__________ Where They Are
Most who read this will be very familiar with the account of the conversion of the man who has come to be known as “the Ethiopian eunuch.” If you are not familiar with that material, you may want to read it in Acts 8:26-40.
I was sitting in a Bible class recently in which a very good point was made about these events. The observation was made that Philip began his conversation with the eunuch by asking him whether or not he understood what he was reading (v. 30). This passage was compared to other cases of conversion recorded in Acts. It was also compared to people who have been brought to Christ in our present day.
The point which was made was this: in order to teach somebody what they need to know in order to become a Christian, we need to –
begin where they are.
The “where they are” in this case refers to a person’s understanding.
What good would it do to point out some biblical truth to somebody who has never heard of a Bible or who does not believe the Bible to be the inspired word of God? With such a person, it would be wise to establish the existence and validity of the Bible before any further study could be done.
What if a person did not know or understand the significance of the Bible having two major divisions? Would it not be wise to begin to try to establish that?
What about some basic biblical words? Wouldn’t it be a good idea to take the time to try to help a person understand such words as church, baptism, redemption, remission, and others?
There are many ways that this principle can be applied. Indeed, it is very important to try to establish where a person is in his or her understanding and to begin there.
As I listened to that discussion, another thought came to my mind. Philip was told this by an angel: “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is a desert place” (v. 26).
That verse is not about understanding. It is about location or geography. It informs and challenges me. It tells me that, in order for me to teach somebody what they need to know in order to become a Christian, I also need to –
be where they are.
As I reflect on my nearly four decades of “full-time preaching,” I have a few memories of people “walking the aisle” at the conclusion of one of my sermons. I have a lot fewer memories of somebody showing up in my office and expressing a desire to become a Christian.
I have more – many more – memories of relationships that were formed and/or strengthened in family rooms, hospital rooms, funeral homes, restaurants, and other such places. Yes, some of those other places might be considered to be a “desert place,” but they were places that had the same result as the result about which we read in Acts 8:
“… they both went down into the water,
Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him” (v. 38).
It seems to me that “bottom line” is this:
We need to be where they are in order to begin where they are.
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AUTHOR: Jim Faughn
