Divine Appointment
Philip andthe Ethiopian Eunuch (Acts 8:26-40)
Intro
Many years ago Rev.William Sangster who pastored a Methodist church in Scarborough, England, had an eccentric member who was a zealous Christian and a barber by profession. Unfortunately, the man was too blunt in his approach to witnessing and usually didn’t have much success.
One incident whilehe lathered up a customer for a shave, came at him with the razor in his hand, and asked, “Are you prepared to meet your God?” The frightened man fled with the lather still on his face!I don’t think that was an effective way of trying to convert someone!
In the book of Acts Dr. Luke records many conversions of how people came to faith in Christ. It is a book of action and we see the Holy Spirit working powerfully in the early church. In chapters 8, 9 and 10 we read of three amazing conversions. In chapter 8 we have the conversion of the Ethiopian Eunuch; in chapter 9 that of Saul whom became Paul; and chapter 10 the conversion of Cornelius and his household. These are wonder stories of how the Lord, through the Holy Spirit guided and directed these folk.
Story in Acts 8
Here in chapter 8 Dr. Luke records how God chose his servant, Philip, the evangelist, and compelled him by the urging of the Spirit to leave a revival in Samaria to seek out a spiritual hungering Ethiopian in the desert road that led to Gaza.This passage in Acts 8:26-40 speaks of a divine appointment and of how God providentially brings the path of people together. God knows those who are searching and seeking after Him.
Jeremiah 29:13-14 says, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the Lord…”
It is only those who seek after God that will find Him. If you avoid God you will not find Him.
Just before the death of Hollywood actor W.C. Fields, a friend visited him in the hospital and was surprised to find Fields (an agnostic) thumbing through a Bible. Asked what he was doing with a Bible, Fields replied, "I'm looking for loopholes."
But that was not the case with the Ethiopian Eunuch.
The story starts in Acts 8:26 where we find Philip, an evangelist ministering in Samaria. We read, “Now an angelof the Lord said to Philip,“Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.”
This is neat. An angel tells Philip where to go – specifically to the desert road from Jerusalem to Gaza.
It is interestingthat Philip didn’t question God. He could have said. “Hey God, we’ve got a really big revival going on here in Samaria. I’ve got speaking engagements and people to minister to. I’m a pretty popular guy here in Samaria, Lord. Why should I just go off into the desert?”
Philip doesn’t question God. Philip doesn’t question God’s timing, or the direction God sent him in. He simply obeyed. Often times God doesn’t tell us what the next step is. He just wants us to step out in faith and follow Him. When we get there then we receive the next step. That’s what makes the Christian life so exciting. If God says go, you go! That simple!
My experience
Years ago whenour church was located on Grand Ave., downtown Cambridge, I was working at the office and it was around the lunch hour…(listen to the audio for the rest of the story).
Philip was going south, on a desert road just waiting for God’s next step. God was about to show Philip what he was there for.We need to listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
Here is Philip, a simple man walking the hot highway road, and he sees an Ethiopian, dark skinned, with an entourage heading south to Gaza.
Certainly the Ethiopian must have looked impressive, a man with obvious wealth. He was an educated man with significant power since he was a court official of the Queen of Ethiopia. Indeed he must have had exceptional wealth to be able to own his own copy of the writings of the prophet Isaiah.
As Chancellor of the treasury, he had charge of all the queen’s wealth. In modern terms, he was the Minister of Finance, or Secretary of the Treasury. Dissatisfied in his soul, he came to Jerusalem to worship and find peace and meaning. He must have felt empty in his soul. He made a long, arduous journey from his homeland to Jerusalem, searching for the true God. Unfortunately, given the state of religious Judaism at that time, he probably went away still empty. Disillusioned and disappointed, he started on his way home.
In Acts 8:29 we read, “The Spirit toldPhilip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.” Notice again how Philip is given divine direction.
So Philip runs up next to the chariot and hears him reading from the book of Isaiah, and he asks him, "Do you understand what you are reading?" The Ethiopian's answer is interesting. He does not do what most wealthy influentialpeople do; pretend that they know the answer lest they look ignorant or foolish. This is the temptation of most people – to never look vulnerable, especially to those with less status.
Yet, here is a rich and powerful man willing to admit, he is ignorant. Humility is the beginning step of coming to God. It is difficult for proud people to come to God.
This man has what we call a "teachable spirit". He is willing to listen and learn. Few people like that.
The Eunuch wanted to be illuminated on the passage of Scripture that he was reading. Obviously the Holy Spirit was working on his heart and mind. Unless the Spirit illuminates and draws people to God we will not be able to lead them to faith.
So the Eunuch invites Philip into his chariot to explain to him what he was reading. The text in Acts 8:32-32 is from Isaiah 53, "Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and like a lamb silent before its shearer, so he does not open his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe this generation? For his life is taken away from the earth."
The Ethiopian Eunuch asks, "About whom, may I ask you, does the prophet say this about himself or about someone else." Notice his question is not a command, but full of courtesy, and longing for an answer.Here we see the work of God preparing him to receive the Good News.
Philip tells him that this Scripture is talking about Jesus, and he tells him the Good News of Jesus Christ.From there we know that the Eunuch believes and receives the Good News of Jesus.
Then we read in Acts 8:36-38, As 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?” And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him.
Philip gives no verbal response, but obviously the Eunuch knows he is indeed welcome, and more than welcome, since he says, “Stop the chariot”, and then goes down to the water to be baptised by Philip and becomes the first African Christian.
Then the text says that the Spirit snatched Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and the eunuch went on his way rejoicing. Rejoicing is the response to God's grace and salvation.
But we know from history that the eunuch did more than rejoice, for he carried the Good News to his country, and it quickly spread such that the Ethiopians are amongst some of the oldest African Christians. And if you ask them how they heard the Good News, they will tell you this very story and rejoice.
How about you? Are you seeking? Perhaps you can identify with this eunuch. You feel empty and looking for meaning and purpose in your life. Perhaps you have tried religion and it has left you still empty. But nonetheless you are seeking and searching. Well, it is not a coincidence that you are here. God brought you here. This is a divine appointment. This is your moment. God is offering you what He offered the eunuch. Simply believe and receive.
Conclusion
Michael Ramsden, a co-worker with Ravi Zacharias, shared the following amazing story about an Iranian pastor. “As the pastor was driving with his wife, they stopped in a small Iranian village to purchase some water. Before entering, the pastor noticed a man holding a machine gun and leaning against the wall outside the store. The pastor's wife looked at the man's face and the gun, then put a Bible in her husband's hand and said, "Give that man this Bible." Her husband looked at the man—his menacing beard and his machine gun—and replied, "I don't think so." But she persisted: "I'm serious. Give it to him. Please, give him the Bible."
Trying to avoid the issue, the husband said, "Okay, I'll pray about it." He went into the shop, purchased the water, climbed back into the car, and started to drive away. His wife looked at him and said, "I guess you didn't give him the Bible, did you?" Looking straight ahead, he replied, "No, I prayed about it and it wasn't the right thing to do." She quietly said, "You should have given him the Bible," and then she bowed her head and started praying. At that point, he turned around and told his wife, "Fine! If you want me to die, I will."
When the pastor returned to the store, the man with the machine gun was still standing against the wall. The pastor approached him and placed the Bible in his hand. When the man opened it and saw it was a Bible, he started to cry. "I don't live here," he said. "I had to walk for three days in order to get to this village. But three days ago an angel appeared to me and told me to walk to this village and wait until someone had given me the Book of Life. Thank you for giving me this book."
The pastor became a courageous witness for Christ. Eventually, along with many other co-workers in the Iranian church, he was martyred for his faith.”
(Source: Michael Ramsden, "An Uncompromising Faith Lived Out with Grace," 2009)
I believe in divine appointments. God still leads and directs people to meet and network. Are you sensitive to His leading and the promptings of the Holy Spirit? Walk by faith and go to where God is leading you. A miracle is just around the corner – the miracle of a precious soul coming to Christ.
1