Places You Never Thought You Would Go

Introduction

Acts 8:26–40 CSB

26 An angel of the Lord spoke to Philip: “Get up and go south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is the desert road.) 27 So he got up and went. There was an Ethiopian man, a eunuch and high official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to worship in Jerusalem 28 and was sitting in his chariot on his way home, reading the prophet Isaiah aloud. 29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go and join that chariot.” 30 When Philip ran up to it, he heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you’re reading?” 31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone guides me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the Scripture passage he was reading was this: He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb is silent before its shearer, so he does not open his mouth. 33 In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who will describe his generation? For his life is taken from the earth. 34 The eunuch said to Philip, “I ask you, who is the prophet saying this about—himself or someone else?” 35 Philip proceeded to tell him the good news about Jesus, beginning with that Scripture. 36 As they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. The eunuch said, “Look, there’s water. What would keep me from being baptized?” 38 So he ordered the chariot to stop, and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any longer but went on his way rejoicing. 40 Philip appeared in Azotus, and he was traveling and preaching the gospel in all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

Pray

Ethiopian Eunuch

Philip is on mission we saw last week how he preached to the masses ever where he went and demons left with shrieks and people were healed. While he is doing his missions the Holy Spirit tells him to head south along a 50 mile stretch between Jerusalem and Gaza. A very desert road. We are not told just where Philip is but while he is heading south on this road.

He meets up with an Ethiopian eunuch. Who had gone to Jerusalem to Worship.

The Picture you see is called the “The baptism of the eunich” Done some where around 1626 by Rembrand van Rijn

The Eunuch is a A Male with no sexual organs. Eunuchs were trusted men, often put in charge of the harem. Herem includes riches, slaves, concubines all of the power symbols of a king. This one was an important official in charge of the treasury of the queen of Ethiopia. Ethiopia at that time is the land south of Egypt.

It is unusual that he went to Jerusalem to Worship.

Deuteronomy 23:1 explicitly stipulates that no emasculated male could be included within the Jewish religious community. Isaiah 56:3-5 however, speaks of eunuchs being accepted by the God of Hesed. Hesed is God’s love often translated lovingkindness or loyal love.

This is Not someone that would be in the usual witness to list. This actually someone that would have been seen by the Hebrews as unclean. This is not the person you would “want to” witness to. Unclean meant that you could be unclean just by being around them.

This Eunice was sympathetic to the Jewish Way. And he is bringing back with him a copy of Isaiah. Which can be a difficult passage for believers let alone non believers

He is reading Isaiah 53:7-8.

Now there is no page breaks, no verses, no chapters. Eunuch reading from the lower section of the scroll and Phillip begins the conversation with. A simple question, Do you understand what you are reading?

What a question. I wonder how many of us could say I have studied the scriptures and listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. So that we could say I do understand, Or could answer questions about it.

This passage allows Philip to tell the eunuch about Jesus. Which leads to his salvation and being baptized right there on the side of the road. Not waiting for the priest. Not waiting for the baptizer. Not going and finding a church. Not when I understand more. But right now.

Then according to tradition the Eunuch brings the good news of Jesus back to the queen and she believes.

Philip is then taken up and witnesses in all the towns he goes to until he settles down in Caesarea. Meat him later in chapter 21 when he has four daughters.

When Philip accepted That Jesus was the Messiah I bet he never thought that he would be witnessing to sorcerers and eunuchs. Witnessing to people that have the ear of Queens. Witnessing to unclean people that were not exclusively Jews. Were not the “good” or “right kind” of person, But that’s what happens when you listen to the Holy Spirit It will take you places you never thought you were going to do. For the glory of God and it is a wonderful Journey.

He is witnessing to people that aren’t normally witnessed to and then he is taken up, And sent someplace to witness. And joy is spread because the love of God is spread. And the truth of the Gospel is spread.

The Journey of Your Life

What a wonderful Journey.

The problem becomes that sometimes we really don’t want to be taken places. We like being comfortable. We like not going places. Even if it is better than where we are. It still requires movement. And that dreaded four letter word, Work.

The wonder of the Holy Spirit.

A blessed journey. Thank God for the Journey so far. Praise God for this Journey. Open yourself to the journey, Afraid to listen to the Guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Afraid it will lead you somewhere you don’t want to Go. We don’t like the word fear so maybe unsure. The Desire to Go will come with the call.

Philip open to the Holy Spirit lead farther than he ever thought he would

Next Steps

Open yourself to the Holy Sprit

Pray