Searching for a Guide to Jesus

Introduction:

If you were honest (meaning thinking in the flesh)… do you think there are people that are too far from God to be saved?

What do they look like?

what do they act like?

what is their world view?

“How can I unless someone Guides me.”

Transition: in tonight’s passage we will see a man far from God come into radical transformation with him.

This man to many of us at observation would be un-savable but not with our God….

B.I. God can work anywhere. God can save anyone. God can use you.

1. God can work anywhere

Acts 8:26–27 ESV

Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship

The Desert (Bring up picture)

In the middle of the day

Phillips journey

Last week Philip is preaching to a crowd and many come to be saved, but one is reluctant to give Jesus his heart.

This week he heads to the desert to reach one.

Lets double down not only in the desert but in the desert.. there is one person sitting in chariot.

Imagine the checklist in his mind….. (Angel (Could be HS) , Im here…)

Transition: This is the scene in which God is about to change someone’s eternity, but the story doesn’t stop there…. Who God is about to save is just as crazy.

2. God can save anyone:

Acts 8:27–31 ESV

And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

Who is the Ethiopian Eunuch:

“Ethiopia”

1) would signal to Luke’s audience that this man was from territories south of Egypt.

2) Ethiopia in first century writing is often signaled as from the end of the world.

3) With a chariot he could hope to travel only about 20 miles in one day, if that much. Let us say he could average 20 miles in one day. How long did it take him to travel the 1500 miles? It would have taken him about 75 days one-way 4) to the audience this would signal some level of mystery or intrique. (romantic)

5) think about this as it relates to the spread of the gospel.

Acts 1:8 ESV

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Now lets deal with the Eunich part….

- Do I need to explain this or do we know what it is?

Deuteronomy 23:1 ESV

“No one whose testicles are crushed or whose male organ is cut off shall enter the assembly of the Lord.

Eunichs typically held offices in high courts.

This prevented their family line from being able to take power.

allowed them to live a life of uninterrupted service to leaders in the first century world.

Transition: So you have a mysterious guy with mutilated genitals who also has some political authority… probably checks all of the boxes of the people that we think may be to far from Jesus to be saved.

But This Eunich is unique....

From Ethiopia… but yet has some interest in God…

Likely a god fearer.

1) (on his way to Jerusalum to worship)

2) (Cornelius is first gentile convert)

3) But see this guy cant be Jewish he is not allowed

This should remind us that we never really know how God is working on someones heart. Even when it does not seem obvious he may be working in ways that we don’t even realize

Reset Scene: Philip finds himself here…

the man is begging to hear the gospel… “how can I unless someone guides me.”

3. God can use you

Acts 8:32–40 ESV

Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this: “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.” And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

Reminders:

A. We must remind ourselves that what we are presenting is the work of Jesus not ourselves.

B. We must remind ourselves that we may be called into some confusing places.

B. We must remind ourselves that twhat we carry is good news

C. We never know when people are ready.

D. Philip moves on but this mans forever is changed…

a man once unable to have a relationship with God is now called a son of the king…

Went on Rejoicing....

We can not let our fear prevent us from sharing this good news with whomever the spirit leads us too...

Repeat:

God can work anywhere

God can save anyone

God can use you!

Lets Pray.