The Coolidge examiner., 1936-07-31

PRIMARY TOPIC-Philip Tells the
TG junior T1oPIc-Philip Tells the Glad
News.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP
IC-Pioneering for Jesus.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOP
IC-The Gospel Crosses the Frontier.
Evangelism is the work of every
follower of Christ, and primarily
the work of the layman. This duty
cannot be delegated to the church
as an organized body or to its Off
cial servants.
Philip was a layman, a deacon in
the church by office, but an evan
gelist by the gift and calling of the
Holy Spirit. His experience In lead
ing the Ethiopian eunuch to Christ
demonstrates that one who is yield
ed to the Spirit
I. Will Find Opportunity for Soul
Winning ". 26). Most unexpected
places will afford opportunities.
Philip was in the midst of a great
revival in Samaria when the angel
of the Lord sent him to Gaza-a
desert place. Who would he meet
here? Remember that the great
world-evangelist, Dwight L. Moody,
was converted in a humble shoe
store by the earnest approach Of
a Sunday school teacher.
III. Will Respond Immediately to
the Spirits Leading wv. 29, 3O. The
Spirit said go" Philip ran" The
fundamental of fundamentals in
Gods children is obedience. The
opportunity, the inquiring soul, the
equipped personal worker, all were
prepared by God for just that mo-
ment. All would have been lost had
Philip failed to obey.
III. Will Find That Men and Wom-
en- Are Ready to Receive the Truth
wv. %, 31-34.
God prepares souls, and more are
willing to be saved than we think.
Whether it was through his expert
ence at Jerusalem, his spiritual
hunger before he went up, or the
reading of the Word, or all these
together, the eunuch was ready.
Neighbors, schoolmates, trades
people, fellow workers-they may
present Gods opportunity for us.
~. Will Find That God Honors
Men by Using Them to Win Others.
He could save a man all alone
on the top of the Alps" but he
doesn't ordinarily do it. Remember
it was 1.-The sword of the Lord and
of Gideon" that wrought a victory.
The eunuch needed an interpreter
of the truth. Philip was Gods man.
V. Will Know Gods Word ". 35),
We cannot interpret what we do not
know. One who is not personally ac-
quainted with the Living Word by
generation, and the Written Word
by diligent study, is not able to help
others. Could you begin Gas Philip
did at Isaiah 53:7, and lead a man
to Christ? If not, should you not be-
gin to study your Bible with such an
end in view?
vi. Will Garry Through" to a
Decision wv. 36, 3D.
Much so-called evangelism fails
to go beyond mere professional
declaration of faith. The eunuch and
Philip both knew that an inward
faith declares itself in an outward
act-and he was baptized.
VIII. Will Recognize That the Mes
sage Is Important, Not the Messen-
ger (v. 39. When the work was
done the evangelist was carried
away by the Spirit. Gods work goes
on. His workman we set aside. AS
an advertising company has we'll
expressed it, 1.-The purpose of ad-
vertising is to impress the product
upon the readers mind, not the
medium"
1t is a fine testimony to the effec-
tiveness of Philips ministry that al
though he was gone his convert
went ION his way rejoicing" His
faith did not rest on the evangelist
nor any human felloWship-he knew
God. Let us be sure to win souls
to God and not simply to a personal
allegiance to us or to a religious
organization.
Why not be a Philip? Any man
or woman who knows the Lord
Jesus Christ as personal Savior can
be a winner of souls. 1t has well
been said that all that Philip had
was "a love for souls, knowledge
of the Word and a sensitiveness to
the leading of the Lord. That is all
we need. If every Christian were a
Philip the world would be won for
Christ in ten years"
Among the earliest utterances of
Christ was the commission, Follow
me and l will make you fishers of