I’ve been serving an inner-city church in an African-American neighborhood of a large US city. It’s not common for Korean pastors to serve in this type of cross-cultural context, and so I’ve been asked more than once what brought me to the church. My answer? “God!” I never planned on serving here, but it has become clear that it was indeed God who called me.
I think Philip the evangelist felt the same way. First, he was led by an angel of God to go where no one would willingly choose to go—a desert road (Acts 8:26). But even more surprising was the person to whom he was called to minister—an Ethiopian official in the court of “the queen of Ethiopia” (Acts 8:27). What could he possibly share with this man who was so different from himself?
The important official was reading the book of Isaiah, and specifically, a passage that presented Jesus in a way that the man was uniquely equipped to understand (Acts 8:28,32-33). As Phillip explained the Scripture, the man recognized the truth of the gospel and asked to be baptized! (Acts 8:36).
As unlikely as it all seemed at first, this ministry was undoubtedly God’s plan. And lest we think this was an isolated moment, we see a similar thing happening throughout the book of Acts as the church expanded geographically to Judea and Samaria (v.1). It also expanded culturally, reaching the Ethiopian official as well as the Roman officer Cornelius (Acts 10:1-33).
Through these accounts, I’ve learned that I should never be too quick to assume that I know where God will call me or to whom He will call me. All the world is God’s domain, and the gospel of Jesus is a light for all people. We should be prepared to do His work and ministry wherever—and to whomever—He calls!
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Acts 3:12–4:4
More:
Read Acts 16:11-15 to see how the gospel continued to spread around the known world of Philip’s day.
Next:
Do you think you have a sense of where and to whom God is calling you to minister? How might God be calling you to minister beyond your comfort zone?
Gary Shultz on October 10, 2014 at 6:38 am
Very interesting and challenging, thank you.
gary1schelvan on October 10, 2014 at 8:33 am
Hello to another Gary,
Yes it definitely is a challenge to us, to do what James talks about in his book. We are not saved by our works, but from out of our new life in Christ, good, thoughtful, helpful and beneficial deeds will come. Ask Him to show you where He needs you and no matter the obstacles, delays or inconveniences, when you think He has revealed it to you, trust in Him and act on His strength. He will sustain us through all. Obedience.
Gary Schelvan
peter chin on October 10, 2014 at 1:37 pm
Thank you for the encouragement, Gary!
gary1schelvan on October 10, 2014 at 8:26 am
Hello Peter,
I really enjoyed and appreciated your posting. I especially was attracted to your vet last paragraph, where you say we should be prepared to go wherever He calls us and to whom ever He calls us. I am a 63 yr old retired American, moved to Tianjin, China in 2012 with my Chinese wife , it is affordable for us to live comfortably here. When I was in the USA, I didn’t feel at all that I had a calling there or any kind of ministry. Since moving to Tianjin, the Lord has opened so many doors for my wife and I, without us really asking Him to. He has revealed an international worship service to me, where I can openly worship Jesus with believers from all over the world. I have felt called by Him to volunteer to work with an orphanage here, children 14 yrs and up, where I will hopefully be able to give them some love and light in their lives. I have come to the point in my life, that I have early morning worship time with our Lord, and commit my life and day to Him afresh each morning, telling Him that I am available to be His humble servant in anyway I can. It brings a real sense of peace and purpose into my life each and every morning. I will go where He wants me and be a light unto this darkening world.
Thanks for your posting again, it issues a challenge I believe….Gary Schelvan
peter chin on October 10, 2014 at 1:38 pm
Wow, your life is a perfect example of what I was trying to describe – thank you for responding to God’s surprising call, and may he continue to surprise you with his crazy and good plans!