The great value of simple obedience

Have you ever wondered why you’re here, or what value your life has? God has purpose for all of us and values us because He created us. We can never realise that value or discover that purpose until we start to respond to His guidance and obey His voice. When we do start doing that wonderful things happen. Philip and and Ethiopian official show us how simple obedience leads to a great understanding of our value and purpose in Jesus Christ.

Scripture

Acts 8:26-40 ESV  Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place.  [27]  And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship  [28]  and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah.  [29]  And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.”  [30]  So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”  [31]  And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.  [32]  Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this: “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth.  [33]  In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.”  [34]  And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?”  [35]  Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus.  [36]  And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?”  [38]  And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.  [39]  And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing.  [40]  But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

Bible Study Questions

God provides a messenger, who obeys

Philip started serving the Church as a deacon waiting on tables, then he was chased out of Jerusalem by persecution. He responded by preaching the Gospel wherever he went, starting in Samaria. Do you think it was hard for Philip to obey the angel and return south to Jerusalem? In what areas are you finding it difficult to obey God?

Acts 8:26-27a ESV  Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place.  And he rose and went.

Acts 8:3-5 ESV  But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.  [4]  Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.  [5]  Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ.

God draws a seeker, who obeys

A wealthy and powerful Ethiopian eunuch had possibly journeyed as long as 30 days to worship and was returning home. Much difficulty and disappointment may have been part of his experience, but he chose to read Isaiah as he returned. What does this tell you about him? What do we learn about God’s love for those who face exclusion?

Acts 8:27b-28 ESV  And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship  [28]  and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah.  

Deuteronomy 23:1 ESV  “No one whose testicles are crushed or whose male organ is cut off shall enter the assembly of the LORD.

Acts 21:28 ESV  crying out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place. Moreover, he even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.”

John 6:44 ESV  No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.

God provides an opportunity to the obedient

We are all called to proclaim the Gospel to the whole creation. Why do we find this difficult, how did God overcome some of these difficulties for Philip?

Acts 8:29-30 ESV  And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.”  [30]  So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”  

Mark 16:15-16 ESV  And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.  [16]  Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

God provides guidance

The Ethiopian has been drawn by God and he has responded. Philip has been sent by God and given an opportunity to share the Gospel of Jesus. God is saving the Ethiopian and he is called to respond in faith. How does God make this possible for him?

Acts 8:31 ESV And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

Romans 10:15-17 ESV  And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”  [16]  But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?”  [17]  So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

God provides the Gospel

It just so happens that a man seeking God, meets an obedient evangelist in the middle of nowhere, where he just happens to be reading a passage of Isaiah at the exact time that Philip runs to his chariot and offers to help to guide him. The New Testament and Gospels were not yet available, what is remarkable about the Old Testament passage of Isaiah 53, the passage he was reading? What does all this tell you about God’ love for the Ethiopian?

Acts 8:32-34 ESV Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this: “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth.  [33]  In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.”  [34]  And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?”

Isaiah 53:4-6 ESV  Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.  [5]  But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.  [6]  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

God provides water for obedience

What did Philip need to know in order to be used by the Holy Spirit to guide the seeking Ethiopian? What would the Ethiopian have been taught in Isaiah 53, and what did his belief in Jesus include? How are Philip and the Ethiopian being obedient to the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

Acts 8:35-38 ESV Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus.  [36]  And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” [37] Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”  [38]  And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.  

Acts 2:38-39 ESV  And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  [39]  For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”

Luke 23:39-43 ESV  One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!”  [40]  But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?  [41]  And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.”  [42]  And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”  [43]  And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

God provides power, joy and life-long purpose to the obedient

The Ethiopian was almost certainly travelling with an entourage. What effect do you think God’s rapturing of Philip before their eyes had on the Ethiopian and his party? Later on in Acts we read more about Philip. What can we learn about his extraordinary journey, and how God lead and placed him where and when He wanted to? Philip and the eunuch both had joy because they had purpose. What simple act and attitude helped them to discover this purpose?

Acts 8:39-40 ESV And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing.  [40]  But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

Acts 21:8-9 ESV  On the next day we departed and came to Caesarea, and we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.  [9]  He had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied.