2-15-15 Acts 8: Philip and the eunuch

26Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian^a eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”

30Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.

31“How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

32This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:

“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,

and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,

so he did not open his mouth.

33In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.

Who can speak of his descendants?

For his life was taken from the earth.”^b

34The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.

36As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?”  (Acts 8:26-36)

Thoughts: Philip, the deacon, preached the gospel to this man.  He was reading the scripture, but Philip explained it to him.  The Word of God read is made real when it is explained in the power of the Holy Spirit.  The Spirit led Philip to the eunuch.  It is said that the eunuch brought the gospel along with Mark and perhaps Simon the Cyrene to Ethiopia.  Philip was ready to explain the good news wherever he went. He knew the content and was ready to be used of the Spirit.  The Spirit not only inspires the Word but makes it real to us- leading others to speak it to us in blood or in time, and opening our eyes to the Word.  So we should always be ready and prayerfully able to be used of the Spirit of God to help someone else. 

Prayer: Lord, take your Holy Word and make it clear to me by the power of your Holy Spirit.