Bottom Line

Following a boundary-breaking God requires becoming a boundary-breaking people.

"The more we follow Christ’s example by crossing the boundaries of our world, the better we represent his vision to the world."
‍— Christena Cleveland

Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”
Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.
“How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:
“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth.”
The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.
Acts 8:26-40

Following a boundary-breaking God requires becoming a boundary-breaking people.

If we are to become a boundary-breaking people living on mission with God…

1. We will need to be absurdly obedient.

"Philip obeys an ‘absurd’ angelic command and the Spirit’s voice.  In Scripture, ‘absurd commands’ demand faith."
— Craig S. Keener

"If we wonder why there seems an absence of direction by God in our day, perhaps we need to look at the quality of our obedience."
‍— Robert M. Mulholland Jr.

2. We will need to bridge difference.

3. We will need to engage conversationally.

Action Steps

• Are you pointing toward Jesus? How proximate are you to Jesus?
• Where is focusing on lines instead of arrows blocking your participation with God?
• Is there any area where God is inviting you to be absurdly obedient?
• Who might God be inviting you to move toward to bridge difference?
• Who is open to engaging in reciprocal conversation(s) with you?

To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
Jude 24-25