Tag Archives: Ethiopian

Never underestimate the importance of your witness (Acts 8:26-40), October 18, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Acts 8:26-40

Set – Job 3; Acts 8

Go! – Job 3; Acts 8-9

Acts 8:26-40
26 A heavenly messenger brought this short message from the Lord to Philip during his time preaching in Samaria:
Messenger of the Lord: Leave Samaria. Go south to the Jerusalem-Gaza road.
The message was especially unusual because this road runs through the middle of uninhabited desert. 27 But Philip got up, left the excitement of Samaria, and did as he was told to do. Along this road, Philip saw a chariot in the distance. In the chariot was a dignitary from Ethiopia (the treasurer for Queen Candace), an African man who had been castrated. He had gone north to Jerusalem to worship at the Jewish temple, 28 and he was now heading southwest on his way home. He was seated in the chariot and was reading aloud from a scroll of the prophet Isaiah.
29 Philip received another prompting from the Holy Spirit:
Holy Spirit: Go over to the chariot and climb on board.
30 So he started running until he was even with the chariot. Philip heard the Ethiopian reading aloud and recognized the words from the prophet Isaiah.
Philip: Do you understand the meaning of what you’re reading?
The Ethiopian: 31 How can I understand it unless I have a mentor?
Then he invited Philip to sit in the chariot. 32 Here’s the passage he was reading from the Hebrew Scriptures:
Like a sheep, He was led to be slaughtered.
Like a lamb about to be shorn of its wool,
He was completely silent.
33 He was humiliated, and He received no justice.
Who can describe His peers? Who would treat Him this way?
For they snuffed out His life.
The Ethiopian: 34 Here’s my first question. Is the prophet describing his own situation, or is he describing someone else’s calamity?
35 That began a conversation in which Philip used the passage to explain the good news of Jesus. 36 Eventually the chariot passed a body of water beside the road.
The Ethiopian: Since there is water here, is there anything that might prevent me from being ceremonially washed through baptism and identified as a disciple of Jesus?
Philip: 37 If you believe in your heart that Jesus the Anointed is God’s Son, then nothing can stop you.
The Ethiopian said that he believed.
38 He commanded the charioteer to stop the horses. Then Philip and the Ethiopian official walked together into the water. There Philip baptized him, initiating him as a fellow disciple. 39 When they came out of the water, Philip was immediately caught up by the Holy Spirit and taken from the sight of the Ethiopian, who climbed back into his chariot and continued on his journey, overflowing with joy. 40 Philip found himself at a town called Azotus (formerly the Philistine capital city of Ashdod, on the Mediterranean); and from there he traveled north again, proclaiming the good news in town after town until he came to Caesarea.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Philip may have wondered why I sent him to the desert road to meet an Ethiopian on his way home. You might wonder the same. The mission wasn’t an accident. It wasn’t just to show I could move him around or to test his willingness to go where I wanted him to go. Today you probably don’t understand the importance of that one man in the chariot headed for Ethiopia, but I knew him.

Stop and consider for a moment. He served Candace, the Queen of Ethiopia. But he didn’t come to her voluntarily. He served in her court as a eunuch, castrated to ensure he would not harm her. But over time, this Ethiopian servant won the trust of the queen so well that she sent him to Jerusalem to worship his God at Passover and Pentecost alone. She trusted him to return to her service after the journey even though she had wronged him in so many ways.

So her was a man, trusted to enter and serve in the court of the queen, worshiping Me, who heard all that happened in Jerusalem during those days surrounding My death and resurrection. Now he was on his way back home. Who better to influence the nation of Ethiopia than a trusted member of Candace’s court? And who better to share My message with him than Philip?

So I gave Philip the mission. Go along the road from Jerusalem to Gaza and wait. Go meet up with the chariot you see in the distance. Listen to what the Ethiopian is reading. Now tell him what you know. Simple instructions at each point, but never knowing the next step and Philip may have not known in the end the importance of the man in the chariot. But Philip did what I asked him to do. The Ethiopian believed in Me and was baptized. Ethiopia became one of the strongholds of early Christianity.

Maybe I’ll ask you to tell someone My story. That man or woman may seem unimportant to you or it may feel like an inconvenient time or place. But you don’t know how My plans unfold. That person, like the Ethiopian in Candace’s court, might be the key to unleashing a great revival in the land because of your faithful testimony. Philip faithfully shared My message when I asked. You should do the same.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Lessons from Philip and the Ethiopian (Acts 8:26-40), Feb 1, 2015

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Today’s Podcast


Subscribe in: iTunes|Download

Today’s Scripture

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Acts 8:26-40
Set – Exodus 32; Acts 8
Go! – Exodus 30-32; Acts 8

Acts 8:26-40
26 A heavenly messenger brought this short message from the Lord to Philip during his time preaching in Samaria:

Messenger of the Lord: Leave Samaria. Go south to the Jerusalem-Gaza road.

The message was especially unusual because this road runs through the middle of uninhabited desert. 27 But Philip got up, left the excitement of Samaria, and did as he was told to do. Along this road, Philip saw a chariot in the distance. In the chariot was a dignitary from Ethiopia (the treasurer for Queen Candace), an African man who had been castrated. He had gone north to Jerusalem to worship at the Jewish temple, 28 and he was now heading southwest on his way home. He was seated in the chariot and was reading aloud from a scroll of the prophet Isaiah.

29 Philip received another prompting from the Holy Spirit:

Holy Spirit: Go over to the chariot and climb on board.

30 So he started running until he was even with the chariot. Philip heard the Ethiopian reading aloud and recognized the words from the prophet Isaiah.

Philip: Do you understand the meaning of what you’re reading?

The Ethiopian: 31 How can I understand it unless I have a mentor?

Then he invited Philip to sit in the chariot. 32 Here’s the passage he was reading from the Hebrew Scriptures:

Like a sheep, He was led to be slaughtered.
Like a lamb about to be shorn of its wool,
He was completely silent.
33 He was humiliated, and He received no justice.
Who can describe His peers? Who would treat Him this way?
For they snuffed out His life.
The Ethiopian: 34 Here’s my first question. Is the prophet describing his own situation, or is he describing someone else’s calamity?

35 That began a conversation in which Philip used the passage to explain the good news of Jesus. 36 Eventually the chariot passed a body of water beside the road.

The Ethiopian: Since there is water here, is there anything that might prevent me from being ceremonially washed through baptism and identified as a disciple of Jesus?

Philip: 37 If you believe in your heart that Jesus the Anointed is God’s Son, then nothing can stop you.

The Ethiopian said that he believed.

38 He commanded the charioteer to stop the horses. Then Philip and the Ethiopian official walked together into the water. There Philip baptized him, initiating him as a fellow disciple. 39 When they came out of the water, Philip was immediately caught up by the Holy Spirit and taken from the sight of the Ethiopian, who climbed back into his chariot and continued on his journey, overflowing with joy. 40 Philip found himself at a town called Azotus (formerly the Philistine capital city of Ashdod, on the Mediterranean); and from there he traveled north again, proclaiming the good news in town after town until he came to Caesarea.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Philip’s experience teaches a couple of things I want you to remember. First, you never know when I might ask you to do something important on a moment’s notice. Philip had a strong evangelical ministry in Samaria. His preaching was bringing in new converts daily just as Peter and John were doing in Jerusalem. He didn’t expect Me to send him somewhere else. He enjoyed his ministry there. No one expected him to leave. But I had another task for him.

So I sent My messenger and told Philip to leave Samaria and head south on the Jerusalem-Gaza road.

Philip didn’t hesitate. He knew I must have a reason and he left. He didn’t ask why. He didn’t ask, “Why are you sending me through this barren desert?” He didn’t question My directions. He just got up and left Samaria and headed down the southbound road as I told him to do.

My Holy Spirit prompted Philip to catch up to a chariot he saw in the distance. No explanation, just catch it. So Philip began to run. Again, no question. Just obedience. When he caught up. You know the story. He found the Ethiopian reading from Isaiah in the chariot. The eunuch turned out to be an important man in Queen Candace’s court. The treasurer made sure armies got their money. Kings and queens didn’t last long when their armies didn’t get paid. Military coups happened when soldiers were unhappy. Messing with pay meant changes in power. This eunuch was at least as important to Candace as anyone in her court.

Lesson number one: When I give you a task to do, just do it.

Second, Philip asked the Ethiopian if he knew what he was reading. The man could have killed Philip for questioning his wisdom or even for interrupting his reading. He had power. No doubt, as treasurer, he did not travel alone and had a retinue of soldiers traveling with him on that deserted road.

Instead of punishment, the treasurer offered Philip a place in the chariot to mentor him on what he read from Isaiah. And Philip began to unfold the events that took place surrounding the death and resurrection of My Son, Jesus. The hope that comes through faith in Him. The good news that we can have forgiveness of sins because Jesus paid the price for our freedom.

Lesson number two: As Peter records in the letter I inspired him to write, “Always be ready to give a testimony of the reason for the hope you have within you.”

My Spirit whisked Philip away after the Ethiopian asked for and received baptism that day. Philip spent enough time with him, he was not only ready to believe in Me and receive My Spirit, but Queen Candace’s treasurer wanted to let all those around him know it through the outward sign of water baptism. Philip did all he could do and then went on to another assignment. He didn’t stick around for pats on the back. He didn’t travel with the treasurer to do what I had in mind for the Ethiopian. He stayed only long enough to do what I asked. Then I gave him another task – preach in every town from Azotus to Caesarea.

I sent the Ethiopian home to minister there. Queen Candace’ court received the impact of his conversion. I ministered through him and Ethiopia became one of the fast growing communities of early Christendom.

Lesson number three: Expect new assignments. Celebrate, but know I will give you new tasks quickly. There are too many that need to hear My Good News to stop or get complacent about spreading My Word.

So who on your path do you need to tell about the good news today?

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.