God May Not Show Us His Plan In Advance

Scripture: Acts 8:34,35 - "The eunuch asked Philip, 'Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?' Then Philip began with that very scripture and told him the good news about Jesus."

Observation: This encounter is very instructive to us as we Pray and Watch. It makes it clear that God was working his own plan to bring the Ethiopian eunuch to faith in Jesus but he didn't tell Philip the plan. Philip was simply asked to be obedient to each step as the Holy Spirit revealed it to him.

- vs 26 - An angel tells Philip to head for Gaza by way of the desert road. (but doesn't tell him why)

- vs 27,28 - Philip starts out and on his way meets an Ethiopian eunuch on the road riding in his chariot.

- vs 29 - The Spirit tells Philip to go to his chariot and stay near it. (but doesn't tell him why)

- vs 30 - Philip obeys and catches back up with the chariot and, hearing him reading from Isaiah, asks if he understands what he is reading.

- vs 31 - The eunuch answers "How can I . . . unless someone explains it to me" and invites Philip to come up and ride with him.

- vs 34 - The eunuch asks Philip a question about what he was reading.

- vs 35 - Philip begins where he is reading and proceeded to the good news about Jesus. (The Gospel)

- vs 36-38 - The eunuch asks to be baptized. (He believed and was baptized)

- vs 39 - Philip is suddenly snatched away by the Spirit of the Lord. He had completed God's mission on the road to Gaza and is now sent a totally different direction. Gaza wasn't the destination, the gospel to the eunuch was.

Application: God has placed MRCC right on the road from downtown Redmond to the Woodbridge community which is populated largely by Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladesh people who do not know Jesus. He has step by step been giving us assignments such as:

- Open up your building to the community for their Homeowners Association meetings.

- Open up your building to people of the community for birthday parties, baby showers, and even festival feasts.

- Put out bibles in most of their languages and make them available free to anyone who wants to take one.

- Serve the people by helping them set up and clean up and keep the place neat and free of trash for them. Be their servant during the parties.

But God has not revealed his plan. Neither has he shown us visible results in the two years or so we have been doing this.

I believe he is calling us to faithfully serve these people, build their trust, show them the love of Christ, Pray and Watch, and be ready to share the good news about Jesus when they ask.

Prayer: Father, please send your Holy Spirit to draw some of these people to Jesus and to make them kingdom workers. Help me to be ready to answer their questions with the Gospel when anyone is ready to ask.