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July 1931
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C0niernaitonal LESSON COMMENTARY Lesson Outline and Exposition Blackboard Outlines Golden Text Illustrations Children’s Division By B. B. Sutcliffe By Bessie B. Burch By Alan S. Pearce By Helen Gailey
AUGUST 2, 1931 Philip’s Missionary Labors Lesson : Acts 8 :5-40. Lesson Text: Acts 8:26-40. Golden T e x t : “Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word” (Acts 8 :4). * * * I. D irection C oncerning the P lace of H is L abor (26). It was surprising. Philip was engaged in Samaria in what would be called today a great revival (vs.5-8). Many were be ing converted, and the whole city was being stirred. In the midst of this great service, just when Philip’s presence ap peared to be particularly needed, the Holy Spirit directed him elsewhere. The place to which he was sent was not larger than Samaria, nor did it offer greater oppor tunities ; rather, it was a desert in which few people were to be found. But it was a very definite word of di rection that Philip heard. The Holy Spirit gave him such a clear message that there was no danger of its being misun derstood. It is to be noted that Philip was in a state of spiritual comprehension that made it possible for him to hear and to understand what the Spirit said. It is also true today that when we are in a proper spiritual condition, the Holy Spirit will speak as clearly and as definitely to us as He did to Philip. Philip’s readiness to obey indicates how closely he followed the Lord. There was no questioning as to why he should leave the important work in which he was en gaged, no suggestion that the Lord was making a mistake in taking him away when he was in the midst of a revival, and no hesitancy in his movements. Simply, promptly, and without murmuring, Philip “arose and went.” It is such obedience that the Lord delights in and that makes for truly successful missionary labor to day. II. D irection C oncerning the P erson to be A pproached (27-29). The person to whom Philip was direct ed was one who occupied a prominent place in the state affairs of Queen Can dace; he was a high governmental official. His coming to Jerusalem revealed the fact that he had a desire to know the truth. It also implied a certain determina tion to follow the truth when found. He must have been an educated man, for he was able to read the Scriptures for himself; and he must have been wealthy, for he possessed a copy of the Scriptures at a time when this was the privilege of none but the rich. He was a humble man, willing to be taught by a stranger whom he met on the road. But with all his high position, his learning, and his wealth, he was an unsaved man, and therefore un satisfied.
The eunuch was reading from the Scriptures. But until Philip explained the passage to him, he did not understand it. There have been instances where the mere reading of the Word has resulted in conversion, but these cases are the excep tion rather than the rule. God has or dained that the gospel shall be delivered from man to man. Angels cannot reveal the plan of salvation to a darkened soul; it requires one who is born of God and surrendered to the Spirit of God to make known to a sinner the good news of God’s grace. Philip received specific instructions to join this stranger. The Holy Spirit not only chose a special mission for His ser vant, but He directed to the particular person whom he was to approach. III. D irection C oncerning H is P reaching (30-35). Philip’s question, “Understandest thou what thou readest?” aroused the eu nuch’s interest. The passage open before them was that wonderful fifty-third chap ter of Isaiah, in which is set forth the SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT TOTEACHERS/ For the Next Six Months the International Sunday School Lessons will be in th e book of Acts. W hy not study this book th o ro u g h ly ? Supply th e mem bers of y o u r class w ith printed lessons, w ith space provided opposite questions on each verse to reco rd a n swers, as offered in o u r C orrespondence Course, STUDIES IN ACTS. SPECIAL LOW RATE for classes of five o r m ore only $1.00 fo r each enrollm ent. Includes: Com plete set of lessons in loose-leaf form for each student, co rrecting of p ap ers hy o u r office, issuance of Institute certificate ’upon satisfactory completion of course. ACT IMMEDIATELY to in su re delivery of co u rses b y th e early p a rt of Ju ly . ---------------------C O U P O N ----------------------- C orrespondence School, B ible In s titu te o f L os A ngeles, 536 So. H o p e S t., L o s A ngeles, C alif. D ear S irs: E nclosed p lease find $____ .... fo r______ ....... enrollm ents in C ourse No. 10, “ S tu d ies in A c ts.’* A lso n am es a n d ad d re sse s of m em b e rs enrolling. S igned____............................................................. A d d re s s ............................................................................ .
sacrificial and substitutionary work of Christ on the cross. Philip had no dif ficulty in using the same scripture from which to preach Christ to his eager in quirer. This lesson furnishes an excellent example of the successful personal worker. In this connection, it is to be noted, first, that Philip was a layman, not a professional evangelist. If the world is ever to be evangelized, it will be because laymen go forth with the gospel, in obe dience to the call of God. Second, Philip was an obedient layman. He was not too busy with other things to hear and to heed the direction of the Lord. Further more, he was tactful and intelligent. He laid aside all irrevelant matter and came at once to the heart of the message. IV. D irection C oncerning H is P ractice (36-40). After such preaching, there was only one thing for the eunuch to do: either to reject the whole matter, or to accept as his personal Saviour the Lord Jesus about whom Philip had preached. Happily, the eunuch decided upon the latter course. Following his confession, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God,” he was baptized, thus signifying publicly that he had become a new creation in Christ Jesus. He could now go his way without further aid from Philip, and we are told that he went rejoicing. The servant of the Lord is needed to preach the gospel and to bring to conversion; but when this is accomplished, the saved one, rejoicing in the Lord, can go on his way without prolonged human assistance. At this point, Philip was caught away by the Spirit to other fields where he con tinued to preach the same Word which had so powerfully wrought in the heart of the eunuch. In guiding His children, the Lord does not always use the same methods. For instance, at one time Philip was told to go himself to the place of the Lord’s appointment; at another time, he was miraculously caught away by the Spirit. The worker is to be so surrendered to God that he may be moved by whatever means the Spirit may elect to use. 26. Where had Philip been preach ing (v. 5) ? What had been the results (vs. 6-8) ? Where was he suddenly called? Was this a more promising field than Sa maria ? V. 27. Did Philip answer the call of God unhesitatingly and without question? Whom did he meet? What governmental position did this man hold? Vs. 28, 29. What was the eunuch doing when Philip met him? What is intimated regarding his resources and his eagerness to know the truth? What was Philip told to do? Vs. 30-35. Did Philip again show eag erness to obey the voice of the Lord promptly? What passage was the eunuch Lesson Q uestions V.
S ixteen o th e r p ra c tic a l a n d inexpensive H om e B ible S tu d y C ourses. W rite fo r p ro sp ectu s.
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