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Amen. Right, so keep a finger in Acts chapter 8 and turn back just a couple of chapters to Acts chapter 6. So keep a finger there, but turn over if you need to keep a finger, go back to Acts chapter 6 and from verse 1. So Acts 6 1 reads, and in those days when the number of the disciples was multiplied there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. So here in the early church we're all gathering and there's a bit of division starting because the Greek widows aren't getting the sort of daily serving, probably food and whatnot and provisions. It says in verse 2, then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them and said it is not reason that we should leave the Word of God and serve tables. So the twelve apostles are teaching, preaching and they're saying look we need to prioritize here okay. Do they say okay get some dogs bodies, get some donkeys in that aren't capable of much else. Well no they say in verse 3, wherefore brethren look ye out among you seven men of honest report full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom whom we may appoint over this business. So no they want the cream of the crop don't they. They want the cream of the crop, they want some good guys here and look churches need wise honest spirit filled men of God to serve God don't they. Okay they need people who are willing to step up able to serve God. They said in verse 4, but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the Word. So it's not that the apostles now can just put their feet up. They're not going right we need to get some guys in so we can get a bit more relaxation. No the whole point is is so they can prioritize on the things that they want to be prioritizing in. Verse 5 says and the saying please the whole multitude and they chose Stephen a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost and Philip and Prochorus and Nicanor and Timon and Parmenas and Nicholas a proselyte of Antioch whom they set before the apostles and when they had prayed they laid their hands them. So these guys are getting ordained here as deacons it looks like. What was the result? Well look at verse 7 and the Word of God increased and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith. So that's the goal is it that's why we serve in a church isn't it. We serve in a church so that the ultimate goal is is more gets done for Christ yeah more things get done people are getting saved that the number of the multi disciples in Jerusalem are multiplying greatly. Now I want you to have a look again at verse 5 there because we're going to learn from one of these great men today that have just got involved and got ordained into the ministry. Verse 5 says and the same please the whole multitude and they chose Stephen a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost and Philip and Prochorus and Nicanor and Timon and Parmenas and Nicholas a proselyte of Antioch. That's the man we just read about in Acts chapter 8 and told my sermon today is soul winning tips from Philip the evangelist a soul winning tips from Philip the evangelist I'd like to pray before we continue. Father thank you thank you for the great lessons you give us in the Bible thank you thank you for giving us the examples of men like Philip here and help us to learn from him help me to just teach teach this accurately Lord help everyone here to just have a tent to reason want to want to apply this to their soul winning lives Lord and Jesus name pray all this Amen. Okay so Philip the evangelist Philip was described along with these other six men in verse 3 as being of honest report full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom so for me he sounds like a pretty good guy to learn from and in case you're sitting there wondering well how do we know that Philip in Acts 8 is this man and not the Apostle Philip well go back to Acts 8 where verse 40 so Acts 8 and verse 40 where it says but Philip was found at Azotus and passing through he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea notice that bit till he came to Caesarea seems to be making a point there well keep a finger there jump forward to Acts 21 which is about 20 plus years later now Acts chapter 21 we've just seen till he came to Caesarea and Acts chapter 21 says in the next day verse 8 sorry Acts 21 and verse 8 says and the next day we that were of Paul's company depart and came unto where Caesarea and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist which was one of the seven and abode with him okay so that this is the Philip we're talking about here he eventually ends up in Caesarea 20 years later he's there it says in verse 9 the same man had four daughters virgins which did prophesy so we see Philip who was of honest report full of the Holy Ghost of wisdom in Caesarea 20 odd years later had he toned down things a bit now you know relaxing a bit in his beachfront property just kind of you know he's done his bit now he can relax no he's called Philip the evangelist okay that's his name Philip the evangelist and by the way all four of his daughters it seems to preach in the gospel as well so this guy's got his daughters you know following his footsteps he's called the evangelist so this is a good guy to learn from isn't it yeah this looks like a good example in in in Scripture what should we learn from Philip the evangelist well the tricks in the name there isn't it you know what are you going to learn from John the mechanic you know how to do gardening probably mechanics right well we're going to learn from Philip the evangelist how to evangelize because all of us here are constantly learning to evangelize okay don't ever think that you've kind of you know you've been there done it and got the t-shirt now okay we're always improving you know I look back a year ago and I feel that I've improved a lot in my evangelizing over the last year and the year before that and yeah look you should be constantly trying to improve and and get better at evangelizing what we talk about here we're talking about going out and preaching the gospel okay we want to learn you know constantly learn how to do that and this church that is our number one ministry isn't it going out soul winning okay and and really let's be honest I think any church that should be their number one ministry otherwise you know you could start to question if it even is a church but our number one ministry is soul winning which means that every now and again we need to have a little just just recap on soul winning don't we we need to have a little lesson there who better to learn from than a guy whose nickname was the evangelist yeah Philip the evangelist so we've recently here kicked out a load of wolves haven't we okay and and we've kicked quite a lot out of this church and some were quite influential here okay we had some influential wolves and we could do with with correcting some of the learnt behavior here so another thing is apart from just checking in with our soul winning and we do need regular just reminders and and and instructionals on this we do I believe probably need to correct some behavior because these guys were kind of some of them were in the thick of it were pushing their weird and wacky ways on other people in the churches in the church here so we need to correct some of that and make sure that you're behaving like you should do and not like a wolf and when you're out there so winning you're not howling you're not you know kind of urinating on trees and things like that yeah we want to make sure that we're behaving how we should be and and we're going to go back to acts 8 in verse 25 where Phillips already been preaching in the city of Samaria so he's confirming the word with signs following there are miracles people are getting saved then Peter and John turn up there's more miracles with the Holy Ghost and look at verse 25 it says and they and they when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord returned to Jerusalem and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans and the title is you know my sermon is so winning tips from Philip the evangelist and tip number one is preach the word it's a simple tip preach the word verse 25 the they includes Philip who is also one of those mentioned in verse 4 verse 4 of acts 8 there says therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word the word now it should be obvious shouldn't it people get saved by the Word of God don't they if you've never preached the gospel before that's a good thing to start off with he's just realizing it's not about you it's not about you know how clever you look of course we have to explain the word but ultimately you need to be preaching the word okay you need to preach the Word of God you have to turn to first Peter 1 23 says being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the Word of God which liveth and abideth forever okay people get saved by the incorruptible Word of God it has to be the incorruptible preserved Word of God so if you think oh well don't worry they've got an NIV here or they've got an ESV or they got whatever well you might as well just throw it in the trash okay and get your phone app out instead okay it needs to be the preserved Word of God the incorruptible seed which liveth and abideth forever go to Psalm 117 what what Psalm do you think of when it comes to Bible preservation anyone here what sort of Psalms do you guys think of Psalm 12 is a big one isn't it most people think of Psalm 12 some might think of Psalm just 1 1 9 for just the amazing you know it's all about the Word of God longest chapter in the Bible does anyone think of someone 1 1 7 because I didn't usually and then we just did it with some family Bible reading the other day it is the shortest chapter in the Bible Psalm 117 what's it about well look Psalm 1 1 7 and from verse 1 oh praise the Lord all ye nations praise him all ye people for his merciful kindness is great toward us and the truth of the Lord endureth forever praise ye the Lord that's the Word of God Jesus said in John 17 17 sanctify them through thy truth thy word is truth that's a that's the shortest chapter the Bible and it's about the truth of the Lord that's the word of the Lord endureth forever it endures forever so use it right make sure you use it because it's all well and good oh yeah Bible preservation wicking James only of course we are King James only here right we appreciate that the Word of God is not only inspired but it's preserved as well fancy that we actually believe God when he promised to preserve his word yeah we believe all of that yet then people go out soul winning and start trying to explain in all their own ways and I've got the fifth analogy for the point that you got the first time from just the Word of God look how amazing and how newfangled this new and that no one's used this one before I've got a new one to see if my soul winning partner notices this one because this analogy no one would have heard yeah and unfortunately we had we had at least one person like that didn't we in our church now it does need explaining yes the Word of God does need it does need explain this chapter makes that clear doesn't it okay it needs explaining but it still needs the Word of God and you shouldn't be spending half of your even more of that three-quarters of your gospel presentation to someone with your own amazing newfangled cool analogies and just one I just want to sort this out quickly because I have mentioned it to people before I don't want people using analogies of cancer patients please in our church okay okay this was a bizarre thing that someone at our church recently decided to try and coin at the end there he'd explain the gift and start going to cancer analogies that could be enough to turn someone off the gospel the fact he wasn't getting anyone saved anyway didn't really matter but that can be enough to turn someone off the god look for some people that brings up a lot of really emotional things a lot of suddenly they're thinking well wait a second they go into a different place with their mind then they wanted to be in the gospel okay please don't start bringing up that when you're talking about the gift it's quite you know really oh so you're talking about calling on the name of the Lord and asking for it so is where how he's used it just preach the gospel to people right okay don't start coming up with weird stuff like that that was one of them there's I'm sure there are many others but but this was a person that wanted to just you know show this new amazing way of explaining and explaining and me me me and my way no use the word of God use the word of God explain it use the word of God right okay so so when he tips of Philip the evangelist tip number one is preached the word look at verse 25 there and they when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord returned to Jerusalem and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans and the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip saying arise and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza which is desert okay so the title of my sermon is soul winning tips for Philip the evangelist tip number one was preached a word number two is plan to travel plan to travel so Phillips returning from the city of Samaria that's around 30 miles from Jerusalem around a day's journey by foot I mean and that's a long day's journey walking okay they're preaching all the way home it seems as well and next thing you know he's off again towards Gaza which is basically another day's journey as well and we need to plan to travel too because some people can peel it be a little bit too much of a stay at home in Jerusalem type soul winner okay and look so winning is a job it's work okay we should be willing to travel to go and soul win yeah now when Philip was told where to go verse 27 says and he arose and went and he arose and went now you might be looking at that guy yeah but I was the angel of the Lord that told him brother Ian okay if the angel the Lord tells you go somewhere go so what is an angel what's an angel it's a messenger right it's a messenger I've got a message for you from God mark 16 15 says go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature there's a message for you how about that now the reason I say that is because we're starting you know we're gonna be that you know on Saturday week we're gonna be starting that going off to South London and I reckon there's probably already a few people here that don't know about that it's an extra half an hour extra hour or whatever it is does it matter does it really matter yeah on Saturday week we're going to South London to preach the gospel that's the message you've got yeah let's go out there let's go and preach the gospel yeah let's all turn up on that let's go out let's preach gospel let's get people say yeah that's what we're that's what we're here to do aren't we I will only go on a Sunday afternoon because that fits in with my schedule and even then you know as long as that so many captain doesn't send me too far because I don't want to add an extra a couple of miles on the car no just let's be prepared to go go to go out to receptive place and ultimately that's going to come from our marathons and in the future we would like to do missions trips and things as well and I hope that people will be up for that and just go yeah let's go there and let's let's preach the gospel let's go there and preach gospel let's go on a soul winning trip and preach the gospel right be prepared to travel and like I say there's no point organizing those mission fit those mission trips etc if if most people's mission field does it go further than local to the church on a Sunday hello and I'm not I'm not trying to get at like ladies with young children stuff like that it's always easy and travel and things like that but what I am saying is that we should be prepared to though shouldn't we we should be prepared to say yeah I'm gonna put some effort I'm gonna get people say especially when we do those receptive trip spaces as well verse 26 says and the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip saying arise and go toward the south unto the way that goes down from Jerusalem unto Gaza which is desert and he arose and went and behold a man of Ethiopian eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians who had the charge of all her treasure and had come to Jerusalem for to worship was returning and sitting in his chariot read Isaiah's the Prophet so the title is someone tips for Philip the evangelist tip number one was preach the word number two plan to travel number three provide to all provide to all Philip had just got back from what sounded like pretty receptive soul winning in Samaria didn't it yeah it sounded like loads of people were getting saved they were making a big noise there he's in sent out into the desert okay he's literally got back from Samaria and he's told right go off into the desert now and you could imagine him saying something like well you know go somewhere a bit more receptive actually you know I've just been getting like getting loads of results out in Samaria now you're sending me down into the desert and well you know forget all this preaching every house type stuff and some people could be a bit like that can't they it'd be like well I'll go to the receptive places yeah I don't like this preaching every house thing brother Ian on it you know I don't like this new kind of we've moved churches now we're gonna hit every door in the area stuff well but we are told to preach in every house aren't we okay so we need to be prepared to do that it's not always gonna be as pleasant is it it's not always gonna be the city of Samaria you're not always gonna have even sorcerers getting saved yeah sometimes you're gonna be knocking on doors and it's gonna be pretty grim for sometimes it's gonna feel like a desert okay but we should be still prepared to go everywhere right and a preach everywhere and provide to all but it even gets worse I think here he comes across basically this rich guy sitting in his Lamborghini yeah he's this guy sitting in a chariot I mean he's not only gone to the desert he's not only gone to like that what should be a pretty sparse place for not many people ready to hear the gospel he's turned up and there's just this stinking rich guy sitting in basically the equivalent of a Lamborghini and he's probably thinking oh great I've really been stitched up here right and then I would say you could say it's even worse because he's not only stinking rich but he seems to be the religious type as well I mean the guy sitting there reading his Bible he's probably thinking oh this guy's gonna be so prideful he's gonna be going I already know the word I've you know I've already read the Bible X amount of time you know you get these people I've read the Bible through you go to him oh okay what do you know do you know what the Bible says about how you go to heaven be good quite know as much as you think do you but and then to top it all off the guys are eunuch which basically you know I know some say well the term could have been used for other things as well really the guy's probably castrated okay so he's probably thinking oh wow you know this guy I've got it all here you know I don't really want to be hanging around with this guy well but look that would put a lot of people off wouldn't it but we were told to preach unto every creature weren't we every creature and sometimes sometimes look you do have to preach those rich people don't you sometimes it it's not exactly like we're living in I don't know whatever the equivalent is around here you know it's not that this is the richest air in the world but sometimes now doing this every door you are walking up that driveway for quite a long time kind of getting sore feet going up that driveway sometimes you're negotiating those brand-new you know hundred grand Tesla's and you're thinking this is gonna be a little bit rough yeah but we are told to preach to every creature aren't we and we are gonna hit every door local to us as well as going out on those receptive so when he trips we need to be ready to provide to all don't we yeah provide the gospel to all did it put Philip off for look at verse 29 then the Spirit said unto Philip go near and join herself to this chariot and Philip ran thither to it he ran to him and heard him read the prophet is a s and said understand yourself what thou readest sure didn't did it title is someone tips and fill at the evangelist tip number one is preach the word number two plan to travel number three provide to all number four prepare for the Spirit prepare for the Spirit verse 29 it says in the Spirit said unto Philip go near and join ourselves to this chariot and when you're going soul winning you want to be led by the Spirit don't you yeah you want to be led by the Spirit and that's more likely if you're filled with the Spirit isn't it okay so turn to Galatians chapter 5 what Philip was described as full of the Holy Ghost wasn't he and it would get full of the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit well you could start by walking in the Spirit start by walking in the Spirit first you're more likely to get full of the Holy Ghost right verse 16 says you're in Galatians chapter 5 hopefully in verse 16 says this I say then walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh for the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so you cannot do the things that you would but if you be led of the Spirit you're not under the law so getting led of the Spirit is what we want but first off we've got to avoid all of this fleshly stuff don't we well look at that how do we do that well verse 19 says now the works of the flesh these are things to avoid and manifest which are these adultery fornication uncleanness the civiousness idolatry witchcraft hatred variance emulations wrath strife seditions heresies envying murders drunkenness revelings and such like of the which I tell you before as I've told you in time pass it they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God that's the way the world live isn't it we want to avoid all of that and focus on the good stuff what's the good stuff verse 22 says but the fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance against such there is no law so focus on these things on your way out so winning you might find that you avoid someone arousing contentions too now look now and again every blue moon every blue moon there might be an issue when you're out soul winning yeah okay but let's be honest it shouldn't be every week if you're coming back every week and I had another row had another row had another altercation had another issue had another problem I would say you're probably not going out in the spirit okay yeah that it does come sometimes yeah there's nothing you can do to avoid it but we don't want to be going out seeking that if we're going out and getting in row and getting in problems and always coming back with you know a new story of the row I had with someone I don't think that you're probably practicing all of these things here love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance against such there is no law and if you're not walking in the spirit are you likely to therefore be full of the spirit and led by the spirit and be getting led to those people that need to be getting preached tomorrow I think you're less likely it says in verse 24 know that a Christ have crucified the flesh of their fetches at last if we live in the spirit let us walk in the spirit let us not be desirous of vaingloy provoking one another envying one another so I would say with that in mind before soul winning isn't the best time for that contentious conversation with your wife or your kids probably not the best time to have that awkward conversation you wanted to have with your wife about whatever it is probably not a good time because ideally we want to be going out in the spirit we don't want to be going out and in our mind is the size I can't believe they spoke to me like now you know they're not listening to me or something else yeah not the best time to be listening to worldly music is it on the way out so winning I think we had someone that used to do that and I and by the way I include that you know Christian rock and Christian rap and all that sort of junk it's just worldly it's just conformed to this world okay not the best time on your way out so we smoking on your way out so winning look some people smoke okay some people that's a hard addiction stop I would say you're probably less filled with the speed probably more filled with tar and nicotine if you go out and on the way out you're having a spark and we have people doing that didn't we at our church you know they're on the way out so winning quick light up a fag on the way okay I would just say you're probably less likely to be getting led by the spirit like that now the the fellowship is nice when you're out so winning isn't it yeah love a bit of fellowship out so winning I always end up being a spare part and with my kids a lot of the time but we have some good fellowship still right but it's nice to go out get that fellowship but maybe don't get too wrapped up in the conversation yeah to the point where you're kind of just like yeah yeah knock knock yeah anyway yeah you know to the point where you're probably not really thinking about the things got it people do do that and sometimes it's nice when you're having a good chat and stuff maybe don't get too deep in like real heart-to-heart conversations you're out preaching the gospel right yeah look don't miss don't like kind of misquote me here I'm not saying right you can't talk and have a chat when you're outside I'm just saying you know we should we should try and be in the spirit shouldn't we focusing on the things that God probably not the time to go look brother I really need some advice on this really deep issue knock knock knock on someone's door yeah probably not the best time yeah probably better afterwards for things like that but it is nice to have that fellowship but another thing not to forget is praying and not just before you set out okay and we should be praying before we set out and look you know I remember we had one of our holier than now's here below whoa whoa wait a second we haven't prayed yet you know it's like look you can't pray yourself it doesn't have to be a group prayer okay it is nice if you're a member of people are together that's cool degree but pray but you know that's not the only time you can pray when you're out soul winning pray in your head when you're so winning like believe me it helps you know when you're someone's yummy a bit it's a bit dry you know you just pray it start praying to God and it helps you be in the spirit helps you being led by the spirit pray to God it's a spiritual thing you're doing you're out trying to get people say look at verse 29 and the spirit said unto Philip go near and join thyself to this chariot and Philip ran thither to him he ran to him and heard him read the prophet Isaias and said understandest thou what thou readest it's only so when he ticks from Philip the evangelist tip number one was preached a word number two plan to travel number three provide to all number four prepare for the spirit number five put in the effort number five put in the effort so Philip's been led by the spirit but instead of wandering over there in slow motion like a j-dub or and if you wondering what that is Jehovah's Witness or or hoping that the maybe the religious guy just kind of speeds off in his chariot before he gets there because then hopefully I'll get someone a bit more receptive verse only says if Philip ran thither to him he ran to him right and so winning requires some effort doesn't it if you want to get the salvation's look and we have we have amongst you know some some people in past we've had a few bare minimum types here as well you know they're they kind of get out at the last minute it's very bare minimum almost for show as well that bare minimum effort but that's not really the attitude we want yeah so winning is a job that we're doing for the Lord right okay we're we're instructed to do that job as well turn of first Corinthians chapter 3 and it requires urgency to get there in the first place and that could be leaving to go so winning yeah because sometimes you know some might say it's more like herding cats trying to get people out of here and and when you go on a sole winning marathon and you know people are turning up sort of half an hour after you were meant to be getting out so winning and then trying to get those people that can be hard but also when you're out so winning yeah it's a grafting I mean you know it gets you fit as well you know you don't have to kind of just wander you know kind of amble down the road and have pauses to sit down every five minutes you know get put some effort in he ran thither to them and and look sometimes like I said it's worth getting in our heads that we're there to work for the Lord and whether or not you're getting salvation's you are still working okay oh well I'm not getting much salvation so I'm a bit useless it doesn't really matter what I do because I don't get many so now you're working for the Lord first Corinthians chapter 3 and verse 8 says now he that planteth and he that waterth a one and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor for we are laborers together with God you're God's husbandry ye are God's building so we get rewarded according to how much work we put in it's not necessarily how many salvations you get is it do you is the person who's on the mission filled out in somewhere really receptive you know getting so much more rewards than the person who is somewhere where they're just still putting out the Word of God there they you know they're pounding those streets every day trying to knock every door and get the Word of God out to an unreceptive area they're still doing the same labor sometimes it's harder labor isn't it okay we get rewarded according to our labor according to our own labor not according to how many salvations you get we're working together with God and we don't want to be that useless laborer yeah and there seem to be more and more useless labors they're not talking about now in a secular sense yeah in place of work and other there are some useless people in in in like you know on the job site in other places and I've had some of these work for me in the past in it is frustrating yeah I mean I got to the point was just I gave up in the end I just decide I'm just gonna be a one-man band because every time I try and get people they just end up being useless they might start off well a couple of days they're trying to like impress you and then soon the phone is out and then you know the shovel becomes something to lean on and everything just gets really frustrated people just hang around don't they people and we don't want to be like that do it yeah we're working for God we're God's laborer can you imagine being next to God you know on the building site and just trying to slack off and you already want to do that would you you're likely to get a slap around the face but should get a slap around the face yeah and and look we want to be graft we don't want to be that useless labor and make sure when you're out someone you're putting some effort in you're working for God you have limited time to do it be urgent get out there in good time get out there knocking the doors walk fast and if someone tells me I'm not injured I want to get to that next door quick I don't want to be hanging around there you know well let's just have a bit more of a chat and I want to get to the next door politely but I want to get to the next door yeah and sometimes again you know what's a handy one just just think of it now is when you're so winning partner who's not knock he is the one who's shutting the gate behind him and everything else that's very helpful because I want to get to that door let them mess about with the annoying gate that's office hinge slightly and you're trying to get that latch back on I want to get to that next door knock yeah not be the one he's right now we shut yeah yeah that's good silent partnering isn't it okay things like that really help okay so the title is someone tips for Philip the evangelist tip number one preach the word number two plan to travel number three provide to all number four prepare for the spirit number five put in the effort number six probe with questions anyone noticing a theme here hopefully you might be able to remember these the whole point is peas peas for Philip come on come on it's not bad is it I might be stretching it with a couple of these but hopefully you remember right probe with questions probe with questions fill it didn't just launch into the gospel did it okay he started with a question what was the question understand is our what thou readest he's probing for information isn't he where's this guy at is he saved how much of the gospel does he know yeah he's trying to get an idea here that's the whole point and that's really important for a couple of reasons isn't it okay it's really important to probe with questions because yeah you want to know what they believe okay you want to get an idea of where they're at what they believe okay couple of questions we usually start with something along the lines of do you know for sure that if you died maybe today now I something I do not always just sometimes depending on how I think that reaction is when I knock on the door and how confident they look if it's maybe somebody's looking a little bit nervous and I may be with another guy maybe the kids aren't so you know visible or something else through the crack in the door you know and sometimes I might maybe change that to well if you died tomorrow just because sometimes some people a bit freaked out with someone standing on their door going so if you died right now where do you think you're going yeah can be a bit off-putting right now it might be some might reword it otherwise just go where do you think you're gonna spend eternity yeah still the same question isn't it have to talk about death look nothing wrong with that that's how you want to do it do it but just you know I might change that depending on who I'm talking to okay okay that's a good question isn't it okay where you going now we have to be careful with this as well because you need to know what they believe because for that reason to know where they're at what they really believe and you've got to be careful that I did this the other day and I was kind of you know just the way the conversation when it was someone who was a bit awkward and I said well there is only one thing you know the Bible says only one thing you have to do but we hadn't really got to the point of what they really believed yet and that was an error because you say that to someone who's been in church well they know what they're meant to say don't they because you're you're already feeding them the answer then aren't you and the answer was then you know yeah believe yeah because they felt faith or something like that but it's not well faith in what and then you're suddenly now you're getting into like more and more questions it turns into like becomes a bit of an interrogation doesn't it and we want to we want to ask questions we want to probe but we don't want to interrogate either so we're trying to get that balance and be careful not to feed them the answer okay so it has to be open-ended it's very easy to slip up and do that and then suddenly you know they don't really believe that they would never have even come up with that but suddenly you've kind of fed them and now I need to ask you more and more and get to okay what if you did this you know and then they're like well what's all these questions you just come to my door and ask me 20 questions you probably could have solved it with one yeah they would probably would have come out straight away and just said something along the lines of well no I don't well I think I've been good enough you know you know okay right this person believes in work salvation they don't think they're going to heaven and why is it also important because of those prideful people at the end of a gospel presentation ago yeah I already knew that I was already saved oh yeah well I was already going to heaven well yeah no I know that anyway well wait a second this is what you said and you know I know I'm kind of singing to the choir a little bit here but I'll preach to the choir but you know it's good stuff to remember isn't it and make sure they're open-ended make sure you probe with questions and for it look for those of you here that maybe don't go out soul winning so much and it and or when you're talking to people in your private life when you're talking to family friends etc people in your work life etc make sure you do the same yeah because often the conversation just goes the same way well yeah I already knew that yeah no probe with questions yeah get those questions but try not to make it sound like an interrogation try and make it you know try and just you know use a bit of personal skills and try and you know sometimes I might even say look so I don't mean to be interrogate you on the door just you know a lot of people give different answers nice to know where you stand so I can you know I just want to know you know what you believe yeah or something like that so people understand that you're not just there knocking on your door you know asking like doing a survey or something you know on earth he's going on here okay so he asked in me he said understand yourself what thou readest in Jude verse 22 that turn it says and of some have compassion make your difference of verse 23 says and others save with fear pulling them out of the fire hating even the garment spotted by the flesh how do you know who to have compassion who to save with fear by probing with questions yeah we're trying to get an understanding of what they believe where they're out you know what what they think what sort of personality they have what sort of that they might be just very prideful from the beginning they might not they might just be a bit unsure and all of that comes from asking them not just hi there you know foot in the door right let me preach the gospel to you yeah that's not and you're gonna have a lot more failure like that right okay let's continue back to back where we were verse 30 it said and Philip ran thither to him and heard him read the Prophet Isaiah's and said understand yourself what thou readest by the way that's a Greek version of Isaiah and he said how can I accept some man should guide me and he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him so as you know the title is so when tips for Philip the evangelist and I'm just gonna keep repeating these because hopefully even if it's just one that you really need to remember you're gonna remember it tip number one preach the word number two plan to travel number three provide to all number four prepare for the spirit number five put in the effort number six probe with questions and number seven present a choice present a choice this one is so important if you think if you kind of just write off the rest of this sermon if you're in la la land right now and you're just pretending to look interested and really going through your head is you know what you're gonna eat tonight or what you're doing next week if you could just tune in for one bit please tune in now okay please tune in now because this is something that I've seen become a lot of a problem like I said with previous people in our church but I really want to instill this in the church you have to present a choice to people okay verse 26 look at verse 26 it said and the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip saying arise and go toward the south into the way that go down from Jerusalem unto Gaza which says it verse 29 then the Philip sorry then the spirit said unto Philip go near and join yourself to this chariot verse 31 he said to Philip how can I accept some man should guide me you could have forgiven Philip for just jumping up then going straight into the gospel now couldn't you yeah that you've got the angel of the Lord telling him to go there you've got the spirit saying go to that chat the guys going well how could I accept someone explained it to you could it you could say well fair enough Philip now open your Bible and preach to him but there's definitely no pushing us from Philip here is there the eunuch invites him up into the chariot doesn't he okay he invites Philip up and again you could now go okay time to get preaching before he changes his mind all right quick quick don't let him get a word in edgeways now get preaching well look at verse 32 the place of the script which he read was this he was led as a sheep to the slaughter and like a lamb done before his shear a sire opened he not his mouth this from Isaiah 53 in his humiliation his judgment was taken away and who shall declare his generation for his life is taken from the earth and the eunuch answered Philip okay he's still answering the question from verse 30 understandest thou what thou readest and the eunuch answered Philip and said I pray thee of whom speaketh the Prophet this of himself or of some other man he asks Philip who the Prophet Isaiah is speaking of then then Philip opened his mouth and began at the same scripture and preached unto him Jesus okay it's only then that Philip preached the gospel to him only then it was when the eunuch clearly asked him to okay he's asking him isn't he to do that turn of revelation 22 now I say that like I said because we had more than one clown here that would literally bully people to listen to them okay would bully them would would lean over young children in parks and things and basically make them listen to them okay they didn't really have a choice unless they were bold enough and brave enough to just go look mate I'm really not interested oh you want to hear don't you want to go to heaven you know while leaning over people okay that's not soul winning okay that's not someone that wants to hear the gospel okay you have to you have to give them the choice I want to make it clear they have the choice to say no otherwise I'm completely wasting my time yeah and by the way yes people will listen when you bully them and they will end up agreeing with you at the end because they feel intimidated by you and they will end up saying everything you want to say because they've got this point where they're just their body or mind has gone into this sort of okay just say what you need to say just so you need to say them finally I can get away from this person it's almost like a fight or flight type thing they're just like okay how do I fly how do I fly just say just say just say you know yeah yeah pray yeah yeah sure I pray nearly done nearly done okay take some stuff off him phew got out of there gone what a waste of time what a waste of time and that's what was going on sadly and then there's another one who is doing this yeah so basically can I can I leave a verse with you someone says not interested okay can I leave a verse okay well John 3 16 says and by the way a lot of the time he wouldn't even ask if they could if they could leave a verse just like okay okay I'm just gonna leave a verse with you John 3 16 for God so loved the world he gave his only begotten son who so believed in him should not perish over last night all right what this is saying is Q 5 minutes of speed talking without the person getting a chance to get a word in edge way say I don't want to hear okay then would even carry on and carry on the cat if they still haven't managed to get a word in ten minutes later okay now you just need to bow your heads and pray it's like they never want they didn't even agree with half what you said you just haven't let him talk okay that's not preaching gospel that's not giving someone the choice everyone has a choice that's how it is and and like I said you'll get numbers like that you'll get numbers for sure oh yeah chalk up the numbers so look and maybe you know part of me think oh maybe I maybe I won't just keep going through the numbers and look yeah it's nice to know that we're getting people saved okay that's good but that's not what it's about it's all right let's just keep getting because then people get in this kind of mentality where it's like got to get numbers got to get numbers got to get numbers no you want to get people saved okay and getting someone to agree with you and to and to pray with you isn't getting someone saved getting someone saved is getting them say they need to believe with all their heart right okay and that that's not going to come you're gonna get the but you get the numbers like that you go in parks and find kids groups of them four at a time lean over them and make them listen to your great yeah what is the point in any of that well the point is is that sadly you'll impress people who are foolish enough and no offense if you were impressed but you know it does happen but to think that the coming back with six seven eight nine salvation's every week is impressive for me that's a massive red flag and look and that again you're gonna get a good day okay look I'm not saying oh man I don't want to come back and say anything cuz I don't I just had all these I remember once once I had this time when I myself and my son just were in this playground in southeast London and there was like 25 kids you know I really felt like the spirit just took me in the middle of them started preach them a lot of them scattered by the end 11 called on the name of the Lord that was amazing that doesn't happen every week and it doesn't happen like in the same road that everyone else is getting one salvation week in week out or the same pot I'll just keep going to parks and grabbing groups of kids okay that was a rare thing and and you know and that doesn't happen very often okay unless you're in Philippines or Uganda or somewhere like that okay we're not in Philippines or Uganda okay so okay where are we revelation chapter 22 and by the by the way by the way just five before we go there this is the same with family and friends and people in your work life don't force them to listen to you I used to do this as well I used to coach people and make them listen to me okay look I'm confessing now okay I'm it's confessional time everyone okay forgive me father for I've seen okay this is I used to do cuz look they were in the ring yeah they couldn't escape I would beast them on the pads so they're like this I'll be like right got you now now you get it listen and they couldn't say no and I think if I do he's gonna make me spa afterwards as well and then he's gonna really beat me up so then they're probably even pretend to agree yeah but what a waste of time and and really I'm I'm not doing any good with that yeah because we want to also leave a good taste of these people's mouths don't have thing are this person forces me to hit it just give them the choice and make it clear it's a choice I sometimes stop off my third presentation say would you like me to carry on you know if I feel like maybe they're drifting a bit awesome because what a waste of time otherwise yeah okay so look at Revelation 22 not you do want to listen don't you okay by the way don't start off I go you do want to listen to me no it's not halfway to ask yeah give them a not obviously I want to go too far you know definitely you can go it's like you want to get somewhere in the middle day you don't encourage them to tell you to go as well right okay look at Revelation 22 because verse 17 says we've just memorized this first and the spirit and the bride most you shouldn't have to look down the Bible here in the spirit and the bride say come and let him that here if say come and make him that is the first come is that what you memorized this I make him that is the first come didn't say make did it he said let let him that is a first come yeah let him come don't make one and whosoever is weak enough make him take the water life really is that what it says whosoever is weak enough corner them and make them get saved that's not how it works and whosoever will whosoever will it's their choice let him take the water of life freely and we do that by preaching the gospel don't we you can't force it let the false religions for some that's what they do yeah that's a mark of a that's a mark of a cult or a false religion isn't it forcing people even bearing arms of forcing whole countries and nations and having laws against not putting their faith in their wicked false God in their devils but that's not how the gospel works does it whosoever will yeah let him let him take the water of life freely I've said they say no you leave a good taste in their mouth at least won't you okay that's something to remember as well look people will say no to you and we're doing every door around here we're gonna knock there again next year let's leave a good taste their mouth let's not mock them or get in a row with them because they've said no okay they've said no okay great leave leaving with a good taste okay your choice no problem you don't hear it next year they might want to hear it but you they say no and you end up here what would you mean no you know what you believe you think you're gonna burn in hell you know they're not gonna they're not gonna be that receptive next year I don't think okay okay the top well well let's look at verse 34 verse 34 says and the eunuch answered Philip and said I pray thee of whom speaketh the prophet this of himself or of some other man then Philip opened his mouth and began at the same scripture and preached unto him Jesus the title is so many tips of Philip the evangelist let's go through them again number one preach the word number two plan to travel number three provide to all number four prepare for the spirit number five put in the effort number six probe with questions number seven present a choice number eight preach Jesus preach Jesus verse 35 said then Philip opened his mouth and began at the same scripture and preached unto him how the world began how God is real how much he's cleaned up his life you know what a testimony you know he is no he preached unto him Jesus he preached unto him Jesus turn to Philippians 2 not Yahweh yeah not Yeshua not Yahushua not any other yahs or shahs to sound as authentically Hebrew as you can no Jesus Jesus because that's what the Bible says Philippians 2 9 Philippians 2 9 says where for God also had highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name that at the name of what Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth under every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father acts 4 12 you have to understand it says neither is a salvation any other for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved there's no other name you ain't getting saved by the name Yahweh you're not getting saved by Yahushua Shua Shua okay did I get that wrong I bet there is a Yahushua Shua Shua they make it up as they go along they just had shahs and yahs they do do that okay but which means that when we preach the gospel that's the focus isn't it the focus is Jesus and not our life story and people do that don't they right right it's time to tell them all about how I came to we had another clown here that used to do that all about how he came you know and turned from Catholicism and everything I preach unto them Jesus it's Jesus that gets you saved it's the old old story that gets you saved isn't it not your story okay it's the old old story okay tell them the old old story verse 36 and as they went on their way they came unto a certain water and the eunuch said see here is water what doth hinder me to be baptized and Philip said if thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest any answer said I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God ready for it again okay come on cuz I'm proud of these peas here all right took me a while to get these peas okay so many tips for Philip the evangelist tip number one preach a word number two plan to travel number three provide to all number four prepare for the spirit number five put in the effort number six probe with questions number seven present a choice number eight preach Jesus number nine practice diligence practice diligence the eunuch said right I'm up for getting baptized Philip didn't quickly dunk him before he changed his mind did he he didn't say okay just repeat after me okay okay you seem receptive okay quick quick repeat after me he didn't say if they'll say yes to all all my recap points thou mayest did it yeah if they'll say yes to everything I say now or you recap but you can you've got a good memory of what I've just shown you that mayest a lot of people can remember a lot of people know what you're saying to him don't they a lot of people will pay attention a lot of people have a mind for those things and have a good memory and remember all the points you made that's not getting saved though is it and look he said if he believes with all his heart look at verse 37 Philip said if thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest and he answers said I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God he confessed with his mouth the Lord Jesus didn't he and by the way he's saying yes I believe the gospel oh well as long as they just believe that you know Jesus is the Son of God is that look that is believing the gospel okay it's believing the gospel and we want to try our best to ensure that people believe with all their heart before they call on the name the Lord don't we okay we want to make sure that that's that they're believing with all their heart yeah not do you understand the gospel you know do you understand the gospel now do you believe it you know and then straight in you know that's it okay it's believing with all your heart so how does that work well there are some good ways that I believe help to see if someone really understands okay and this is something that I like to do so and there's variations of this okay one thing I like to do is awesome just in a nutshell how would you tell whoever I'm with often it's my children how would you tell them in a nutshell how to get saved yeah it's one way okay so they're not just so they actually think about how they would word it okay in a nutshell you don't want them to like preach a 20-minute gospel presentation to your kid okay okay no and look that's important because really like you feel like some people maybe go away from it and don't really can't really remember how exactly yeah yeah yeah I think I think I got it right yeah I know I'm going to heaven but they should know they need to at least know how they're getting saved right to have their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ okay another way that that obviously is after you recap with someone and there's different variations I'm sure many people know know variations of this is asking people is asking people you know give them some scenarios and look you know with that I usually start I personally start with something very simple okay and I'll say to them something along the lines of you know say okay well you believe the gospel you know you've got saved you go out next week next month next year ten years time whatever it is you're down on your luck you've got no money you go into that shop around the corner the cashier is not looking and you take a drink and put it in your pocket okay and you walk out are you still going to heaven okay what's he you know and hopefully the answer is going to be yes and then I'm usually going to say them something along the lines of what do you think might happen you know and they'll say well I'm probably gonna get punished by God in one way or another because I've just gone and thieved from a shop yeah okay great but you're still going to heaven right okay okay I might say would you go to hell or something along those lines yeah number two then I might say okay say you've done that and say that the cash tills open and it's probably rarer nowadays because not really much cash anymore but say it is and you know and you take thousands of pounds out of the cash out of their till and leg it are you still you know hopefully the answer is yes then I say okay we'll say because people if you just go you committed a murder they can't really see that but this could be a scenario that could happen in someone's life that cashier tries to stop you and you smash that drink over his head in a panic you've just killed them you've committed murder are you still going to heaven if you die if you died then would you still go to heaven and anything other than a yes they don't understand the gospel do they anything other than a hundred percent I'm going to heaven because I put my faith in Christ they still don't get it if they think well suppose sound like they're believing with all their heart does it okay then after extreme kind of extreme sort of you know you know what if kind of questions and something that I know a couple of others do here and something that I find really helps you saying to people okay this is important before I spoke to you today before I came and knocked on your door had you walked out of here and got run over where would you have gone and if they don't accept that they would have gone to hell and some might say look well I've already covered that with point number two of my gospel presentation they've admitted there's in there and they understand the wages sin is dead but the thing is is it's surprising you could have people go yup and I'll say so where does that mean that that the all sinners where does that mean that that you're going you know as a sinner we're all sinners and they'll go hell and then you get to the end of it they're going I still think I would have gone to heaven and people do do that right okay you know I've been doing this for a while now at the end of my gospel presentation so where would you have gone and you could get in a bit of a kind of it could be a struggle now okay they have to repent from what they believed to putting their faith in Christ okay they have to repent of their false works based salvation right and and that question is the one because so many will go oh yeah I know but I still think I would have gone to heaven well you know yeah but wasn't that bad well yeah but I kind of knew this already you ain't repenting and putting your faith in Christ if you think you would have still got yeah and for me that's I love that I think that and and there's some other ones you could do that that to me really really helps and sometimes you have a struggle then sometimes you might go back over a few verses again and be like okay look let me show you this let me show you that and sometimes they might go okay no I get it no yeah and then and other times they might be like no not having it no definitely and you get to the point you like okay well well we're done but that person I look back and think that person I might have prayed with a while back and look no one here is going shock horror what everyone you've ever prayed with didn't get saved yeah look everyone here will have had people if you've been soul winning for a while yeah you are gonna and you're gonna get people that might even admit to that still not get sad I'm not saying this is foolproof you'll get you might get something goes oh yeah hell but deep down in their heart they're just saying what they think they should they're liars or they don't really believe you know and they're just kind of saying it but to me that is that that has sorted quite a lot of wheat from the chaff for me I think that's a great one one I think our pastor likes to do is he says after he's done it all he says okay but what do you believe what do you believe okay not because then you take you're suddenly stopping that sort of yeah yeah ticking the box okay what's the answer to this one yet like they're passing a test now it's like right what do you believe and often often they'll go yeah I still think you gotta be good yeah but but it's a good question isn't it but I like that okay so where would you have gone you know and if they accept they would have gone to hell and for me they're ready now you know and they understand that all they have to do is call on the name the Lord in faith okay that's putting your faith that's believable with all your heart asking Jesus in Jesus Christ in faith to be saved right now that's what Philip did here he said if thou believeth with all thine heart thou mayest and the answer said I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and he commanded the chariot to stand still and they went down both into the water both Philip and the eunuch and he baptized him and when they were come out of the water the Philip sorry the Spirit of the Lord he called me the Philip the Spirit of the Lord called to the way Philip that the eunuch saw him no more and he went on his way rejoicing that's nice isn't it you see someone going on their way rejoicing but Philip was found at Azotus and passing through he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea didn't stop there did he okay we could have maybe gone for another point but I thought we'd leave it a nightmare but he didn't stop okay well got a really good salvation there I got the Lamborghini driving religious rich guy yeah this guy's you know time to celebrate yeah time to go home and have a bit of a break for a few weeks you know and get back to it when I've had every little recharge night carried on so winning yeah carry on so winning and so it can be a bit time nice to have a partner in those points isn't it because you sometimes feel like you just take over for a minute when you've had a hard-fought one I don't even know if that was hard for I think it's probably pretty low hanging fruit really and it's a and it's proof there that you know there that's a rich person right that's a very wealthy person we're still low hanging fruit okay you can get rich people saved okay we've got all things are possible okay let's not be too look we want to go to the poor yeah yeah obviously we're going to go to the receptive people but we are doing an every door policy here as well this guy got saved he's rejoicing Philip just carries on you know spirit the Lord captures him away he goes off somewhere else carries on preaching gospel so the title was so when he ticks of Philip the evangelist last last one with these points number one was preached a word number two was planned to travel number three was provide to all number four was prepare for the spirit number five was put in the effort number six was probed with questions number seven present a choice number eight preach Jesus number nine practice diligence number ten let's pray father thank you thank you for your word thank you for you know great examples like Philip the evangelist what a guy we can learn from thank you for all those lessons we can get out of that passage there and Lord help us to apply those in to our soul winning life help us to understand that look we're laborers with you want to go out and soul win we want to go out and get people saved you know we can learn that you know going out as a silent partner and going and knocking on doors and just just getting to learn that and help us you know if we are talking you know to to want to do things right to want to be diligent to want to be polite to want to be respectful to know that we're ambassadors for you that we're not there to you know to force people to listen we just said present them with the choice do they want to hear the gospel and if they they do then to preach it to them accurately clearly diligently as well Lord and help us to do our best to get people saved knowing that that's the ultimate goal is to just pull them out of the fire and get them in a heaven Lord and and we thank you for for this church we thank you for your word we thank you for everyone that's made it here today we pray that you just help them all you know to have a great rest of the day help the rest of the day to go well and help everyone's week to go well as well Jesus name pray all this Amen