Saving Faith (Acts 8:25-40)

Introduction

As we come to the end of Acts chapter 8, we are presented with the account of Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch one who exercised genuine or saving faith in coming to Jesus. Last week we looked at Simon and we saw a man who exercised a faith that does not save. As I was reflecting on the last eight chapters that we have covered so far in the Book of Acts, I realized we are presented with several accounts of first-time experiences in the life of the early church as the preach the gospel of Jesus Christ known as the “kerygma” -kur -rig - muh, or the primitive gospel meaning that they had no written record of the New Testament. They were the messenger; they were the eyewitness records of what took place and that was their message. Their life and testimony were their message of Person and Work of Jesus Christ.

First the coming of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2)

First experience of speaking tongues (Acts 2)

First message preached by Peter on the day of Pentecost (Act 2)

First set of converts to Christianity 3000 (Acts 2)

First healing at the hands of the Apostles (Acts 3)

First persecution the Apostles (Peter and John) followed by rejection the rejection of the Name of Jesus (Acts 4)

First prison experience - Peter and John thrown in prison (Acts 4)

First prayer prayed by the Apostles (Acts 4)

First ministry to the poor and needy (Acts 4)

First two deaths in the church (Anianias and Sapphira (Acts 5)

First set of deacons selected to take care of the widows (Acts 6)

First person martyred for the faith (Stephen) - Acts 7

First missionary and evangelist - Philip (Acts 8)

First out pour of the Holy Spirit outside of Jerusalem in Samaria (as some would call second Pentecost)

First account of a false believer “A faith that cannot save” - Simon Magus

Now at the end of Chapter 8 we also have the first account of personal evangelism and conversion. What is unique about our story today. Is that most of the conversion to Christianity thus far are mass conversion experiences, from 3000, then 5000, many accounts of the Lord added to the church daily but never once a personal encounter. Until we come to this account of the Ethiopian eunuch (yoonek)

So, we are going to explore the encounter between Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch show how “saving faith” is the work of God not man.

Before coming to faith in Jesus Christ we forget that we all separated from God, lost and without hope! “We were dead in trespasses and sin” Eph 2:1 meaning that we were spiritually dead, spiritually lost, we had no life, we were unable to search after God.

It is through the redemptive work of Christ that caused to pass from death to life - life in Christ.

Ephesians 2:4-5 “4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved”

There are two sides to the story:

The work of conversation is always the Holy Spirit.

First, the work of the Holy Spirit in leading Philip to share the good news of Jesus

Second, The work of the Holy Spirit in preparing the heart of Ethiopian Eunuch.

First, the work of the Holy Spirit in leading Philip to share the good news of Jesus

v.26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place.

Ezra to display Image:

Earlier we saw Philip was forced to leave Jerusalem due the death of Stephen, and he came north (upward) to Samaria and was now being instructed to go down southwest towards the coast to Gaza. Gaza was one of the five cities of the Philistines in ancient history.

The conversation of the Ethiopian Eunuch was how God used to further the gospel to remote the areas in Africa. It was to fulfill Acts 1:8

Acts 1:8 “and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

We saw the movement in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and now moving across the nation to Africa and the rest of the gentile world.

Why would God want Philip to leave Samaria and go down to Gaza, a desert place? Can you imagine what must have gone on in Philip's mind? Going from a place full of people to no people? Why? Because God had a far greater plan for his life and far greater plan for the gospel.

You would think that God would want to keep Philip in Samaria because of what was taking place. This is a reminder to us that the building of the church and bring people to faith is never about us. Jesus said, “he will build his church.”

We are just instruments in the hands of a holy God; we must avail ourselves as earthen vessels fit for the master’s use. Not only to be used by God but to walk in obedience to his command. Philip could have been like on of the popular preacher of our day and started a mega church but no what matters most was his obedience and heeding to the Holy Spirit’s leading.

Evangelism is never about the mass; it is always one person at a time, one heart at a time. That is the reason why personal evangelism is important, each one of us is called to share our faith with families, friends, and neighbors. We are not called to build something for ourselves but to expand what God is doing, train and equip others to do the same (make disciples). WE are never called to hold on to God’s work, we don’t build kingdoms for ourselves.

The Samaritans already heard the gospel, and it was time for Philip to move on.

Oswald J. Smith - Founder of the People’s Church in Toronto (Bayview and Sheppard Area)

“Why should anyone hear the Gospel twice, before everyone has heard it once?” Oswald J. Smith.

v.27 And he (Philip) rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship 28 and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.”

The Ethiopian was a man of power “a court official”, Candace was not the name of the queen, the name Candace was given to the queen’s mother who was given the power to rule in place of her son.

Eunuch:

The law of Moses forbade eunuchs from entering the temple (Deut. 23:1)

Duet 23:1 “No one whose testicles are crushed or whose male organ is cut off shall enter the assembly of the Lord.

Eunuchs are men who have undergone what we called emasculation which is considered a physical defect in ancient history, and they were not allowed to worship in the temple or among the Jewish community. Even though he was a man of power he was still a servant, reason being eunuchs would never attain royalty. These men were representing their country, they were given fame, power, and security, however, these things came with a price, the removal of their productive organs. Which means they will never be able to have children and raise a family and would never in a position to be lured into temptation. Because of this custom they were considered trustworthy and loyal to their county and Queen or King.

The work of the Holy Spirit in preparing the heart of Ethiopian Eunuch.

There are three things that demonstrate saving Faith:

The preparation of his heart

The Providence of God

The Profession of Faith in Jesus Christ

I believe these are the same three things that take place in the lives of everyone who comes to faith in Jesus Christ.

The Preparation of the man’s heart:

27 And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship 28 and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.”

v.30 So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”

Why would the Ethiopian eunuch “come to Jerusalem to worship '' Despite the he was a man of power, wealth, and security, yet he was not allowed to worship God. Because of two reason, one he was a eunuch and two he was gentile. He may have been one who was converted to Judaism, may have gone through the cleansing process of becoming a Jew but failed.

But the account we are given here in Acts 8 tells me that this man was in search of God, his heart was in the right place and one who feared God. He knew of the God of Israel, a God who keeps his promise. The God of Israel who would one day keep his promise to restore eunuchs to a place where they can worship him.

How would the eunuch know that God would one day keep his promise, he must have read Isaiah 56?

3 Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say,

“The Lord will surely separate me from his people”.

and let not the eunuch say,

“Behold, I am a dry tree.”

4 For thus says the Lord:

“To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths,

who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant,

5 I will give in my house and within my walls

a monument and a name

better than sons and daughters. I will give them an everlasting name

that shall not be cut off.

The eunuch heart was prepared because he knew of God’s promise. He knew that there is going to come a day that he will be able to worship God who does not care about his physical deficits, who does not care about the color of his skin, who does not care whether is a Jew or Gentile. To come into a right relationship with God starts with the right attitude towards God, is to believe in his word. Believe in his promises and to trust in him and him alone!

The Providence of God

When Philip asked him “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked one question and the eunuch would respond with three questions:

First question: 31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up

Romans 10:13-15 (Paul)

13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

He was reading Isaiah 53:32 (yet he could not understand)

32“Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter

and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth.

33 In his humiliation justice was denied him.

Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.”

v.34 And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?”

35 Then Philip opened his mouth and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus.

Philip began to explain Isaiah 53 that the “Servant” is Christ the son of the living God.

The man’s heart was prepared the heart the good news, the good news is the about the person and work of Jesus Christ. The birth, life, the death and burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The good news is not about you and your story NO the good news is about Jesus Christ and him alone. Philip did not tell him about all that God was doing in Samaria and what was happening in the lives of the Samarians and how the Holy Spirit was at work. No, he told him about the lamb of God who was willing to laid down his life for him.

Acts 4:12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among by which we must be saved.”

Preparation of the heart

The Providence of God and now

The Profession of Faith:

36 And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?”

What hinders me? Baptism follows repentance. Baptism is an outward expression of the inward transformation or reality of the Holy Spirit work of regeneration in the life a believer. The was not afraid to identify himself with Christ, baptism is saying to the world. “That I am crucified with Christ”

Saving faith is the work of the Holy Spirit in bring people to faith in Jesus Christ. It is the Holy Spirit who prepares the heart, it is the Holy Spirit provides the mean for us to hear and understand the good news of the gospel and it is the Holy Spirit who is responsible for the regenerating working in the life a sinner.

Romans 10:9

“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

1 John 1:9

8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

We must acknowledge that we are sinner, and we need a savior. We must confess our sins before a holy and righteous God.

As you can see there is no V.37. Only the KJV you will find a v.37. many scholars believed it was added later on.

38 And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39 And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

THE END!