What does this mean? Acts 8:26-40

Introduction

After the death of Stephen the heat of the persecution in Jerusalem turned up. The Christians in Jerusalem were scattered throughout Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria and everywhere they went they preached the word.

Philip took the great commission seriously and went to Samaria, while there he preached the Gospel and people got saved and baptized. Peter and John go down to Samaria and lay hands on the people that get saved and they are filled with the Holy Ghost. After that filling they went in preached in many of the villages of the Samaritans.

Philip here is going to follow the Spirits leading and he will preach the Gospel to an Ethiopian Eunuch.

Philips Continued Mission vs. 26-27a

The angel of the Lord spoke to Philip

Philip was in tune with the Lord and was led to go south and to take the exact route the angel of the Lord told him too.

There was no contemplating, no hesitation, the angel of the Lord told him to go and the Bible says he arose and went.

How often does the spirit lead us to leave a tract or share the Gospel with someone and instead of immediately doing it we either hesitate and miss the opportunity or we ignore the leading of the Holy Spirit.

We should never waste a gospel opportunity, it could be someones last.

The Ethiopian Eunuch Introduced vs. 27b-28

As Philip is following the leading of the angel of the Lord comes across a Eunuch from Ethiopia.

This man would of had great authority because of who he served under

He had the charge of all the treasures she had.

He had come to Jerusalem to worship and as he is returning to Ethiopia he is reading Esaias or Isaiah

The Spirit leading Philip vs. 29-30

As Philip is headed towards where the angel of the Lord is leading him, the Spirit speaks to him and tells him to go to the chariot where the Ethiopian is

Philip runs to the chariot and hears him reading the Prophet Isaiah and he asks him if he understands what he is reading.

After the Eunuch goes to Jerusalem to worship he starts reading the prophets Isaiah's writing and has some questions, so the Spirit leads Philip to go talk to him.

Almost every conversation we have can turn into a gospel conversation, Philip recognizes this as he gets to the chariot of the Eunuch. We should always be ready to have a conversation about the gospel and be able to present it.

1 Peter 3:15 “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:”

We should be ready to have the conversation in meekness (power under control) and fear(reverence because of the seriousness of the gospel)

The Eunuchs Questions vs. 31-34

After Philip asks if he understands what he was reading the Eunuch has some questions for Philip.

How can I understand except some man may guide me?

After he asked the question he asked Philip to come sit in the chariot with him.

He then asks who Isaiah 53:7–8 (“He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, Yet he opened not his mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, So he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: And who shall declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the living: For the transgression of my people was he stricken.” ) is about.

He asks did Isaiah write this about himself, or of some other man?

As he was reading this portion of scripture he wasn’t seeing the connection between the lamb of Isaiah 53 and the Saviour but Philip was about to bring it into view.

The Gospel being preached by Philip vs. 35-39

The message preached vs. 35

Philip took the Old Testament scripture and preached Jesus to him

Isaiah 53 is all about Jesus and that is the message that Philip preached to the Eunuch

Read Isaiah 53:1–12.

This passage prophesied of Jesus living a sinless life and dying for sins he didn’t commit.

May I remind you this morning that the Bible is all about Jesus. Every book of the Bible tells us something about him.

The eunuchs question vs. 36

As they are driving by some water the Eunuch asks him what is hindering him from being baptized.

The only reason to get baptized is as a outward profession of an inward possession. Simon the sorcerer earlier in the chapter tried to get baptized, but it wasn’t because he got saved but rather because he wanted to be like the others.

Baptism is an ordinance of the local church, and not just something you do because you want to. It is a requirement for church membership, but does not save you.

The Gospel reiterated vs.37

Philip tells him he has to believe with all his heart.

Maybe your’e here this morning and you have the same question as the Eunuch, what do I have to do to be baptized or maybe you don’t know what to do to be saved. The answer is the same today as it was back then, you must believe the Gospel.

The gospel is simply this 1 Corinthians 15:1–4 “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”

The Eunuchs declarative statement. vs. 37b

He believes that Jesus is the son of God, he was the only one who could pay for our sins.

Because of his belief in Jesus Christ he was gloriously saved!

His baptism vs. 38

After the Eunuch gets saved they stop the chariot and took him down to the water and he was baptized.

As he was coming up the spirit “caught away” Philip and the Eunuch saw him no more.

After this Gospel encounter the Eunuch was a changed man and left rejoicing as he went on his way home.

Philips continuing ministry vs. 40

Through a great miracle Philip was translated about 20 miles to a place called Azotus which would be the same as the Old Testament Ashdod and as he passed through the city he continued preaching.

Philip continued preaching in all the coastal cities until he settled down in Caesarea, where he is mention in Acts 21 residing with his four daughters.

Conclusion

In conclusion this morning, Philip was sensitive to the moving of the Holpy Spirit and because of that he got to lead an Ethiopian Eunuch to the Lord. How often do we miss gospel encounters because we arent sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s moving? We must be careful that we don’t miss gospel opportunities.

Maybe this morning you are like the Eunuch, and you need some help understanding the gospel, come this morning and we can show you how you can be saved.