The Spreading of the Gospel Seed — Message 3 — The Ethiopian Eunuch — Seek & Ye Shall Find!

Introduction

Good morning Church!

I want to begin by saying…man it’s good to be in the house of the Lord, Amen!

And I’m so glad to be back preaching this morning!

When I’m not in a pulpit on Sunday mornings it just don’t feel right. Now, don’t get me wrong, I am thankful for breaks from time to time but I just love telling the story of God!

I love sharing with you the riches of God’s Word…and it sure is rich, Amen!

This morning is one of those passages that I believe is very rich in it’s illustration and meaning.

If you will remember, a few weeks ago we looked in the middle of Chapter 8 in the Book of Acts at a man named Simon Magus and we looked at how ole Simon had a problem and his problem was a heart problem, Amen.

And it wasn’t the type of heart problem that would cause physical death but rather the type of heart problem that would lead a man, woman, boy, or girl into eternal damnation.

His heart problem was a spiritual one. Simon Magus was lost.

Oh, he had followed through with the rituals of religion and to the normal eye he even looked like he was saved but on the inside, there was something wrong.

Peter said it like this...

Acts 8:20–23 KJV 1900

20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. 21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. 22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. 23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.

Peter was given some insight into Simon’s soul and understood that the man was lost.

Simon’s heart was not right with God!

This morning we are going to continue on in this mini series we’re in…The Spreading of the Gospel Seed and we’re going to look at a third message here in the Acts 8.

This time though, we are going to see something right opposite of Simon Magus.

We’re going to see a man whose heart was desiring to find God!

He wanted a relationship with God and as we will see here in a moment, God granted that request by sending someone to witness to him and share the good news of Jesus with him!

Today’s message…The Ethiopian Eunuch — Seek and Ye Shall Find!

And maybe you’re here this morning and you’re seeking for something more than what this life can give you!

You’ve tried drugs and alcohol and all they do is leave you feeling empty and wanting more.

You’ve tried personal relationships and giving all your time to your job, hoping that one of those can fulfill all your desires and yet they always seem to let you down.

You’ve bought cars and houses and toys galore thinking they will bring you happiness, yet you still don’t get that feeling of being filled.

Let me ask you a question…have you ever tried Jesus?

The great French mathematician, physicist, and philosopher Blaise Pascal wrote...

“What else does this craving, and this helplessness, proclaim but that there was once in man a true happiness, of which all that now remains is the empty print and trace? This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him, seeking in things that are not there the help he cannot find in those that are, though none can help, since this infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words by God himself” — Blaise Pascal

Listen, nothing created in this world can fill the void inside a man besides the Creator Himself and as God told the great Prophet... Jeremiah...

Jeremiah 29:13 KJV 1900

13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

And then Jesus confirmed Jeremiah’s writing’s by saying...

Matthew 7:7–8 KJV 1900

7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Have you asked Jesus to fill that void inside of you this morning?

Are you seeking Jesus today?

Do you have a desire to have a relationship with Him?

If so, He’s not so far away that He cannot be found, Amen!

Isaiah 59:1 KJV 1900

1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; Neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:

This morning, if you need to be saved, if you need to be filled, Seek and Ye Shall Find just as the Ethiopian Eunuch in our story today!

If you have your Bible’s turned to Acts 8:26 would you say, Amen.

Phillips Obedience — (Vs. 26-27a)

So, here we are and Peter and John have headed back to Jerusalem and preached along the way throughout Samaria.

And from what we know, Philip stayed behind in Samaria and continued preaching until God calls him away right here in Verse 26.

The Bible says that the angel of the Lord spake to Philip and said “arise and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert” and then in Verse 27 it tells us “and he arose and went.”

The first thing I want us to see here this morning is Philip’s Obedience.

If only we were all as obedient to God’s leading as Philip the Evangelist, Amen!

The Angel of the Lord said, “arise and go” and Philip “arose and went!”

There was no debating with God.

There was no questioning God.

There was no avoiding of God’s call…just simple obedience!

God had a plan; Philip was part of that plan; and because of Philip’s obedience, the plan was perfected and a man lost and undone in his sins on his way to a devil’s hell was gloriously saved and ushered into the Kingdom of God as a born again Child of God, Amen!

Now, I want you to think for just a moment on what Philip’s obedience brought about.

It Brought about Salvation for the Eunuch!

It Brought about a Blessing for Philip!

It Brought about the spreading of the Gospel to a countless number of people in Ethiopia!

It Brought about Rejoicing! — (Vs. 39b)

How many times do we feel God impressing upon us to go and speak to this person or that person and we find any way we can not to do it!

I want you to think about all the things you’re missing out of when that happens!

God has a divine plan and purpose for every person in our life and we need to be obedient to God’s lead.

Now, that we’ve seen the obedience of Philip, I want us to look next at this Prominent Official for a second.

The Prominent Official — (Vs. 27)

Now, there’s a few things here I want to point out about this prominent official but before I do, I want to share with you something that John Phillips said about this section here in the Book of Acts.

John Phillips — We are now to witness the first of three remarkable conversions. In chapter 8 we have the conversion of an Ethiopian, a black, a representative of the racial family of Ham; in chapter 9 we have the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, a Jew, a representative of the racial family of Shem; in chapter 10 we have the conversion of Cornelius, a Roman centurion, a representative of the racial family of Japheth. The three great racial families are now made one in the family of God. The curse of Babel, which enforced God’s deliberate division of mankind, is reversed in the church.

Does anyone else besides myself find the Omniscience of God just amazing?

Like, I just stand in awe sometimes of the fact that God has an answer for every mess up man makes.

And the fact that in the end God will make all things new and it will be absolute perfection just like He intended on it being from the very beginning just brings me great joy!

Alright, let’s take a little deeper look into this prominent official.

The first thing I want us to understand this morning is the fact that...

He was a Eunuch

Now, I’m not going to go into great detail on what exactly the physical traits of a Eunuch are because I’d like to think most of us here this morning know what this is referring to and also because of the little ears that are in the building but I do want us to understand why one might want to become a eunuch.

The act itself of becoming a Eunuch meant that the person was serious and dedicated to the cause behind the act.

John Phillips — In the East, eunuchs often attained positions of great power and trust.

It also spoke of the persons loyalty to the one they intended to serve because as Chuck Swindoll put it… “the procedure virtually eliminated the most common motives for treachery.”

Often times, in this day, the King or Queen had to be very careful who they allowed into their inner circle because if not, they would be betrayed by the very people they trusted most simply because their betrayers wanted to rise to power themselves!

With a Eunuch this problem was much less likely because they couldn't have kids.

So, simply by understanding the reasoning for being a Eunuch we get a little deeper insight into exactly who this fellow is.

He was dedicated to his cause. He was a trustworthy individual. He had a desire to serve.

Not only was he a Eunuch but he was also A Man of Great Authority.

He was a man of Great Authority

The Bible says here that this Ethiopian Eunuch was a man of great authority under Candace Queen of the Ethiopians and also that he had charge of all her treasure.

This man had risen to power undoubtedly due to his undying loyalty to his queen. She trusted this man so much that she put him in charge of all the nations finances!

It would be like the secretary of the treasury for the U.S.A. except during this day and time I doubt there was near as much oversight from others.

If he’d of wanted to, I’m sure he could have robbed her blind or at the very least skimmed quite a bit off the top and no one would have ever been the wiser.

Now, one interesting note about this queen is when you see the name “Candace” as we would say in English, this name was more of a title than an actual personal name.

It is the female version for like a Pharoah or Emperor and in the Greek it’s actually pronounced (Kandake).

But our friend the Ethiopian Eunuch here had gained the trust of the queen and by all accounts was an extremely high ranking official in the Ethiopian government.

Now, not only was he a Eunuch and a man of great authority but he was most importantly a God-fearing man.

He was a God Fearing Man

Now, let me elaborate on this a little because I learned something even I didn’t know here.

William Barclay writes — This eunuch had been to Jerusalem to worship. In those days, the world was full of people who were weary of the many gods and the loose morals of the nations. They came to Judaism and there found the one God and the austere moral standards which gave life meaning. If they accepted Judaism and were circumcised, they were called proselytes; if they did not go that far but continued to attend the Jewish synagogues and to read the Jewish Scriptures, they were called God-fearers.

John MacArthur writes — If that were true, he would have been denied access to the temple (Deut. 23:1) and therefore been unable to participate fully in the Jewish worship services. Further, he would not have been allowed to become a full proselyte to Judaism (Polhill, Acts, 224). He would have been limited to the status of a God-fearer—one who attended the synagogues and read the Scriptures but stopped short of becoming a full proselyte.

Chuck Swindoll said — Jewish law prevented eunuchs from becoming full-fledged “sons of the covenant” (cf. Deut. 23:1); nevertheless, this one was evidently quite committed and even owned a copy of the Scriptures. Hand-copied scrolls, meticulously produced by a Jewish scribe, cost a fortune. Everything about the man says he was a devout worshiper of the Hebrew God as well as a man of education and financial means.

John Phillips writes — He seems to have been a Gentile God-fearer. As a eunuch he was not likely to have been a full proselyte of the Jewish religion because of a restriction of the Mosaic law (Deut. 23:1). However, contact with Judaism had convinced him that truth concerning God was to be found only among the Hebrew people. Jerusalem would draw him as a magnet draws a needle.

One can well imagine with what eager anticipation he planned for his pilgrimage to the Holy City. There he would learn the truth, he would be among God’s people. He could visit the Temple, make his offerings, walk in the Court of the Gentiles, converse with the rabbis, talk to the priests and the Levites. His position and authority would give him access to members of the Sanhedrin, even to Annas and Caiaphas the high priests, just as Naaman’s contacts opened doors for him into the presence of Israel’s king.

One can imagine with what high hopes he set off on his expedition, coming all the long way up the Nile, across the sands of Sinai and on up into the hill country of Judea. At last the mighty walls and battlements of Jerusalem would break upon his sight. He would see the Temple in all its golden splendor bathed in the fires of the setting sun like some burning beacon on Mount Moriah.

But, oh, the bitter disappointment! Like Martin Luther when he first came to Rome, the eternal city of his dreams, how bitterly disappointed this eunuch must have been. The materialism, the hypocrisy, the intolerance, the narrow exclusivism, the squabbles and sectarianism, and, above all, the deadness of Judaism. How long was he there? Had he come across Christians in the Court of the Gentiles? Had he heard Stephen? Had he heard the views of Gamaliel? Had he run into the radical Saul of Tarsus?

We do not know. All we know is he had come up to Jerusalem to worship and was now returning home. Jerusalem had left him disappointed and disillusioned, but his search, it seemed, was not yet over.

When I think about this Ethiopian Eunuch and his journey I can’t help but to think about the old hymn we often sing...

I want to know more about my Lord!

That’s what this man’s greatest desire was!

He had reached the upper echelon of society but something was still missing.

He had power and authority but something was still missing.

He had all the money one could ever desire yet something was still missing!

After the false gods of his own religion couldn’t fill his void somewhere along the way he hears of the God of the Jews!

The mighty God who saves and somewhere along the way he buys himself the scroll of Isaiah and he begins to get to know this God of the Jews but something still isn’t right.

He says to himself, “maybe I need to go to Jerusalem and there I will find what it is I’m missing but when he gets there all he finds is religion.

And listen to me this morning friend if all you have is religion, you’re missing the entire message!

It’s not about religion, it’s all about a relationship!

A relationship with God through the shed blood of His dear Son and guided by the power of the Holy Spirit!

That’s what it’s all about!

And that’s what this Ethiopian Eunuch was still searching for!

Jerusalem with all it’s religious elites and rituals still didn’t do it for this man!

As we are about to see, he’s still searching for something more!

Look on down with me at...

The Problem of the Official — (Vs. 28-31)

Here was a man who was burdened by his lost state. He had been to Jerusalem and he had heard the reading of the Word of God but he didn’t understand it.

Something inside of him though was yearning for the answer!

He may have used all the money he brought with him to buy this scroll of Isaiah and here he is…he’s hungry for an answer…he’s searching the scripture and honestly he’s right where he needed to be but it just wasn’t making sense to him!

Have you ever been that way?

Have you ever been reading something and it just don’t make any sense whatsoever to you?

Well that’s how this fellow felt.

He’s reading and reading and reading but it just ain’t clicking and listen friend, there’s a reason it wasn’t clicking…because he was lost!

The Bible says in...

1 Corinthians 2:14 KJV 1900

14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

1 Corinthians 1:18 KJV 1900

18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

This man wanted the answer and to be honest he was all over the answer but he couldn’t understand the answer because the Word of God is spiritually discerned and without having the Holy Spirit living inside of you revealing it’s meaning to you, this Book is just a bunch of words on a page!

But praise God for those whom He’s sent to help people understand their need for a Savior!

Praise God for those whom God has given wisdom in His Word and the ability to teach the lost what they cannot know on their own!

The Bible says in...

Romans 10:14–15 KJV 1900

14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

And this is exactly what we see play out before our very eyes right here!

Acts 8:29 KJV 1900

29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.

Notice how Philip knew what to do?

The Spirit told him, right?

Now, I want to go somewhere for just a sec here to help drive this home.

In order for Philip to know what to do or where to go or who to talk to what must Philip be doing?

He must be listening, Amen!

Are you listening for the Spirit’s call on your life this morning?

I fear our greatest problem of today is we do all the talking and never do any listening!

The Spirit spoke to Philip but if Philip had of just been all up in himself and not listening, he would have never known what to do.

But Philip had cultured a habit of listen to God and for God’s direction in his life.

Philip was in tune with God, Amen!

Do any of you remember the old radios where you turned the knob to get the station you wanted?

There used to not be presets on radios…you had to dial it in if you will and if you were a little off, you could get bits and pieces but it would be clear.

I remember the old antenna TV’s being the same way. You’d have to turn the antenna to get the station dialed in just right.

When you get it just right the sound or the picture comes in clear as a bell but when it ain’t it gets fuzzy and choppy and sporadic.

That’s how our relationship with God is as well.

When we’re dialed in, we can hear God’s direction for our lives.

We can hear the Spirit speaking to our hearts and guiding us in all things but when we’re the ones doing all the talking instead of listening, or when we’re not in tune with God like we need to be, our relationship with God suffers and we don’t get the full picture, we don’t hear the call coming through loud and clear, Amen!

Philip was a man in tune with God and he heard the Spirit of God tell him to go to “this” chariot!

Now, don’t miss the significance here…this chariot!

How specific are God’s directions? Pretty specific, Amen!

God knew the entire situation and what was needed!

Here was a man trying to have a relationship with Him but his limitations were holding him back and God said… “hey I got a man for that!”

He sent Philip on a specific mission, to a specific person, who was reading a specific Book, and a specific chapter, Amen!

Don’t ever underestimate the Omniscience of God!

Read 30-31.

Now that we’ve seen the Problem of the Official, let’s move on to the Petition of the Official.

The Petition of the Official — (Vs. 32-38)

Where did Philip begin preaching?

Isaiah, right?

Where is the Book of Isaiah located?

In the OT, right?

What did Philip start preaching right here in the OT?

Jesus!!! Amen!

Don’t ever let anyone ever tell you that you don’t need the OT or that the OT is irrelevant!

You can’t have the new without the old and when someone says that sort of thing it just shows their ignorance in the Word of God because the entire Book is about Jesus, Amen!

From cover to cover and everything in between it’s all about Jesus!

If you ain’t seeing Jesus in the OT it’s because you ain’t looking hard enough or don’t know what you’re looking for!

Philip picked up right where the Eunuch left off and started preaching Jesus! Amen…that ought to make somebody want to shout this morning!

After hearing about Jesus, the Eunuch didn’t waste any time!

He said, you talk about baptism I need to be baptized!

Acts 8:37 KJV 1900

37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

I believe, Amen!

I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God!

What else is needed?

Nothing, Amen!

What can wash away my sin…nothing but the blood of Jesus!

What can make me whole again…nothing but the blood of Jesus!

Oh precious is thy flow…that makes me white as snow...

No other fount I know…nothing but the blood of Jesus!

Praise God, all you have to do this morning in order to be saved is simply believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He died for your sins and honey if you believe that with all your heart, YOU SHALL BE SAVED, AMEN!!!

Philip said, “well that’s good enough for me!” Amen!

Let’s you baptized good sir!

And down into the water they went!

The Bible says, and he baptized him!

Let’s finish this out real quick by looking at...

The Praising of the Official — (Vs. 39-40)

When the Bible says here after they came up out of the water that the Spirit “caught away Philip” the phrase “caught away” is the Greek word (harpazō) and it means to snatch or to seize.

It’s the same word we see in...

1 Thessalonians 4:17 KJV 1900

17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

It speaks of a snatching out. When they come up out of that water God performed a miracle for this Ethiopian Eunuch just to put the icing on the cake!

One minute Philip is there baptizing this new believer and the next, he’s gone never to be seen again!

What was the reaction of the Eunuch?

“He went on his way rejoicing!”

Listen, his search was finally over! Philip had helped him find what he had been searching so hard for and for the first time, this fellow has something to rejoice about!

His entire life had been dedicated to serving his queen and his nation but nothing could fill the void inside but now it was time for him to serve God and now he had found Jesus and for the first time in this Eunuch’s life he felt complete!

He felt whole!

He felt loved!

He felt forgiven!

He felt thankful!

He felt happy!

All the emotions one can experience were coursing through his veins at the same time and he was ecstatic!

Smiles, tears, loss of breath!

All the feels this man had!

And the Bible says, “he went on his way rejoicing!”

John Phillips said — All his life had been a preparation for this moment. His education enabled him to read; his scholarship enabled him to read the language of the Bible; his high position made it possible for him to travel to Jerusalem; his wealth made it possible for him to buy an Isaiah scroll; his interest in Judaism drew him from afar to the city where Christ was crucified; his deep disappointment in Judaism, the great hunger of his heart, all prepared him. Nothing was wasted. All that God allows to come into our lives is significant. From the cradle to the grave the goodness of God is at work in our lives to lead us to repentance and to a closer walk with Himself. All is grist to His mill. Sunshine and shadow, mountain top and the valley of the shadow, gain and loss, joy and sorrow, advancement and adversity, all things work together in the purposes and providence of God.