This Sunday we will explore Acts 8:26-40. This passage tells us the story of Philip and an Ethiopian eunuch. It would be wise if, in preparation for Sunday, you took some time and read through this passage on your own. As you read, make some mental notes about who the characters are, how they are described, and what is going on. Read the passage a few times too! Scripture is so rich, and it’s easy to miss details when we read too quickly.
The beginning of this passage explains to us that one of the Lord’s angels tells Philip to travel to a specific road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza. Philip obeys and travels to this road, where he first sees the Ethiopian eunuch. This man is riding in his chariot and reading from the book of Isaiah. The Spirit then tells Philip to go and join the man, and Scripture tells us that Philip obeys this command as well.
The first thing that Philip says to this man is not a greeting or a statement, but rather a question: “Do you understand what you are reading?” The Ethiopian man replies, “how can I, unless someone guides me?” He then invites Philip into his chariot and they begin a deep discussion which we are told results in the Ethiopian man being baptized!
This passage poses a few questions for us to wrestle with this week.
1. Are you actively listening for God’s voice?
As far as we know, Philip quickly recognizes the angel’s voice and the Spirit’s voice in this passage. Verse 26 tells us what the angel says to Philip, and verse 27 follows with: “And he rose and went.” That’s about as straightforward as Scripture gets, isn’t it? The angel spoke to Philip, and Philip obeyed.
Whenever the topic of listening to God’s voice is discussed, I find that this question comes up: “how do we know that it’s God who is directing us?” It would be really easy to know that God was directing us if He always sent an angel down from Heaven to speak with us face to face. It’s rarely that simple, but don’t worry! There are a few ways to help us differentiate between God’s voice and the voice of Satan, ourselves, and the world.
One thing we can do is get to know God’s character! If we know God’s character, we can have a pretty good idea of things he would direct his children to do and things that he would not direct his children to do. We will never fully comprehend the nature of God, but He does reveal an awful lot about himself to us in Scripture.
Another thing we can do is cultivate a strong prayer life. When we pray we are communicating with God. Prayer is a time to speak with Him and also to listen to Him. The more we pray the easier it will be for us to recognize His voice.
A third thing that we can do is seek counsel from wise Christian mentors who have strong relationships with God and who know us well. People who know God’s character and have strong relationships with Him can help us see how God has been working in our lives and figure out where He might be leading us. This is the beauty of living in community and being truly known.
2. When you speak with people, where is your focus?
Notice that Philip doesn’t jump into the Ethiopian man’s chariot and start talking all about himself. When Philip interacts with the man, he first observes what he is already doing, and then asks a question about it. Philip is focused on who he is talking to, not on himself.
An essential part of effective evangelism is having a sincere relationship. People can tell right away if we’re only talking with them because we have an agenda. Jesus called us to share truth with people, but we have to remember that he also called us to love people. Pay attention to people, treat them with respect, invest in their lives, and care about them! You’ll find that people are often much more interested in what you have to say when they are convinced that you care about them.
3. How well do you understand Scripture?
When Philip finds the Ethiopian man reading from the book of Isaiah, he doesn’t redirect him to a different passage of Scripture before explaining the good news to him. Instead, Acts 8:35 tells us that Philip begins with the same passage that the man was reading and from there tells him about the good news of Jesus.
Philip’s knowledge of Scripture allowed him to open this man’s mind to the gospel message, and this is the point of knowing the Bible! If you’re studying Scripture for some sort of personal gain (to bolster your reputation with others, to be seen as smarter or wiser) then your knowledge is futile.
The purpose of knowing Scripture is knowing God and equipping yourself to help others know him.
Similarly, if we don’t know Scripture well, then we’re going to have a hard time using it to help others grow closer to God. We’ll never understand everything that’s in the Bible; the important thing is to always be learning.
Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch
April 11, 2019
Our King
September 19, 2021 • Larry Elliott
Our King The older I get the more moved I am when reading of the stately, regal presence of kings. Where does this innate, at times emotional, honor come from? Why am I so drawn to Aslan as the rightful King of Narnia? To Aragorn, King of Gondor, as he steps down from his throne to honor Frodo, Pippen, and Merry? To prince Kardia as he rids the realm of the evil sorcerer Hocoino? When I think of kings I do not think of evil kings, though there have been far more evil kings than beneficent kings in the history of the world! Why do really good kings reside primarily in the minds of men longing for the reign of a righteous ruler? Perhaps because we have a “heart image” of the perfect King in Christ Jesus. This perfect King was promised by God to come from King David’s lineage (you can read about it in II Samuel 7) For several hundred years the kings of Israel proved that they were incapable of fulfilling the hope of the people that “this might be the one!” The prophet Isaiah wrote his 66 chapters with this king theme as a primary focus and gave us this amazing truth: “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.” Is. 9:2,6,7 Some 700+ years later this prophecy was fulfilled! “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Lk. 1:31-33 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” Mt.2:1,2 The narrative of Jesus birth is filled with O.T. references to this future king who would fulfill the promise of God to have a righteous King on the throne of David. None of the kings in Israel’s history proved to be the picture promised by God – while there were a handful of good kings who “…did what was right in the eyes of the Lord…” even these often reverted to sinful, selfish leadership. Ultimately, the ministry of Jesus provoked the religious and civil authorities to see him as a rival king and have him crucified. Even in this mock trial and his subsequent crucifixion his real identity surfaces. Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You have said so.” Mt 27:11 And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” Mt. 27:37 And so, the only truly sinless King offered himself as a sacrifice for man’s sin. As a righteous, compassionate, and gracious King he “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord!” Completely!! Just as the prophetic literature was fulfilled in Jesus first coming it speaks clearly about his second coming. He will return, not as the lamb of God, but as the Lion of Judah to restore his creation and subjugate all the rebellion and evil against him. And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” Revelation 5:5 “They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.” Rev. 17:14 “On his robe and on his thigh, he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.” Rev. 19:16 Those who serve other kings and refuse to honor him will ultimately be confronted with the Truth “so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Phil. 2:10,11 Yes, we should get goose bumps and choke back tears as we envision the rule of our future righteous King. He comes to conquer evil, to establish justice, and to fully restore his creation. Come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Real Marriage
August 23, 2021 • Larry Elliott
Real Marriage Written by: Larry Elliott Marriages often travel through three stages over some period of time. The new couple may well begin infatuated with each other and, over time, with the realization that this person has flaws and issues, the relationship may move to one of disenchantment. Healthy relationships move through these stages on to maturity and genuine love. How do we get to this maturity stage without getting derailed by anger, bitterness, or apathy? What could we identify as the disciplines and practices that are the marks of a healthy relationship? What sets us up for success or failure? What should I do to prepare myself for a healthy marriage? Is there anything I can do to turn a troubled marriage around? Hundreds of books, sermons, and seminars have been written and presented by wise, skillful professionals on this topic. As I read my random list of questions, I must confess there is no way I could possibly answer them in the next six hundred words! 😉 Or six hundred pages for that matter! What follows here are two grossly oversimplified truths that I believe give the greatest prospect of success in marriage! Forgiveness is the most essential element of any healthy relationship. Consider: “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Eph. 4:31,32 “Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.” I Peter 3:8,9 I know, to some these are just words on a page – what happens when my raw emotions are introduced into the equation? But what if we actually predetermined to forgive as God in Christ forgave, to extend a blessing instead of reviling? Can anger, bitterness, and evil survive in such an environment? No, it cannot. As Christ followers, do we really have the right, the audacity, to ignore the commands of scripture? Do I get to pick and choose what parts I believe and practice or are they all “God-breathed?” What if I am genuinely hurt and feel rejected? Am I still to forgive and give a blessing!!?! Yes, you are. The real out workings of these truths are hammered out in open, candid, sometimes excruciatingly difficult communication. Which brings us to our second grossly oversimplified truth. You would do well to read the book of Proverbs and highlight every time this wisest of all men talks about communication (words like heart, lips, words, speech…). Consider: “There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” Pr. 12:18 The topic of communication is addressed multiple times in nearly every chapter of Proverbs. Listen to the byproduct of negative communication according to Solomon: poverty, destruction, foolishness, regret, strife, corruption, hatred, separation, contention, shame, crushed spirits… This is the short list, but it is a sampling of what you can expect if your communication is negative and destructive. Listen to the byproduct of positive communication according to Solomon: wisdom, understanding, delights God, sweetness of life, honor, patience, protection, caring, healing, truth, peace… This also is the short list, but the contrast should be more than apparent. We have great power in speech and forgiveness - power to destroy and tear down or to heal and build up. The fact that any marriage survives is due to the goodness of God. How can two sinful, broken, selfish people ever hope to come together in such a way as to portray the good purpose of God? Observing and obeying his truths of forgiveness and communication allow us to become men and women who possess the power of God to calm, heal, and preserve life. It’s a good start!
Messiah in the Psalms
July 7, 2021 • Larry Elliott
Messiah in the Psalms The Psalms are filled with references to the “anointed” one and to many of the things that Jesus went through and said in his earthly ministry. How is it that literature dating back, in many cases, more than a thousand years before Christ could so accurately and specifically relate to the ministry and life of Jesus? Just before his ascension Jesus states clearly how this could be: Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” (Luke 24:44) The Old Testament was not a random collection of writings about the Jewish people but a supernatural treatise on how God was planning to rescue man from sin through the work of Messiah Jesus. Jesus was saying that all that was preserved in the ancient writings foretold his life. Consider Psalm 2, written in four strophes likely about David but clearly representing the ultimate King to come. In the first strophe, the nations are seen as raging or “noisily assembling” against the king. They meditate on evil as the godly man in Psalm 1 meditated on the law of the Lord. “Why?” the Psalmist inquires, would the nations devise such futility? In the second strophe we see God’s response of derision because he has established his king and it is utter folly to think they can so easily dismiss his authority. They have deceived themselves about who they are and the power of this king! David was God’s anointed and essentially the representative of the Messiah. The third strophe makes the statement, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.” Brown, Driver and Briggs, O.T. Hebrew scholars, describe begotten as “formally installing the king into theocratic rights.” God had anointed David as King and he would do so with Christ as well. This king holds office by divine appointment! The final strophe is a warning to all who “plot in vain,” taking their stand in opposition to the king. Their only hope is to “serve the king with fear” or perish in the king’s wrath. The parallels to King Jesus are unmistakable and there are dozens more woven throughout the Psalms. Consider a few of the most readily recognized (not in any order). --“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 22:1 --“The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone” 118:2 --“All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; “He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!” 22:7,8 --“…a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet—I can count all my bones—they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” 22:16-18 --“Into your hand I commit my spirit” 31:5 --“The Lord said to me, ‘You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage.’” 2:7,8 --“You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek” 110:4 --“Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.” 41:9 These are but a selected sampling of what Jesus must have instructed the disciples in as he “…opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” (Luke 24:45) By some counts there are over 90 prophecies in the Psalms that are fulfilled in Christ! Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms (that covers the whole of the O.T.) spoke of Jesus and he wanted the disciples to know that he was ultimately the subject of all of the sacred Hebrew Scriptures!