Acts 8:36-40
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Think Ministry
What is ministry in simplest terms?
serving people/helping people - meeting their needs
we call preachers ministers because they are supposed to serve people’s spiritual needs
we might not have a church title, but we all supposed to be ministers - we are all called to serve people, help somebody . . . help meet their spiritual needs, physical needs, emotional needs, health needs, material needs
not talking about Philip the apostle
26 But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, “Get up and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a desert road.)
Philip was doing a marvelous work in Samaria, ministering in Samaria, but God wants him to move on
in ministry, sometimes God wants us to move on from good things, godly things, successful things
there’s new work to be done, new people to reach, new direction
but usually when we have a good thing going in ministry, we want to stay put, but sometimes God wants you to move on (ultimately it is His ministry)
I think of Anderson St. My home church when I was a boy (good thing)
leaving led to WMBC, people helped, touched, saved, Ekklesia, Immanuel’s, me learning music
I think of Ekklesia - we believed it was God saying that time was up, get up and go
God just tells Philip to go south to this road from Jerusalem to Gaza. . . doesn’t give a lot of info to Philip
scholars say it was dessert area, and the road that was seldom used, not as much traffic
so not much info given, and from a happening spot to a low key spot . . .”downgrade”
we see this same pattern with Abraham . . . leave your home/relatives
not much info given, leave from happening spot to a low key spot . . . “downgrade”
actually it was an upgrade but it didn’t look like one at first
got a son, got rich, father of many nations, father of faith
in ministry, we must learn that God often reveals the journey one step at a time, and God might have you “downgrade” (there is no downgrade in real ministry)
I think of leaving musical group I was a part of to start my own music ministry
leaving fully formed experienced group, ready to produce an album - never did
have my own home studio, still making music
so in ministry, we must trust and obey, just have faith and take the step he has presented to us
be faithful to what we do know, and not worry about what we don’t know
I think of our Building Fund
and don’t worry if it seems like a downgrade
27 So he got up and went; and there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he had come to Jerusalem to worship,
court official, treasurer from the kingdom of Ethiopia, worked for Candace (name or title)
had traveled to Jerusalem to worship
proselyte - not born a Jew, but officially converts to Judaism
God fearer - respected Jewish God, but did not go through full conversion
Jew - of Ethiopian and African descent (result of Jews being scattered when they lost their country)
Bible doesn’t say
But he believes in the God of the Bible (old testament) . . . that’s why he came to worship
28 and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah.
reading in his chariot (rich of course)
to have a person scroll cost a lot of money, shows how serious he was about God
if you seek, you will find
reading Isaiah
29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go up and join this chariot.”
30 Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
Next step given . . . just one, “go up to the chariot”
no explanation, go run and catch that chariot (slow enough for a man to read, so a man could run and catch up to it)
don’t know how fast Philip had to run, but he obeys that NEXT step
willing to look like a fool
apparently Ethiopian is reading out loud from Isaiah
that was the culture, and scripture was written to be read out loud (not a lot of copies)
I usually gain something else when I read a scripture out loud (sermon example)
try it sometimes
Philip hears this, and Philip’s next step is obvious, Philip is to ask the guy about what he is reading, “Do you understand”
in ministry, sometimes your circumstances make it obvious what you are supposed to do next
if the opportunity is so natural, if fits perfectly - you are supposed to take it
ex. we wrongly put out of our house
found a new place
same neighborhood - which is what we wanted
floorplan that we wanted
we needed a refrigerator - previous owner left their refrigerator (good one)
less or same per month
realtor turned out to be a friend from our boys pee-wee football days - so she could personally vouch for our situation
should we try to get in it? yes!
or if even if lot of things fall through that normally don’t fall through, too many bad coincidences - wait or go different direction
God instructs us through circumstances also - ministry and personal lives
31 And he said, “Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
The guy is receptive, “I need some help, come up in the chariot with me”
another circumstance that is so obvious, Philip knows he should accept the man’s invitation
32 Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this: “He was led as a sheep to slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He does not open His mouth.
33 “In humiliation His judgment was taken away; Who will relate His generation? For His life is removed from the earth.”
34 The eunuch answered Philip and said, “Please tell me, of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself or of someone else?”
35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him.
a prophecy about Jesus - perfect set up!
God will prepare the way for you, God goes before us, we just need to obey
ministry and personal lives
in witnessing, inviting to church, you don’t have to have the perfect words
if they are supposed to be there, God has already gone before you to prepare their hearts
so, Philip shares the gospel
36 As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?”
37 And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
38 And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him.
the man was ready!
Ready to complete the first act of obedience to Christ
all older manuscripts (copies of acts) don’t contain verse 37, so there is debate on whether it belongs
but the man did believe that’s why he asked to be baptized
39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing.
came up out of the water - old school, both people go walk into river or lake
“Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away” - sounds like a supernatural event, or maybe it just meant HS told Philip to move on
12 “It will come about when I leave you that the Spirit of the Lord will carry you where I do not know; so when I come and tell Ahab and he cannot find you, he will kill me, although I your servant have feared the Lord from my youth.
seemed like Elijah might have experienced this
anyway, Eunuch rejoiced that he was saved. Understood from early on that Jesus was the important one. It didn’t matter that his preacher was snatched away
ministry does not rest on one person, God’s work will continue
40 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he kept preaching the gospel to all the cities until he came to Caesarea.
God moved him around 30 miles away
Philip kept on preaching in other cities
Philip ends up in Samaria because of persecution
The door is open to preach in Samaria because of miracles done by Philip
people saved
Philip ends up on this road because he heard the voice of God
The door is open to preach because man was reading prophecy about Jesus
person saved
This time he is snatched away, and ends up in Azotus
then he preached at several cities until he came to Caesarea, and apparently he stayed there for a while
in ministry there is no set it and forget it pattern with God - Philip moved because of persecution, hear the vice of God, snatched away, heard the voice of God again
next time we hear of Philip
8 On the next day we left and came to Caesarea, and entering the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, we stayed with him.
9 Now this man had four virgin daughters who were prophetesses.
Philip went from moving quite often to settling down - no set it and forget it
by following the ministry, it seemed he might have met his wife in Caesarea
Interesting Facts
Christianity is the largest religion in Ethiopia today
here we have Christianity reaching into Africa 600 years before Islam began
so Islam is not the white man’s religion, or black people’s original religion
Middle East - crossroads of three main characters (Asian culture in the Bible)
he was probably not the first person from Africa to become a Christian, but maybe highest ranking official
list of people there on Pentecost included African countries (Acts 2:10)
Announcements
Announcements
1st Lady had a meeting tonight
submissions about improvements, repairs are needed by Friday
ideas on how to spend Project Fund money that we raise
one list has already been turned in (some things I did not see)
I need a list and not a “hey Pastor have you thought about”
Friday is the Album listening party, play announcement
I am not assuming that if you agreed to bring something last time, that you are still planning on bringing it this time because circumstances have changed
so at this time, I still need bottled water and prepackaged snacks (variety chips, little debbie snacks, candy bars, healthier snacks too) . . . if you can send me a text and let me know.
no pressure at all (hands full with Baby Shower
Baby Shower is this Saturday at 11am
Resurrection Day Speeches will be assigned this Sunday
parent must work with children/grandchildren
no Bible study in April
busy church month
busy personal month with Seminary assignments and papers