One Yes Changes Everything
SMALL UNDERGROUND MOVEMENTS CAN CHANGE A CULTURE
God is in the business of movements.
Scripture has no category for the Jesus movement privately tucked away in churches— where Christian faith is kept cleanly and safely out of the public Square
Christianity is a movement where God’s reign breaks out into every nook and cranny of society. Where Christian rise up and set the tone of their societies
Does it ever feel like the world is falling apart?
From the failed courts to the insane school curriculum to the dark secrets that leak from among the elite...those in power and the movements they lead reap chaos for the everyday person and ordinary families.
But guess what? In a world of lies and corruption, the Bible envisions an underground movement of truth that has the power to turn the tide.
But it starts with YOU. It starts with US.
Today we embark on an INSTRUMENTAL NEW segment in Acts. People far from God will find truth. Jesus will be magnified in baptisms. And to celebrate we're having delicious Bevvy beverage truck. Loads of fun and power in store!
GOD STARTS WAVES
Acts 8:25 Now when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.
Samaria is experiencing awakening.
Revival ≠ Awakening (Technical)
Revival = Spiritual renewal within the church
Awakening = Turning to Jesus spills out into culture and becomes societal in scale
We are longing and praying for that kind of thing here.
Marks of Awakening in Acts 8
Often breaks out in unlikely places(Acts 8:5)
Usually preceded by pressure, scattering, or disruption(Acts 8:1, 4)
Marked by bold gospel proclamation(Acts 8:5, 12)
Grips entire communities(Acts 8:6)
Confronts darkness and breaks spiritual bondage(Acts 8:7)
Produces visible transformation(Acts 8:7)
Replaces counterfeit powers with the true power of God(Acts 8:9–13)
Produces joy in a city(Acts 8:8)
Leads people to public identification with Jesus(Acts 8:12)
Creates hunger for the fullness of Li God’s presence(Acts 8:14–17)
Purifies motives and exposes false converts(Acts 8:18–23)
Keeps spreading outward(Acts 8:26, 35–40)
2738 people attended Resurrection Sunday
Waves start with one
It’s a movement of LIFE CHANGE not entertainment
Public identity with Jesus in Baptism!
GOD SEEKS THE ONE.
Acts 8:26–27 [26] Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south 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
Philip: young, not apostle.
The passage moves from the wave to the one
One man with God is always a majority.
Never let anyone look down on you for being young—in life or faith.
Plurality of teams is an important aspect of leadership, but God doesn’t first choose a team. He first selects a man.
He starts with one. Then one builds a team and is used to spark a movement. That’s consistent.
What this means is He has start with you.
From somewhere to nowhere (the desert)
God loves you. You’re not a number, He knows your name
Who is your ONE? Notice Philip’s ONE
Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace
GOD LOVES THE POWERFUL.
We live in a world where people are envious and despise the wealthy or well-connected. This is demonic. God’s heart is for both the rich and poor the anonymous and elite. There is no difference.
Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz makes billions.
A spirit of anger, deception, and socialism in the comments.
Someone said: “He built it on the backs of low-wage workers!
What was most disturbing was the unreal number of hateful envious, murderous comments…
burn downed warehouse
I’m sorry, Schultz took all the risk, built the company from scratch, and created millions of jobs and opportunities, meanwhile all the employees were not slaves, they willingly took the position. People are out of their minds!
This is unbiblical thinking.
Here we see Luke our author zoom in on how The Holy Spirit of God seeks one very powerful man.
Tuttle Twins
GOD LOVES THE POOR & THE POWERFUL.
Acts 8:27 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.” [30] So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
Candice Kandake was a dynastic rather than a personal name, applied to a succession of queens over several generations.
Eunuch Castrated males held positions of hon-our and trust in oriental courts. Such people were excluded from becoming full proselytes of Judaism (Dt.
23:1). It is possible that eunuch simply refers to a man impotent from birth (cf. Is. 56:3-5), but his 'station as treasurer and servant to a queen suggest that he was both a man of position and a physical eunuch'.
He was reading Isaiah the prophet: The Ethiopian was hungry for God’s Word. Typically, the scroll would cost him a lot of money, so it showed that he really wanted to read and know God’s word.
The genuineness of his devotion to the God of Israel is revealed in the statement that he had made a considerable journey to Jerusalem to worship.
→ It may have been that God sent Philip because He was so hungry to find God.
Are you hungry to seek God?
Seeker → Last week we had 3 people say they were not sure but willing to commit to ONE YEAR of exploring the claims of Christianity.
“And the Spirit said to Philip” (v.29) There is a leading the Holy Spirit has in our lives.
We should never be intimidated to pursue anyone God brings into our orbit: powerful, important, rich, distant from God, hard hearted. God’s Spirit is more powerful.
God empowers believers to do great things for Him: “Tjadens Build Big Things”
GOD SPEAKS THROUGH SCRIPTURE.
Acts 8:31–33 [31] And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. [32] Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this:
“Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter
and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he opens not his mouth.
[33] In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who can describe his generation?
For his life is taken away from the earth.”
This passage is so clear that some jews have pushed back on apologist Frank Turek “That’s the New Testament”. Some have called it “The Forbidden Chapter” because Jews who read it are so persuaded of Christianity through it.
This is why some have called Isaiah the 5th Gospel. It’s so clearly pointing to Jesus and His ministry and death on the cross.
GOD SAVES US THROUGH THE GOSPEL.
Have you believed the Gospel?
Are you prepared to preach the Gospel?
[34] And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” [35] Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus.
You can’t just hear about Jesus, you’ve got to respond to Jesus.
[36] And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” [38] And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. [39] And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. [40] But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away Philips work was done. Sometimes we dig roots that God isn’t digging. We’re only called for a season. God’s will for us operates in seasons.
“See here is water” There is in this example an urgency. Baptism is most often believers do together in the church historically and biblically, but there are instances where that is neither possible
The Eunuch is eager to obey. Obedience should be quick toward the Lord.
What stops me from being baptized? You might not have come ready, but we’re ready for you.
Jonathan Edwards prayed for 100 generations and the fulfillment of that prayer is traceable!
My wife’s amazing social media / photo team making memories together. This team is creating so much value.
It’s so crazy to think about what this team has accomplished in almost 3 years. Especially when you think about how hard it is to organize highly independent creatives lol It’s herding cats. Sometimes hurting cats… 🐈 😅
I reflected as they hung out: We always overestimate what we can do in 1 year and underestimate what we can in 5.
You guys, we can flip a city, a nation—a generation—if we plan, plug away little by little on the plan, and stay resilient.
One cool story from this week:
A couple at our owner’s lunch (serious contributors) from Luke Airforce shared their story. They’ve been here a year-ish. The wife randomly wanted to check out church from social and word of mouth on base. Her husband, a skeptic, who also works on base thought…nah I am good… so she went by herself. Well the husband was scrolling social and saw a picture of his wife by herself and felt convicted that she had to sit alone. So, despite his reservations about the ideas of faith, came and sat as a spiritual skeptic but good husband. When sitting in service he felt the call of God and had his defenses broken down. He accepted Christ as Lord. He received the Holy Spirit. Together in January they got baptized. They’ve been all in serving in kids, giving, and pouring out that other might know this hope….
It chokes me up just thinking about them and seeing their faces. God is so good.
Team members like this think they play a small part, taking similar photos each Sunday, many that won’t get used. But for every one that does get used—there’s no telling how God will speak to people through them. Even changing whole marriages, stories, and legacies!
Change Your:
Story
Family
Legacy
City
Region
The valley
Generation