“When God Speaks”
Acts 8:26-40
We have just finished looking at the “filling of the Holy Ghost” at a time that the Bible was not complete and God moved with power to grow the new churches that were being established around the world.
Philip (the evangelist) One who travels to preach the Word Of God
When God Speaks there is:
I. A Time To Listen
Acts 8:26 “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.”
Who is this “angel of the Lord?”
There is no indication or identification, just an angel.
Angel - messenger
Angel of the Lord - Messenger sent by God to deliver a message.
This was not a message to be delivered to just anybody, but to Philip.
It was a message the Lord said to deliver.
Notice also the directions or lack of clarity in the directions.
“Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.”
(Look at a map of the time and follow his steps)
Can’t say for anyone else but I see a pattern that started with Adam, Noah, Abram, and follows through all the prophets.
“You go and I will direct!”
Isn’t that what faith is in the life of a believer?
Most times we are directed but do not see the whole picture.
When God Speaks there is:
II. A Time To Travel
Acts 8:27-29 “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 (Isaiah) the prophet. 29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.”
This was not a time of coincidence, but a “divine appointment” that Philip and this Ethiopian would meet.
We should not be fearful when the Lord is setting up divine appointments in our lives; it may be that a person needs to hear the Gospel message and God has called each of us to be His messenger.
When God Speaks there is:
III. A Time To Ask
Acts 8:30-34 “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?”
A fair question deserves a fair answer, don’t you think?
Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”
1 Peter 3:15 “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:”
When God Speaks there is:
IV. A Time To Preach
Acts 8:35 “Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.”
Jesus was not just in the New Testament; He is the prophesy of the Old Testament and we can find Christ throughout this Bible.
When God Speaks there is:
V. A Time To Obey
Acts 8:36-38 “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.”
Salvation is not a prayer; salvation is in a relationship, and the man just started a new relationship with our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
When one is saved there will be a desire to follow the Lord in all he commands.
An odd question; Who told the Ethiopian that he needed to be baptized?
Another Question; Who gave Philip the authority to baptize?
That would be his sending church of Jerusalem.
He was not acting outside of the New Testament Church but with the authority of the church.
When God Speaks there is:
VI. A Time To Leave
Acts 8:39 “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.”
Sad that many follow a man instead of God and would find every reason to quit church, prayer, witnessing, or obeying God because the man of God left them.
“The eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.”
I believe that there are times when man clings to man when we ought to be clinging to God.
When God Speaks there is:
VII. A Time To Preach Again
Acts 8:40 “But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.”
(Back to our map and see that Philip was in the dessert and now is found in Azotus or Ashdod)
Ashdod or Azotus
Philip could have taken this time to tell others all that God called him to do and begin to train others, but the truth is very simple.
He preached in all the cities –
Conclusion:
All I see in the life of Philip is a desire to please the Lord.
Serving the Lord is not always easy; in fact life can be downright hard and dangerous; but there can be no greater joy then to see one person come to know Christ in this personal way.
May God call us to be a witness because we have been found faithful!
