1 SOUL IS WORTH IT
Acts 8:1-8, 12-17 & 25-40
Today’s message is having to do with going after the one soul, the one life for Jesus. As believers, we should pursue the salvation of even one soul as we never know what that person’s life will bring about to the glory of God and to His kingdom.
After Stephen’s death at the end of chapter 7 of Acts, we see the church being scattered and persecuted greatly by Saul. Phillip - one of the deacons of chapter 6, goes to Samaria and preaches the Gospel to many. There are miracles and healings abroad and there is also great joy in the city.
Phillip continues to preach the kingdom of God to the people and many believe. They are baptized in water.
John & Peter are sent for (probably because church is still so new) and maybe for moral support. They lay hands on the believers and they are filled with the Holy Ghost. Of course, Simon the magician sees something about the power of the Holy Ghost and thinks he can buy it. Of course, he is reprimanded and repents and asks for Peter to pray for him.
After this, they go on and continue to preach the Word in many villages of the Samaritans as they continue back to Jerusalem. Phillip is one that is continuing to preach, preach, preach. But it is here that the Lord has Phillip take a diversion. In our lives, we need to listen when the Lord has us to go into a different direction. He thinks that the Lord is sending him down to go preach somewhere else. Phillip could have reasoned, “but Lord, don’t You see how many people are being reached by the Gospel as I go preaching the kingdom of God to them?” No, he doesn’t do that, instead he is OBEDIENT to the Word that is spoken to him by the angel of the Lord.
The Lord tells Phillip to go alongside the Ethiopian eunuch and he does. As the eunuch is reading Isaiah 53:7 and questions Phillip, is he talking about himself or someone else? Phillip doesn’t reply but rather starts with the Scripture passage and preaches to him Jesus Christ. We in our daily lives should be able to preach to our neighbors, family, friends the Word, leading them to Jesus Christ and salvation in Him.
1 soul is worth it - Page 2
Of course as they continue on, they come across a body of water and the eunuch asks, “see, there is water here, what hinders me from being baptized?” He had accepted Jesus Christ as Lord & Savior and wanted to follow the commandment to be baptized. Phillip baptizes him, and yet while coming out of the water, Phillip is carried away by the Spirit (supernatural feat) and is taken to Azotus. He continues to preach there.
Now, my point is this - even though Phillip was preaching the Gospel to many as this chapter describes, when the Lord had him go to one soul - just one - the eunuch - he went and preached the Gospel to that one soul. That is what we are to do. The type here - that eunuch of course went back to Ethiopia - and probably as the first Christian - spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Ethiopians. See, if we do what Phillip did - obey God when He tells us go, even to 1 - we don’t know how many that person will lead to Jesus Christ and salvation in Him.
I don’t know about you, but for me, it shows me that I should always be prepared to give an answer to the hope that lies within me. I Peter 3:15. I never know who will be saved because I lead one soul to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Let us go out and be prepared to share Jesus with anyone (not to a multitude only) but 1 soul at a time.
