Act 8:26-40 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. 27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, 28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. 29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. 30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? 31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. 32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: 33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. 34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. 36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? 37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. 39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.
Candace was not just a name it was a title like Caesar or Pharaoh.
Jewish men and proselytes from all over would return to Jerusalem to worship at the feasts. Maybe it was Passover or Yom Kippur
God called Philip away from a great miracle meeting where multitudes were being saved and healed to meet one on one with a Jewish proselyte from Ethiopia! He was directed by the Spirit to join the chariot. He heard the eunuch reading from Isaiah 53:7 He questioned whether the eunuch understood what he was reading.
The eunuch invited him to explain. From the Scripture portion Philip preached Jesus unto him. He believed and requested baptism. He went his way rejoicing after the Spirit caught away Philip
Philip's exploits indicate that from the beginning he was interested in one thing only: preaching Jesus. Selected as a deacon to minister at tables he quickly rose to prominence as an evangelist who was willing not only to preach to a crowd but also to a single person. He was not hampered by racial and ethnic prejudices but preached Jesus to anyone who would listen. He was willing to leave a thriving revival he initiated because God wanted him to speak to one person, He was able to do this because he saw the work as belonging to God and he was working for God not himself.
So what can we learn from the incident?
1. THE SERVANT OF GOD HEARS HIS VOICE.
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: John 10:27
Heb 3:7-11 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, 8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: 9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. 10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. 11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)
Sometimes we can be so preoccupied listening to the thunder earthquake and fire that we miss the still small voice!
Sometimes we are like the child Samuel. We do not recognize when God is speaking.
2. THE SERVANT OF GOD IS OBEDIENT TO GOD.
Philip went without questioning the wisdom of God's direction! He simply obeyed! God said "Arise and go..." Philip arose and went at God's command!
Act 8:26-27 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. 27 And he arose and went...
Act 26:14-20 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. 16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; 17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, 18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. 19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: 20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
God's work requires obedience to Him, not to some personal whim or what we perceive to be good or make sense. The way God leads us may not be the way we want to take but it is the way we should go regardless of the hardship involved. Sometimes like the child Samuel we need instructions on what to do when when we hear God's voice.We cannot afford to be like Jonah who heard the voice of God clearly but because of his own personal agenda decided to ignore the command and moved in the opposite direction. We all know the sinking feeling that results, concluding by us becoming totally swallowed up in more trouble than we can handle!
3. THE SERVANT OF GOD IS NO RESPECTER OF PERSONS
Philip went to Samaria the place of the Jewish rejects and preached Jesus. He then proceeded to speak to a visiting personage from Africa about Jesus in obedience to the Spirit of God.
Act 10:34-35 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: 35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
Gal 2:6 But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man's person:) ...
1Pe 1:17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
We do not allow the the class, color, culture or creed of a person to determine whether we should speak. We minister because that is what God wants us to do.
4. THE SERVANT OF GOD WILL ALWAYS PREACH JESUS.
It is our life's calling to Lift up His Name, to glorify Him, to live for Him. There is no other Name. no other Way!
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Act 4:10-12 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. 12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Act 8:5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.
Act 8:35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
Act 9:19-20 ... Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus. 20 And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.
1Co 1:21-24 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. 22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: 23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; 24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
Remember:
As a child of God I need to be aware that He will call on me anytime and I should be ready to obey His command regardless of where it takes me or who it brings me into contact with. As long as I am faithful to His call He will be glorified!
God not only sees the multitude; He also sees the individual whether in a crowd or alone in a desert.
God is no respecter of persons but responds to all seekers after truth and will interrupt a revival to bring a message of hope love and salvation to you!
