These are the original teaching notes from this passage.
- Revival in Samaria…
- Persecution…
- Beginning on the DAY [ἡμέρα] when Stephen was buried…
- A great [μέγας] PERSECUTION [διωγμός] began against the CHURCH [ἐκκλησία]
- The RESULT was ALL [πᾶς] of the believers were SCATTERED…
- And they went EVERYWHERE preaching the GOSPEL [εὐαγγελίζω] of Jesus [ὸν λόγον]!
- Samaria…
- Philip went down to SAMARIA – a place where NO one else seemed to want to go…
- Because Jesus had prepared the people [woman at the well]- John 4:7
- And because of he showed he LOVED the people by helping them [healing]
- There was a great REVIVAL and countless men and women were saved!
- Peter and John…
- Word of the REVIVAL came to the APOSTLES – so they send Peter and John…
- When they arrived – they prayed for the new believers to receive the Holy Spirit…
- Different people – using different gifts – because we are a BODY – I Corinthians 12:27
- When SIMON the sorcerer saw this – he asked to BUY the ability to give the Holy Spirit…
- Peter saw he was BITTER – because he no longer had POWER over the people…
- Although SIMON had been baptized – he was NOT saved – his MOTIVE was wrong [jealousy]
- Persecution…
- 1st – The Desert… vs. 26-27
- 1st – The command… vs. 26
- Where to go…
- Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying: Arise and go toward the south.
- Along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is desert!
- An ANGEL [Ἄγγελος] from the LORD [κύριος] came and spoke to Philip…
- He gave him a COMMAND [imperative] to get up [maybe he was sleeping]
- He needed [imperative] to go SOUTH on the road from Jerusalem to GAZA…
- Now there are TWO roads that lead to GAZA – the coastal route – and the DESERT route…
- The Angel specified Philip was to take the much less used DESERT route…
- DESERT [ἔρημος] – meaning an EMPTY place [no people]
- This must have seemed a VERY strange command – why leave a REVIVAL to go to a DESERT!
- Lacking details…
- Psalm 119:105 – “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
- If we are holding a flashlight – we shine it way out in front so we can see far away…
- But the Word of God is a lamp to our feet – it ONLY shows the NEXT step…
- Only when we take that STEP – we can then see the STEP after that…
- If we knew exactly where what we were going [and why] – it would NOT take faith!
- 2nd – Obedience… vs. 27
- No hesitation…
- So [Philip] arose and went!
- Philip had EVERY reason to doubt this command from the Lord [bad dream]
- But instead – there was NO hesitation – NO question – just obedient action…
- Just as he was told – he GOT up – and he WENT toward GAZA by the DESERT road!
- It was on our hearts in 2011 to go visit my parents [who as far as we know were both heathy]
- We were able to travel with them and visit all of our expended family…
- At the end of the trip – my mom was hospitalized [cancer] – passed away three weeks later!
- When the Lord calls to do something – do we OBEY – or do we hesitate…
- We can always find a reason NOT to obey – we can find EXCUSES…
- But it is ONLY when we follow the Lord that great things happen!
- Walk by faith…
- Phillip did NOT need to know WHY God told him to go to the dessert…
- All he needed to know is God said GO – the Lord would take care of the rest!
- II Corinthians 5:7 – “For we walk by faith – not by sight.”
- If we close your eyes and let someone else guide us with their words [right – left – stop]
- It takes a LOT of FAITH in that person to TRUST they will NOT mislead us!
- Yet this is exactly what God asks to do – TRUST His Word [not what we see]
- We would rather SEE where we are going – before we STEP out…
- But God tells us to STEP out – then He will SHOW us where we are going…
- Like Phillip we need to just TRUST what God says – then He will take care of the rest!
- 1st – The command… vs. 26
- 2nd – Seeking God… vs. 27-35
- 1st – The Ethiopian… vs. 27-28
- Rich Eunuch… vs. 27
- Behold a man of Ethiopia – a eunuch of great authority.
- Under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians – who had charge of all her treasury!
- As Philip was going along the mostly EMPTY road…
- He came upon a man from ETHIOPIA [Αἰθίοψ] – to have a black face…
- He was a EUNUCH – likely meaning he was unmarried – Matthew 19:12
- Serving [imperfect] as TREASURER over all [πᾶς] the wealth of the QUEEN [Candace is a title]
- Seeking God … vs. 28
- And [he] had come to Jerusalem to worship – was returning.
- Sitting in his chariot he was reading Isaiah the prophet!
- The EUNUCH had come [pluperfect] to Jerusalem to WORSHIP God…
- This was NO small feat – as it mean traveling 2500 kilometers [about a two month journey]
- Sitting in his chariot [nice car] – he was READING [imperfect] the scroll of Isaiah…
- This meant he was a man of considerable wealth…
- There were NO copy machines or printers – the work was done by hand [expensive]
- So to own a copy of a book of the Bible [years wage] – meant he had MONEY!
- He traveled thousands of kilometers – and spend a fortune just to get to know God…
- Because the Eunuch was seeking God – God was seeking the Eunuch!
- Many people have a halfhearted attitude when it comes to Jesus…
- They may be willing to go to church – so long as there is NOTHING else to do…
- Then they wonder why God does NOT speak to them when they arrive!
- Jeremiah 29:13 – “You will seek Me and find Me – when you search for Me with all your heart.”
- One man…
- It might seem strange that God would send Philip to reach ONE man…
- We might think it is because this RICH – POWERFUL man had great impact on his country…
- Upon his return to Ethiopia – maybe God used him to spread the Gospel there!
- Unfortunately there is no historical evidence to support this idea…
- Ethiopians date the coming of Christianity to around 300 years after this!
- We could justify Philip leaving the revival in Samaria to reach a whole nation…
- But to leave a revival for just ONE man – that does NOT seem to make sense…
- We look at numbers – and when NOT many people show up – we are DISCOURAGED…
- But God does NOT care about numbers – He cares about INDIVIDUALS!
- 2nd – Getting answers… vs. 29-31
- Led by the Spirit… vs. 29
- Then the Spirit said to Philip: Go near and overtake this chariot!
- When Philip saw the ETHIOPIAN – the SPIRIT commanded him [imperative] to go to him…
- This is the SECOND time we see the LORD directing Philip…
- FIRST – was an ANGEL – perhaps in a DREAM at night [get up]
- SECOND – it was a prompt from the SPIRIT [τὸ πνεῦμα]
- We can assume it seemed obvious – God had called Philip to go to an empty DESERT…
- The ONE guy there – was the likely reason why he had been sent!
- Being led by God – walking by FAITH – should be quite natural…
- NOT that God is putting BILLBOARDS with directions in front of us…
- But as we LISTEN to and OBEY His Word – He will direct our steps…
- So that what we need to do – is RIGHT in front of us!
- Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.”
- Asking questions… vs. 30
- So Philip ran to him and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah and said:
- Do you understand what you are reading?
- As Philip ran up alongside the CHARIOT – he heard the EUNUCH reading Isaiah…
- He asked him whether he UNDERSTOOD [γινώσκω] what he was READING!
- The scene must have been somewhat surreal…
- A stranger come running up alongside you [one might assume he was a bandit]
- But then instead of being a ROBBER – it was a PASTOR [in the desert]!
- Hidden truth… vs. 31
- He said: How can I unless someone guides me?
- How he could [δύναμαι] understand if there was [subjuntive] NO one to GUIDE him…
- Therefore he asked Philip to come [παρακαλέω] and sit with him!
- Have you ever accidentally got a text that was intended for someone else…
- It made no sense to you – because it was NOT written to you!
- The Bible is a letter written by God to His children – if a person is NOT saved…
- Reading the Bible is like reading a text meant for someone else!
- I Corinthians 2:14 – “People who are not Christians cannot understand… it all sounds foolish to them because only those who have the Spirit can understand.”
- Revealed Truth…
- And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him!
- Phillip understood the Word – so he was able to explain it to the Eunuch!
- We know LOTS of people who do NOT understand the Word…
- Which is why we need to be the ones to explain the Gospel to them…
- Tell people about Jesus – give them the message of salvation – Romans 10:14-15
- 3rd – The Gospel… vs. 32-35
- Not an accident… vs. 32-33
- The place in the Scripture which he read was this: He was led as a sheep to the slaughter.
- And as a lamb before its shearer is silent so He opened not His mouth.
- In His humiliation His justice was taken away and who will declare His generation?
- For His life is taken from the earth!
- The place were the Eunuch was [imperfect] reading [quoting LXX] – Isaiah 53:7-8
- One about one of the key FIGURES in Isaiah – the SERVANT [עֶבֶד] – Isaiah 52:13
- Who would SUFFER – as LAMB to the slaughter – and say NOTHING…
- He would be HUMILIATED [mocked] – treated UNJUSTLY [six trials] – then KILLED [cross]
- And the question would be asked – WHO would [future] tell the world about him!
- Who is this… vs. 34
- So the eunuch answered Philip and said:
- I ask you – of whom does the prophet say this – of himself or of some other man?
- The EUNUCH wanted [δέομαι] to know – who was this SUFFERING servant…
- Was it the PROPHET [Isaiah] – or was he talking about someone ELSE!
- The Old Testament is all about Jesus – Luke 24:27
- And this passage is one of the more amazing chapters in the Old Testament…
- It directly predicts the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus for salvation!
- Isaiah 53:5-6 – “He was pierced for our rebellion – crushed for our sins. All of us like sheep have strayed away… yet the LORD laid on him the sins of us all.”
- When we are follow the Lord – He does all the work…
- There is no striving – we just get to be a part of what God is doing!
- Open up… vs. 35
- Then Philip opened his mouth – and beginning at this Scripture – preached Jesus to him!
- Then PHILIP opened his mouth – beginning at Isaiah 53 – he preached Jesus…
- It is easy to miss the KEY – he was willing to OPEN [ἀνοίγω] his mouth…
- So often we are nervous about sharing our faith with others…
- We think we need to have ALL the answers to their questions…
- But it is God who speaks through us the words that are needed…
- All we need to do is be willing to OPEN our mouths – share Jesus!
- 1st – The Ethiopian… vs. 27-28
- 3rd – Defined by Jesus… vs. 36-40
- 1st – Baptism… vs. 36-38
- The water… vs. 36
- Now as they went down the road they came to some water!
- As they continued down the road – they found WATER [likely a wadi]
- No doubt as part of their conversation – Philip mentioned Baptism – Matthew 28:19
- There is also a debate over HOW to baptize – sprinkle or dunk…
- The poet Nicander [200 B.C.] wrote down a recipe for making pickles…
- You BAPTIZE [βαπτίζω] the cucumber – and it comes out changed – a PICKLE!
- I love the picture – when we are BAPTIZED [βαπτίζω] – we go in a SINNER…
- But we come out something different [pickled] – we come out a SAINT!
- The choice… vs. 36
- The eunuch said: See here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?
- He wanted to KNOW if he could be BAPTIZED [passive]
- There is some debate within Christianity over WHEN someone is baptized…
- John was NOT baptizing INFANTS – these were ADULTS!
- BAPTISM is about CHOOSING to REPENT and letting God make us CLEAN…
- An INFANT cannot CHOSE – therefore baptism is for those old enough to DECIDE!
- The requirement… vs. 37
- Then 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!
- There was ONE qualification to being BAPTIZED…
- Did the EUNUCH believe [πιστεύω] with ALL of his heart [καρδία]
- To which he answered he believed [present] Jesus Christ is the Son of God [τὸν ὑιὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ]
- There are TWO things required for SALVATION – Romans 10:9-10
- We must CONFESS with our MOUTH – that Jesus is our Lord [κύριος]
- This is the easy one – all we have to do is SAY we want to follow Jesus…
- And we must BELIEVE [πιστεύω] in our heart God raised Him from the dead
- This is where it gets harder – because we CANNOT see the heart…
- But if someone does BELIEVE – then it will result in a CHANGED life [fruit] – James 2:18
- The Picture… vs. 38
- So he commanded the chariot to stand still.
- And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water – and he baptized him!
- We are commanded as believers to be water BAPTIZED – Acts 2:38
- But water BAPTISM does NOT save us [the thief on the cross] – Luke 23:43
- Neither does BAPTISM make us part of a denomination…
- BAPTISM is a picture of what happens when we BELIEVE in Jesus!
- Romans 6:4 – “We were buried with Him through baptism into death – that just as Christ was raised from the dead… even so we also should walk in newness of life.”
- Water baptism is the OUTWARD statement of what takes place WITHIN us…
- We are BURIED with Jesus – taken under the water – a picture of our DEATH…
- We are RAISED up with Jesus – taken out of the water – a picture of new LIFE…
- We do it publicly so that everyone can see – we BELIEVE in Jesus – Romans 10:10
- 2nd – Raptured… vs. 39
- Glory to God…
- Now when they came up out of the water.
- The Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away so that the eunuch saw him no more!
- But [δέ] as they came up out of the water – the SPIRIT of the Lord [κύριος] CAUGHT Philip…
- CAUGHT [ἁρπάζω] – the same word translated as RAPTURE – I Thessalonians 4:17
- And the EUNUCH never saw Philip again…
- No doubt he assumed the stranger – who met him in the DESERT…
- Just in time to explain to explain the WORD to him – and BAPTIZE him in the name of Jesus…
- Must have seemed like an ANGEL [Ἄγγελος] – a messenger from God!
- Rejoicing…
- He went on his way rejoicing!
- A man who had come SEEKING God – found Jesus…
- Not in the spender of the SECOND temple in Jerusalem [he left that empty]
- Not from the educated and pius PRIESTS [they had no answers]
- But from a random man wandering the DESERT – who explained the WORD to Him…
- Whom God RAPTURED away – confirming the message was from God!
- People do NOT need to come to CHURCH to hear about Jesus – they do NOT need PASTOR…
- God sends us out into the STREETS – to give the message to them…
- We tell people we may NEVER even see again – at least on this side of heaven…
- Because it is NOT about the MESSENGER – it is about the GOSPEL that saves – Romans 1:16
- 3rd – Definition… vs. 40
- Many roles…
- But Philip was found at Azotus.
- And passing through he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea!
- After Philip got RAPTURED – he popped up again in AZOTUS [Ashdod] – 30km away…
- Preaching the Gospel in all the cities along the coast all the way to Caesarea…
- Philip was faithful as a SERVANT – faithful in the little things – Acts 6:5
- Philip was faithful to share the Gospel with Samaria – reaching many – Acts 8:6
- Philip was faithful to reach out the Ethiopian – reaching one – Acts 8:27
- Philip ended up in Caesarea and raised FOUR Godly daughters – Acts 21:8-9
- Defined by Jesus…
- Philip never got stuck in ONE role – he was open to how God wanted to use him…
- Serving tables – revival in Samaria – reaching the one – father!
- Maybe we are convinced that we are called to a specific career…
- And we get comfortable with our definition – and refuse to be open to anything new!
- It is so important that we only let ourselves be defined by Jesus…
- We need to not be so focused on where we are going – or what we are doing…
- Our identity is not in what we are doing – what our job is – where we live…
- Our identity is simply in Christ – and we need to flexible in what He wants us to do…
- The only constant in life is change – the only guarantee – Jesus!
- 1st – Baptism… vs. 36-38