Subject – “HOW IMPORTANT IS THE WORD OF GOD TO YOU?” (Part One)
Text – Acts 8:30-31 (read vv.26-31)
Sermon delivered by:
Pastor Henry S. Cotton, Jr. of St.James Missionary Baptict Church in Philadelphia.
“. . . From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:15-17
INTRODUCTION –
We are starting a series of sermons and Bible Study teachings based on the subject: “HOW IMPORTANT IS THE WORD OF GOD TO YOU?” I hear and see too many people (including Believers), wrestle with what the word of God (Holy Bible) is saying when they really don’t have to. Many of us find answers to what we have been looking for in the Bible, but because we find it in the Old Testament, many of us say: “Oh! That’s the Old Testament, we are not bound to that because we’re under grace now.”
That kind of response to the scripture sounds like the product of incomplete teaching or incomplete understanding (expound). When we look at the passages of scripture that the Lord has given us to share today, I think that we will not only see how the Old and New Testaments work hand-in-hand, but we will also see an example of what Jesus was talking about when He made this statement in the gospel of John:
“You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” John 5:39-40
One of the issues that Jesus was pointing out to them was if they had a complete understanding of what they were reading in the scriptures, they would have known that the scriptures were not only referring to Jesus, but that they had Jesus right there with them (expound).
Acts 8:26-40
“Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian 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, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.” 30 Then 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.” 32 This 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.” (Isaiah 53:7). 33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.” 34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. 36 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?” 37Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” The eunuch answered, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” 38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40 Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.” Acts 8:26-40
POINTS
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- This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship. (v. 27) – I don’t want you to jump to the conclusion that this man was a Believer . . . not yet! I don’t think we have enough information about him yet. But we do know that he went to worship God.
- On his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. (v. 28) – We don’t know if this book was one he already had in his possession or if he obtained it in Jerusalem, but we know that he was reading the scripture as he was traveling.
- Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading? (v. 30) – Under the direction of the Holy Spirit, Philip had gotten close enough to the man to hear him reading from the book of Isaiah, asked him if he understood what he was reading.
- “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me? (v. 31) – Don’t you just love this man’s response? Despite the fact that he did not understand the scripture, that did not keep him from reading it. Even though it could be seen as commendable that this man was attempting to read something that he really did not understand, this can also be a problem. You see, there are many people who don’t really understand the Bible, yet they still insist on trying to explain it to others (expound). At least this man knew that he needed someone to explain the Bible to him and despite his position in society, he was willing to be taught.
- “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.” (Isaiah 53:7) – This is what passage of scripture Philip overheard the Ethiopian eunuch reading. I know that some of you are saying “What’s so hard to understand? You know this is Jesus because you have the benefit of having access to the New Testament scriptures . . . this man didn’t have those scriptures accessible to him.
- The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. (vv. 34-35) – It is made clear that Philip took the passage of scripture that the Ethiopian eunuch was reading and made it clear that it was referring to Jesus. Jesus who was about 700 years away from walking among men (expound).
- “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?” (v. 36) – We have to agree that Philip must have done some thorough teaching because when this Ethiopian eunuch saw this body of water, he asked Philip was there any reason why he couldn’t be baptized (expound).
- “Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” (v. 37A) – There was nothing ambiguous about Philip’s answer to the Ethiopian eunuch; there must be no doubt; you have to believe in your whole heart! (Expound).
CONCLUSION
Beloved, take note of what Philip made clear to the Ethiopian eunuch. He made it clear to the Ethiopian eunuch that to do; he allowed the Ethiopian eunuch the opportunity to state his conviction/testimony, and look at what he said: “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” (v.37B).
It doesn’t get any plainer than that! From an Old Testament passage of scripture, Philip was able to make it clear that it was Jesus who was being taught about even then. Philip shows Believers how to implement the word of God as you do what the Lord has commanded and commissioned all Believers to. This man was a very influential man, and a man of means.
He was also a man from a different culture than Philip. The Eunuch was Ethiopian, while tradition holds that Philip was probably Greek. We see how when the Ethiopian eunuch was made wise to the scripture, he was able to be led to salvation through Jesus.