LED BY THE LORD
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Opening Prayer
I come to your Word, Father, knowing that in its pages, I always find truth, encouragement, and direction. Help me to understand what you show me today and to apply it.
Read ACTS 8:26–40
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
Philip and the Ethiopian
26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian[a] eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”
30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.
31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32 This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:
“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth.”[b]
34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?”[37] [c] 38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40 Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the townsuntil he reached Caesarea.
Footnotes
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
As we reach the end of this series in Acts, what has God taught you?Reading this, I can’t help thinking about Jonah! God said to Jonah, ‘Go!’ and he ran in the opposite direction (Jonah 1:1–3). God said to Philip, ‘Go!’ and he sets out immediately (vv. 26, 27), only knowing that he is supposed to go south. We’re not told how he feels about it. He has just fled Jerusalem because of the persecution (v. 5) and his ministry is going really well in the town he’s stopped in (vv. 6, 7). It couldn’t have been easy to walk away from this successful urban ministry that’s drawing crowds and head down ‘the desert road’ (v. 26).
Having been obedient to that first command, he is given a little more detail (v. 29). He is listening to the Spirit’s voice for further instruction and immediately obeys. After that, he simply takes the opportunities that arise, offering to explain the Scriptures to the Ethiopian (v. 30), climbing into the carriage when invited (v. 31), and then baptizing the man when they reach water (v. 38).
Philip is spontaneous, but he is also prepared. He is ready to explain the gospel message from whatever passage he hears (v. 35). Clearly, he had spent time studying the Scriptures and listening to the apostles’ teaching so that he was ready to give an answer (1 Peter 3:15). So, Philip is obedient, spontaneous, and prepared—which of those do you find hardest?
Apply
How willing are you to do so when God’s Spirit speaks to you and says, ‘Go’?
Closing prayer
Father, as you give me opportunities to share Jesus’ message, give me courage to obey your leading and confidence that you are using me for eternal good.
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