Wednesday: With the Ethiopian
According to Acts 8:26-39, Philip’s next contact was with the Ethiopian treasury administrator, bringing mission another step towardthe end of the earth
(Acts 1:8, NKJV). Philip was the link between Samaria and the Gaza mission. From Samaria, north of Jerusalem, Philip was called to Gaza, which is south of the city. His work in the north focused on a group; here it focused on a single person.
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In Samaria, Philip could proclaim Christ only from the five books of Moses, for this was all the Samaritans accepted; here he could also use the book of Isaiah, probably in Greek translation.
Read Acts 8:26-39. As you do, answer the following questions:
What were the texts in Isaiah (from Isaiah 53) that the Ethiopian was reading, and why would they have given Philip the perfect opportunity to evangelize him?
In contrast to Philip’s work in Samaria, where he did miracles (Acts 8:6), all he did with the Ethiopian was study the Bible. What point can we take away from this for ourselves as we minister to others?
The Spirit of the Lord called Philip away as soon as he had finished explaining the good news about Jesus
and had baptized the Ethiopian. Philip had no opportunity to transmit his beliefs and teachings to his new convert. The Ethiopian was left to embrace the Christian faith in the context of his African culture, guided by the Old Testament and the Spirit of God, which had already been working in him, for he already was a worshiper of the Lord and a believer in His Word.
Philip explained to the Ethiopian crucial Old Testament texts about the death of Jesus. Why must Jesus, His death and resurrection, be central to the message we give to the world? What is our message without Him?
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I wish to attempt Wednesday's lesson question; Why must Jesus, His death and resurrection, be central to the message we give to the world?
1). For Salvation to be actual it needs blood for the forgiveness of sin and resurrection the proof that the penalty of death has been paid and death defeated by way of the repentant sinner being saved from both the first and second death but ultimately one's judgment is secured for in it the saints are vindicated and justified whereas the Devil and unrepentant sinners are condemned.
What is our message without Him?
2). It would be like reading or hearing a good story from a novel or textbook for knowledge and information to gratify the intellect. It is another myth or legend or folklore that would put us to sleep each night to feel good only that does not take away our sin, worries and we as good as atheist's end, without meaning and hope.
The Ethiopian brother went to Jerusalem to worship (Acts 8:27), and was following the light he had and desiring to grow in truth, reading and studying scripture (Acts 8:28). The Holy Spirit and angels were already working to ripen the harvest and get the reaper in position (Acts 8:26, 29).
If our eyes could be opened we might be amazed at how active angels are in the work of salvation. Still God has committed the work of preaching to human agencies (1 Corinthians 1:21).
Interestingly Philip was not moved by the Holy Spirit to strike up a conversation about politics with the state official. Nor did he talk sports or common matters to become friends. The Spirit organized a Bible study for the first and only meeting between the brothers (Acts 8:31, 35).
More than that the Ethiopian needed only one Bible study session to be ready for baptism. Clearly he knew enough already, but did not need to know everything. There would be occasion to learn more later.
The most important thing was that he decided he was ready to follow Jesus (Acts 8:35-37). This is when people are ready for baptism, not when others think they are or they pass a doctrines test. As long as one truly intends to follow Jesus they will grow in truth as they learn it.
It may look bad on the record if people get baptized and later leave, but statistics are not the concern of the church, souls are. The Holy Spirit works beyond human perception and the individual gets to make the call even if it seems risky.
Many who hang around for some time in the church of Laodicea will eventually be shaken out or lost anyway. The church ought to teach as much as it can as fast as it can, but hesitate to deny or hinder any who wishes to take the next step of baptism, where there is water (Acts 8:36).
I discovered that the reason why some students struggle with Maths in senior high school is because they didn't fully understand the basic principles in earlier grades.
Similarly for us to fully understand the LORD's plan in the Second Covenant we need to know the basics in the First Covenant and more importantly the progressive revelation of the over arching Everlasting Covenant.
I agree , the message for me is to continue to tell others about the love of Jesus and His soon coming.I (we) all need to spread the gospel to one and all as someone is reading and not understanding, (and as Phillip did was to explaine and let the Holy Spirit do the rest), so we need to get the messsage out there for others to come to know christ the saviour.
For there is no salvation in any man except Christ Jesus , and what message have we got to share except the hope that Christ died and Resurrected to bring victor to mankind .
"The Spirit of the Lord called Philip away as soon as he had finished explaining the good news about Jesus and had baptized the Ethiopian". When last Holy Spirit spoke yo you?
I love that theme of today's lesson was Phillip's response to the Holy Spirit! Phillip didn't question, he just went as directed. When he approached the Eunich, showed no fear in approaching a man of this position but merely as a SOUL to feed. I often bring up this scripture tho when I hear that our leaders require that candidate who desires to be baptized must first complete 27 lessons on our church beliefs, quit smoking, drinking and drugging BEFORE they are allowed to be baptized. I guess the Holy Spirit was wrong to baptize me first before I quit smoking???? Absolutely not! We take the Holy Spirit's job by cleaning up the candidate first prior to baptism (in our ways and to our standards) rather than taking that "Believing soul" to the waters and allowing the Holy Spirit to "continue" the cleansing work after baptism. We MUST disciple any new convert to show them how Jesus can help them navigate through the trials of life and be an example of what a walk with Jesus looks like, however; we must be careful to not overstep our bounds in taking over the Holy Spirit's job of transforming that new convert in His way and in His time. We had a new convert in our church that really wanted to be baptized but since he was a smoker, they wouldn't permit it. This troubled me because it can dishearten the soul who may consider this as a "disapproval from God" since the leaders of the church wouldn't allow his baptism. I truly believe that the Holy Spirit is perfectly capable of dealing with issue at a later time in his growth process! It is more important what comes out of the mouth than what goes into his mouth and if his words affirm his love and trust in Jesus, then that is what is vital to salvation. I don't want to see our rules overshadow one's joy in meeting the Lord for salvation!
Catherine,
Your frustration is clear concerning baptism. In the Seventh-day Adventist church, when we baptize, the person is also joining the SDA church. That is why we require people to understand the doctrines and lifestyle practices that are important to the church. I wish we had baptism into Christ separate, but we combine the idea of people being baptized into Christ with joining the church. There are people who don't change habits after baptism because they haven't died to self but for some reason wanted to join the church. After spending months/years doing Bible studies with people, I see these people want to be baptized and then they don't want to change some things about their lives, and don't want to come to Sabbath school/church, even when it is interesting and everyone is included in conversations and activities.
I think it is important to support the SDA church if you have joined as a member. There are many other churches who will baptize into Christ without having the same requirements that the SDA church requires. There is no other church I would want to be a member.
Indeed we are called to be missionaries who preach christ and christ only, in our work places, neighbours the people we associate with we need to preach love of christ to the
"The Spirit of the Lord called Philip away as soon as he had finished explaining the "good news about Jesus" and had baptized the Ethiopian. Philip had no opportunity to transmit his beliefs and teachings to his new convert. The Ethiopian was left to embrace the Christian faith in the context of his African culture, guided by the Old Testament and the Spirit of God, which had already been working in him, for he already was a worshiper of the Lord and a believer in His Word."
This quotation shows that God is not restricted to certain confines of culture when reaching for His people. The fact that the Spirit took away Philip before he could discuss his culture and transmit it to the Ethiopian eunuch just indicates that fact. As long as our traditions and culture don't conflict with God's Word and we keep His commands, He has no problem with us.
Hi Nicholas, you are right "as long as our traditions and culture don't conflict with the Word", and that is the difficult part, to distinguish which of our traditions do conflict, because so many of them are tied up with worshipping false gods or ancestors. In my part of the world many worship their ancestors, so we need to distinguish between remembering them and honouring their legacy and worshipping them.
What are traditions and culture really - it is who we worship, how we worship, what we eat, how we dress and how we celebrate and how we mourn. And we find principles in the Word that guide us in all these areas because the LORD is interested in our whole life and He knows what is best for us.
It is interesting to me how 7 Deacons are picked by the 12 Apostles because of a nelgigence of their Leadership to make sure that no one was being neglected in the daily ministration of food etc. Then one of those seven Deacons is martyred, then persecution starts and Philip, another Deacon, gets called away from his Deacon duties to become an Evangelist. It makes me think that God never intended for Spiritual Leaders to ever be relieved of "Serving Tables." The 12 Apostles should have just organized themselves better in taking turns in "Serving Tables."
Pete, might I suggest that it was not actually the apostles that chose the 7 deacons.
The apostles called the church together and said to them, "wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business." (Acts 6:3)
It was the church that chose the deacons, and it appears that the church chose people that had Greek connections (because all 7 men have Greek names). The apostles formally 'appointed' or ordained those that had been chosen.
The apostles themselves could not afford to take their primary focus off of teaching the word of God, and they delegated the bulk of the practical work to other people. And their decision seems to have had good results, because soon after its implementation the record goes on to say that
"...the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith." (Acts 6:7)
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Regards, Stewart Crafts
Thanks for your response to this but it also seems to me that Jesus did not only choose 12 Apostles that were Jews but he also chose 70 others who were probably and mostly Gentiles (if not all Gentiles,) and Apostles of Jesus and it was probably from these 70 that the Seven Deacons were chosen. And so even if the 12 did not do the choosing it is still a big possibility that it was still not God's will that Apostles relieve themselves from a duty that they should have not been neglecting to begin with.
Pete, can you expand on your thought that it was God's will that Apostles should have been concerned with serving tables and not only spreading the Gospel?
Very simple----The Apostles said that it was not good for them to leave the word of God and serve tables and that they would give themselves over to "prayer and the word." Now does not "the word," say to "feed he hungry?" Feeding the hungry is a responsibility to "All Believers," be they Apostles, or not.
It was not arrogance that called the men to evangelize while others served at tables. Specialization of our talents is a spiritual gift, not to be shunned, but promoted. We all need to start somewhere, and serving is a valuable reminder that heaven and the Christian life is not about ourselves but about our Master. The disciples had served, now others needed to be involved in the work. We should be working to replace ourselves with more believers all the time!
This encounter with the Ethiopian was divine intention his heart was ready to receive the full gospel. Phillip listening to the Holy Spirit moved and explained what he was reading. How important it is for us to listen for the Holy Spirit and not to over kill but to lift up Jesus and the fact that he lives and is at the right hand of God making intercession for the sinner. We know Christ is the focus of the Word of God. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word became flesh and dwell among us. John 1:1 what an important scripture for us to remember that we has an awesome responsibility to share with family and friend the hope of Glory. Yes we must warn them of the Judgment. Phillip share about Christ and was take by the Holy Spirit and spread the gospel to Gaza and other region. Let us be diligent in our mission.
God didn't want the desciples to serve tables . He had better things in store for them Spreading the gosple is a more important roll than serving tables . Because the people are hungry to hear the word.
I agree with you Beverly. Although the problem seems to have arisen as the number of converts increased. Initially the apostles were involved in the practical benevolent work, but as the demands of that work threatened to take too much of their time and attention, it became clear that another method had to be found.
Christians are called to be practical, generous, people,[absolutely!] but the practical "arm" of Christianity must not be allowed to detract from the main function of the church -- and that is, teaching the Word of God.
Serving tables IS important, but I very much agree with you when you say that spreading the gospel is a MORE important role than serving tables.
I am not sure that we really need to separate the roles. There is often ample opportunity to preach the Gospel while serving the tables; and an evangelist who forgets about the serving role is leaving the back door of the church open. It is worth noting that even some of those who were given serving roles, went on to become evangelists.
There is a lesson for us - not to separate roles - but to ensure that all roles are filled among the community of believers. We can do this when we understand the importance of supporting one another.
Maurice,
I liked the way you phrased your ideas and especially your conclusion, "ensure that all roles are filled among the community of believers. We can do this when we understand the importance of supporting one another."
It takes time to study the Sabbath school lesson in order to facilitate conversation about it on Saturday morning at church. It also takes time to prepare sermons for church. These roles should be respected and supported but seldom are by some people today, because often we have put all believers on the same level, even though many believers can't teach and facilitate discussion. Yet the people who can't teach have been given other gifts and/or talents and often don't care to use them.
Many times the simple, yet important jobs, like opening the church and putting out tables for a fellowship meal, and visiting people for their needs are despised and ignored.
All jobs are important and take time and someday we will work as a team and truly support one another with love and respect. I long for the time when that will happen.
In the context of this lesson then we could direct our focus to our sharing and learning time [Sabbath School so called] in order to refine our witnessing skills. Some 'evangelist' teachers want to tell the 'class' what to think regarding Jesus, 'seeking to give the right answer', as it were. Some 'deacon' facilitators look to serve the group by asking good discussion questions about Jesus and finding some consensus in so doing. Both have a place as Maurice suggests, but I know where I would rather sit.
Something that strikes me is that after Philip's talk with the Ethiopian, the Spirit "caught away Philip", and the next thing we hear of him is that Philip "was found at Azotus" (Acts 8:39-40).
Azotus? It turns out that Azotus is the old "Ashdod" of Philistia. So after being sent into Samaria, we soon find Philip in another formerly despised area -- the old country of the Philistines! To me this was quite a striking realization. Philip really was breaking the old Jewish exclusivity 'with a vengeance'.