Hello Gloria Dei,
As we continue in our preaching series “Favorite Passages of the Bible”, this weekend we read from Acts 8:26-40. I invite you to read this ahead of time.
In this account from the book of Acts, Philip, one of Jesus’ followers, shares about Jesus with a man from Ethiopia. It is a fascinating story. The man has been in Jerusalem, probably arriving there for the festival of Pentecost (See Acts 2:11). He is reading from Isaiah 53, a prophecy about Jesus. Philip lets this man know that Jesus is the one whom Isaiah 53 is talking about. I can imagine Philip explaining how Jesus lived, suffered, died, and was raised… all out of love for the world.
Think about your own life and faith. What questions have you had about Jesus? Who in your life has helped you come to some answers about your Christian faith? Who have been the ones, like Philip, who have helped you understand how much God loves you in Christ Jesus?
I’ve heard it said many times that the Christian message has always been, and is today, just one generation away from disappearing. In other words, it takes each generation of people sharing the gospel of Christ with others to keep it going. The good news is, as we discover in the book of Acts, that the Holy Spirit gets a hold of believers (including you and me) and empowers us to share the Good News of Christ with others.
Let Philip’s witness to the Ethiopian man inspire you to share with others how God has impacted your life. And let the Ethiopian man’s curiosity spark your own curiosity and desire to learn more and more about Jesus and to go deeper in your faith. Yes, Acts 8:26-40, is a wonderful biblical passage.
A few reminders:
This Thursday, June 27, at 7:30 p.m., Gloria Dei is hosting a concert by the Agape Ringers, a fantastic Bell Choir from Chicago. You don’t want to miss this. All are invited and invite your friends and family to come with you.
This weekend is the last of our Focus Group Meetings to see if we are ready to begin a capital campaign for future expansion. If you haven’t had the chance to attend one of the meetings, please do so after any of the three weekend worship services. Your voice is needed.
And finally, we have two Gloria Dei golf outings coming up: Sunday, June 30 and Sunday, July 21. These are scramble formats, beginning at 1:00 p.m. at Spring Creek Golf Course. Cost for green fees and cart is $35. Click the date above to sign up, or visit “Sign Ups and Happenings” on our website to get in on the fun.
See you in worship,
Pastor Tim
