Acts (7)

And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.  Luke 24.27

Be sure to view the video introducing our study of Acts 8 (Lesson 7) by clicking here.

Read and meditate on Acts 8.26-34.
This Ethiopian was either a Jew or, more likely, a “God-fearer” – a Gentile who had either converted to Judaism or was friendly to it. We’ll see another one of these in Acts 10. He had been worshiping in Jerusalem, and possessed a chariot and a scroll of the book of Isaiah. He was a man of some means, obviously, since he served in the court of the Ethiopian queen. Man, how “uttermost parts” can you get?

For reflection
1.  The Lord sent Philip on this mission because he had proven himself faithful and effective, both in Jerusalem and Samaria. Looking at your own faithfulness to your Kingdom-and-glory calling (1 Thess. 2.12), what ways are you expecting the Lord to increase His Kingdom mission in and through your life?

2.  It’s not clear just how the Lord spoke to Philip, but that He did, in some sense, is what Luke intends us to know. Philip may well have heard audible voices, as Luke records; or he may have simply had strong impressions. Either way, he understood what God wanted, and he did not hesitate to carry out his assignment. (As an aside, we note here also the work of an angel in furthering the ongoing work of Christ and the Gospel, cf. Acts 5.19-21; Acts 12.7-11; Rev. 14.6, 7.) How do you expect God to speak to you about your mission in His Kingdom? Or to empower you for it? Explain.

3.  Philip finds the man reading in the scroll of Isaiah, perhaps reviewing something he’d heard while in Jerusalem. He could not have been focused on a more propitious text. Note Philip’s courtesy: he asks a question about the man’s reading, then waits to be invited up into the chariot with him. The eunuch explains that he needs a guide, and Philip is the man for the job. Is there any guidance here for us, as we take up the work of proclaiming the Kingdom in our Personal Mission Fields?

4.  The Word of God is living and powerful. It was already at work in this man’s heart, for, even as the Spirit was summoning and sending Philip, He was wooing and striving with (Gen. 6.3) this Ethiopian. There is something to be said for reading the Scriptures with unbelievers, or for encouraging them to read the Bible for themselves. How might this become part of your witness for the Lord?

5.  Luke is once again using this vignette to remind us of Acts 1.8 and to prepare us for the Gospel’s coming to the Gentile world. Just as Philip was the right man to take the Gospel to the Samaritans, so he would be instrumental in getting it into the Gentile world of Ethiopia. Makes sense, and sets us up for Peter’s encounter with Cornelius in chapter 10. Luke is encouraging a pattern of thinking and living for his readers. How would you describe that pattern?

Summary
Jesus uses those who are faithful, giving them opportunities, resources, and power to do His ongoing work. Phillip, like Steven, is another example of the kind of men and women we meet throughout Church history who, because they are faithful in a few things, are given greater opportunities and more power to do greater works for the Lord. Do you know people like this? Should you aspire to be such a person yourself?

Closing Prayer
The LORD is merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
He will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.
He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor punished us according to our iniquities.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
As a father pities his children,
So the LORD pities those who fear Him.
For He knows our frame;
He remembers that we are dust.
As for man, his days are like grass;
As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
For the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
And its place remembers it no more.
But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting
On those who fear Him,
And His righteousness to children’s children,
To such as keep His covenant,
And to those who remember His commandments to do them.

Psalm 103.8-18

T. M. Moore

Each week’s studies in Acts are bound together into a free PDF that you can download for personal or group use (click here). Each week also features a video related to the studies of the week, which you may find helpful as you work through our studies in Acts.

Acts is the record of Christ’s ongoing work as King and Lord. For more insight into His work in our here and now, order the book, The Kingship of Jesus, from our online store by clicking here.

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