Continuing Dr. Nolte’s message, He suggests three things that he sees in the text of Acts 8:1-8. (1) No matter where you find yourself and how you find yourself, your message matters. Acts 8:4 says, “Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.” It didn’t matter that they were in a vastly different situation. The message that they were preaching was so essential. They were preaching the gospel and teaching the Word of God before and consistently. And in this drastic change of circumstance, they continued to preach. The story of Jesus, the Savior of the world, was simple and consistent. They didn’t teach “Systematic Theology”, Christian Philosophy, or Biblical History (which are all good teachings); they talked about Jesus, proclaim the Messiah and His Gospel of Salvation.
The power of God is in the story of the Gospel. People were healed and there was great joy. Joy is a delight of the mind, from the consideration of the present or assured approaching possession of a good. The passion or emotion excited by the acquisition or expectation of good; that excitement of pleasurable feelings which is caused by success, good fortune, the gratification of desire or some good possessed, or by a rational prospect of possessing what we love or desire; gladness; exultation; exhilaration of spirits. There was joy because where people had no hope, they received hope in Jesus. That has always been the simple and true message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They’ve made it far too complicated and difficult, so people who do not know the Lord wonder what are Christians trying to do? Let’s get back to doing what the first Christians did – tell the story of Jesus.
There is a great statement made by the Ethiopian Official in Acts 8:30-31, when the Apostle 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. How can people in our day and age understand Jesus, unless someone tells them His story? Yes, things are different then they were months ago, a year ago or a decade ago. Maybe we’ve moved and/or change vocation, but if Christ’s Followers are not getting the Gospel message out, then there are people in this city, state, nation and world not hearing and understanding the Gospel message. People hearing the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the unfolding of God’s Big Plan and Picture. Your message matters. Make it about Jesus!
We are so tempted to complain and get all wrapped up in all sorts of emotional and complicated situations right now in America, and it is our prayer that we are not missing the opportunity to simply tell the story of Jesus because we are distracted by all these major issues. No matter where we are, Let’s keep it about Jesus. If you are a Christian, the hope that you have, the grounding that you have, the future that you have, the current power that you have, there are people all around that do not have that. You that that you are challenged by the change of the current situations? What about the people around you that do not know Jesus yet? Brothers and sisters, your message matters.
The second thing that we see is (2) that your location matters. Your location/situation involve both place and people, and that is part of God’s Big Plan too. At this point, even though the Lord Jesus said that His people were going to go out from Jerusalem into all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth; not very many of them were. But, all of a sudden due to persecution, they were scattered everywhere and the places that they ended up were important because the people in those locations were loved by God. Those are people that Jesus died, lives for and intercedes for. We are in different places, with different people, with different attributes and attitudes, and that really matters. Where we are and who we are around is part of God’s plan for us. How different would it be if we took this 2020 Boom situation and said that God has each of us in a whole new condition and position.
Let's conclude Dr. Nolte's message on "blooming were you are planted" in the next post.
In Christ, Brian
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