Week #24 — ZIG-ZAGGING FOR JESUS
It happens to me fairly often. Maybe I am out somewhere by myself, like reading at a coffee shop or waiting for an oil change. My kids say it’s because I just have to talk to strangers, but it seems like there’s more to it (at least I hope so). I notice someone near me—simply seeing them or overhearing them—and I sense the Holy Spirit prompting me to engage them in conversation. And most of the time, what do I do next? Nothing. Think about that. I’m either too busy with my own agenda or too anxious about how it might go awry, so I let the opportunity go completely.
In today’s passage, we continue following Philip in his final recorded evangelistic moment. Someone from far away is reading the Word of God, and Philip engages, simply but faithfully. Together, read Acts 8:26-40, and then go through the discussion questions. As you do so, consider how you, too, might take simple opportunities to simply engage at the simple prompting of the Holy Spirit.
In Christ,
Pastor Ken
Week #24 — Questions
- The angel of the Lord tells Philip to leave a fruitful ministry in Samaria and go to a desert road (v26). Why might this seem inefficient from a human perspective? What does this teach us about how God prioritizes people over platforms?
- Philip walks away from the chance to preach to many Samaritans to speak with just one man. Share about a time when God redirected you away from what seemed productive or strategic and toward something you didn’t understand at the time. How might this passage reshape our understanding of success in ministry or life?
- Philip is told to “go over and join this chariot” (v29). What does this immediate obedience reveal about his responsiveness to the Holy Spirit?
- What kinds of interruptions or promptings are you most likely to ignore? What might it look like to respond more quickly and faithfully to the Spirit’s prompting?
- The Ethiopian eunuch was geographically distant, socially marginalized, and ceremonially excluded under Old Testament law. How does this encounter demonstrate God’s sovereign intention to reach “the ends of the earth,” just as Jesus had promised in Acts 1:8?
- When sharing your faith, do you feel pressure to be persuasive or impressive? If we know God is the only one who can convert someone, why do we feel this way?
- Philip begins with Isaiah 53 and “told him the good news about Jesus” (v35). What does this teach us about the sufficiency and power of Scripture in evangelism?
- The eunuch goes on his way rejoicing (v39). How does obedience—even when inefficient or inconvenient—often lead to deeper joy? Where have you seen joy emerge from costly faithfulness in your own life?