So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
Acts 8:30-31
The account of Philip meeting with the Ethiopian eunuch emphasizes the crucial role of scripture in conversations that lead to conversion. To get to the good news of salvation in Jesus, there has to be some element of “the Bible says...” in our conversation. We aren’t just making this news up. The gospel is rooted in ALL of God’s revelation, and getting to it requires some level of understanding scripture. Philip knew thi, which is why this was a great moment when the eunuch invited him to sit beside him as he journeyed back home.
Philip was the guide the Ethiopian needed. And the scripture he was reading was a powerful pointer to the gospel. Philip began right there in Isaiah 53 and got right to the good news of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. He guided the man from the prophetic account of Jesus’ suffering for our sins right to the most important point: Jesus has provided the way to be forgiven and find eternal salvation.
The Ethiopian eunuch believed this great news! He stopped the chariot at some water and asked Philip to baptize him on the spot. Philip had been used by the Holy Spirit to guide to the gospel. And that led to belief in Jesus as Lord and Savior for the Ethiopian eunuch. And this was all shown in his willingness to readily follow Jesus in baptism. A disciple had been made! Guiding to the gospel grows new believers.
No comments:
Post a Comment