Today’s reading draws us further into the world of the early Church, giving us more insight into the climate in which the gospel was preached. It also acquaints us more with those who contributed to the distribution of the gospel.
The same day Stephen is martyred, widespread persecution occurs, with Saul actively pursuing and persecuting believers, throwing them in jail (Acts 8:1–3). The persecution intensified, but the resolve of Jesus’s followers to share His message only grew.
Philip’s encounter with the eunuch was more than being in the right place at the right time. It was a divine orchestration from God, who was ready to meet the eunuch’s desire to know more about Him. Philip meets a perplexed man, who does not understand who the subject of the passage from Isaiah was talking about. But Philip did.
Philip proceeded to tell him the good news about Jesus, beginning with that Scripture. —Acts 8:35
Here we see God’s saving power in action. As Philip directed the eunuch to Jesus through the Word, the eunuch accepted everything that he heard. It’s a monumental moment in the eunuch’s life, the eagerness evident in his immediate request to be baptized. As regal and important as his position was in Queen Candace’s court, he now had a more prestigious status as a member of God’s family.
This roadside conversion points back to God’s promise in Isaiah 56:3–5, where God specifically promised that His salvation would extend to foreigners and eunuchs, who generally did not have families of their own. Better than a biological family, the eunuch now had a place among God’s people and family. What joy he experienced, as he returned to Ethiopia, forever changed.
The same joy-inducing, life-giving gospel at work in the eunuch’s conversion is the same gospel that has transformed our lives. The eunuch’s story highlights the beauty of God’s grace. Because of sin, we were far from God, but because of Jesus’s sacrifice, we now belong to Him. The gospel welcomes all, without discrimination; the only requirement is that we accept His gift of salvation (Romans 10:13). In God’s household, strangers are bonded together as family, and we all experience God’s blessings.
The eunuch’s conversion during the church’s persecution emphasizes that nothing will stop God’s plan for us to be His people. Our lives are forever marked with a deep joy that outlasts any situation we face, knowing that we are accepted by Him.
This shows that we can know the guidance of the Holy Spirit in our witnessing, if we are walking in the spirit and praying for God‘s direction. This Ethiopian represents many people who are religious, read the Scriptures, and seek the truth, yet do not have the saving faith in Jesus Christ. They are sincere, but they are lost! They need someone to show them the way. God had already prepared the man’s heart to receive Phillips witness! If we obey the Lord‘s leading, we can be sure that God Will go before us and open the way for our witness. Hugs and prayers for all my sisters here ❤️
I meant Elijah not Elisha in my previous post. I’m glad to see that I wasn’t the only one who picked up on that verse — ERB and Mari V. and Victoria E..
This is my favorite story in Acts. I love how the eunuch admits he doesn’t understand to someone who is “beneath him”. Then invites Philip to ride with him and explain it to him. As I read the scripture I noticed a verse I hadn’t noticed before, “When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing.” There only two other times I can think of in the Bible where the Lord “snatched” one of His beloved children away — Melchizedek and Elisha — but they never returned. Philip was “teleported” to another location. WOW!! I wonder what was going through both of there heads and minds? I know God can do anything but in A.D. 34 to just poof be put in another location instantly. WOW!! Double WOW!!!!
Sisters be blessed and look for the WOW God has put in today.
Mari V and ERB I was also struck by the taking up of Philip (and Elijah) by the Holy Spirit! Just the other day I was wishing I had the ability to teleport to be able to travel and see family across the country without risking COVID and here we see the Holy Spirit doing this supernatural things just like that !
Nads thank you for your moving prayer on behalf of us yesterday. I read it before bed and was so touched. Thank you to those who called out the passage on Simon and his immediate repentance and the contrast to the Ananias and Sapphira story, I actually totally missed that connection and that really deepened my understanding of the passage.
❤️this ERB I thought the same thing.
Phoebe, Lara and Searching, I listen while driving to pick up my son from preschool or outside walking. I use Apple Podcasts app. I usually end up pausing and resuming several times. I just finished last week’s and loved it!
Kate- I think it is leading to a revival. At least in my own life, the wildness that we have been experiencing since 2020 has drawn me closer to God and strengthened my faith in Him!