Check out all the previous Acts readings here.
Acts Reading Plan | Week 7 | Day 4
Prayer
You’ve got an opportunity right now to learn from Jesus. To spend time with Him. Slow your mind and your body as you draw near to Him. Psalm 25:4 says, “Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths.” Make that your beginning prayer as you come before Him today.
Bible Reading: Acts 8:26-40
Read these verses three times slowly.
Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 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, and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”
Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.
“How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
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.
In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth.”
The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
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?” And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 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. Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.
Reflection & Questions
Today we see God give Philip a ONE! God had a particular person for Philip to talk to and He gave specific instructions to Philip of where this man was. Philip obeys the Holy Spirit and goes to talk to this man. We’re not told his name, but simply that he is an important official in Ethiopia. We also know he is seeking. He went to Jerusalem to worship, but he still hasn’t found what he’s looking for. He’s reading the book of Isaiah (from the Old Testament) but can’t understand it. He tells Philip, “How can I [understand it] unless someone explains it to me?” He pleaded with Philip “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about?” What an opportunity the Holy Spirit set up for Philip! Philip seized the moment and “told him the good news about Jesus.” The Ethiopian converted that day and got baptized right away. Amazing!
The Holy Spirit still guides today. He has people He wants us to talk to, ask questions, or help with acts of service. It might be our ONEs, or someone we just happen to come across for a moment in time. He will give us impressions like “talk to that person” or “ask that person if you can help them.” It may not always be clear to us whether it is the Spirit guiding us or just our own mind, but we can learn to distinguish the Spirit’s voice. He is gentle, persistent and always leads us in line with the teaching of Scripture. And we can know when He guides, He is setting up some great opportunities. Opportunities to help people who, like the Ethiopian, are desperate for the truth and wondering: “How can I understand it unless someone explains it to me?”
- Can you recall a time where the Spirit impressed upon you to do something. How did it turn out?
- Is there something the Spirit leading you to do and you haven’t yet? How would Philip encourage you?
Prayer
Pray for the Spirit to guide you and to help you understand His voice in your life. Pray that He would guide you to people who are searching for Jesus!
Worship Song
You might use this song today to worship Jesus today:
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Questions?
Ed Applegate
