Embracing Public Faith Through Immediate Obedience

Good morning, Menlo Church! It's wonderful to see everyone here today, whether you're joining us from our Bay Area campuses or online. I know that coming to church is a significant decision, and I'm honored that you've chosen to spend your time with us. As we move into the summer months, I want to underscore the importance of financial support for our ministry. While our personal lives may slow down, our ministry work continues to pick up, from student and kids' experiences to crises and care needs. Your consistent support, even when you're away, is crucial for us to continue serving our communities. Jesus said, "Wherever your treasure is, there your heart will be also," and I encourage you to consider how you might support Menlo Church financially. You can learn more and sign up to give at menlo.church. Now, let's pray together as we begin our time today. [19:23]

Today, dozens of people across our campuses will choose to go public with their faith through baptism. Faith is personal, but it should never be private. Public faith brings heaven here as we join a heavenly celebration. The scriptures say that even one person who turns to God causes a party in heaven. Some of you came prepared to be baptized today, and I'm excited for you. For others, this might be a new idea, and I want to explain it from the Bible. Baptism is more than a ritual; it's a powerful symbol of an inward change. It's not a mark of maturity but a mark of public obedience. [21:47]

Let's dive into the story of Philip from the book of Acts, which takes place about a year and a half after Jesus' resurrection and ascension. Philip, known as Philip the Evangelist, was not one of the twelve disciples but was empowered by the Holy Spirit to serve faithfully. His first assignment was overseeing the daily food distribution for widows. Today is Pentecost Sunday, commemorating the day when the Holy Spirit entered into the early Jewish followers of Jesus. This day marked the beginning of new access to the Holy Spirit for anyone who chooses to follow Jesus. [27:03]

Philip's story takes a surprising turn when an angel of the Lord tells him to go to a desert road from Jerusalem to Gaza. Without hesitation, Philip obeys. On this road, he encounters an Ethiopian eunuch, a high-ranking official in charge of the queen's treasury. The eunuch had come to Jerusalem to worship but was likely turned away due to his status. Despite this, his curiosity about God led him to continue seeking answers. Philip, prompted by the Holy Spirit, runs up to the eunuch's chariot and asks if he understands what he's reading from the book of Isaiah. The eunuch admits he needs help and invites Philip to join him. [28:05]

Philip explains the gospel to the eunuch, sharing the good news of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. He likely also explained the practice of baptism as a public declaration of faith. As they travel, they come across some water, and the eunuch asks to be baptized immediately. Philip baptizes him, demonstrating that immediate obedience leads to a fuller understanding. This act of obedience is a powerful example for all of us. [42:39]

Today, as we witness baptisms, I encourage you to consider your own journey of faith. If you've never been baptized, whether you've been a follower of Jesus for days or decades, the waters of baptism are open to you. Feel free to head to Info Central at your campus to ask questions or take this step of faith. Let's pray together as we close. [47:14]

### Key Takeaways

1. **Immediate Obedience to God's Call**: Philip's immediate response to the angel's command to go to the desert road is a powerful example of obedience. He didn't question or delay; he simply went. This kind of obedience is crucial for our spiritual growth and understanding. When we respond promptly to God's call, we open ourselves to greater insights and blessings. [28:05]

2. **The Importance of Public Faith**: Faith is deeply personal, but it should never be private. Public declarations of faith, like baptism, bring a heavenly celebration and serve as a powerful witness to others. When we go public with our faith, we not only affirm our commitment to God but also inspire others to seek Him. [21:47]

3. **Curiosity Leads to Deeper Understanding**: The Ethiopian eunuch's curiosity about God led him to seek answers, even after being turned away from the temple. His willingness to ask questions and seek guidance from Philip shows that a curious heart is a fertile ground for spiritual growth. When we remain curious and open to learning, we deepen our relationship with God. [32:52]

4. **The Role of the Holy Spirit**: Pentecost Sunday reminds us of the Holy Spirit's role in our lives. The Holy Spirit empowers us to live in greater obedience and divine connection. Just as the Holy Spirit guided Philip, we too can rely on the Spirit to lead us in our daily lives and decisions. [27:03]

5. **The Power of Baptism**: Baptism is more than a ritual; it's a powerful symbol of an inward change and a public declaration of faith. The Ethiopian eunuch's immediate desire to be baptized upon understanding the gospel shows the transformative power of this act. Baptism serves as a public marker that we are part of God's family and committed to following Jesus. [42:39]

### Youtube Chapters

[0:00] - Welcome
[19:23] - Financial Support for Ministry
[21:47] - The Importance of Public Faith
[27:03] - Philip the Evangelist
[28:05] - Immediate Obedience to God's Call
[32:52] - Curiosity Leads to Deeper Understanding
[42:39] - The Power of Baptism
[47:14] - Closing Prayer

### Bible Reading
1. **Acts 8:26-39** - The story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch.
2. **Matthew 6:21** - "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
3. **Luke 15:7** - "I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent."

### Observation Questions
1. What was Philip's initial task before he was sent to the desert road? ([25:50])
2. How did the Ethiopian eunuch respond when Philip asked if he understood what he was reading? ([36:37])
3. What was the eunuch reading from the book of Isaiah, and how did Philip use this to share the gospel? ([37:17])
4. What immediate action did the eunuch take after understanding the gospel message? ([44:22])

### Interpretation Questions
1. Why is immediate obedience to God's call emphasized in Philip's story? How does this relate to our spiritual growth? ([28:05])
2. How does the Ethiopian eunuch's curiosity about God lead to a deeper understanding and transformation? ([32:52])
3. What role does the Holy Spirit play in guiding Philip and the early followers of Jesus? How can we rely on the Holy Spirit in our daily lives? ([27:03])
4. Why is public faith, such as baptism, important according to the sermon? How does it serve as a witness to others? ([21:47])

### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt a nudge from God to act immediately. Did you respond right away, or did you hesitate? What was the outcome? ([28:05])
2. How can you cultivate a curious heart like the Ethiopian eunuch in your own spiritual journey? What steps can you take to seek deeper understanding? ([32:52])
3. In what ways can you rely more on the Holy Spirit for guidance in your daily decisions? Share a recent experience where you felt the Holy Spirit leading you. ([27:03])
4. Have you publicly declared your faith through baptism? If not, what is holding you back? If you have, how did it impact your faith journey? ([21:47])
5. Jesus said, "Wherever your treasure is, there your heart will be also." How does this statement challenge your current approach to financial giving and support for your church? ([19:23])
6. Think about a person in your life who is curious about faith. How can you engage them in a spiritual conversation this week, similar to how Philip engaged the eunuch? ([36:37])
7. What specific steps can you take to ensure your faith remains public and not just personal? How can you be a thoughtful witness in your community? ([21:47])

Day 1: Immediate Obedience to God's Call
Philip's immediate response to the angel's command to go to the desert road is a powerful example of obedience. He didn't question or delay; he simply went. This kind of obedience is crucial for our spiritual growth and understanding. When we respond promptly to God's call, we open ourselves to greater insights and blessings. Philip's story shows that God often calls us to unexpected places and tasks, and our willingness to obey can lead to significant spiritual encounters and growth.

Philip's encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch on the desert road is a testament to the blessings that come from immediate obedience. By following the angel's command without hesitation, Philip was able to share the gospel with someone who was earnestly seeking God. This story encourages us to trust in God's timing and direction, knowing that our obedience can have a profound impact on others. [28:05]

Acts 8:26-27 (ESV): "Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, 'Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.' This is a desert place. And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship."

Reflection: Think of a recent moment when you felt a nudge from God to do something. Did you respond immediately, or did you hesitate? How can you practice immediate obedience in your daily life?


Day 2: The Importance of Public Faith
Faith is deeply personal, but it should never be private. Public declarations of faith, like baptism, bring a heavenly celebration and serve as a powerful witness to others. When we go public with our faith, we not only affirm our commitment to God but also inspire others to seek Him. Public faith acts as a beacon, drawing others to the light of Christ and encouraging them to explore their own spiritual journeys.

The act of baptism is a profound example of public faith. It is a visible and tangible declaration of an inward transformation. By choosing to be baptized, individuals publicly align themselves with Jesus and His teachings. This public act not only strengthens their own faith but also serves as a testimony to others, potentially leading them to explore their own relationship with God. [21:47]

Matthew 5:14-16 (ESV): "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."

Reflection: Have you ever publicly declared your faith? If not, what holds you back? If you have, how can you continue to let your light shine in your community?


Day 3: Curiosity Leads to Deeper Understanding
The Ethiopian eunuch's curiosity about God led him to seek answers, even after being turned away from the temple. His willingness to ask questions and seek guidance from Philip shows that a curious heart is a fertile ground for spiritual growth. When we remain curious and open to learning, we deepen our relationship with God. Curiosity drives us to explore the depths of our faith and to seek a more profound understanding of God's word and His will for our lives.

The eunuch's encounter with Philip highlights the importance of asking questions and seeking guidance. Despite his high status and the potential for embarrassment, the eunuch humbly admitted his need for help in understanding the scriptures. This humility and curiosity opened the door for a life-changing encounter with the gospel. [32:52]

Proverbs 2:3-5 (ESV): "Yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God."

Reflection: What questions do you have about your faith or the Bible? How can you seek answers and guidance from others in your community or through personal study?


Day 4: The Role of the Holy Spirit
Pentecost Sunday reminds us of the Holy Spirit's role in our lives. The Holy Spirit empowers us to live in greater obedience and divine connection. Just as the Holy Spirit guided Philip, we too can rely on the Spirit to lead us in our daily lives and decisions. The Holy Spirit is our helper, comforter, and guide, providing us with the strength and wisdom needed to navigate our spiritual journeys.

The story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch is a powerful example of the Holy Spirit's guidance. Philip was led by the Spirit to approach the eunuch and share the gospel with him. This divine guidance resulted in a transformative encounter for the eunuch and a deeper understanding of God's love and grace. [27:03]

John 14:26 (ESV): "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you."

Reflection: How have you experienced the guidance of the Holy Spirit in your life? Are there areas where you need to rely more on the Holy Spirit's leading?


Day 5: The Power of Baptism
Baptism is more than a ritual; it's a powerful symbol of an inward change and a public declaration of faith. The Ethiopian eunuch's immediate desire to be baptized upon understanding the gospel shows the transformative power of this act. Baptism serves as a public marker that we are part of God's family and committed to following Jesus. It is a significant step in our spiritual journey, symbolizing our death to sin and resurrection to new life in Christ.

The act of baptism is a profound demonstration of obedience and faith. It signifies a believer's identification with Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection. By being baptized, individuals publicly declare their commitment to follow Jesus and live according to His teachings. This public declaration not only strengthens their own faith but also serves as a powerful testimony to others. [42:39]

Romans 6:3-4 (ESV): "Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 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."

Reflection: If you have not been baptized, what is holding you back from taking this step of faith? If you have been baptized, how can you continue to live out the commitment you made to follow Jesus?

Well, good. Good morning, Menlo Church. This feels louder than it should be. Good to see you. So glad that you're here. If you weren't paying attention, you are now. Welcome to our Bay Area campuses in Saratoga, Mountain View, Menlo Park, San Mateo, and those of you joining us online.

I know the decision to come to church, even if you are someone that regularly comes to church, is a big deal. You're saying yes to this, which means you're saying no to lots of other things. And I'm so honored that you would choose to do that.

You may have been hearing this over the course of your time here, but I want to underscore a really important idea as we think about the next few weeks and months. And that is the idea of financial support for what God is doing here at Menlo. It's easy to think about the slower rhythms of our own lives, the trips that we have planned, the fun stuff that's coming up this summer. But actually, ministry picks up at the exact same time as some of us are going separate ways for a little while.

Between student and kids' experiences, to crises and care needs that pastors and leaders are regularly navigating, it's those who have a plan to support what God is doing at Menlo Church financially that make it possible for all of this work to continue to take place.

Maybe if you've never thought about that before, you just give when it comes to mind when you happen to be here. If you're a part of Menlo Church, if you call this your church home, can I ask you to pray about it? And if you're a part of the community, can you pray about it? So that even if you miss a week this summer, your support can continue to fund this work throughout the weeks, whether you are here in person or not, for the communities that we get to serve.

You can learn more and sign up to give at menlo.church. Jesus says that wherever your treasure is, that's where your heart actually is. And so really, Menlo needs your generosity in order to continue to serve so many people. But God actually, believe it or not, you need God to have access to this part of your life even more than that. And if this has maybe been one of those last things that you've surrendered over to God in your life, would you think about and pray about how you might respond now?

Now, before we get started, I'm going to pray for us. And if you've never been here before and never heard me speak, before I speak, I pray kneeling. And part of the reason that I do that is to demonstrate this slow work of surrendering my will to God's will, trusting Him, even when I don't know what is on the other side of obedience in every area that He's calling me to be obedient.

So no matter where you are in your faith, your relationship to church or not, your relationship to God, would you pray with me?

God, thank you so much. Thank you for this tremendous gift of an amazing weekend where we get to surrender our lives to you. Maybe for the first time, maybe for the first time in a long time for some people. For some people going public with that decision. God, would you be in our time right now? Would you use it to shape us more and more into the women and the men, the boys and girls, the students that you have created us to be? It's in Jesus' name. Amen.

Now, across all of our campuses today, dozens of people will choose to go public with their faith through baptism. And I'll get more into the details later. But I think we all know that faith can be very, very personal. And that's the way that it should be. Sometimes, if we're not careful, it can drift into private. And that was never God's design for our faith. Personal faith will get you to heaven by grace through faith. But public faith will actually bring heaven here as we join a heavenly celebration.

The scriptures say that even one person who turns to God, there's a party in heaven in your honor. Now, some people came today already prepared to go public with their faith through baptism. I like to call it the splash zone. They're ready right here. And I'm so excited for you to meet them in a few minutes. They're like, "This sermon's already too long, Phil. Can you speed it up?" Right?

For others, this simple act of going underwater and coming up out of it to publicly declare personal faith in Jesus is a brand new idea. So I'm going to spend some time explaining it from the Bible. And I want you to know that God actually may call you to get baptized today, like right now. And we've had some people already where that's the case today. There's no pressure. There's no pushy sales tactic that's going to come with it. But if you sense God calling you to go public with your personal faith today, you can simply exit the room and go to Info Central at whatever campus you're at. And someone will be there to answer any questions that you have, to provide you with clothes and a place to change.

I am serious now. Baptism is more than just a ritual. It's a powerful symbol when someone who has never been baptized decides to follow Jesus. Baptism can serve as an outward sign of an inward change, not a mark of maturity, but a mark of public obedience to this important step.

All right. So if you know this about me, I have four kids, and I have a sort of a policy that when I use my kids in a story or an example, I only do that in a way that's kind or positive for them individually. So what I'm going to do today is I'm going to make a general observation about all four of my kids. So it doesn't have to be positive. Okay? And it's probably true of your kids. If you are a kid, it's probably true of you.

But parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, help me out. If you ask a child or student to take care of a chore, to do something that, you know, they don't want to do, and they say some version of, "Hold on, I'll get to it in one more minute," what are they really saying? No, they're saying, "I don't want to do that." They're saying, "We're going to find out how much you want me to do that by how many times you tell me to keep doing that." Like, I'm going to wait until the stakes and the consequences or your volume get loud enough to be different than that.

Now, before we get too critical of kids and students in that response, grownups, we can be the same way, can't we? There's a reason that taxes have a deadline. Hopefully, you know this, that deadline has passed. There's a reason that the DMV is filled with people who aren't ready for the appointment that they made weeks earlier and have gotten email notifications about. There is a reason that homeowners associations are well-funded all around our country. Because there is a gap between our understanding and our obedience.

Because all of us have things that we know we should do, and yet we don't do. This has been a problem throughout all of human history too. And the story that we're going to talk about is from the life of one of Jesus' followers named Philip. And you're like, "That's a problem. That's a weird way to talk about yourself." No, my name is Phil. This is a different Philip. I'm not that old.

This Philip stands out because of how different he is in the way he responds from our instinct to defer, to delay. We see something incredible in and through his story. We're going to jump into the book of Acts, which is the story of the early church after Jesus' resurrection and ascension to heaven. The verses that we'll consider are from events that are likely about a year and a half after Jesus ascends to heaven and leaves his disciples with the Holy Spirit of God and a mission.

The apostle Paul, who writes nearly a quarter of the New Testament, has not yet met Jesus. He is still persecuting the followers of this early movement. And they are learning how to trust God inside of a cultural context that is often hostile to their message of hope in Jesus, their Messiah, the rescuer that they had been waiting for. There's a world around them that doesn't love that message. We can learn from them.

This Philip is known as Philip the Evangelist. He wasn't one of the 12 disciples of Jesus. He wasn't one of the big three. He was an unknown follower who had been empowered by the Spirit of God and served faithfully. His first assignment was he was in charge of the daily food distribution for widows. See, the disciples selected a group of seven people with these parameters.

The text says, "In the church calendar today is Pentecost Sunday," which commemorates the day when God the Holy Spirit entered into the early Jewish followers. It wasn't just for them, though. This day actually marked the beginning of new access to the Holy Spirit. And anyone who chooses to follow Jesus, now even thousands of years later, will be indwelled and empowered with God the Holy Spirit to a life of greater and greater obedience and divine connection.

And that's exactly what we see in Philip. God had performed miracles through him, and his reputation had been growing inside the urban core where he found himself. And just as we might expect in our own strategic thinking that God would have him stay there and grow his first-century influencer status, this happens. Just a couple chapters later, it says, "Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, 'Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is a desert place.' And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship."

And maybe you think to yourself, "It would be so great if an angel came and told me what to do. That would be so helpful." But I wonder how many of us, after we heard from the angel, would check our calendar first. Obviously, when we read a narrative like this, we don't get all the details. That's the nature of narratives in the Bible. But the author of this particular letter, his name is Luke. He's a physician, and he's known for specific details, for a level of accuracy and detail that is unique.

And part of that that we see here is that we are supposed to see that Philip does not have any delay, that he immediately responds, he gets up, and he goes to this desert place. It's remote, it's isolated. He's kind of like a holy hitchhiker, not entirely sure what he's doing there. Philip's willingness to be obedient in this situation was so critical. God was already using him to expand this early movement of Jesus followers beyond those who were ethnically and religiously Jewish, because the global reach that God intended and that we now experience would require it.

There is no way that if this had stayed as a sect of Judaism, reserved for those who are ethnically and religiously Jewish, that it would have the reach that it does today. He wasn't told the reason; he wasn't told the outcome of his decision of obedience. He was told to go, and he did. It reminds me of the theologian Thomas à Kempis' famous quote when he said, "Instant obedience is the only kind of obedience there is. Delayed obedience is disobedience."

That's if you're a Christian. If you're keeping notes and you have like uncomfortable things that you write down, that's the first one today. Because here's the thing, we all do this. And we all have really good reasons why we do this. We have this sense in which we feel like, you know what? The Spirit of God inside of me is convicting me to do this, to change that, to be generous here, to take a step here. And there are lots of reasons why we don't.

But in Philip, we see someone who stepped out in obedience before understanding. And he sees more than an Ethiopian. He sees an Ethiopian man. He sees an Ethiopian entourage, a processional coming down the road. Our mental picture of this is probably a little skewed. You see, when we think about a presidential motorcade, privacy is paramount. The collection of cars is designed to obscure the president's true location out of desire for safety.

But in this case, we're talking about an open chariot. And Philip could see the eunuch, who was a very big deal. He was probably what we might describe or think of as a secretary of finance or a minister of finance for the ancient kingdom of Merrow, serving the queen. Because in their culture, the kings held largely ceremonial roles and were thought to be incarnations of the sun god. So the queens were actually in charge.

And if you think about it, still kind of the way it works today, right? We know a couple of things about him. First, he was a eunuch, which if you don't know what that means, kids, earmuffs. The Old Testament law clarifies. It says, "No one whose testicles are crushed or those whose male organ is cut off shall enter the assembly of the Lord." You're like, "That's in the Bible?" Yeah, you should read it. It's got some crazy stuff in there.

There were multiple reasons that this could have happened to someone, and we aren't told the specific reason that this happened to this particular eunuch. But this attribute probably qualified him to be trusted with the job that he had, but it also likely disqualified him from fully participating in the activities of the temple of Jerusalem, where he had just come from.

This eunuch knew something about the God of Israel. He's what sometimes in the Hebrew scriptures gets described as a God-fearing Gentile. And whatever he knew, it motivated this trip. Maybe he bolted some business onto it. We're not entirely sure. But he travels as many as 1,500 miles each way with this whole group of people. And when he gets there, he was probably turned away from the very people and conversations that he'd hoped to get answers from.

So now, on his way back, he's still searching. He still hasn't given up. His curiosity is amazing. What about you? When was the last time that your curiosity about God led to activity for God? You know, there's this bad habit we can have the longer that we're in church, the longer that we call ourselves people of faith, where it becomes entirely about what we understand. And we move from curious to cynical. We go from motivated to entitled.

See, if we're not careful, the longer that we come to church and shift into a box-checking posture with our faith, the easier it is for our faith to drift from obedience to ambivalence. What makes this so counterproductive is that when we delay our obedience or we deflect God's call for obedience to love Him and to love others, like we love ourselves by following Jesus in our everyday lives, we miss the bigger point.

That immediate obedience leads to a fuller understanding. And it's completely flipped of the way that we often think about it, isn't it? A lot of us, we have rationalized some version of this. We say this in our head from time to time. We say, "God, I'll give this area to you. I'll start doing that. I'll stop doing that. I'll take this step. I'll change this pattern in my life." If you show me why. If you show me the outcome. But that's exactly the opposite of how God works.

See, fuller understanding comes through obedience, not for it. We've already seen Philip demonstrate a willingness to lead with obedience and the eunuch as well, but they're not done. See, we develop a reflex to the direction of the Holy Spirit when we are actively pursuing Jesus and leading with obedience to the clear calls that we learn from the Holy Spirit. It happens over time. It's like a muscle in our lives.

Now, during the first week in my undergrad experience, which was in downtown Chicago, next to a public housing development called Cabrini Green, I heard this a lot. And at first, it was really jarring, maybe like this is for you right now. And every time I heard it, I would stop and I would pray and I would look for where it was coming from. But then something happened. Over the course of the first week, couple of months, I found myself noticing the sirens less and less.

And it wasn't because they'd gone away. It's just because that they faded from my attention. Eventually, I didn't hear them at all. What had started as a prompt towards empathy and prayer quickly faded into the underlying noise of the city that was easy to ignore. I think we have some underlying noise like that in our daily routine, in our calendars, maybe in the voices of our kids, family, coworkers, peers, siblings, classmates.

I think that it can happen with God, too. Part of the unhurried pursuit of Jesus is recognizing this important truth that author and speaker Ruth Haley Barton puts this way. She says, "One of the hardest things in our fast-paced culture is to slow down enough to really listen for God's voice. Yet it is essential if we want to live according to His will."

The Spirit of God prompts Philip to run up to the chariot. He runs up to the chariot of the eunuch, which would have been dangerous if he had been perceived as a threat. But he runs up successfully, and he begins a conversation with the eunuch that goes like this. It says, "So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet. He's reading it out loud and asks, 'Do you understand what you are reading?' And he said, 'How can I unless someone guides me?' And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him."

One of the things when I read Scripture, I think, did he stop? Did Philip just have to speed up a little bit? That's just in my curiosity, right? 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 before its shearer is silent, so he opens not 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 said to Philip, "About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this? About himself or about someone else?" Did you catch that? Philip is running alongside the chariot on this 1,500-mile journey in the desert, talking to royalty and yelling, "Do you even get what you're reading?" Pretty bold.

And this incredibly humble and curious eunuch admits that he needs help, and he invites Philip, a total stranger, to join him. They're reading from the book of Isaiah, which is a prophetic book in the Hebrew Scriptures, what we call the Old Testament. Now, just a clarification, if you've never put this together, the Bible's written kind of in two big movements, what we call the Old Testament and New Testament.

But the Old Testament, especially to Jewish people, they just call it the Hebrew Scriptures. That's all they had. There was no New Testament yet. They had the Hebrew Scriptures, and they had stories of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. That's all they had, and yet it was enough for Philip to connect the dots. I wonder, what would your discipleship to Jesus look like without the New Testament?

The eunuch brilliantly asks if this description is about the prophet Isaiah or someone else. And in prophecy, that's a really important question, because these types of prophecies usually have a near or immediate, far and ultimate fulfillment. This was written hundreds of years earlier. And Philip, he does not just answer the question; he shares the gospel. He has this amazing opportunity to talk to this complete stranger and respond, finally maybe connecting the dots of why God put him where he did.

Philip, like all followers of Jesus, was called to be a thoughtful witness, or what the Apostle Peter refers to as always being ready to give a defense for the hope that is in you. But he was not responsible, and neither are you, by the way, for how the eunuch would respond. We're only responsible for sharing the good news of Jesus and the opportunities and spaces that God provides.

My father-in-law is a retired police officer, and for years, he would give us these little courtesy cards that were designed, if you got pulled over, you could give to the police officer who pulled you over, and hopefully, it was like, "Oh, you know, cop, I'll let you go." And in case you're wondering, no, they are not a thing anymore, and that's probably a good idea, right? That feels... That's probably like we don't need those anymore.

And here's the thing. The one time that I had those cards on me and I got pulled over, I didn't use them. Why didn't I use them? Well, I was embarrassed, right? I also did not want this to get back to my father-in-law, who I'm still convinced, 18 years in, isn't always a huge fan of me. I didn't need that to, like, get stacked onto... I think we're good, but I also didn't know if it would work, right? I had all these sort of competing thoughts, and I was like, paying this ticket feels like the easier path, right?

Now, I wonder how it would feel if when we became followers of Jesus that we had heavenly identity cards in our wallets and we had enough of them to share with other people, that as they asked questions and faced pain and lived without hope, that we knew we had something we could just give them. They could take it or not. They could use it or not. But we had it. To give, would we? That's the gospel. That's the good news of Jesus.

And if you're a follower of Jesus, you absolutely have it. The good news that starts with the bad news that we all feel, Christian or not. We know that while we feel tremendous potential as God's creation, that we are also flawed, what the Bible calls sinful. And we have been since before we were born. Our destiny without God's intervention is to live disconnected from Him forever.

But because of God's love for us, He sent His one and only Son, Jesus, to live a perfect life, to die in our place, and to take the punishment that we deserve so that when He came back from the grave, He demonstrated His power over sin and death and provided access in Him that we would have access to the same newness of life that we saw demonstrated in Him.

I can almost hear Philip sharing with the eunuch that if he would just turn from his way of thinking and living and place his trust in Jesus as his eternal hope, that as he follows this new way, that there's an abundant life available, even in the struggle of the present world, even in the pain that he's going through, and that there would be eternity waiting.

It's been the same gospel for 2,000 years. Somewhere along the way in the conversation, I think Philip probably explained this practice of baptism too. That it wasn't a way to get saved, but it was a way of demonstrating a personal faith in a public way that followed the example and commands of Jesus. That it served as a public marker that you are in the family of God.

What we see next is incredible. The eunuch understood that immediate obedience leads to a further understanding in a way that many of us, some of whom have been following Jesus for decades, struggle to understand sometimes. I'm a preacher. I'm a pretty decisive person. And one of the areas that this comes up is when we've had to buy cars.

By the time we get to the dealership, I have thoroughly investigated the car. I understand the trim level. I know the current deals. I know what a good deal is. And I will fight to get it. If you're a personality types person, I'm an Enneagram 8. And so just like the justice of getting a good deal, that's worth fighting for. It's a big deal. The universe is depending on it, you know?

Now, I know that the salesperson doesn't expect to meet someone that is simultaneously ready to fight for what's right and make a deal as quickly as I usually am in that situation. Now, could I be a better thoughtful witness of Jesus in some of those negotiations? Jesus is still working on me there, but he's making progress.

I wonder if Philip felt like that car salesperson that by the time the deal was sealed and he had described the act of baptism, a public recognition of pursuing Jesus through the element of water, he didn't expect what happened next. The text describes it this way: "And as they were going along the road," remember they're in a desert, "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."

Do you think that Philip tried to talk him out of it? Encouraged him maybe to wait till his friends and family could be there, till he was a little bit more spiritually mature, till he'd done a Bible reading plan, till he'd figured out a few more details, till maybe he had his baptism fit all set, he was Instagram ready? I don't think so. The eunuch was ready. Not because he understood enough to be obedient, but because he knew that greater understanding came on the other side of immediate obedience.

Because that's the way that God always works. He stopped the motorcade. I'm sure there were probably questions, but he was in charge. And Philip asked him probably a question that we'll ask some version of when people get baptized today who have chosen to follow Jesus. Something like, "Is it your decision to turn from what you can do to get to God? And you're trusting Jesus as your only hope now and forever?"

Then when the eunuch, who had been looking for these answers for what seems like years and had turned away, and because of elements of who he was, he'd been rejected, he said yes. Probably with tears in his eyes. Philip probably said something like, "Based on your profession of faith, I now baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit."

According to church history, the Ethiopian church draws its roots from this man, returning to his home and sharing the good news, the gospel of Jesus with others. Think about that for a moment. He's had one Bible study, the gospel, and his baptism. What a thoughtful witness.

He asks the question, "What would prevent me from immediate obedience? What would stop me?" We ask the exact opposite question, right? We say, "Why should I? What about?" What a powerful example.

Today, we're going to watch some people who God has called to be thoughtful witnesses in their schools, families, neighborhoods, businesses, and industries, following the example of Jesus in baptism, and their willingness to be obedient that we see in Philip and this eunuch. They're going to demonstrate the same obedience today.

If you're a follower of Jesus and you've never been baptized, whether you've been a follower for days or for decades, the waters of baptism are available and open to you. Even as we pray, feel free to head out of this room, go to the Info Central at your campus, and let them know that you're ready, that you're thinking about it, that you want to ask somebody a question. There'll be people there who are ready to talk with you, answer any questions that you have. They'll have clothes for you, a towel for you, a place for you to change.

If God is calling you to take this step, my encouragement to you is let God grow your muscle of immediate obedience today. For some of you, you've heard the gospel message that I described just a few minutes ago. You've heard that hundreds, maybe thousands of times in your life. For others of you, in a room like this, in rooms like ours across the Silicon Valley area, I know that some of you just heard the gospel for the very first time, and I'm so thankful.

And what I want to do is I want to give you a chance to make a decision, just like Philip gave that eunuch 2,000 years ago. And so if maybe today you need to make this decision, I'm going to pray a prayer, and it's not a magic spell. It's just words. It's just words to coincide with a decision. And if you want to make a decision to turn from your way of life and choose the way of Jesus, this prayer is for you.

And if you're a part of Menlo Church, would you do me a favor? Just repeat this prayer out loud with me and give confidence to those who are praying it for the first time. Would you pray with me?

Dear God, thank you for loving me. Thank you for sending your Son to die in my place. Thanks for the brand new start and a life of peace. A life with you. Would you give me the courage of obedience and the endurance to follow you with all of my life? In Jesus' name, amen.

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "It's a powerful symbol when someone who has never been baptized decides to follow Jesus. Baptism can serve as an outward sign of an inward change, not a mark of maturity, but a mark of public obedience to this important step." [23:58](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)

2. "One of the hardest things in our fast-paced culture is to slow down enough to really listen for God's voice. Yet it is essential if we want to live according to His will." [35:54](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)

3. "The Spirit of God prompts Philip to run up to the chariot. He's running up to the chariot of the eunuch, which would have been dangerous if he had been perceived as a threat. But he runs up successfully, and he begins a conversation with the eunuch that goes like this. It says, So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet. He's reading it out loud and asks, Do you understand what you are reading? And he said, How can I unless someone guides me? And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him." [36:37](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)

4. "When was the last time that your curiosity about God led to activity for God? You know, there's this bad habit we can have the longer that we're in church. The longer that we call ourselves people of faith. Where? It becomes entirely about what we understand. And we move from curious to cynical. We go from motivated to entitled." [32:52](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)

5. "The eunuch understood that immediate obedience leads to a further understanding in a way that many of us, some of whom have been following Jesus for decades, struggle to understand sometimes." [42:39](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)

### Quotes for Members

1. "Philip's willingness to be obedient in this situation was so critical. God was already using him to expand this early movement of Jesus followers beyond those who were ethnically and religiously Jewish, because the global reach that God intended and that we now experience would require it." [29:31](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)

2. "Immediate obedience leads to a fuller understanding. And it's completely flipped of the way that we often think about it, isn't it? A lot of us, we have rationalized some version of this. We say this in our head from time to time. We say, God, I'll give this area to you. I'll start doing that. I'll stop doing that. I'll take this step. I'll change this pattern in my life. If you show me why. If you show me the outcome. But that's exactly the opposite of how God works. See, fuller understanding comes through obedience, not for it." [33:45](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)

3. "The Spirit of God prompts Philip to run up to the chariot. He's running up to the chariot of the eunuch, which would have been dangerous if he had been perceived as a threat. But he runs up successfully, and he begins a conversation with the eunuch that goes like this. It says, So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet. He's reading it out loud and asks, Do you understand what you are reading? And he said, How can I unless someone guides me? And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him." [36:37](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)

4. "Philip, like all followers of Jesus, was called to be a thoughtful witness, or what the Apostle Peter refers to as always being ready to give a defense for the hope that is in you. But he was not responsible, and neither are you, by the way, for how the eunuch would respond. We're only responsible for sharing the good news of Jesus and the opportunities and spaces that God provides." [39:25](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)

5. "The eunuch was ready. Not because he understood enough to be obedient, but because he knew that greater understanding came on the other side of immediate obedience. Because that's the way that God always works." [45:00](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)

6. "Today, we're going to watch some people who God has called to be thoughtful witnesses in their schools, families, neighborhoods, businesses, and industries, following the example of Jesus in baptism, and their willingness to be obedient that we see in Philip and this eunuch. They're going to demonstrate the same obedience today." [46:42](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)

7. "If you're a follower of Jesus and you've never been baptized, whether you've been a follower for days or for decades, the waters of baptism are available and open to you. Even as we pray, feel free to head out of this room, go to the Info Central at your campus, and let them know that you're ready, that you're thinking about it, that you want to ask somebody a question." [47:14](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)