Acts (The Church Gets Messy): Exiled by Religion, Embraced by God

Robyn Elliott   -   July 6, 2025

In Acts 8, God sends Philip to meet an Ethiopian eunuch – a person considered an outsider in every way. What unfolds is a radical encounter that reveals how far God’s love reaches. In this message from Robyn Elliott, we unpack the messiness of inclusion, the unpredictability of the Spirit, and a God who refuses to stay in the box.

Discussion Questions:

1. If you’ve heard this story before, what new information did you glean after hearing it today? Did anything confuse, inspire, or challenge you? 
2. Who is the “strangest” person you’ve ever connected with, and how did that relationship challenge or grow you?
3. In what ways do you find comfort in sameness? Are there any ways that might be limiting your spiritual growth?
4. Have you ever felt like the outsider in a community of faith? How did that experience shape your view of God?
5. What does the wilderness symbolize in your spiritual journey right now?
6. What kind of people would the modern church consider “eunuchs” – outsiders or untouchables? And does this story shift your understanding of who belongs in the church?
7. Have you ever been prompted by God to step outside your comfort zone? What happened?
8. What does it mean to you that God shows up in the margins and meets us in the hard places?
9. Are there borders – cultural, theological, political – that you find hard to cross in following Jesus?
10. If Jesus’ table is messy, how can we better reflect that at Lakeside and in our community?