This is another lesson in Mike’s series on Bible Characters.
Philip begins his ministry in the challenging environment of the Samaria, before an angel of the Lord directs him to travel south out of Jerusalem (Acts 8:26).
On the road to Gaza he encounters a man from Ethiopia who happens to be reading a scroll from the book of Isaiah.
“Do you understand what you’re reading?” Philip asked.
It was a very simple question. And it led to a profound discussion about the Ethiopian’s eternal destiny.
Isn’t that our calling? To ask a simple question of people…Or, in some cases, to provide a simple answer?
In this lesson, Mike shares the story of Philip the Evangelist, and also reveals the most profound lesson we learn from Philip (from Acts 21).
Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” The man replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him. The passage of Scripture he had been reading was this [Note: from Isaiah 53:7-8]:
“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter.
And as a lamb is silent before the shearers,
he did not open his mouth.
He was humiliated and received no justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth.”
The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, was the prophet talking about himself or someone else?” So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus. As they rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look! There’s some water! Why can’t I be baptized?” He ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.
Acts 8:30-38