TheBookofActspart24TheGreatestEvangelismStrategy:GetPeopleReadingtheBible

Acts8:26-40|LonSolomon–SeniorPastorActs8:1“AgreatpersecutionaroseagainstthechurchwhichwasatJerusalem;andtheywereallscatteredthroughouttheregionsofJudeaandSamaria,excepttheapostles.”

Acts8:4“Thereforethosewhowerescatteredwenteverywherepreachingtheword.”

Acts8:5“ThenPhilip(Acts6:5)wentdowntothecityofSamariaandpreachedChristtothem.”

Acts8:6“AndthemultitudeswithoneaccordheededthosethingswhichPhilipspoke,hearingandseeingthemiracleswhichhedid.”

Acts8:8“Andtherewasgreatjoyinthatcity.”

Acts8:26“AndanangeloftheLordspoketoPhilip,saying,‘AriseandgotowardtheSouth,totheroadwhichgoesdownfromJerusalemtoGaza.’Thisisdesert.”

Acts8:27a“Sohe(Philip)aroseandwent.”Biblicalfaithdoesn’tDEMANDthatGodexplainHimself.

Acts8:27b-28“Andbehold,amanofEthiopia,aeunuchofgreatauthorityunderCandice,thequeenoftheEthiopians,whohadchargeofallhertreasury,hadcometoJerusalemtoworship,andwasreturning.Andsittinginhischariot,hewasreadingIsaiahtheprophet.”

#1–HewasaEUNUCH#2–HewasaWEALTHYMAN#3–HewasaPOWERFULMAN

Acts8:27“...aeunuchOFGREATAUTHORITYunderCandice,thequeenoftheEthiopians,whohadchargeofALLHERTREASURY.”

#4–HewasaRELIGIOUSMANTheBiblesays(1Kings10)thattheQueenofShebavisitedKingSolomonandJesusCONFIRMEDTHISinMatthew12:42.

AccordingtoEthiopianChurchtradition(KEBRANAGAST),shereturnedtheEthiopiaPREGNANTwithSolomon’sfirst-bornson(MELENIK),whoestablishedtheworshipofJehovahGodinEthiopia.

Acts8:29“ThentheSpiritsaidtoPhilip,‘Gonearandovertakethischariot.’”

Acts8:30“AndPhiliprantohim,andheardhimreadingtheprophetIsaiah,andsaid,‘Doyouunderstandwhatyouarereading?’”

Acts8:31“Andhe(eunuch)said,‘HowcanI,unlesssomeoneguidesme?’AndheaskedPhiliptocomeupandsitwithhim.”

Acts8:32-33“TheplaceintheScripturewhichhereadwasthis:‘Hewasledasasheeptotheslaughter, Andlikealambissilentbeforeitsshearer, SoHedidnotopenHismouth. InHishumiliation,justicewasdeniedHim, AndwhocandescribeHisgeneration?ForHislifeistakenupfromtheearth.’”

Acts8:34“AndtheeunuchansweredPhilipandsaid,‘Iaskyou,ofwhomdoestheprophetsaythis,ofhimselforofsomeotherman?’”

Acts8:35“ThenPhilipopenedhismouth,andbeginningatthisScripture,preachedJESUStohim.”

Evenonlyayearortwoafterthecross,theearlybelievershadaCRYSTALCLEARunderstandingofbiblicalCHRISTOLOGY:namely,thatJesuswastheSUFFERINGSERVANTOFISAIAH53.

Luke22:37“ForIsaytoyouthatthiswhichiswrittenmuststillbeaccomplishedINME:‘Andhewasnumberedwiththetransgressors.”(Isaiah53:12)

Acts8:36“Andastheywentdowntheroad,theycametosomewater.Andtheeunuchsaid,‘See,hereiswater.Whathindersmefrombeingbaptized?’”

Acts8:37“AndPhilipsaid,‘Ifyoubelievewithallyourheart,youmay.’Andhe(eunuch)answeredandsaid,‘IbelievethatJesusChrististheSonofGod.’”

Acts8:38“Andhecommandedthechariottostandstill.AndbothPhilipandtheeunuchwentdownintothewater,andhe(Philip)baptizedhim(eunuch).”

Deuteronomy23:1“HewhoisemasculatedbymutilationcannotfullybelongtotheLORD’s(Jewish)people.”Themancouldn’tconverttoJUDAISM–butheCOULDconverttoJESUS!

Acts8:39a“Andwhentheyhadcomeupoutofthewater,theSpiritoftheLordcaughtPhilipaway,sothattheeunuchsawhimnomore...”

Greek“harpazo”=SNATCHAWAY,CATCHUP -TheRapture–1Thessalonians4:17 -ApostlePaulintoheaven–2Corinthians12:2

Philip’sdisappearancewasCLEARLYaSUPERNATURALEVENT.

Acts8:39b“Andhe(eunuch)wentonhiswayrejoicing.”

TheChurchFatherIrenaeus(AGAINSTHERESIES)tellsusthatthiseunuchwenthomeandbecameaMISSIONARYtoallthepeopleofEthiopia.

Whenthefirstforeignmissionary(Frumentius)cametoEthiopiainc.300A.D.,herecordsthattherewasALREADYaSIZABLEChristiancommunitythere.

SOWHAT?

Acts8:39b“...he(theeunuch)wentonhiswayREJOICING.”

“Joy”isa“fruitoftheSpirit”(Galatians5:22)–whichweonlyGET–whenweGETJESUS!

TheeunuchwasREADINGTHEBIBLE–anditwasTHESCRIPTURESthathadSOFTENEDHISHEART,andmadehimRECEPTIVEandREADYtoembraceJesus.

John5:39“YousearchtheScriptures,becauseyouthinkthatinthemyouhaveeternallife;anditistheythatBEARWITNESSTOME.”

IfyouwantpeopletofindJesus,thengetthemintotheScriptures!