Isaiah 53. The task of the personal worker is comparatively easy when the Spirit of God has already prepared the heart of the prospect as in this case. All Philip had to do was to explain the meaning of that which had already stirred the man’s heart. Since the pass age before the eunuch was from Isaiah 53, it did not take Philip long to get his prospect to Calvary and the salvation which it provides. Evidently Philip made the plan of salvation so clear to the Ethiopian, even to the rite o f baptism which pictures God’s redemptive work, for he was ready to receive baptism as soon as a pool o f water was available. Thus because he could say “ I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God” (v. 37) and obeyed his Lord in Christian baptism, the Ethiopian “ went on his way rejoicing” (v. 39). Teachers, make sure that your scholars all know the only way of true and last ing joy! Helps for the Children T elling the S tory of J esus (A cts 8:26-38) M e m o r y V e r s e : “ A s my Father hath sent me, even so send I you” (John 20 : 21 ) . While in Samaria Philip was leading many souls to the Lord Jesus, the angel of the Lord spoke to him and said, “ Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza.” At the time Philip was obeying this command of the Lord, a colored man who had charge of all of the treasure for the queen of Ethiopia was journeying home in his chariot from Jerusalem where he had been worshiping God. As he traveled, he read aloud from the book of Isaiah. The Holy Spirit told Philip to go up and talk to the Ethiopian. Quickly God’s servant ran to the chariot and asked the man if he understood what he was reading. The man replied, “ How can I, except some man should guide me?” Philip accepted the invitation of the black man to ride in his chariot. The Scriptures which the Ethiopian had been reading were all about the Lord Jesus. Starting with this passage from the book o f Isaiah, Philip told his new friend about the Lamb of God. Soon they came to a body of water. “ What doth hinder me to be baptized?” asked the Ethiopian. Philip replied, “ If thou be- lievest with all thine heart, thou may- est,” to which the black man answered, “ I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” The chariot was stopped, and Philip baptized the new follower of the Lord Jesus. Does it seem strange to you that God would ask Philip to leave a great evange listic meeting to win a colored man to Christ? Perhaps that man returned to his country and became a great mis sionary to his own people. T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S T he R esult — “ S ee , H ere is W ater ” (8:36-39)
MARCH 7, 1948 "YE ARE WITNESSES" A cts 8:26-39
Pointers on the Lesson The lesson background takes us to the city of Samaria. Philip, the deacon, had been having a wonderful ministry in that place. As Philip preached, there was a hearty response to his message. “ The people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake” (8 :6 ). Many were the deliverances wrought and “ there was great joy in that city” (8:7,8). The Holy Spirit fell upon the believers there and it seemed almost like Pentecost all over again. Surely God would not take a man like Philip, who was doing such a great work in such a great city, and send him to another place of service! Yet that is exactly what He did. Our lesson this week has to do with the story of Philip’s witnessing in the desert to one lone individual. Truly God’s ways are not man’s ways. In the passage before us note: T he C ommission — “ A rise ” (8 :26 ) Philip was commanded to go to witness to a representative from Ethiopia. In accordance with Acts 1:8, testimony had been given in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria. The mission to the Ethiopian was the first step in fulfilling that part o f the Great Commission specifying “ the uttermost part of the earth.” Thus the door to the Gentiles seemed to be open ing. Something ought to be said for Philip when there is a discussion of the opening of the door of the gospel to those outside the pale of Judaism. T he O bedience — “ H e A rose and This is an example of unquestioning obedience. Philip obeyed when his own cold reasoning would have led him to do otherwise. He might have pointed easily to the fruitful field where he was then working. He might have pleaded readily his recent successes in Samaria in de fense of his remaining where he then was. Was it reasonable to exchange a populous field where men were already turning to God for a desert where no one dwelt? But Philip did not argue with God. He obeyed when obedience seemed stupid, and God honored his loyalty. T he P rospect — “ B ehold , a M an o p Who was this man? Why was God so anxious that he be contacted with the gospel? He was a man of influence in the kingdom of Ethiopia. He was the secretary of the treasury of that coun try. Moreover, he was interested in Page Twenty-six W ent ” (8:27a) E thiopia ” ( 8 :27b-29)
spiritual things. His was a hungry soul. Some have suggested that he was a Jewish proselyte, who had some knowl edge of the Scriptures. However that may be, we know he had been to Jerusa lem to worship. He was returning home without having found satisfaction for
Pointers on the Lesson H o m e r A . K e n t , T h .M . Helps fo r the Children A l l is o n A r r o w o o d
Lesson material is based upon outlines of the International Sunday School Les sons, copyrighted by the International Council of Religious Education; used by permission his longing soul. The formal worship o f the temple did not answer the need o f his heart. Thus we have a prospect ready for God’s witness to engage in spiritual conversation. T he C onversation — “ U nderstand - est T hou W hat T hou R eadest ?” (8:30-35) One good thing came out of the Ethio pian’s visit to Jerusalem: he obtained a portion of God’s Word in which he be came intensely interested. When God can get people interested in His Word, usually it does not take long to win them to Himself. The main difficulty in the majority of cases is to get folks to give God’s Word a chance. The Ethiopian was not only interested in the Word; he was also reading a vital portion of it—
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