Sermon preview, week of August 6, 2024
Our Watchword: The Way (Discipleship)
This Sunday’s order
- Sunday
- Reading
- Acts 8:26-40
- Preaching
- Jonathan Balmer
This is a sermon preview for the first week of our Watchword series. You can see FBCM's current watchword and goals at fbcmuncie.org/about-us
The readingActs 8:26-40
Visit FBCM’s YouTube channel to view video live stream (live) or audio version of sermon (published week after).
"Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. 'Do you understand what you are reading?' Philip asked. "'How can I,' he said, 'unless someone explains it to me?' So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him." - from Acts 8:26-40
Read Acts 8:26-40
26Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Get up and go south to the desert road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official in charge of the entire treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28and on his return was sitting in his chariot reading Isaiah the prophet. 29The Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to that chariot and stay by it.” 30So Philip ran up and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. 31“How can I,” he said, “unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture:
“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb before the shearer is silent,
so He did not open His mouth. 33In His humiliation He was deprived of justice.
Who can recount His descendants?
For His life was removed from the earth.” 34“Tell me,” said the eunuch, “who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35Then Philip began with this very Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. 36As they traveled along the road and came to some water, the eunuch said, “Look, here is water! What is there to prevent me from being baptized?” 38And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. 39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, but went on his way rejoicing. 40But Philip appeared at Azotus and traveled through that region, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
Berean Standard Bible, public domain
"Discipleship" is a word like "abide" or "discerning" - while they do appear outside of church contexts, they are very much "church-y" words. Because of that, those inside the church might hear the word so often as to not think about their meaning. And those less familiar with church might be confused on what it means.
Discipleship, to be a disciple, is to be an apprentice. An apprentice learns the master's ways.
As we explore our church's Watchword "Not To Be Served, But to Serve" (Mark 10:45), that being followers of Jesus means learning his ways is vital. We're walking through four episodes in the book of Acts, a history of the early church. There, Christians are called followers of the Way (Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14). But this way is not a program: like a diet or exercise regime one follows. We are following, and becoming like, God who is revealed in Jesus. As Jesus said in the Gospel of John: "I am the way, the truth, and the life." (John 14:6). That is why we call discipleship, in our church's shorthand, "The Way."
Our 2024-2025 Goals, as we learn what it means "Not To Be Served, But to Serve" come in Four Categories:
- Worship - As the Body of Christ
- The Way - Discipleship Seeking Understanding (this week's sermon!)
- Witness - Inviting Others to Know Christ
- Work - Acts of Mercy & Gifts for Service
This week, we're seeing how following the Way, or Discipleship, is never a purely individual undertaking. We see that in our passage this week. From the very beginning, learning the way of Jesus requires being with Jesus himself, and learning how to read and understand the scriptures with his people.
When the angel of the Lord tells Philip to go along the road from Jerusalem to Gaza, he comes along an Ethiopian Eunuch reading from Isaiah. He asks if he understands what he is reading. The response he receives is instructive.
"'How can I,' he said, 'unless someone explains it to me?' So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him." (v.31)
Just like Jesus taught his disciples how to read scriptures. broke bread with them, and was recognized by his disciples after his resurrection (Luke 24:13-35), here Philip does the same. The Good News is not discovered by individuals by themselves. It is revealed to us. The way of discipleship is undertaken as part of, and alongside, the people of God.
We learn how to read the scriptures together.
We learn what it means to follow Christ together.
We follow the one who is the way together.
Questions for Reflection
- When have you had the scriptures opened up to you by others in a way that helped you understand and experience the goodness of God in a deeper way?
- What lingering questions about faith linger for you? Who in our church could you read out to search the scriptures together?
- Does thinking of the idea of discipleship as an apprenticeship change how you understand Jesus' call to discipleship?
