Philip and the Ethiopian

HOOK

DO NOT FORGET TO UNMUTE

It’s the 26th day of October— Monday

Last Thursday right here at “The Message” we saw how Philip spread the gospel in Samaria where a man named Simon who practice sorcery also believed and was baptized— upon knowing this, the apostles in Jerusalem sent Peter and John to Samaria to baptize them in the Holy Spirit— Simon was utterly amazed of what he witnessed and offered them money in exchange for the ability to lay hands to receive the Holy Spirit

But Peter said, you have no part in this ministry because your heart is not right before God— from this events we learned:

I CANNOT BUY THE GIFTS OF GOD WITH MONEY

MY HEART MUST BE RIGHT BEFORE GOD TO BECOME PART OF THE MINISTRY

Today we will finish chapter 8 of the book of Acts— and the last story in this chapter is the encounter between Philip [one of the twelve, one of the seven deacons in Jerusalem] and the Ethiopian eunuch [male servant whose sex organs have been removed— important officials]

Open your Bible to ACTS 8:26-40— once you get there, type “let’s know more about the Ethiopian eunuch!”

When reading in advance, whenever you’re studying God’s Word— look for words that defines that CHARACTER of God, COMMANDS to obey, PROMISES to claim, good EXAMPLES to follow and bad examples to avoid, ENCOURAGEMENTS & CHALLENGES to keep you going, reasons to be THANK GOD for, PRAYERS to pray

READ ACTS 8:26-40

BOOK

Acts 8:26–40 NIV

26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 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, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.” 30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. 31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 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. 33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.” 34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. 36 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?” 37 38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39 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. 40 Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

WHAT: The Holy Spirit led Philip to minister to the Ethiopian eunuch

WHEN: Still during the time of the early church

WHERE: Desert road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza— a major trade highway connecting Israel and the key Mediterranean ports [Caesarea, Joppa and Gaza] — SHOW MAP— travel without protection was risky in the first-century Palestine— [Luke 10 Parable of the good Samaritan]

WHO: Philip, the Ethiopian eunuch and his company

WHY: God shows concern for all people— he show that his mission is to all people by accepting an Ethiopian eunuch as a Christian

LOOK

THIS MAN HAD GONE TO JERUSALEM TO WORSHIP

This suggests that the eunuch was a convert to Judaism

THE SPIRIT TOLD PHILIP, GO TO THE CHARIOT AND STAY NEAR IT

The Holy Spirit prompted Philip to go near the eunuch’s chariot— it is the Holy Spirit that leads us to people whom we shall minister to— JOHN 16:13

Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading the book of Isaiah, and he asked— do you understand what you’re reading?

HOW CAN I HE SAID, UNLESS SOMEONE EXPLAINS IT TO ME

So the eunuch invited Philip to come up to the chariot and sat with him— ROMANS 10:14

The passage the eunuch was reading was from — ISAIAH 53:7-8

This passage is about Yahweh’s Suffering Servant [Jesus]— it is one of the key messianic passages in the OT— Isaiah proclaims that the Messiah was grossly mistreated— hid death was unjust— the one without guilt would bear the punishment for His guilty people

THEN PHILIP BEGAN WITH THAT VERY PASSAGE OF THE SCRIPTURE AND TOLD HIM THE GOOD NEWS

Philip used the fourth suffering servant song in Isaiah 52 to explain the gospel of Jesus’ sacrificial death, victorious resurrection and the significance of Jesus’ actions for all people

While these took place— the eunuch saw a body of water and said— look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?— he gave orders to stop the chariot— Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and…

PHILIP BAPTIZED HIM

See the process of conversion here?— the eunuch was seeking, the Holy Spirit sent Philip to minister to him at the right moment and at the right place, and then he was baptized and went on rejoicing!— SEEK! BELIEVE! BAPTIZE! REJOICE!— from confusion to joy!

After he was baptized— the Holy Spirit took Philip and disappeared and later on emerged at Azotus and traveled about preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached the coastal city of Caesarea [a key city for Herod the great in the Mediterranean coast with a substantial Gentile population and a major port]

A couple of things to remember from today’s devotional study

TOOK

THE HOLY SPIRIT LEADS ME TO MINISTER TO THE RIGHT PERSON, AT THE RIGHT PLACE, ON THE RIGHT TIME

I MUST HELP THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE SEEKING JESUS

SING

Agape Worship Team— 10,000 reasons