Daily Bread 2010 - Acts 8
Daily Bread 2010 – Acts 8
Philip and the Ethiopian
26Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." 27So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. 29The Spirit told Philip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it."
30Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked.
31"How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture:
"He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb before the shearer is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
33In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth."
34The eunuch asked Philip, "Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?" 35Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
36As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?" 38And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way. 40Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.
We see the many powerful stories in the book of Acts, and the irony that the chief persecutor of the Christians, Paul, became the greatest missionary the church has ever seen. Not far behind him is Philip, who we see doing many signs and wonders and hearing from angels. We have seen angels communicate before in the bible, for example Gabriel to the Virgin Mary.
In this case the angel tells Philip to take the road down south toward Gaza from Jerusalem. Just as been prophesied the apostles would take God’s word to Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria and all the ends of the earth. The idea was the movement of the Gospel would start local and then move out in ever expanding waves.
A big idea in this passage was the God was already preparing the Ethiopian eunuch as he read through the Old Testament. The Ethiopian Eunuch is what we might call today a “seeker’. Importantly, Philip connects these prophecies to what Christ has done for all people regardless of race or background.
As the eunuch receives the gospel, he also desires to be baptized. Rather than waiting for the next church service, Philip baptizes him right where there was some water. Interestingly it says both Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch went down into the water and when they came out, Philip was suddenly taken away by the Spirit apparently in bodily form.
This passage is in keeping with the inclusive nature of Dr. Luke’s writings. For in that day Ethiopia would have been considered the furthermost Southern region as compared to Jerusalem, where this man had journeyed to attend a Jewish feast. It is the literal fulfillment of the commission to go to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth. And it is clear that God is guiding this divine mission, if we like Philip would be willing vessels to the many who would believe it we would connect the dots between their seeking to their believing today.
This story also reminds us that all of the Old Testament is but a foreshadowing of the work of Christ. As we become familiar with the Old Testament we can see how it always leads to faith in Christ, for the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob set them apart and called them to be a blessing to all nations.
Prayer: God we thank you that your love is bigger than our ethnic and geographical boundaries, and that you desire all people of all races to be saved. Like Philip give us a sense of urgency to promote the gospel to all those who come in our path. Help us to bring others to faith and baptize them in the life giving water of Your Spirit, In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Philip and the Ethiopian
26Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." 27So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. 29The Spirit told Philip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it."
30Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked.
31"How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture:
"He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb before the shearer is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
33In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth."
34The eunuch asked Philip, "Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?" 35Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
36As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?" 38And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way. 40Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.
We see the many powerful stories in the book of Acts, and the irony that the chief persecutor of the Christians, Paul, became the greatest missionary the church has ever seen. Not far behind him is Philip, who we see doing many signs and wonders and hearing from angels. We have seen angels communicate before in the bible, for example Gabriel to the Virgin Mary.
In this case the angel tells Philip to take the road down south toward Gaza from Jerusalem. Just as been prophesied the apostles would take God’s word to Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria and all the ends of the earth. The idea was the movement of the Gospel would start local and then move out in ever expanding waves.
A big idea in this passage was the God was already preparing the Ethiopian eunuch as he read through the Old Testament. The Ethiopian Eunuch is what we might call today a “seeker’. Importantly, Philip connects these prophecies to what Christ has done for all people regardless of race or background.
As the eunuch receives the gospel, he also desires to be baptized. Rather than waiting for the next church service, Philip baptizes him right where there was some water. Interestingly it says both Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch went down into the water and when they came out, Philip was suddenly taken away by the Spirit apparently in bodily form.
This passage is in keeping with the inclusive nature of Dr. Luke’s writings. For in that day Ethiopia would have been considered the furthermost Southern region as compared to Jerusalem, where this man had journeyed to attend a Jewish feast. It is the literal fulfillment of the commission to go to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth. And it is clear that God is guiding this divine mission, if we like Philip would be willing vessels to the many who would believe it we would connect the dots between their seeking to their believing today.
This story also reminds us that all of the Old Testament is but a foreshadowing of the work of Christ. As we become familiar with the Old Testament we can see how it always leads to faith in Christ, for the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob set them apart and called them to be a blessing to all nations.
Prayer: God we thank you that your love is bigger than our ethnic and geographical boundaries, and that you desire all people of all races to be saved. Like Philip give us a sense of urgency to promote the gospel to all those who come in our path. Help us to bring others to faith and baptize them in the life giving water of Your Spirit, In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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