I. God Reaches Out To The One
A. God’s Call: Not Always Logical V. 26
1. Previously, Philip was ministering in a great revival in Samaria.
2. Peter & John arrived, people being healed, delivered, filled w/H.S.
3. Tendency would be to want to stay there, where the action was.
4. Philip isn’t given the details. “…go toward the south along the road…”
This road was rarely used, and went by many deserted cities.
5. Philip might have argued about the lack of opportunities in the desert.
6. God sends Philip to the desert for this man. God will always send a Philip to a hungry heart
7. God cares about the one as much as He cares about the many
8. Matthew 18:12-14 12“What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? 13And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. 14Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
B. Instructions From The Lord
1. 26Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip,…
2. 29Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot.” 3. Philip listens to the Lord & receives progressive revelation re. this man.
C. Obey The Lord
1. 27So he arose and went… (Possibly 20-30 miles on foot)
2. 30So Philip ran to him,… Enthusiasm- “En Theos”: full of God
3. Philip was listening, obedient, & enthusiastic re. God’s plan for this man.
D. The Sanctified Life Takes Over
1. Philip’s Christianity kicks into gear. Vs. 30 (Common to read aloud in then)
2. Vs. 35- Philip speaks.
3. Matt. 12:34 For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
II. God Loves The One
A. God Sees The One vs. 27-29
1. God sees this man searching for God.
2. Proselyte to Judaism, but w/a hunger for truth about the Messiah.
3. The eunuch had been to Jerusalem, and had either not heard to gospel there, or, for some reason, had rejected it. Yet he is hungry for God.
4. God graciously & lovingly sends Philip to him. A divine appointment.
5. How providential that the eunuch is reading about Jesus from Isaiah.
6. No record of this conversion ever spoken of in Jerusalem. No big impact on the church. God simply wanted to save this man who hungered for Him.
III. God’s Message To The One
A. The Ethiopian Eunuch
1. Ethiopian from Africa. A black man. Maybe 2nd most important in Ethiopia
Matthew Henry- The Ethiopians were looked upon as the meanest and most despicable of the nations…yet the gospel is sent to them, and divine grace looks upon them.
2. Great authority– Successful & powerful, yet not filled, & hungry for God.
3. Reading Isaiah– a scroll would have cost a lot of money. Sincere desire.
4. Though powerful, this man was humble and hungry for God, teachable.
5. Though a man of power and authority, he asks Philip to teach him. Humility.
B. Jesus Is The Message Vs. 35c
1. The eunuch was reading from Isaiah, who wrote re. Jesus 750 B.C.
2. Isaiah 53 predicts the suffering and execution of Jesus Christ. Read Isaiah 53.
3. Speaks of Jesus willingly laying down His life, like a silent lamb.
4. V. 35- Philip began w/this scripture, but spoke many scriptures re. Jesus
5. In Jesus’ willing humiliation, His justice was taken away. Innocent victim.
C. Faith Is The Called For Response
1. The eunuch asks what keep him from being baptized.
2. Philip says the requirement of salvation is faith from the heart.
3. More than “head faith”; we need “heart faith”.
4. The eunuch doesn’t demand baptism, but requests it
5. He is willing to wait if Philip says it is not yet right. Urgent, yet humble.
6. Expresses faith verbally: “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
a. He is both God and man
b. God’s only sacrifice for man’s sins.
c. He took my iniquities; chastisement for my peace was put upon Him.
7. The eunuch’s baptism fulfills Isaiah 52:15
D. The Eunuch Rejoices Regarding His Newfound Salvation V. 39
1. Jamieson, Fausset, Brown– He had found Christ, and the key to the Scriptures; his soul was set free, and his discipleship sealed; he had lost his teacher, but gained what was infinitely better: He felt himself a new man, and “his joy was full.”
2. JFB- Tradition says he was the first preacher of the Gospel in Ethiopia; and how, indeed, could he choose but “tell what the Lord had done for his soul?
IV. Summary
A. God Sends His Children To The Lost
1. Philip listened and obeyed the Lord.
2. Even when it would not seem to make sense, God had a plan
B. God Loves “The One”; Every One
2 Peter 3:9 “…not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”