Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch
Minister: | Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: | 2/7/2016 PM |
Text: | Acts 8:26-39 |
Psalters: | 51, 295, 75, 291 |
Preparatory to the Lord's Supper |
- The Ethiopian.
- He is an Ethiopian (descendant of Ham); a man of some authority – the treasurer of “Candace” (a title) for the queen.
- He was leaving Jerusalem, where he went “to worship” (27c).
- He was evidently a proselyte of the Old Testament faith
- And he had a copy of part of the Old Testament scripture, which he is reading.
- God wanted Philip to work with one soul, so He sent an angel to direct Philip.
- Philip obeys the heavenly message to go on the desert road not knowing why he was to go there (27a).
- In God’s eyes, this soul is precious and it is the time set in His counsel that this man be given fuller light of the gospel.
- Philip sees a group of travelers, and is prompted by the Spirit to join them (29).
- As he goes alongside, hear hears a man reading out loud a passage of Scripture (28).
- The evangelist is given a wonderful opening for the conversation is about Scripture and a great passage: Isaiah 53:7,8.
- It is a passage about the humiliating suffering of Jesus, made necessary to be the Savior of His people from their sins.
- Philip preached Jesus (35), not getting side-tracked into non-essential points (easy to do with the prophetic scriptures).
- The Ethiopian was obviously a man of sincere and profound interest in God’s Word.
- The Ethiopian heard and believed as God worked in his heart the good news of Jesus, the Savior.
- Upon seeing water he asked Philip: What hinders me to be baptized?” (36b).
- The only requirement was whether the Ethiopian believed with all his heart (37a).
- The Ethiopian’s simple and complete answer: “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” What marvelous faith!
- Philip recognizes the work of the Spirit and they both walked into the water (not under it).
- And he went his way rejoicing in the God of his salvation (39).