INTRODUCTION
• SLIDE #1
• Think for a moment about some of the more exciting things in life. Watching your child being able to ride a bike without training wheels for the first time. Watching your daughter throw her first no-hitter. Oh, the joys of life.
• How would it feel if you could be a part of changing the life of another person? What if you could be in integral part of the spiritual growth of another Christian?
• Have you ever thought about how you can impact the life and faith of those around you?
• When you look around you in this sanctuary this morning you will see a lot of wonderful people, wonderful people who just life yourself, struggle at times with their walk with the Lord.
• Each one of us faces a unique set of challenges as we strive to grow closer to Jesus.
• There are people that you know and love who are outside of this building this morning that you know need Jesus. I bet you pray that God would send someone to them to teach them about Jesus.
• My question is why not YOU! Why can’t you be the one who helps lead them to Jesus?
• SLIDE #2
• Today we are going to look at another blessing that is there for the taking from being a part of the FCC Life Group ministry. This ministry opportunity is open to ANY ONE who wants to be a part of grow closer to Jesus as well as growing closer to one another.
• Last week we looked at how we are called to encourage one another and unless we get to know one another we will not be able to successfully carry out that call.
• When we think of getting to know one another we think of some of the social things we do together. Dinning out, going golfing, going to jewelry and purse parties, etc…
• Those times together are awesome and fruitful, but today we are going to work at taking our fellowship to a new and deeper level.
• We can Change lives by studying God’s Word together. Today we will be in the book of Acts as we dig up some gems from the story of Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch.
• This is an interesting exchange that God orchestrates between this official from the Court of Candice Queen of Ethiopia.
• Let’s begin by looking at verses 26-29
• SLIDE #3
• Acts 8:26–29 (ESV) 26 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. 29And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.”
• SLIDE #4
SERMON
I. God desires us to study together.
• Philip had been preaching in Samaria, now God has a new assignment for him to fulfill.
• SLIDE #5 MAP
• Philip is being sent to Gaza, one of the oldest cities mentioned in the Bible. It is mentioned clear back in Genesis 10:19. Gaza was the southernmost of five chief cities of the Philistines; it is about fifty miles southwest of Jerusalem.
• Now think about this for a minute, Philip had been reaching many people on Samaria, now God is calling him away from a fertile field of operations to head south to study with 1 person!
• This also shows the heart of those filled with the Holy Spirit. God is calling him away from a successful work, you notice that Philip does not throw a fit; he simply follows the Lord’s calling.
• Contrast this with Jonah in the Old Testament. He did not want to see the people of Nineveh saved.
• By the way in verse 26 there is no mention of him meeting anyone, the text tells us the place God is sending him is a DESERT PLACE.
• The Angel tells Philip that where he is going is not populated.
• Oh, buy, God you are calling me away from a successful work to a place where there are no people?
• Well anyway, this underscores point one, that God wants us to study together.
• The text tells us that Philip went to where he was told to go.
• Once he got there he saw an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official from the court of Queen Candice of the Ethiopians.
• Eunuchs were emasculated so they would be impotent. This was done to keep them from being so aggressive and to ensure they would leave the females in the Queens court alone.
• He was a prominent man who was in charge of the treasury. Candice was the tiled used for the Queen rulers of Ethiopia much like pharaoh was used of the Egyptian rulers.
• This man came all the way to Jerusalem to worship and was on his way back home when Philip sees him.
• After worshipping in Jerusalem he is on his way home reading the prophet Isaiah. This man was studying and later we will see that he needs some help.
• The Spirit prompts Philip to go over and join the chariot. So Philip runs alongside of the chariot.
• We see that God pulled Philip from a large field of work to go to this one man in order to study God’s word with him.
• Why did God pull Philip away to go to one man? One of the reasons is that God wants us to study His word together. Why?
• Let’s look at verses 30-35.
• SLIDE #6
• Acts 8:30–35 (ESV)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.
• SLIDE #7
II. Studying together allows us to learn from one another.
• God sent Philip to this one man so he could have someone to study with.
• When we come together to study we can learn from each other. Now in this passage it is more of a teacher student relationship, but in general we come together to study so that we can learn from one another.
• We talk a lot about fellowship, worshiping together, eating together, having fun together, going shooting together, that is all great, but we also need to take the time to study together.
• Sometimes we get reluctant to do this because we do not feel like we can bring anything to the table. We are afraid someone will ask us to read aloud or will ask us a pointed question that we cannot answer.
• For me when I started going to church and going to classes in 1983, I knew NOTHING, I know there were times I had to of embarrassed my wife with some of my questions, and statements. But I wanted to learn, then as I learned I wanted to help others learn.
• In or text Philip hears the text the Eunuch is reading because the Eunuch was reading from Isaiah aloud. The word translated READING means to READ ALOUD. This was very common in this culture.
• Probably by the Spirit’s prompting, Philip asks the Eunuch a simple question in verse 30, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
• This was a straight forward question from Philip. Now how many of us would be embarrassed if someone asked us that question let alone someone whom we have never met before?
• Philip does something that is important; he was trying to ascertain where this person was in their knowledge so that he would better help him.
• The Eunuch is not insulted or was his pride stung by Philip’s question, instead he says to Philip, “How can I, unless someone guides me?”
• Then he proceeds to invite this stranger Philip to join him on the chariot.
• We are all brothers and sisters in Christ; we should be excited at the prospect of being able to study God’s Word together. We get to spend time together and we also get the opportunity to learn from one another’s experiences.
• The early church devoted themselves to the study of the Word.
• SLIDE #8
• Acts 2:42 (ESV) 42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
• What are we devoted to as Christians? The study of God’s word should be one of our priorities.
• This Eunuch was reading a prophecy concerning Jesus, but he did not know it. He was eager to learn.
• The Eunuch is reading Isaiah 53:7-8 and he does not know whom the passage speaks of.
• Look at verses 34-35 again.
• SLIDE #9
• 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.
• Philip then sees the opening to teach this man about Jesus.
• When we spend time together we can help each other in the growth process. I have had some may people who have invested time into me teaching me about God’s Word.
• Without their time, love and encouragement I do not know where I would be today. I am so thankful that there were others who were willing to study God’s word with me.
• Let’s look at verses 36-39
• SLIDE #10
• Acts 8:36–39 (ESV) 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.
• SLIDE #11
III. Studying together can help change lives!
• Look at what happens after Philip shares from God’s Word. This Eunuch is ready to become a Christian. This man was going to have his life changed for eternity!
• How exciting would it be to be a part of a changed life!
• It is obvious that part of Philips presentation of Jesus included the need to be immersed.
• Philip is ready to take the plunge!
• When we come together to study God’s Word lives can be changed. When we are working with people who do not know Jesus, it can cause them to want to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior!
• When we study with other Christians, we can be that encouragement they need that could change their life.
• We could help them have that THE LIGHT IS ON MOMENT that is the time in which they learn something that is life-changing!
• I have had the opportunity to study with others and I learned so much from them. What I learned helped me to grow and mature.
• What would have happened if no one would have thought I was worth the time to study with?
• What would happen if everyone was too busy to take an hour or an hour and a half of their week to study with me?
• Are changed lives worth 1.5 hours of your week? I pray that they are.
CONCLUSION
• At FCC we offer you the opportunity to study God’s Word with others, I hope you will take advantage of that opportunity.
• If you feel you have nothing to offer, please come so that in time you will have something to offer. And by the way when you think you have nothing to offer, you really do have something.
• You never know how something that seems insignificant can be a life-changer for someone else.
