The Truth Will Set You Free

Align Yourself

Acts 8:26–31 (NIV)

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.

In the midst of the chaos and the dispersion of the church under great persecution, God works all things, even persecution, expulsion, and wandering for His glory and the good of those who love Him. This story reminds us of God’s promises. This story also points us to the way that we are called to live our lives in relationship with God. Take notice that Philip is not an apostle. He was counted among the deacons who were charged with helping meet the needs of widows in the early church in Acts 6:1-7

Acts 6:1–7 (NIV)

In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”

This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

Philip was led by the Lord into Samaria and he was obedient to the Spirit as He led Philip to do signs and wonders in the name of Jesus. Many were saved and then when Peter and John came, the Holy Spirit came upon the fellowship and the door of salvation in Christ to the Samaritans was made clear. The salvation of Christ was expanding just as Jesus and the prophets before had foretold.

Now Philip is once again being led by the Spirit. How does this take place? Philip and the Spirit have a conversation. Take notice that both parties understand their roles. The Spirit is in charge of the plan and the destination. Philip is responsible for listening and carrying out the plan.

As It Was Foretold

Acts 8:32–35 (NIV)

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.

The eunuch was reading from the book of Isaiah. He was reading the passage of the suffering servant.

Isaiah 53:1–12 (NIV)

Who has believed our message

and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

He grew up before him like a tender shoot,

and like a root out of dry ground.

He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,

nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

He was despised and rejected by mankind,

a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.

Like one from whom people hide their faces

he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.

Surely he took up our pain

and bore our suffering,

yet we considered him punished by God,

stricken by him, and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions,

he was crushed for our iniquities;

the punishment that brought us peace was on him,

and by his wounds we are healed.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray,

each of us has turned to our own way;

and the Lord has laid on him

the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed and afflicted,

yet he did not open his mouth;

he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,

and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,

so he did not open his mouth.

By oppression and judgment he was taken away.

Yet who of his generation protested?

For he was cut off from the land of the living;

for the transgression of my people he was punished.

He was assigned a grave with the wicked,

and with the rich in his death,

though he had done no violence,

nor was any deceit in his mouth.

Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,

and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin,

he will see his offspring and prolong his days,

and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.

After he has suffered,

he will see the light of life and be satisfied;

by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,

and he will bear their iniquities.

Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,

and he will divide the spoils with the strong,

because he poured out his life unto death,

and was numbered with the transgressors.

For he bore the sin of many,

and made intercession for the transgressors.

The prophet Isaiah was not speaking of himself but rather the Messiah that was to come, Jesus Christ. It is only in Jesus and His life that this prophecy was fulfilled. As the Eunuch heard Philip’s testimony, the truth of the Scriptures came to life and the fulfillment of what has been promised overwhelmed his heart with joy.

Do Not Wait

Acts 8:36–40 (NIV)

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.

The eunuch sees the water and questions as to why not now that he should be baptized in his faith. Oh that we would stop allowing things in our life to hinder us from God.

We have everything that we need to journey through our lives led by the Spirit instead of our own minds. We have everything that we need to meet people along the journey and proclaim Christ to them. We have everything that we need to lead people to life changing faith in Christ, or at the very least to move them to be more inclined to believe. We have everything that we need to take people from death to life.

Heine, a German philosopher, “Show me your redeemed life and I might be inclined to believe in your Redeemer.”