The Ethiopian

We've been going through the book of Acts.

We've been talking about, hey, it's really fun to gather,

but wouldn't it even be better to scatter?

We are all recipients, we are all blessed by people who scattered

! To share the gospel out of their own comfort zone.

And we all acknowledge that we don't leave our own comfort zones

because we like it, because it's what?

It's comfortable.

And so the only way that we start to really get pushed out

of our comfort zones is if we are pushed, pushed out.

It's okay.

I promise you it's more painful out here for these people.

Let me gather my thoughts.

So last week the church was being persecuted.

People were being dragged out of their homes into prisons.

And then Philip goes into enemy territory, into Samaria,

and he preaches the gospel and he brings joy.

And that was just a great example of just that heart to be willing to scatter.

I don't care.

You can take me out of my home.

You can take me out of my comfort zone, but I'm going to go somewhere else.

And I'm going to keep sharing the gospel.

And I'm going to keep bringing the good news of the kingdom of God

and Jesus Christ to wherever I go.

And it was just this incredible story.

And then it made me think, well, what about us here?

Maybe you're sat here going, okay, I like to go to church.

Okay, I want to scatter.

What does that look like for me?

Because actually I hear stories about people, actually we're going to find out today,

and it's one of my favorite stories, about someone who gets guided,

literally spoken to by God and say, hey, go here and then speak this.

And wouldn't we all love that?

Love that kind of just specific instruction as to where to go,

where to scatter, and where to share the good news.

And we wish we had that.

And we see today that Philip has this.

But let me tell you, actually, we can have this too.

But there are some requirements to having the instructions from God like Philip did,

and, well, some prerequisites.

First of all, you have to be like Philip and choose to follow in Jesus

when the whole of society was trying to persecute you.

So if you can do that, then you're on to step one.

After that is when you are willing to leave your own home and go,

then that is a good start.

And then after that, you're willing to go into places that are incredibly uncomfortable,

like Samaria.

If you're willing to do that and still share the gospel

and still be relentless at sharing the gospel, then that's good.

And then when you get there, you will allow the power of God to work through you

to bring healing and to bring joy into the city.

If you're willing to do all of those things

and be confronted by people who are against you,

who are threatening to throw you into prison,

if you are willing to do all those things,

then maybe you, me, like Philip,

will also get the instruction that comes from God in such a way.

I just wish it's this story that we're about to read is fascinating.

God speaks to him and tells him to go somewhere to do something very specific.

And then once he does it, God zaps him,

zaps him and he just goes into a different place.

I just think, oh God, can you just make it easy for me when I scatter?

I've heard these stories where you tell someone,

hey, go to this place, stand on this street corner,

and there will be someone in a red t-shirt.

Tell them about this.

I wish I had that. Do you?

And yet, very often, I'm unwilling to do what Philip did,

to stand up against the current beliefs in society,

willing to go out of my comfort zone,

willing to start moving even through persecution.

And I find that actually God likes to guide cars that are moving.

He doesn't seem to really want to guide cars that are stationary,

that aren't willing to move.

And so my prayer is that as we read this next story,

again, one of my favorites, it's,

actually, God, how does this apply to me?

How do I live?

How do I get in on this kind of action?

This is exciting. This is fun.

And we're going to read it.

And I'm going to actually invite Caleb to come and read it for us.

So as always, can I invite you to stand for the word of the Lord?

Amen.

Today's passage is from Acts chapter 8, verses 26 to 40.

Acts 8:26–40

Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip,

Rise and go toward the south, to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.

This is a desert place.

And he rose and went.

And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch,

a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians,

who was in charge of all her treasure.

He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning,

seated in his chariot and was reading the prophet Isaiah.

And the spirit said to Philip,

Go over and join this chariot.

So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked,

Do you understand what you are reading?

And he said,

How can I, unless someone guides me?

And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

Now the passage of the scripture that he was reading was this.

Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter,

and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,

so he opens not his mouth.

And his humiliation, justice was denied him.

Who can describe his generation?

For his life is taken away from the earth.

And the eunuch said to Philip,

About whom, I ask you,

does the prophet say this?

About himself or about someone else?

Then Philip opened his mouth and began,

beginning with the scripture,

he told him the good news about Jesus.

And as they were going along the road,

they came to some water,

and the eunuch said,

See, here is water.

What prevents me from being baptized?

And he commanded the chariot to stop,

and they both went down into the water,

Philip and the eunuch,

and he baptized him.

And when they came up out of the water,

the spirit of the Lord carried Philip away,

and the eunuch saw him no more.

And he went on his way rejoicing.

But Philip found himself in Azotus,

and as he passed through

and preached the gospel to all the towns

until he came to Caesarea.

This is the word of the Lord.

Praise be to God.

Please take a seat.

Thank you, Caleb.

That's a really nice voice.

That's like a radio voice.

It reminded me when I was jet-lagged

and I needed to go to sleep,

so I'd turn on my Bible app

and listen to just the Bible,

and it was a voice like that.

Okay.

We found your spiritual gift.

Okay.

So if you sum up this whole book,

if it's like,

hey, I'm too lazy to read the whole thing

or I'm too forgetful to remember the whole thing,

what is it?

You boil it all down.

It's the first commandment.

It's the greatest commandment.

Love the Lord your God

with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength,

and love your neighbor as yourself.

Love.

And then the Great Commission.

So the Great Commandment

and then the Great Commission.

If I was to boil everything down,

and the Great Commission is,

go, therefore,

and make disciples of all nations.

The word nations actually can be translated

also ethnicities.

It's go to the whole world

and share the gospel.

I asked someone yesterday,

hey, what does it mean to be a disciple for you?

And he said,

well, actually,

next month I'm going to Cambodia.

I'm actually going to share the gospel there.

It's going to wherever there are people.

And where there are people,

there is a need for the good news.

And that's what it is.

But that often sounds quite big, right?

We're called to go save the world.

This story,

today's story,

tells us actually,

when we talk about going to share the gospel,

it's not really running the best program

to go and save the world necessarily.

It really boils down to just

people-on-people conversation.

It boils down to personal evangelism.

Are we willing to have these conversations

with the people that God has placed around us

to share the good news of Jesus?

That's all it is.

And what I'm here to show you today

is that this passage is fascinating

because of the two people that are involved.

First, Philip,

and second, the Ethiopian.

And I want to break this down for you.

And I found this just a fascinating,

fascinating story.

Verse 26 says this.

So, just remember,

Philip's been pushed out of his own home

and out of his city,

goes to Samaria and keeps sharing the gospel.

That's where he is.

And then he goes to convert

just a whole bunch of people.

Simon the mystician is involved.

And then he carries on.

And he's growing a ministry

among Samaritans.

In Samaria.

And this is exciting.

He's like, God, these people.

These people that the Jews usually don't like.

But now, they're accepting God.

And they're accepting Christ.

How incredible is that?

He's growing a ministry.

He might even have a gathering.

They might also need to move into a new property

because they're starting to get full.

And then the angel of the Lord,

at that moment, tells him,

now an angel of the Lord said to Philip,

rise and go toward the south

to the road that goes down

from Jerusalem to Gaza.

In that moment,

when things are going well,

when his ministry is growing,

God tells him,

now I want you to leave.

This does not make sense.

This does not make sense.

And he has to walk a long time

to get to this next place.

And just in case that we didn't really understand

what this place was,

Luke here tells us,

verse 26,

this is a desert place.

So he's got a ministry that is growing in Samaria.

And yet God says,

hey, pause,

one sec,

I need you to go

and I need you to go to a desert place.

It doesn't make sense at all.

But what does he do?

Straight away,

and he rose and went.

There was just this obedience that he has.

He had to walk 40 miles.

Can you imagine what he was thinking

during these 40 miles?

But God,

do you remember the Simon,

the magician?

Do you look at all these people

that need the gospel?

Why don't you want me to stay there?

And yet his heart for scattering just remains.

He only has really one goal,

and that is to follow and pursue God's call,

to be obedient.

And so he goes to the desert place.

And then from there,

I just wonder,

can you see,

I hope it's not lost on you.

When we talk about scattering,

we're really talking about

just us obeying whatever God wants us to do.

The book of Acts,

if you look at the title in your Bible,

the book of Acts is called

the Acts of the Apostles.

If I was to change it,

it would be the Acts of the Holy Spirit

through the apostles.

Because really,

it's all the Holy Spirit.

So if you're here wondering,

oh, I don't know.

I don't know about scattering.

I don't know how it's going to work.

I don't know what to say.

Then actually,

my encouragement to you is actually

just let God lead you.

You just have to obey.

And at some point,

you'll have to open your mouth,

which is what Philip does,

but you just have to obey

and let him guide you.

For those of us who are the surfers

in our community here,

I've loved that analogy.

That when you are going to scatter,

it is like surfing.

You cannot create the waves by yourself.

All you can do is catch that taxi

to Big Wave Bay with your board

and then just go into the water.

And then you're still waiting

for nature to do its thing.

And only then are you able to surf.

Sharing the gospel,

scattering is really the same.

Just are we obedient?

Are we willing?

Is it really,

is really all it takes?

Even when it doesn't make sense.

Even when we are taken

to desert places,

that walk for 40 miles

that Philip would have had to take,

it would be like,

I don't understand.

I don't,

where am I going?

Just do a random place

between Jerusalem and Gaza

just to stand there.

What do you want me to do, God?

But God says,

please go.

And then he meets someone.

He meets someone

that's very, very interesting.

And I want to tell you

a bit about this person.

And verse 27,

and there was an Ethiopian,

a eunuch,

a court official of Candace,

queen of the Ethiopians,

who was in charge

of all her treasure.

This is what,

unpacking this character

is one of my favorite

things to do.

Because you look and go,

well, I don't know

if I can relate

with an Ethiopian eunuch.

And yet,

if you just listen

just for the next 10, 15 minutes,

this captivated my heart

as I was looking

at this person

and why he was there

at that moment

and why God told Philip

to go to him

is just fascinating.

It blew my mind

and I hope it blows yours.

But if you've heard me

say this then,

actually,

every time I share this,

I get excited

because I just love

what this story represents.

And so he sees this.

And remember,

it's the Holy Spirit

that's doing all of it.

And he meets,

and there was an Ethiopian,

a eunuch,

a court official

of Candace,

Queen of the Ethiopians.

Ethiopia, okay?

That time it was called,

it actually is modern-day Sudan.

It was a very wealthy place

with iron mining.

And so this person

was actually

a very important person.

And later you see

a court official

of Candace,

Queen of the Ethiopians,

who was in charge

of all her treasure.

So they were in,

this country was in charge

of iron smelting

and gold mining,

and this person

was in charge

of all the treasure.

This was the CFO

of Ethiopia.

He was that important.

The other thing is,

he was a eunuch,

which means his body

was altered, okay?

Just a bit of context there.

If you were to reach

such a level

in government,

you had to,

most of the time,

be family.

If you were not family,

and you were just a commoner

rising through the ranks,

working your way up

to be the CFO

of this government,

you would have had

to basically get castrated.

Why?

Because the families

wouldn't trust you.

Because they couldn't

trust this person

that you wouldn't

take over the country.

So in order for you

to get to that place,

in order for this person

to get to that place,

he would have had

to sacrifice a lot.

And just before you think,

well, okay,

I don't know if I know

any people who are

in that same position.

Well, do you know people

in Hong Kong who have,

because of their careers,

sacrificed family?

Because of their ambitions

to get to the top,

to become the CFO,

that actually they have

left their family

and left the things

that are important behind?

That's this person.

He's given everything

that he can

to climb up to the top

and now he is at the top.

Isn't that just interesting?

And of course,

he was Ethiopian,

but he was also

going to Jerusalem,

which means he was

a Gentile convert

to Judaism.

Okay?

So he was someone

who wasn't a Jew,

but had committed

to becoming a Jew

and now wanted to go

to Jerusalem to worship.

Ethiopian,

making this journey

about a thousand miles.

So one way,

this would have taken

about two,

three months.

CFO of Ethiopia,

in charge of all

the queen's finances,

having given up everything,

including his own family

and his own future,

travels for two,

three months

to go to Jerusalem

to worship.

What would he have

had to say

to his government,

to his colleagues,

to his queen

that he's doing?

Why did he want

to travel all the...

He would have had

to take in a sabbatical.

It would have had

to be no pay leave.

It would have to be

extended leave.

Why?

I think it's because

this guy is spiritually

dissatisfied.

He has everything

that he could ever want.

He's given up everything

to get to where he is,

to be the CFO,

to have all the power

and to have all the wealth.

And yet there was

still something missing.

What triggers someone

to have everything

and yet still leave

their jobs

for nearly up to six months

to go on this pilgrimage

because they are searching?

For something.

Have you met people

in Hong Kong

who have given up family

to pursue career,

to get everything

that they thought

they wanted,

only to get to the top

and realize

it wasn't what

they thought it was?

Have you met

those kinds of people?

I have.

Isn't it fascinating

as even just as we

understand this story

about why he's going

to Jerusalem?

Interesting.

Something else

that's interesting.

He's reading.

Not many people

in those days could read.

What's he reading?

He's reading a scroll.

Do you have a scroll?

I don't have a scroll.

This guy's an important person.

He also cared enough.

Not only could he read

but he wanted to read this.

This person

who has everything,

who's given up a lot

to get there

is now dissatisfied

and takes

an extended break

from work.

Can you imagine

how he would explain this

to his colleagues

in Ethiopia?

And of course,

not part of the family,

he could risk

his own job.

He could come back

six months later

and actually we've replaced you.

We realized that actually

we didn't need you

as CFO.

He risked everything.

Gave up everything

to go on this journey.

The story continues to go.

And so Philip walks,

was basically probably

waiting on this desert road,

waiting for the next instruction.

And then,

here he goes,

verse 29 says this.

And the spirit said to Philip,

go over and join this chariot.

Again,

God,

I wish you would speak

to me like this.

Stand on the road,

wait,

and then as you see

this chariot,

hey,

go over there.

And so he goes

and he walks over.

He probably had to

break into a light jog

to keep up with the chariot.

And so I can just imagine

this just funny moment

where he's like

just jogging along the chariot

and then peeks into the window.

Hey,

hey,

can I help you?

Do you,

and actually,

so he sees,

maybe in his first jump,

he sees he's reading.

Second jump,

he sees,

oh,

it's the prophet Isaiah.

Oh,

interesting.

I remember that one.

And then,

hey,

do you understand

what you're reading?

And then this line,

I think is so packed,

given the context

to what I'm about

to share with you.

He says this,

do you understand

what you're reading?

And he said,

how can I,

unless someone guides me?

Well,

that's a little bit

passive aggressive,

Mr. Ethiopian eunuch.

Why?

I mean,

he's just a friendly guide

waiting for you

in the desert.

Why are you suddenly

all aggressive about this?

Well,

he's on his way back

from Jerusalem.

See,

the thing about

this Ethiopian eunuch

that maybe I didn't

understand before

was he had everything.

He gave up a lot.

He was spiritually

dissatisfied,

which took him

on this journey

where he said,

I've got everything now

and it still doesn't

satisfy me.

He gets to Jerusalem,

but I think he only,

he gets there

and he realizes something

that actually he's not

allowed in the temple.

Deuteronomy 23

says this

and explicitly says

no emasculated male

could be included

within the Jewish community.

There is an incredibly,

incredibly high chance

that this man travels

1,100 miles

from Ethiopia

to Jerusalem,

gets there,

takes the no pay leave,

spends three months

traveling there,

gets there,

gets to the door,

gets to the temple

and then it gets

turned around.

So now I'm like,

okay,

now you have a right

to be passive aggressive

because he's heading home

and he's like,

what do I do?

I don't even,

the one place I thought

I might find

some satisfaction

where I thought

I might find

some answers,

they won't let me in.

So he's on his way home

and then this random guy

is jumping up and down

going,

do you understand?

He's like,

of course I don't understand.

How can I understand

unless someone guides me?

And what's he reading?

The passage that he's reading

I think is actually important

and let me just read it

to you again,

verse 32.

Now the passage of the scripture

that he was reading

was this,

like a sheep

he was led to the slaughter

and like a lamb

before its shearer

is silent

so he opens not his mouth.

In his humiliation

justice was denied him.

Who can describe

his generation

for his life

is taken away

from earth.

And the eunuch said to Philip,

about whom I ask you

does the prophet say this?

About himself

or about someone else?

He's looking at this passage

and going,

now we're not supposed

to read the Bible like this

but I'm sure you and I

have all done this before.

You look at the Bible

and you read something

and you're like,

well that sounds like me.

You can see yourself

in the Bible

but that's not really

the point of the Bible.

The point is that you see

Jesus in scripture

but often we're looking at,

I think that's me.

I've just been humiliated.

Justice was denied me.

And so he goes

and he asks Philip,

who's this talking about?

Now where's this passage?

It's Isaiah 53.

It's where we hear

about the suffering servant.

It's where we hear

about the man of sorrows.

It's the prophet Isaiah

prophesying Jesus

who is to come,

who is going to be pierced

for our transgressions.

And he's reading this

and he doesn't understand.

I mean,

I think we can all empathize

with that when we're reading

the prophet Isaiah.

We're looking at it like,

nope,

who is this?

I have no idea.

But can you feel the pain

of just the context?

This is probably month four now

of him taking this step away

from work to do this

and he's on his way home

without any answers.

He's like,

what is this?

Who is this?

Now,

weird man,

as you pop and ask me,

do I understand?

The answer is no.

And no one's willing

to explain it to me.

How am I supposed to learn

if no one teaches me?

This tells me something else,

a slight tangent,

which is we need people

around us to help us.

This man was incredibly intellectual.

How did he get to where he was

without being intellectual?

Right?

So he was incredible.

He could have said,

Philip,

hey,

all good.

I'm going to figure this out myself.

I'm going to read this Bible.

I'm going to find some commentaries.

I'm going to understand

who this is.

But no,

he says,

I need help.

We all need to be in a place

sometimes where we go,

I need help.

I need help.

I'm looking at the scripture

and I don't truly understand

what it means.

I'm looking at the scripture.

Now I've understood what it means

and I actually don't know

how to apply it.

I think,

I hope,

I pray,

that's why we're here.

Together.

Not because I have all the answers

but because here

we can ask questions together

and get to a place

that maybe we can start

to understand a little bit more

about what it means

to be a believer of Christ

and to be a follower of Christ.

We need people.

Yes,

I know AI is pretty good

at answering deep apologetics questions.

It's pretty good.

Use it.

But my encouragement to you

is use it in community.

Use it with people

because you look at some

of those answers

and you're like,

oh,

I don't know if that's true.

What do you think?

Don't do it on your own.

Don't head down these rabbit holes

on your own.

We all need someone.

And then Philip opened his mouth.

I love that.

Verse 35,

he says,

and he opens his mouth

and told him the good news

about Jesus.

Basically what he's doing

is he's explaining to him

the gospel.

When he's saying,

well,

Mr. Ethiopian,

Mr. CFO,

clearly you have a lot of money.

If I may,

I can tell you

that actually this person,

this person who was led

like a lamb to slaughter,

this person who was humiliated

and denied justice,

may feel like you,

but actually it was Jesus.

And he's explaining this to him

that actually,

again,

what he does is

he spreads the gospel.

He preaches the good news.

What's the bad news

that the Ethiopian

is going through?

The Ethiopian is thinking,

well,

I'm dissatisfied,

I am dejected,

and now I'm rejected.

I'm cast out.

I'm cut off

from the Jewish community.

But my people

that I came from

also now

are going to think

I'm weird

because I've decided

that the things

that we're pursuing

in Ethiopia

are also not worth it.

So there is no hope.

So that's his bad news.

And then Philip comes in

with the good news,

which is,

hey,

there was someone

who was cast out,

who was cut off

for you and I.

And because of that,

we are now allowed in.

You don't need to go

into Jerusalem,

into a temple,

because now you are forever

eternally accepted

by a community

of Christ followers.

Can you feel

the good news

coming through?

Like,

you tried this.

You've tried everything

in the world.

You're now trying this

and you still got rejected.

But let me tell you,

Christ came to

preach peace to you,

you who were far off.

And now you are brought close

and now you have access

to the Father

through his spirit.

That would have been

such good news.

And the penny drops

in that moment

for the Ethiopian.

He's like,

okay.

And then it's funny.

He says this.

And as they were going

along the road,

they came to some water

and the eunuch said,

see,

here is water.

What prevents me

from being baptized?

And he commanded

the chariot to stop.

So you can see

the penny drops.

He's like,

I get it now.

I get it now

that there was someone

who was actually

cast off in my place,

a substitute

that put it into my place

so that I can now

have access.

Stop the chariot.

Shut the front door.

Who can stop me

from getting baptized?

That's what he's saying.

He's like,

those people who stopped me

from getting into the temple

before,

you can't stop this

because I now have

some good news

because Jesus Christ

came and tore that veil

and now I can have access

straight to the Father

through him.

What is going to stop me

from getting baptized?

And Philip's like,

I don't know,

nothing I guess.

When you have lived

with bad news

all of your life,

when you have been

dissatisfied

and have been pursuing

through all kinds of means

and when you finally

understand the gospel

which is,

I don't need to prove myself

to people anymore.

I am deeply loved.

I am a child of God.

That moment,

the lights come on

and you're like,

I just need to commit

to him.

It's interesting,

Isaiah 50.

Of course,

when he was reading

it wasn't through an app

because he was more serious

about the Bible

than that.

But it wasn't also

through this

where it was kind of pages.

It was through a scroll.

Right?

And so actually,

what's really fascinating

is,

and this is me just

imagining a little bit

but also still

using the word of God.

Isaiah 53

is talking about

the man of sorrows.

It's talking about

53 verse 4.

Surely he has borne our griefs

and carried our sorrows

and yet he was esteemed,

him stricken,

yet smitten by God

and afflicted

but he was pierced

for our transgressions.

He was crushed

for our iniquities.

All we like sheep

have gone astray.

Verse 7.

He was oppressed

He was oppressed

and afflicted

yet he opened

not his mouth.

Can you imagine?

The Ethiopian would have

arrived at that temple

being rejected

and he couldn't say a thing.

So he's just

wondering who is this person?

Like a lamb

that is led to the slaughter

and like a sheep

that before its shearers

is silent

so he opened

not his mouth.

As he was looking

and opening this scroll

of Isaiah 53

I can't help but imagine

that he would have

glanced down

and seen Isaiah 56

because it would have been

the same line of sight

and if you just peek later

into Isaiah 56

the title

and I'm getting goosebumps

even as I imagine

him reading this

and him seeing this

in his line of sight

the title of that bit

at least for us now

is Salvation for Foreigners.

And it reads this

Thus says the Lord

Keep justice

and do righteousness

for soon my salvation

will come

and my righteousness

be revealed.

Blessed is the man

who does this

and the son of man

who holds it fast

who keeps the Sabbath

not profaning it

and keeps his hand

from doing any evil.

Here we go

Let not the foreigner

who has joined himself

to the Lord

say the Lord

will surely separate me

from his people

and let not the eunuch

say behold

I am a dry tree

for thus says the Lord

to the eunuchs

who keep my Sabbaths

who choose the things

that please me

and hold fast my covenant

I will give in my house

and within my walls

a monument

and a name

better than sons

and daughters

I will give them

an everlasting name

that shall not be cut off.

You can bet

that Philip

used Isaiah 56

to explain to him

Isaiah 53.

He's like

Ethiopian man

I know

what you've sacrificed

to get to where you're at.

I know that you're looking

at your life now

and go everything

about it

is just vapor in the wind

it's just mist

it's not satisfied you

but you also know

that you now have no hope

because you won't have children

your name will not be passed on

but I'm here to tell you

some good news

that salvation is not

just for the Jews

in fact

salvation is exactly

for the people

who are on the fringe

who have been cut off

by society.

Salvation is for you

and because of Jesus

that's the good news

my friend

because of Jesus

you now

will have

a name

within my walls

better than sons

and daughters

and I will give them

an everlasting name

that shall not be cut off.

Can you imagine

how

he would have wrestled

with this

for the whole of his life

as a eunuch

saying what you're saying

you're saying

that I will have a name

that will last forever.

Man I don't have children

and I will never be able

to have children

and yet you're saying here

that I can.

They turn me away

and you're here saying

that there's a savior

there's a Christ

who came to me

instead.

Isn't that just

mind blowing?

Isn't that

earth shattering?

Isn't that

life changing?

He says

I have been

a dry tree

that's what it says

right Isaiah 56

and let not the eunuch

say behold

I am dry tea

and the eunuch

says I have been

a dry tree

for a very long time

but now you

opening up

the scriptures

to me

you explaining

that now I have

access to the father

and that I get

to be his child

and that I will

my name will be

for

I completely

understand now

why he said

stop the chariot

baptize me now

strange man

I have no idea

who you are

but you've just

opened my eyes

to the Christ

of course

Philip was explaining

to him

that Jesus

was the substitute

that we

as men

and women

have chosen

our own way

what we call

that is sin

and that when we

chose our own way

that way led us

to death

that led us

to a path

of destruction

and we would

never be allowed

in the temple

again

the eunuch

would have

understood that

for sure

he lived it

but then

he who

was without

sin

the sinless

lamb

was sacrificed

became the

substitute

for us

atoned for

our sins

atonement

that beautiful

word that I've

said before

atonement

at one

that we were

once broken

apart

but now

Christ has

atoned

and so now

that we are

at one

atoned

with God

again

that we are

allowed in

because

Christ has

now made

his dwelling

place in us

that we

are the

temple

the Ethiopian

is a changed

man

can you imagine

the joy

and elation

I personally

believe it's

at that

moment

the Ethiopian

then goes

back to

Africa

and then a

whole wave

of Christianity

is born

in Africa

in 1900

there were

9 million

Christians in

Africa

in the year

2000

100 years

later

it went

from 9

million

to 380

million

the organization

I was part of

and still

involved with

Young Life

is global

so there's

over 105

countries in

the world

the fastest

growing

continent

Africa

every time

I've met

someone

or been

to Africa

and seen

people

who choose

to follow

Christ

they just

give life

bring life

they just

completely

change my

view of

what Christianity

should be

someone who

grew up

in England

whose village

had a

building

at a church

that had

no one

inside

and you

have this

idea

that Christianity

is just

for Western

Europeans

and then you

go to

somewhere like

Africa

and it

completely

smashes that

out

and you're

like

wow

when Jesus

said

go therefore

and make

disciples of

all nations

all ethnicities

because there

is something

beautiful

that every

culture

every race

brings to

the kingdom

of God

that all

are welcome

even

eunuchs

even

CFOs

that

brothers and

sisters

is the good

news

I'll finish

with these

quotes

John Stott

says this

the story

of Philip

and the

Ethiopian

is a

striking

example

of personal

evangelism

Philip

was sensitive

to the

spirit's

guidance

the Ethiopian

was receptive

to the

scriptures

meaning

and both

were responsive

to the

gospel's

demands

can we

heed that

call

that actually

it doesn't

take much

it just

takes us

being obedient

being sensitive

to the

spirit's

guiding

hey that

person

speak to

that

person

have the

courage

at the

office

just to

hey how

are you

doing

how can

I pray

for you

and that's

all it

requires

and you'll

be shocked

and you'll

I'll tell you

why you'll be

shocked and

surprised

because I

love asking

people how

can I pray

for you

and I

usually meet

Christians

and they're

like oh

that's refreshing

I'm like

that's

Christians

I think

we as a

church have

lost the

art of

praying for

one another

after a

conversation

after a

lunch and

coffee

hey actually

as we

finish

honestly it's

a great way

to finish

a lunch

as well

hey how

can I

pray for

you

why don't

we do

that even

as a

church

why don't

we do

that to

people

who actually

don't know

God

who actually

are in

deep

need of

prayer

because they

are also

on that

journey that

the Ethiopian

eunuch was

on climbing

up sacrificing

getting to

the top and

realizing there's

nothing there

we can be

that right

so when you're

having lunch with

someone or when

you're talking to

someone in your

home or at

your workplace

why don't you

ask God hey

is there anything

you want me to

do here

do you need me

to open my

mouth

that's what

Philip did

and something

else that tells

you is that no

one no one is

too far

no one is too

far from the

gospel so next

week we'll find

out the

murderer

Saul is

also not

too far

even an

Ethiopian

eunuch

traveling a

thousand miles

will be

reached by

God

we have a

responsibility

simply just to

be obedient

and to ride

that wave

follow the

spirits leading

and from

there a

desert road

can turn

into a

place where

God can

dwell

where a

life can

be completely

changed

one man

Philip

being obedient

another man

the Ethiopian

being hungry

and the

kingdom of

God moves

isn't that

incredible

I hope

that inspires

you and

finally there's

something actually

that makes me

really like

Philip and

actually we

don't hear

much from

him after

this

so he

baptizes him

and he

commanded the

chariot to

stop and

they both

went down

into the

water

Philip and

the eunuch

and he

baptized him

and when

they came

up out of

the water

the spirit

of the

Lord carried

Philip away

and the

eunuch saw

him no more

can you imagine

that scene

this is straight

from Harry

Potter so

he'll just

baptize him

and then the

Ethiopian

can you imagine

just that moment

how loved that

Ethiopian would

have felt

that God

I was rejected

from a temple

that I traveled

so far to get

and yet you

would send

someone to me

in the desert

to do this

and then go

and literally

that would have

been hammered

home

he's gone now

that means it

was specifically

for me

and it's funny

Philip

the one who

gets zapped

but Philip

found himself

at Azotus

and as he

passed through

he preached

the gospel

to all the

towns until

he came to

Caesarea

so he does

this

and then he

he's like

I'm not on

the desert

road anymore

I'm in Azotus

and it's as if

nothing crazy

has happened

he's like

oh I guess

I'll carry on

and preach

the gospel

don't you want

to have what

don't you want

to have what

happened to

Philip

happened to

you

yes there

are requirements

and they are

tough at the

end of chapter

seven and

beginning of

chapter eight

but you can

just see

Philip's heart

he's like

oh that

was cool

but I've

got something

even more

important

I want to

continue to

preach the

good news

of the

kingdom of

God and

Jesus Christ

and he just

continues

I love that

heart

whether he had

a successful

ministry in

Jerusalem or

whether he had

one in Samaria

he was willing to

go to the desert

and as soon as

that was finished

he continued on

his way

because he knew

that there was

something much

bigger than all

of those places

I pray that

we would be

sensitive to the

spirit in the

same way

I'm going to

ask you just

to bow your

heads and

close your

eyes and

just to

spend a

moment now

just to

ask

in a bit

we're going

to take

communion but

before then

I believe

there are

Philips in

this room

right now

I believe

there are

people who

God is

calling

and saying

just go to

the desert

place

go to

Samaria

and open

your mouth

you don't

have to be

clever

you don't

have to be

witty

just open

your mouth

and be

obedient

and before

even any

music comes

on

I want

you to

ask this

question

Holy Spirit

who are you

leading me

to

who are you

placing in

front of

me

who have

you

already

placed in

front of

me

that I

just need

to open

my mouth

the kingdom

of God

spreads through

people

one man

who stopped

at nothing

to obey

his master

another man

deeply

dissatisfied

with anything

the world

could offer

all pointing

to the

one man

God himself

the prince

of heaven

who knew

no sin

allowing himself

to be casted

off

humiliated

denied

justice

so that many

would receive

the free

gift of grace

through him

it's our

job

it's our

only job

to share

the good

news of

Jesus

if you

have

a name

in your

mind

I'm going

to ask you

to do

one thing

I'm not

going to

embarrass you

I'm not

going to

ask you

I do

that in

other

places

but not

here

I just

want to

see a

little bit

of commitment

from you

if you

have a

name

or God's

given you

someone

can you

just show

me that

you have

just

your hand

can you

just raise

it up

I can

sense

there is

someone

thank you

can I

ask you

to commit

to putting

yourself in

front of

that person

and sharing

the simple

gospel

with them

and if you

have trouble