Intro: We see in our passage today that God greatly desires to direct His church by way of the Holy Spirit.
You might ask, how does God direct and guide through His Holy Spirit living in us?
God speaks, guides and directs His people in so many different ways.
Imagine the many different ways God has spoken to people, angels, a burning bush, a donkey, a still small voice, a wet fleece, a thirty-three year old Carpenter, An old rugged cross.
He guides through inner promptings that are either heard and heeded, or heard misunderstood and hurled in the garbage.
Through a voice so loud we either know its God or we are so unused to His voice that it merely blends in with the rest of our noisy chaotic world.
But more important than the many ways God communicates, speaks, guides and directs us is the way we respond to God’s direction.
As we focus in on Philip we see a man that is determined to follow God’s direction.
Truth: It takes a determined will to follow God’s direction no matter the consequences. (Moses, Daniel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Jesus)
Many of those in the Bible went through difficult days, and difficult deaths but were still determined to follow God’s direction.
Determination to follow God will build conviction to share Christ (Matthew 4.19)
Jesus tells us some truths about the Holy Spirit.
John 16.13 “He will guide you into all truth.” God will direct us if we will follow the direction of the Holy Spirit that lives in us.
John 14.16-17 “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that he may abide with you forever – the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him, nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” (God will help us if we obey His direction)
What does it look like to be determined to follow God’s direction?
Look at Acts 8.26-40 and see Philips example.
I. Philip was Open (Available).
A) To the Spirit’s Call
Acts 8.26 “But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip “
1) A divine messenger with a word from God. 8.26 a
a) There are many ways that God can speak to His people.
1) Through a hymn “Wherever He leads I’ll go” (does he lead you?)
2) Through a song Brad Cox Daystar
“Lead me Lord, I will follow anywhere you open up the door”
3) Through a devotional/prayer time
4) Through a sermon (my call to preach June 13, 1999 “Wasted Talents”)
5) Through a Sunday School/Bible Study
6) Through His holy spirit to my heart.
b) There are many reasons that God’s speaks to His people
1) God speaks to us for conformations, correction, instruction, revelation, and encouragement.
2) God is speaking a command to Philip
2) A divine messenger with a command from God. 8.26b
Get up and go South” 8.26
a) Reminiscent of what God told Abraham
Now the Lord said to Abram Go forth from your country, and from your relatives, and from your father’s house to the land I will show you.
Talk about walk on faith! Abraham struck out on a journey and God hadn’t yet told him where.
I’m sure in the back of my mind I would have said, Uh, God, what about food, what about water, I have a family here.
b) Reminds us of Jesus words
Go and make disciples.
1) Jesus’ Great Commission
Matt 28.19 “Go and make disciples of all nations”
Mark 16.15 “Go into all the world and preach”
Acts 5.20 “Go and stand and speak”
Acts 8.26 “Get up an Go south.”
2) Spirits Commission.
The same Greek word is used in all these occurrences of the Lord Jesus or the Holy Spirit telling His church to go!
God is still giving the commands from heaven, go into all the earth and make disciples of all nations!!!!
3) Go – A present tense verb. It is a command for action as you are going. God is thus calling us to obedience to His great commission in all areas and aspects of our lives.
II. Philip was Obedient (Faithful)
A) To the Spirits direction (commission)
“So he got up and went”
What an awesome commentary on Philips spiritual journey.
1) What the Bible doesn’t say
a) Philip didn’t moan and complain; he didn’t need to check his schedule; he didn’t make excuses.
b) Philip heard God speak and he simply obeyed!!!
John Oxenham
Not for one single day
Can I discern my way,
But this I surely know—
He who gives the day
Will show the way,
So I securely go.
2) Where he was sent
a) To an unlikely place (road between Gaza and J 50 + miles)
In verse 26 the word translated south could also read “noon” or “at high noon.”
This instruction to take a journey to a sun baked desert road must have been almost as acceptable as Joshua’s direction to shout for walls to fall.
b) To an unknown place
Philip was not told in this text why he was sent or to whom he was sent.
Acts 8.4-8 Philip had been scattered with man other preachers but revival had began where he was preaching in revival.
As Dr Johnny said “Lord, I have crossed the boundary line already, I have gone to people of distance and people that are different. Why would you call me to the desert?”
Anyone else would say God is using me here, it would be completely insane to leave to head to a desert road.
Don’t Miss This: God had given Philip an invitation to join God in His work.
c) To an untimely place
Philip was sent to a desert Road in the hottest part of the day. That would make most people say but why Oie?
The road probably would have been lightly traveled at that time of day.
Philip was willing to take the road less traveled (the straight and narrow)
God is calling out to people to take the road less traveled.
B) To the Spirits preparation
1) Of the Evangelist
a) Heart (obedience by way of God’s spirit)
b) Head (Word of God)
2) Of the Ethiopian Eunuch
a) His position
He was probably a high official Secretary of Treasury; known there as minister of finance. He was a court official of Candace, this was a title similar to Pharaoh, or Caesar. It was the title given to the queen mother who held the real power.
Even though the Ethiopian was an executive with a high paying salary, 8.29 “chariot”, his heart was empty.
Ethiopia also Cush in the OT, was known in ancient writings to be the ends of the earth. So God was fulfilling in Philip the command to go to the ends of the earth with the Gospel.
8.27 “had come to Jerusalem to worship.” He had traveled a long way possibly over 200 miles to worship he one true God.
If Eunuch were not used as a title for the Ethiopian then he would be denied full access to the worship in the temple. He could not have completely converted, or become a proselyte to the Jewish faith. He would have been limited to being a “God-fearer” not being completely accepted into the Jewish faith.
b) His preparation
He had been to a worship service, He had studied the Bible and He was genuinely seeking God.
John 5.39 “You search the scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of me.”
He had a scroll of Isaiah 8.28
Isaiah 55.6-7
Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, an He will have mercy on him; and to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.”
Isaiah 56.3-5 ‘Do not let the son of the foreigner Who has joined himself to the Lord Speak, saying, The Lord has utterly separated me from His people; Nor let the eunuch say, Here I am, a dry tree; For thus Says the Lord: To the Eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, and choose what pleases Me, and hold fast to My covenant, Even to them I will give in My house and within My walls a place and a name Better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.”
c) His problem
1) A good man with religion
2) He needed a savior
3) He needed a guide for Isaiah 53.5-6 (read Acts 8.32-33)
God sent Him the best!
God will use us if we will be open to His call and obedient to His commission.
III. Philip was an operative of God (used)
A) The sinners Salvation (three realities in the Eunuchs salvation)
1) Possession
“What hinders me from being baptized?”
The Eunuch was able to say He is mine.
a) Simon was a professor but not a possessor
b) The Ethiopian Eunuch was a professor and a possessor
1) He believed
2) He received
He took hold of Jesus for the salvation of his soul!
Here this, dear soul, today if you have taken hold of anything else for the salvation of your soul let go and grab on to the only “way” to life the Lord Jesus Christ!
2) Confession
8.37 “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
a) Word
b) Water
3) Elation (rejoicing)
a) Mark of a true believer
Do you have Joy? It is one of God’s marks on you placed there in order to show God is real and you belong to Him!
Acts 13.52 Apostles constantly filled with Joy
Romans 12.12 Rejoicing in hope (of Jesus’ return)
Romans 14.17 Joy is the inward reality of the reign and soon return of Jesus in your life.
b) Mighty witness
B) The Servants relocation
1) Confirmation that Philip was sent by God and spoke for God!!
2) Continuation of the spirits mission in his life
8.40 “he kept preaching the gospel to all the cities until he came to Caesarea.”
Conclusion: Will you today determine to follow God’s guidance through His Holy Spirit? Turning away from your own desires and direction. To be gently guided by the word of God and the light of Christ.
Has he guided you with the inner voice to give your life to Christ?
Has he guided you with the booming thunderous voice to be obedient to His call to ministry, as a pastor, evangelist, missionary, Sunday school teacher, nursery volunteer, or simply a committed Christian?
Has he guided you to a closer relationship with Him?
Has he called you to go to an unlikely place, an unknown place, at an uncomfortable, or unlikely time?
If you will respond to His call you will find out the amazing things that God will do with someone open, and obedient to His call.
He will use you as an operative in His service.
So today will you determine as Philip and many that went before him to get up and go? To simply say as Philip wherever He leads I’ll go.
