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Philip and The Ethiopian Acts 8
Philip and The Ethiopian Acts 8
34 The eunuch asked Philip, "Tell me, please, who is the prophet
This is a very significant time in the history of the Early Church. The persecution of
Christians is leading to the spread of the gospel into other places.
Jesus had instructed His disciples to take the good news to Jerusalem, Judea,
Samaria and the uttermost parts of the earth. As opposition touches the church it
begins to spread to the limits of the then known world. In this story about Philip and
the Ethiopian, this Good News reaches the Nile Valley – at that time regarded as the
very edge of the world.
Here we may discover – if we will pause for a moment to consider it – the heart of the
Christian Gospel, and a lesson in how to share the message of Christ Jesus.
Philip, having been directed by God to the Gaza Road comes alongside the Ethiopian
who is reading from the OT Isaiah chapter 53. Philip challenges the Ethiopian as to
whether he understands what he is reading. The official invites him to come into the
chariot and explain to him.
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God is seen at work in the evangelist - Philip - and the Ethiopian preparing them for
the work of the Spirit in redemption.
We need to know what it takes to expand the work of the gospel, and what we need
to do to have a part in it.
There is no education to equal the education of the soul – the work of God’s Spirit
changing lives.
PHILIP at the disposal of God's directing angel goes down to the Gaza road
I like the way so much happened to the Ethiopian on his way home.
Obviously a God-fearer he had taken his place in the outer court of the gentiles - and
his condition as eunuch did not preclude him from the influences of that older system
of sacrifices and reverence.
He had acquired his own copy of the LXX of Isaiah and was reading it aloud.
The applications of this part of the story lie easily upon the surface. His attendance at
worship was something he took seriously - enough to buy his own Bible portion and
read it.
You and I have both place of worship and Scripture; you are in the place where God
can move you - perhaps He has in the past. How about now?
We see how that the understanding PHILIP had of the OT Scriptures and His Lord,
enabled him to lead the enquirer on to the central message - he is instrumental in
sharing .
First comes the move of God, then the sharing of His Word.
We can only guess at the way Philip's heart leapt as he heard the text read aloud
• know it
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Are you willing to have such a dynamic grasp of the Scriptures - above all be able to
recognise Jesus in it?
For his part THE ETHIOPIAN was READY - to share his own uncertainties
- to ask for help
- to listen to the news of Jesus
That is a truly receptive state brought about by the Spirit, the Word and the God-
guided witness.
For PHILIP the focus was "the good news about Jesus"
36 As they travelled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said,
"Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptised?" 37 38 And he gave orders to stop
the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip
baptised him.
…………
This was not the case either for Philip or the Ethiopian.
- a new field
- new enquirers
- a new setting for the same gospel
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
travelled about, preaching the gospel . . .