2008-08-22
01. Our previous teaching dealt with God’s judgment of Ananias and Sapphira, the appointing of deacons to attend to the needs of the widows and how a disciple called Stephan was martyred for his faith in Jesus.
02. The present teaching deals with the conversion of an Ethiopian through the ministry of Philip and also with the conversion of Paul who became, as theologians sometimes refer to him, the thirteenth apostle.
03. We read from Acts chapter 8:26-29:
Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, ‘‘Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopianeunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told Philip, ‘‘Go to that chariot and stay near it.” 30 Then 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.
04. In the previous study we first read of Philip who was one of the seven deacons appointed to see to it that the widows within that large congregation were well cared for. He was a trustworthy man and probably acquitted himself very well of his task, but he was not only gifted as an administrator, but also as a powerful evangelist with a vision to take the Gospel outside of Jerusalem to the non-Jewish nations. He probably trained other persons to take over his task as deacon and then set off to Samaria where God used him to convert a large number of people to Christ. There was great joy in that city. Of that we read in chapter 8:1-25.
05. But God’s eyes were not just on the places near to Jerusalem but were roaming all over the world, even to a very distant land called Ethiopia, south of Egypt. You may have heard of that country where African people live and which today, is a very poor country, where people suffer from hunger. In those days, however, it seems that a queen was ruling Ethiopia and that she was very rich. She had appointed a certain eunuch to oversee all her treasures. This man had somehow come into contact with the Jewish religion and could even have been a believer in the God of Abraham, for he traveled all the way from Ethiopia to Jerusalem to worship and bring sacrifices to God at the temple. Looking from heaven the Lord Jesus Christ saw this man returning to Ethiopia via the Gaza road. The Lord also noticed that he had a great thirst after God for he had bought a very expensive roll of Old Testament Scripture and sitting on his ox cart or horse carriage, he was reading from it aloud, but could not understand the meaning of it.
06. So God needed a messenger, an evangelist, to send to him to explain the Words he was reading. God picked Philip for this job so the Lord dispatched an angel from heaven to go tell Philip, ‘‘Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” Philip did not argue although it was a road that very few people traveled and although he did not know for what purpose he had to go there, but went right away. Finding a man on a wagon, Philip got further directions from the Lord. This time God spoke to him by His Holy Spirit saying, ‘‘Go to that chariot and stay near it.” Walking next to the chariot he heard the man reading a portion of Scripture he knew well and, mustering his courage, he asked this important man, “Do you understand what you are reading?” “How can I if no-one explains it to me he replied” and invited Philip to come sit next to him and explain the Scripture to him.
07. Many Christians desire to have a microphone in the hand with a number of huge loudspeakers and speak to masses of people. In that way they feel that they are now really being used by God. But God sees individual lonely people all over the world that are searching for the truth of His word and God is continually looking for some one that He can send to teach them. We sometimes see a man appointed by God as an evangelist, sitting in front of his home in the shade of a tree all Saturday, leaning back in his chair, drinking this and that, chatting about small worldly things but never going out to win the lost. Then I wonder, “My dear brother, are the ears of your heart open to hear the Holy Spirit calling and sending you? Have you prayed this morning asking God to direct your footsteps to a heart that has been prepared by God.” Dear friend, let us learn from Philip; he was appointed as a deacon in Jerusalem but by opening his life to God, he brought revival and joy to the distant land of Samaria. There he was visited by and angel, then sat next to a very high official in his chariot, sharing the Gospel with him. He was out there on a deserted road where his congregation did not see him, but he was faithfully doing the work of God.
08. Now let us read verses 32 to 34:
The 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. 33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.” 34 The eunuch asked Philip, ‘‘Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
09. This is a quotation from the book of the prophet Isaiah, chapter 53:7. The eunuch did not understand to whom these versus referred, because in Old Testament times, believers understood very little about the fact that the Son of God would come from heaven and die on a cross for the salvation of mankind. Philip, of course, had deep insight into this mystery and could, in a simple way, explain it to this man that was thirsty for the truth. He could tell him of Jesus that was born in Bethlehem from the virgin Mary, grew up in Nazareth as the son of a carpenter, ministered throughout the land for three years, healing the sick, driving out demons, raising the dead and teaching the poor the principles of the Kingdom of His Father and then, was crucified for the sins of men. Now the eunuch understood clearly.
10. We read verses 36-38:
As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, ‘‘Look, here is water. Why shouldn’t I be baptized?” 38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him.
11. In one of the other translations of the Bible it is recorded that Philip replied, “If you believe with all your heart it is allowed”, to which the eunuch replied “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” It is so important that we note that it is by our faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God that we are saved and not by baptism. Baptism is our testimony that by accepting Jesus as our Saviour, we have by faith died with Christ for our sins and have been resurrected with Him into a brand new life which we live by leading and empowerment of the Holy Spirit that has entered into us. The eunuch probably had many servants accompanying him for he was a very important man and he wanted everybody present to be witnesses to the fact that he had put his trust irrevocably in the Lord Jesus Christ.
12. And now we read verses 39 and 40:
When 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 rejoicing. 40 Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.
13. The eunuch went his way rejoicing. He had no further need of Philip for he now had Jesus to accompany him all the way to Ethiopia and I am sure that when he got there, he shared his joyous news with his queen and all her important court officials, for he had been on a long, long journey but brought back to his country the greatest treasure of all and that is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.
14. What happened to Philip? There was no need for him to walk back all the way to Jerusalem and from there to Samaria for The Holy Spirit just whisked him away to the next place where God wanted to use him. This sudden, mysterious, disappearance of Philip was a powerful confirmation to the Ethiopian man that he had been sent by God to answer his questions and help him to meet the Saviour.
15. And now we come to one of the most important chapters in the Book of Acts, chapter 9, which deals with the conversion of Paul. We read verses 1-9:
Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, ‘‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” 5 ‘‘Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. ‘‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 ‘‘Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
16. You will remember that when we dealt with the martyring of Stephen, we read in the Scriptures that those that stoned him, gave their clothes in the custody of a young man called Saul to take care of them while they performed their gruesome task. Saul, also known as Paul, therefore, was a witness when Stephan, while dying, cried out saying that he was seeing the heavens opened and the Son of God standing at the right hand of the Father and also to his prayer for his persecutors, imploring the Lord not to punish them for they knew not what they were doing. This powerful testimony did however not convince him that Jesus had been sent by God, on the contrary, so certain was he that Jesus was an impostor, that had tried to upset the faith of the people of Israel, that he devoted every moment of his life to wipe out this, what he considered blasphemy, against God.
17. The persecution of Christians in Jerusalem caused many of them to flee the city and settle all over the Roman empire. In this way the persecution of the saints worked to the advantage of the Kingdom for wherever they went, they spread the Good News that Jesus Christ the Saviour had died and was risen so that all people might be saved. News to this effect very soon reached the ears of the High Priest in Jerusalem and he, of course was just too happy to grant Saul’s request for warrants to arrest the believers that had gathered in the important city of Damascus.
18 So Saul and a couple of servants, or shall we say, policemen, departed from Jerusalem. He was filled with zeal for the Jewish religion and really believed that he was pleasing God in trying to stamp out this “sect.” The Bible says that he was breathing out murderous threats as an angry bull blows through its nostrils and kicks up the dust before it charges.
Even in our day, we find something similar in Christian churches that are so convinced that their own doctrine is correct and that all the other churches are wrong, that they separate themselves and excommunicate any of their members that dare to attend any but their own services. We need to study the Word deeply and humbly implore the Holy Spirit to open the eyes of our hearts in order that we may correctly understand the meaning of the Scriptures, otherwise we may be sincere and zealous and yet be displeasing God by criticizing His people and destroying His work.
19. If we were to judge Saul, we would probably have punished him severely for his evil deeds but now see what God did. The Lord heard Stephan’s prayer pleading that his persecutors did not know what they were doing and God decided rather to reveal the truth about himself to Saul. So, when Saul was approaching Damascus and nearing the end of his journey, already gloating in how he was going to roundup these hard headed Christians, suddenly, in the flash of a moment, God stepped in and turned everything round. The Lord Jesus shone upon him with a blinding light while at the same time speaking to him in an audible voice saying “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” The Lord Jesus lives within every believer and whoever does anything against a disciple of Jesus, does it against Jesus Himself. Saul was shaken. ‘‘Who are you, Lord?” he asked. He had heard about Jesus. He had heard many, many testimonies of what Jesus had done, but he did not believe that He was the Son of God that had risen from the grave and ascended to heaven, therefore he enquired “But who is this that I can not see and that is now speaking to me from heaven accompanied by this blinding light?” ‘‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” came the reply. What a shock it must have been for the poor Saul to discover that he was actually persecuting the very Son of God! He must have feared that he would immediately be struck dead or that the earth would devour him as it did Korag, Datan and Abiram. But God has no desire to destroy the sinner, but rather to lead him to repentance and then use him for His own glory and so the Lord told him ‘‘Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
20. When Paul arose from the ground, he was totally blind. The proud Pharisee who was going to arrest men woman and children, bind them and lead them as captives from Damascus, was now himself lead by the hand of others into the city. Oh, the mysterious ways and power of God. For three days he did not eat or drink anything but spent his time in prayer before the throne of the almighty God, while the Spirit of God enlightened his mind to understand the mystery of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
21. Now let us read verses 10-19:
In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, ‘‘Ananias!” ‘‘Yes, Lord,” he answered. 11 The Lord told him, ‘‘Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.” 13 ‘‘Lord,” Ananias answered, ‘‘I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” 15 But the Lord said to Ananias, ‘‘Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” 17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, ‘‘Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength.
22. From this Scripture, let us note how God uses ordinary people like you and me to do His work. Jesus is no longer walking this earth, He is sitting at the right hand of the Father, organizing all His work and He needs your legs your hands and your mouth to get the job done. He wanted to use Ananias for a very important work: to comfort a deeply distressed seeking soul, open his blinded eyes and to lay hands on him that he may be filled by the Holy Spirit. It was an important responsibility, because this man was selected by God to become the greatest of all apostles, a messenger of God that would proclaim the Gospel to the greatest kings and rulers of this world. But what was Ananias’ reaction. He refused. He considered his own judgment better than that of God. “No Lord, that man, I know all about him. He is not a Christian, he has come to arrest us, put us in jail and even kill us. No Lord, I can not go.” All through Scripture we find God calling people to do this and that, but they refuse or offer all sorts of excuses. Are you one of them? You know very well in your heart what God has spoken to you, but you have many excuses. Well let me say it is a good thing that you speak out those excuses to the Lord so that He may reply and remove your fears as He did with Ananias. He said “I know all about Saul’s past, that he persecuted My people, but I also know about his present state, that he is praying, calling out to Me to help him and I also know all about his future, that he is my chosen vessel who will not only testify of Me but also suffer for My sake. So go and minister to him.” Well, hearing these words, I think Ananias made haste to the house of Judas in Straight Street where he found Saul. He explained to him that the Lord Jesus Who had appeared to him on the road, had sent him. He then laid hands on him and prayed for him. God worked through Ananias causing something like scales to fall from Saul’s eyes so that he could see and also filled him with the Holy Spirit after which he was baptized in water to openly give testimony of having accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour.
23. How wonderful and mysterious are the ways of God. We must never say this or that person is so deeply involved in sin that he will never be saved. God is continually working in the hearts of people in an unseen way, just as the wind blows, but we can not see from where it is coming and where it is going. We are to pray and trust God for the salvation of sinners and, as we do so, we will see miracles happen in the most unlikely places. Paul was not only converted to Christ, but immediately began witnessing so strongly right there in Damascus, that the Jews wanted to kill him and the Christians had to help him escape.
24. Oh the power of Jesus. Who can stand against His might? Let the devil try whatever he wants, he will always be defeated and his strongest disciples will become the most devoted followers of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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