The Good News that Compels a Respnse

Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. 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?” And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. 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. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea (Acts 8:35-40).

Have you shared the good news with someone recently? Many Christians have never shared the gospel. A recent study conducted by LifeWay Research found 80 percent of those who attend church one or more times a month believe they have a personal responsibility to share their faith. Yet despite this conviction, 61 percent have not told another person about how to become a Christian in the previous six months. A recent Barna study found that three in 10 Christians say evangelism is the local church’s responsibility. Jesus gave the responsibility for sharing His gospel to His close disciples… “Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table… And he said to them, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation’” (Mark 16:14-15). Evidence that we are growing up into Christ as a true disciple is an increasing desire to share the good news that compels a response.

Philip was compelled to share the gospel with the eunuch. God had sent Philip into the wilderness where he encountered a seeking Ethiopian eunuch. Hearing the eunuch striving for understanding about God’s Word touched Philip’s heart. Listening closely to the eunuch’s questions moved Philip to enter into the eunuch’s life and show him how the words of the prophet Isaiah proclaimed the good news about Jesus Christ. The love of Christ revealed in the gospel that had transformed Philip’s life now compelled him to tell someone else… “For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15). When Christ’s love gets a grip on our heart, we too are compelled to go, listen, and share His gospel with others.

The eunuch was compelled to be baptized. As he had not already been baptized, the eunuch obeyed the Spirit’s impulse and he asked Philip to baptize him. When we respond in faith to the gospel, we are transformed from death into life… “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life” (John 5:24). Our new, forever life begins… “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Baptism is a glorious illustration of this new life experience… “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). New disciples have a fresh, compelling desire to obey Christ’s command to be baptized.

Philip was compelled to continue preaching the gospel. Overwhelmed by the joy of leading someone to faith in Jesus Christ, he went on to preach all the way to Caesarea! The gospel is God’s saving and destiny-altering power… “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16). Seeing someone come to faith in Christ is seeing God’s amazing grace in action… “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). Even more amazing is the truth that God loves to include us in His wonderful plans for reconciling the lost to Himself… “that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:19-20). We can experience God’s grace-in-action and share in His joy when others come home to Him as we preach His gospel.

As we grow up into Christ, we seek the blessing and experience the grace of God at work as we share…

The Good News that Compels a Response.