Called to Break Down Barriers

August 13, 2017 Background Scripture: Acts 8 Lesson Passage: Acts 8:26 – 39 The infant church in Jerusalem underwent a lot of turmoil in a relatively short amount of time. The members faced mounting persecution from the Jewish religious leaders even as they attempted to continue to gather for prayer among them. The Roman civil authority joined the Jewish leaders in persecuting the church in order to curry favor with the Jewish leaders. While this was going on, internal dissension arose within the congregation between the Jewish Christians of Palestine and the ones from outside of Palestine (the Grecians). This internal dissension was resolved by identifying a group of men in the church to become servants within the congregation to attend the daily work of serving tables. The members of the group of seven men chosen to serve tables were all Grecian Jews. Philip was one of the seven men. The internal dissension in the congregation was resolved but the external persecution continued to mount and some from among their ranks were put to death because of their faith. This life-threatening persecution against the church caused many of them to flee Jerusalem seeking safety. Philip was one of the Christians who fled Jerusalem because of the persecution against the church. As those dispersed Christians spread out from Jerusalem, they continued to give witness of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the people they encountered. Philip proclaimed the gospel in Samaria. Afterwards, the Lord directed Philip to go south to a road that led from Jerusalem through the desert to Gaza. It was on that road where Philip encountered a chariot carrying an Ethiopian eunuch. He was traveling from Jerusalem back to Ethiopia. The eunuch had worshiped in Jerusalem and while returning back to Ethiopia he was reading the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. The Holy Spirit directed Philip to go and run next to the chariot. There, Philip could hear the eunuch reading and used it as an evangelistic opportunity. Philip asked him if he understood what he was reading. Although he was educated enough to read the scriptures (it was either written in Hebrew or Greek), the eunuch knew that he needed a teacher of the Jewish scriptures to guide him in his understanding. He invited Philip to sit with him in his chariot and from there he began to seek understanding of the scriptures from Philip by asking him very specific questions. Philip, who was filled with the Holy Spirit, expounded the true meaning of the scriptures, i.e., the gospel of Jesus Christ. This exposition of the scriptures by Philip led to saving faith in the eunuch who then asked to be baptized. After Philip gave him the criteria for water baptism, the eunuch affirmed his faith and commanded the chariot to stop at a place where they had come to some water. Since this route was described as passing through desert, this water was either an oasis or a miracle. It was enough water for both Philip and the eunuch to go down into. When they came out of the water, the Spirit translated Philip to Azotus and the eunuch carried the gospel on to Ethiopia. Robert C. Hudson June 29, 2017