I Believe

From the Desk of Pastor Toby Powers

Truth Baptist Church

Bremen, GA

I Believe

Acts 8:26-39

Intro: Phillip leaves great success in the city of Samaria to follow the word and will of the Lord into the desert. It seems to be an unusual move, seeing there was no one to preach to in the desert, but God had a plan. The chief eunuch of Ethiopia, the Queen Candace’s treasurer, had been to Jerusalem to worship at the Temple. There he must have heard all about the Jewish teachings that there would be a Messiah that would come. He had acquired a copy of the prophecy of Isaiah, and he was reading about the coming of the Messiah when Phillip saw his entourage afar off. Under the influence of the Spirit, Phillip knew that he must approach the man, and Phillip ran to him. When he inquired if the eunuch understood what he was reading, the man said that he could not except some man show him. Phillip then went up into the chariot and preached to him Jesus. The eunuch had learned of all the promises of the Messiah, and when Phillip got done preaching, the eunuch was sure that Jesus was the one who had been promised. As they approached a certain body of water, the eunuch asked if he could be baptized. Phillip’s answer was, “If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.” He answered, “I believe...” I wonder today, have you heard? Do you understand that Jesus is just what you have been looking for your whole life? Do you believe? I want to show you what Phillip preached to the eunuch and what he believed, and I must declare that I believe it too! Isaiah 53... I believe:

I. In the Old Rugged Cross:

A. Many Will Not Believe: v. 1... for it is an unlikely story (v. 2). The king of glory, the promised Messiah would be as a tender plant out of dry ground (A feeble baby born of a virgin womb). No beauty that we should desire him (Nothing spectacular about him).

B. Many Will Not Receive: v. 3, Rejected. We hid our faces. We did not regard him as worth our attention (esteem).

C. Yet For The Sins Of All Men He Died: v. 4-6

D. He Offered His Soul For Us Without Argument or Complaint: v. 7 & 9 “No Guile”

E. He Sought No Traditional Earthly Goals: v.8 He was a prisoner in the house of Caiaphas, Herod, and Pilate. He never was married or raised children. He was cut off of in his youth. It was all for our sins.

F. Though It Seemed To Man That He Was Not Worth Much, His Soul Pleased The Lord: v. 10, He was perfect (v. 9, “He had done no violence.”

II. In The Risen Christ: We were promised that he would die and rise again!

A. He Died With Sinners: v. 9, not only the thieves, but he died with us, for he bore our sins in his own body on the tree.

B. He Was Buried With the Rich: v. 9, in the tomb of Joseph and buried by Joseph and Nicodemus, officers of the Sanhedrin Court and secret Disciples of Christ.

C. He Was Raised From The Dead: v. 10, “he shall see his seed, prolong...” He was the “seed” of the resurrection. The Firstfruits of the dead. His days shall be restored, prolonged forever, as will all those who believe on him. The “Pleasure of the Lord” was the sacrifice of the Son (v. 10), and it shall prosper in his hand, that is to say that God will forever honor his sacrifice. He is the Lamb of God, but he will not have to come yearly to be offered!

III. In The Reigning Conqueror: v. 12,

A. He Has A Portion With The Great: He has made great the many believers in him, but he is the leader of them all. The heavenly angelic multitude, the Old Testament Patriarchs, the New Testament Apostles and Believers are all made great in him, but their greatness lies in him and his greatness lies in himself! Of all the great men on earth, he shall have a portion of greatness known as no other!

B. He Shall Divide the Spoil With The Strong: As a conqueror dividing the spoils after victory and giving to his people gifts as he sees fit, even so will Christ take from his enemy Satan souls that have long suffered under his oppression and give to them gifts of grace and glory as he sees fit. He will take the world back from Satan who is today the prince of this world, and Jesus will restore it in the millennium to the state of Eden to Glorify God. He will take back the air from Satan, who is today the prince of the power of the air, but Jesus will return victorious in the clouds. He will divide the spoil with the Strong!