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As a preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ I find the example of the conversion of
the Ethiopian recorded in Acts 8:26-40 perhaps one of the most inspiring in
that wonderful book. It is an example of the power of the word of God, the Gospel,
to save men (Rom.1:16). It is an example of personal evangelism at its best
— an opportunity to teach others the Truth. It is an example of an open and receptive
heart. It is an example of questions which need to be asked and answered:
Society today looks for a "different" gospel than the Gospel the book of Acts presents. Many accept the gospel of inclusion ("I'm OK, You're OK"). Others teach the bloodless gospel of salvation by "faith alone" which is not found in the Bible (Jas. 2:24). The majority in our nation have accepted the gospel of subjectivism or "cotton candy religion" which will not save the proverbial field mouse! All are false because they contradict the word of God. "As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed" (Gal.1:9). This account and others in Acts show us how men and women, slave and free were saved from their sins in the First Century A.D. They and we can all be saved by the blood of the Savior (Eph.1:7). Let us examine how the Gospel worked to save this deeply religious man so long ago. God Provided The Opportunity Philip was an evangelist and deacon of the church in Jerusalem (Acts 6:5-6). The Lord had given him success in converting the lost among the people of Samaria (Acts 8:5-8). The Ethiopian was an interesting fellow. Luke, the writer of Acts, describes him as "a man of Ethiopia". This is not the modern day nation by the same name but actually the ancient kingdom of Cush south of Egypt in the continent of Africa. As a treasurer under Queen Candace he had a position of great authority. Probably because of his position, he was a eunuch which made him considered trustworthy. More importantly he "had come to Jerusalem for to worship" (Verse 26). This means that he had traveled hundreds of miles from his home in Africa to worship God, possibly for the Passover Feast. An angel, in conjunction with the Holy Spirit, connected the evangelist with the sinner. The Ethiopian was traveling approximately 60-70 miles southwest of Jerusalem on the road to the city of Gaza. The King James Version of the Bible describes the area as "desert"(Verse 26). Actually the word could be better translated "deserted" or devoid of people. Notice that neither the angel nor the Holy Spirit took a direct role in the presentation of the Gospel to this man. Contrary to what many teach today only human beings are commissioned by the Lord to preach the gospel (Matt.28:18-20). The Lord today wants all men to hear the Truth of the Gospel. In fact the function of the church is to proclaim that Gospel at every opportunity the Providence of God provides (Eph.3:10). That opportunity is open to all, 24/7. "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly of heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" (Matt.11:28-30). In the early church evangelism was carried out using the Scriptures. "Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasons with them from the Scriptures" (Acts 17:2). The Ethiopian was apparently a man who studied the Scriptures. Philip found him reading aloud from the Old Testament, the prophet Isaiah, specifically Chapter 53. Until Philip arrived he had only the driver of the chariot to hear his reading. As it was 2,000 years ago, so today. The Lord is looking for those with an open Bible — those open to hearing the Truth. "And he saith unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear"(Mark 4:9). Many have closed their Bible to the Truth for various reasons:
Now the Holy Spirit begins to work on the heart of this man to convert Him. Not with jerks and fits as some claim today. Not directly, but through the preacher, Philip (Rom.10:13-14). The question Philip asked was the key: "Understandest thou what thou readest?" (Acts 8:30). The Ethiopian was reading the Scriptures but not comprehending. Understanding the Scriptures is the key to salvation. "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Rom.10:17). Many today do not understand that there is a difference between just reading the Bible and understanding it. "When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart" (Matt.13:19). The Ethiopian's question and response reveals an attitude of humilty, an open heart (Acts 8:31). He was not embarrassed or offended by Philip's inquiry because an open heart is necessary to receive the Gospel (Jer.17:10). Perhaps the passage he was reading from Isaiah 53 caused him to feel humble. It portrays the "Suffering Servant" — a picture of the rejection, suffering and death of the Messiah. What honest soul would not be humbled by this prophecy? Dear reader, does this passage move you? "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed" (Isa.53:5). Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Philip used this opportunity to open the door by presenting the Gospel of Jesus Christ. What did Philip preach to the Ethiopian? Luke records that he preached "Jesus" (Acts 8:35). He preached that Jesus was the fulfillment of Messianic prophecy (Lk.24:46-47); the atonement for our sins (Eph.1:7). We know from his record among the Samaritans that he preached the importance of "the things concerning the kingdom of God" (Acts 8:12), — that there is one kingdom or church (Eph.4:5) purchased by His blood (Acts 20:28), that it is the fellowship of the saved, and that there is only one way to enter it (Jn.3:5). And we also know from the outcome that Philip preached God's Plan of Salvation: believe in Jesus, repent of sins, confess Jesus and be immersed for remission of sins. Today this same Gospel that Philip preached is proclaimed through out the whole earth. It is available to all with an open heart (Matt.11:28-30). Spurred on by his new found belief in Christ and with the desire to be baptized for remission of his sins, he makes the Good Confession (Acts 8:36,37; cf.Rom.10:9,10; 1 Tim.6:12,13). That confession of Jesus Christ as the Son of God is an affirmation of the basic truth of Christianity (Matt.16:5,16; Jn.11:27). This was not a confession of one who had already been saved but of one who desired to submit to baptism in order to be saved. The man's question indicated that he must have been taught the necessity of baptism by Philip. Philip must have taught the Ethiopian that...
This last point is self-evident in that both Philip and the Ethiopian "went down" and "came up out of the water" (Acts 8:38,39). The Ethiopian did not have water sprinkled or poured on his head. He was immersed. The man asked an important question which needs to be asked today: "See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?" (Acts 8:36). He faced a lot of opposition to his baptism. He would be returning home where he would probably be the only Christian in his nation. There would be opposition from his family and fellow Jews. And there would possibly be opposition from his Queen, Candace. Has anything changed in 2,000 years? Actually only one's lack of obedient faith in Jesus Christ and His word truly hinders him from being baptized for remission of sins. "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also"(James 2:24). Luke records, "And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing"(Acts 8:39). Why was he rejoicing? Because He had obeyed the Messiah and become a new creature in Him (2 Cor.5:17). He had come into contact with the blood of Christ in the waters of baptism (Gal.3:27). Now his sins were truly forgiven and he was in fellowship with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (Acts 22:16). He was now a citizen of Christ's kingdom, the church of Christ (Jn.3:5). Perhaps as he was traveling back home he read further in Isaiah of the great blessings from God which applied to him, even as a eunuch (Isa.56:3-7). Dear reader what about you? What hinders you from being baptized for remission of sin? I invite you to be like this Ethiopian, obey Jesus Christ and become a New Testament Christian like he became — a child of God saved by the blood of His Son. |