Difference Makers: One Person

Introduction:

Philip the deacon

Didn’t allow Stephen’s death to keep him from sharing the word of God

Saul’s persecutes the church

Philip’s fruitful ministry

Simon the sorcerer and his sin

Philip’s personal evangelism

8:26 Philip was directed by the angel of the Lord

The New American Commentary: Acts The Preparation (8:26–29)

God’s initiative in this story is unquestionable. An angel of the Lord came to Philip in a vision and called him to witness in a most unlikely place. The angel was God’s mouthpiece and was the functional equivalent to the Spirit, who continued to lead Philip throughout the story

God’s will to reach the lost - The messenger was sent by God

Philip had to be sensitive and listening

Philip was told to arise and go

God’s will leads to unusual places

Go south from Jerusalem

Go as far as Gaza, a deserted place

8:27a Philip obeyed the directions

Simple obedience by Philip

It is expected by God

It should be our hearts desire

8:27b-28 Philip sees an Ethiopian

Philip views the one that was on the heart of God

The Ethiopian

An eunuch

In the ancient world slaves were physically castrated as a young boys

Deuteronomy 23:1 NKJV

“He who is emasculated by crushing or mutilation shall not enter the assembly of the Lord.

A God-fearer or proselyte fully converted to Judaism

Under the authority of Candace the queen of the Ethiopians

In charge of all her treasury

Was going home

Was plodding along in his in his chariot

Today he would have been told not to be reading, texting and drive. Go out an buy the audible book

Was reading Isaiah the prophet

This man’s hope would be found here

Isaiah 56:3–8 NKJV

Do not let the son of the foreigner Who has joined himself to the Lord Speak, saying, “The Lord has utterly separated me from His people”; Nor let the eunuch say, “Here I am, a dry tree.” For thus says the Lord: “To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, And choose what pleases Me, And hold fast My covenant, Even to them I will give in My house And within My walls a place and a name Better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name That shall not be cut off. “Also the sons of the foreigner Who join themselves to the Lord, to serve Him, And to love the name of the Lord, to be His servants— Everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, And holds fast My covenant— Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices Will be accepted on My altar; For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.” The Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, says, “Yet I will gather to him Others besides those who are gathered to him.”

Isaiah 56:3-8

Isaiah 58:3–8 NKJV

‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and You have not seen? Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice?’ “In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, And exploit all your laborers. Indeed you fast for strife and debate, And to strike with the fist of wickedness. You will not fast as you do this day, To make your voice heard on high. Is it a fast that I have chosen, A day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, And to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Would you call this a fast, And an acceptable day to the Lord? “Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh? Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.

Isaiah 58:

8:29 The Holy Spirit directs Philip to approach the man

The Holy Spirit directs Philip to catch up with this chariot

We have go and get near the people if we are going to share the gospel

8:30 The man is reading the scriptures

Philip’s obedience helped him hear the man

Philip quickly saw an opportunity for the man was reading Isaiah

Philip’s own knowledge of the word of God would make him aware of the passage

Philip’s question would begin an opportunity to share Jesus

Philip’s question was direct and to the point

None of this was a just a coincidence but Holy Spirit directed

8:31 The man acknowledges his inability to understand the scriptures

His honesty opened the door for him to hear the truth

His invitation to Philip would soon give him the answer

8:32-33 The man’s text , Septuagint translation

Isaiah 53:7–8 NKJV

He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken.

8:34 The man’s honest question opens the door for Philip

Who is the prophet speaking about, himself or some other person?

8:35 Philip used the text and other scriptures to preach Jesus

To witness you got to open your mouth

To witness you got to use the scriptures

Philip used the very text the man was reading

Philip possibly referred to other scriptures but his main message was Jesus

Luke 24:27 NKJV

And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

Luke 24:27

Luke 24:44–45 NKJV

Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.

Luke 24:44-

The importance of passing on the scriptures to the next generation

8:36 The man’s heart and mind have been touched

The man desires to be identified with Jesus through baptism

The man asks a good question, “what is hindering me from being baptized?”

8:37 Philip identifies the thing keeping him from being baptized

Philip identifies the thing keeping him from being baptized

His faith must be genuine

Do you believe with all your heart?

Romans 10:9 NKJV

that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

The man confesses his faith

His faith was in Jesus alone

His faith was in Jesus Christ both the Messiah (Man) and Son of God (deity)

8:38 The man’s first step of obedience

Final water spot on this journey?

Genuine Faith manifests itself through this step of obedience

8:39 The Spirit of the Lord carries Philip to his next ministry

Philip had fulfilled his ministry in the life of this man

Philip is snatched up by the Holy Spirit

The Ethiopian goes forward rejoicing in his new found relationship with Jesus Christ

8:40 Philip continues on his soul winning efforts

He shows up at Azotus (Ashdod)

He preaches everywhere as journeys to Caesarea

Conclusion:

Difference makers are directed by the Holy Spirit

Difference makers look for opportunities to share the gospel

Difference makers ask the right questions