July 6 Virtual Worship
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Worship Team: Sarah Haas, Marc Hayden
Music Ministry Team: Kristin Petty
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Key Notes from the reading & sermon:
Scripture Lesson
Sunday, July 6, 2025
Scripture Reading: Acts 8:26-38
Sermon: Life in the Spirit, Barriers Breaking
Acts 8:26-38
Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Get up and go toward the south[a] to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a wilderness road.) So he got up and went. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning home; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to this chariot and join it.” So Philip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” He replied, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to get in and sit beside him. Now the passage of the scripture that he was reading was this: “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and like a lamb silent before its shearer, so he does not open his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.” The eunuch asked Philip, “About whom, may I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” Then Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus. As they were going along the road, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?” He commanded the chariot to stop, and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.
Key Idea of the Sermon
The sixth chapter of Acts reports an increasing number of disciples. The leaders of the community raise up and empower new disciples to meet new needs. In the seventh chapter, one of those new leaders, Stephen, boldly proclaims the good news about Jesus in Jerusalem but is met with opposition and martyrdom. One of the consequences of Stephen’s death is the dispersion of disciples into the surrounding region (see Acts 8:4). Philip is one of those disciples who is led by the Spirit to head south along the road to Gaza. On the way he meets an Ethiopian eunuch, who has a spiritual thirst and desires to be baptized into the way of Jesus. Philip responds without hesitation in the affirmative, even though the request comes from someone different, who was from a different continent and whose gender was outside the norm.
Questions for Reflection
• Last Sunday’s story (Acts 6:1-6) talked about the inclusion of Greek-speaking disciples as equal partners, and this week’s story expands the circle of disciples to an Ethiopian Eunuch. How do these stories encourage us to expand our circles of inclusion? What holds us back from an inclusive welcome? • Philip obediently follows the direction of Christ’s Spirit. What opens you to recognizing and obeying the Spirit’s call on your life? What gets in the way of following the Spirit’s directions?
A Spiritual Practice to Try
This week make a point to listen to a disciple with a different point of view. Don’t worry about changing anyone’s mind, just listen with empathy and seek understanding that can build a friendship in Christ. What caring action can you agree to do together that reveals your common commitment to Christ and his way of grace and peace?
If you need some guidance or support, you may reach me at pastormarc.friedensucc@outlook.com
