didn’t give you a mission to start up on your own and accomplish on your own. The current is already flowing. God is already at work. You just JOIN.

In the Great Commission that we mentioned already, Jesus tells us to go and make disciples, and he finishes that section by saying, “Remember, I am WITH YOU always…”

God is already at work ahead of you. And he’s inviting you to join in, promising to not leave us to do his work alone.

[blank]

So if God is already at work ahead of us, the question is…will you say yes to joining him?

Because look at what Philip did. He didn’t get a full plan, he just got a NUDGE, “go to that one spot.”

He didn’t get play by play of how God was intending it all to go. He just got a moment-by-moment invitation to obey God’s leading.

And even though I wish we had it written down what Philip had said to the Ethiopian man, I’m sure it wasn’t a perfectly polished gospel presentation. He just started with where the man was, and then pointed to what he had seen and experienced with Jesus.

But here’s the thing: God still works that way!

He might not tell you to go to a desert road and drop a chariot in your path, but God is absolutely placing people in your life.

And just like we read a couple week ago from Luke 15, Jesus tells us that the good shepherd leaves the 99 in search of the 1 who is missing. And when he gives us the mission of going out to help others follow him, he’s sending us to people like that One, people who are lost and need to get connected to Jesus so he can rescue them.

So who’s your One? Who is already in your life, in your daily routine, along your path, that God might be nudging you to go toward?

Just like Philip, you might need to walk, you might need to run, you might need to open your mouth. But you don’t have to have it all figured out. You just need to obey God’s nudge and take the next step.

Because here’s one of the most amazing part of this story: God sent Philip to that road for ONE guy. Did you notice that? Philip gets in the chariot and gets to share the good news of Jesus…not as a sermon to a huge crowd or a viral social media post or anything.

He was sent to connect with one guy. And you can too!

Because if we truly believe that the Creator God of the Universe — who gives us each and every breath as a gift — came in human flesh as Jesus to give us a clear path to abundant life now and eternal life forever…

…AND that we get to say yes to his free gift of forgiveness and restoration and wholeness because of the work of Jesus…

Why wait? Why wait in sharing that good news?

But not only that! If we believe that God is already at work ahead of us and is creating the opportunities for us to be a conduit of his love and hope to someone else…? DON’T WAIT!

[Go and connect with your One this week]

Go and connect this week. Go and connect with your One this week.

And maybe you’re asking yourself: Who’s my One? Who is the person in my life who might not be connected to Jesus yet, but who is already in my reach zone?

Think of all the people we run into over the course of a week:

The barista at your favorite coffee place. They have a name and questions.

The cashier at the grocery store. You’ve seen them every week for years, but you’ve never said more than “hey.”

The mom you always run into at school drop-off. You’ve smiled at each other 100 times, but never connected beyond saying, “rough morning?”

That neighbor three doors down. The one that you wave at every time you’re mowing the lawn, but have never spoken to.

The parent or grandparent that you sit next to every week at your kid’s sports game. You both cheer. You both groan. But you’ve never asked their name or story.

We have so many people that God has placed around us who he might be giving us opportunities to connect with.

And he has placed US here as a city on a hill, shining light to the whole Sauk Valley. He’s inviting you to be a part of shining his light in the daily rhythms you find yourself in.

And the mission he’s giving to us isn’t about saving the whole world, or even about saving the whole Sauk Valley. It’s about obeying him and being faithful to one name. One person at a time. One step of obedience at a time.

He’s already at work ahead of you, and he’s sending you to connect with the One who needs to connect with Him.

[Who’s your One?]

So who’s your One? Maybe you need to ask God, “Who are you already nudging me toward?” Write down their name today. It can be their first name only if you’d like, or a description of who it is if you don’t know their name, but write it down somewhere you’ll see it every day this week.

This is just like a few months ago when we wrote down names on those slips of paper that we turned into a prayer chain. But this time, I want you to keep track of that name or names yourself this week.

Commit to praying for them by name this week. And start looking for ways to connect.

Maybe it’s sending them a text. Maybe it’s inviting them out to lunch. Maybe it’s simply asking them a question and listening better than you have in the past.

Remember, God is already at work ahead of you, so you’re not starting their journey towards God, you’re just stepping into what he’s already doing and letting the current guide you both.

[blank]

This story could have been so different if Philip had ignored God. Or if he had kept himself too busy with his own aspirations that he didn’t listen to God’s nudging.

He could’ve stayed comfortable in Samaria, where it seemed like they were building a great new church.

He could’ve walked that desert road but never approached the chariot, settling to smile and wave as it went by. But he didn’t.

He went. He ran. He listened. He asked a question. He shared what he had seen Jesus do.

And because of that, a man was saved. His life was changed by Jesus forever.

And there’s one last detail of this story that isn’t in our reading, but I imagine what it was like for the Ethiopian eunuch after he came up out of the water and Philip was gone?

Because he had travelled to Jerusalem to try and worship God, but he was barred from truly entering the temple because of who he was. And I’m sure he was wondering if God was for him.

And then this guy shows up and tells him about Jesus, and there’s nothing barring him from Jesus!

And then I’m sure he kept reading the scroll of Isaiah on his way home, and just a few chapters after the section that Philip explained, he would find this passage in Isaiah 56:

[Isaiah 56:3-8]

There is nothing that will separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, just like Mr. Tom shared with us last week. And this eunuch was pursued by God in such an intimately intentional way so that he could never wonder if God was FOR HIM.

Let me ask you: what if God wants to write that kind of story through you? Not later. Not someday. This week?!

[Go and connect]

Go and connect with your One this week. You don’t have to speak perfectly. You just have to be obedient to God’s nudge.

If you don’t know who your One is…ask God.

If you do…reach out.

Start small. Show up. Share a moment. And trust that God is already doing the heavy lifting. God is already at work ahead of you.

Because if we really believe that Jesus came to give us life… if we really believe that he offers us grace and forgiveness and hope and purpose…

Why would we wait to share it with everyone we can?

Because God loves YOU so much that he has been pursuing you intentionally and intimately. And he wants to work through you in his pursuit of others.

You’re not just saved by grace, you’re SENT with grace.

Isn’t that good news?