Acts 8:26

And the angel of the Lord spoke unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go to the south unto the way that goes down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. And he arose and he went, and behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge over all her treasure, had come to Jerusalem for to worship, and was returning and sitting in his chariot, reading Isaiah the prophet... And Philip ran thither, and he heard him read the prophet Isaiah, and said, Do you understand what you read? He said, How can I, except some man should guide me?

When Philip obeyed one simple command—"Arise, and go"—God opened a door wide enough to drive a semi through.

If We Go, We Grow

Earlier in Acts 8 we saw a great persecution arise against the church in Jerusalem after the death of Stephen. The believers were scattered abroad throughout Judea and Samaria, and they "went everywhere preaching the word." Philip, one of the seven ordained in Acts 6, is now sent by God to take the gospel into regions that had not yet been reached.

The Lord had clearly commanded His disciples to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20). It was God's plan from the beginning that they would not stay in Jerusalem. In Luke 24:49 Jesus told them to wait in the city only until they were "endued with power from on high," and in Acts 1 He said they would be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the earth.

If they stayed in Jerusalem, they would stagnate and the work would not continue. But if they would go, they would grow. The same is true for you and me. If we stay in one spot, always receiving and never giving out, we stagnate. As we get going, we get growing. God desires that we would become mature in Christ, never that we would remain babes.

The Word Must Go Out

That is why we at Calvary Chapel are so committed to discipleship and teaching the word of God verse by verse, line upon line—Sunday morning, Saturday night, the school of discipleship, the women's and men's ministries, the midweek study. We constantly want God's word to get into us, because it is living and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, able to cut deep and transform our lives.

But God also desires that His word would go out into the world. Isaiah 55 promises that where the Lord's word goes, it will not return void; it will accomplish the purpose He sent it forth to do. Isaiah pictures the clouds going out over the earth, watering it so it brings forth food. In the same way God's word goes forth. The word is like the rain, and we are like the clouds that carry it out into the world. We see the disciples beginning to do that here in Acts.

Arise and Go

Philip went into Samaria and preached the gospel with great results, and Peter and John came down to pray that the believers would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. But now in verse 26, the angel of the Lord tells Philip, "Arise, and go." These are the words God speaks to us as well. Yes, we wait until we are equipped and empowered by the Spirit—but once empowered, we go.

Notice verse 27: "And he arose and went." The call of God is great, but obedience to the call is far more important. I have met dozens of people over the years who knew God had called them, yet had not been obedient, nor had they even begun to prepare. When I was in high school I knew the Lord was calling me to full-time ministry, so I prepared as best I knew how. I took a speech class to overcome my fear of standing before people; all it proved was that I wasn't a public speaker. But the call had come, and we need both to prepare for and to be obedient to that call.

In Acts 26, Paul stood before King Agrippa and recounted how Jesus told him, "rise and stand upon your feet... to make you a minister and a witness." Then Paul said, "I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision." Are we fulfilling what God has called us to? The ministry is not just for pastors or elders. Every one of you is called by God to serve Him, to glorify and magnify Him in this life.

A Man Reading Isaiah

When Philip obeyed, he saw an open door—an Ethiopian eunuch of great authority under Candace, the queen, who had charge over all her treasure. He was like the prime minister of Ethiopia, probably traveling with an entourage. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship, which means he had some knowledge of the one true God.

While in Jerusalem he had acquired the scroll of Isaiah. A scroll in that day was a precious commodity—there was no Xerox, no Kinko's on Joppa Street. Scribes copied the Scriptures letter for letter, and Isaiah was a very big scroll; the one at the Dead Sea Scrolls museum is eleven feet long. Most people in Israel had likely never seen a full scroll of Isaiah, but this man had paid a great sum for it. There he sat in his chariot, reading from the prophet on his way home.

Go Near

Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go near and join yourself to this chariot." I've found that God rarely tells me more than one thing at a time—probably because He knows I'm a bit unorganized and have some spiritual ADD. He doesn't tell me step two until I fulfill step one. As we go through the door He opens, He unfolds the rest of the plan.

Notice the command: "Go near." The gospel of Jesus Christ is most effectively shared relationally. For the last sixty years in the West it has been popular to give the gospel in huge crusades. Yet even the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association will tell us that less than one percent of those who go forward at such events are still walking with the Lord a year or two later. Why? Because the gospel is most effectively shared relationally. It might not be the best illustration, but it spreads almost like chickenpox—you actually need to come in contact with people.

This is difficult for us Americans. We like our space and our own personal world. We have a hard time talking with people we don't know—and even people we do know. That's why some folks don't come into church until after we've said, "turn around and greet those around you."

A Lesson on the Subway

I'll never forget when Eric, Rick Kierstedt, Mark Cato, and I went to New York City right after 9/11. We met a team from Calvary Chapel Carlsbad, and there was a young guy on the team, about eighteen, who looked totally Californian—blonde curly hair, cut-off pants, sandals. We were on a packed subway car at four in the afternoon, everyone reading newspapers and listening to iPods in their own little world. He stood up and said, "Can I have everybody's attention? We're from California. We're Christians. We'd like to pray for you." Eric, who grew up in the Bronx, was mortified. But that young man prayed for those people and opened up a great opportunity to share for the next several minutes. It was completely outside the box of how we operate in America.

We like to hope our Christianity will work like flypaper—that people flying around will get stuck to us, or come up and say, "You're always happy; what's different?" We hope they'll come to us, but the Scripture reveals that we need to go to them.

One ministry the Lord has laid on my heart, along with several leaders, is reaching the international students in our area. Nations send their best and brightest here to be educated; then they return home as leaders. While here they're completely outside their culture—no familiar food, no family. It's a great opportunity to share the love of Christ practically: "Would you come over for dinner?" When they come to faith, many go back as missionaries to their own people. But for that to happen, we have to go near and join ourselves to them.

Run to the Open Door

Look at verse 30: "And Philip ran there to him." Philip was actively ready and willing. He had to run to catch up with the chariot—it took effort. The eunuch didn't call out, "Hey, you look like you've got the peace of God." Philip had to actively pursue him.

When Philip arrived, he found that God had given him a wide-open door. The man was reading from Isaiah 53, one of the clearest Messianic passages—written 700 years before Jesus came, yet outlining His death and resurrection for our sins: "He was bruised for our iniquities... and by his stripes we are healed." Philip asked, "Do you understand what you're reading?"

Understanding Requires the Spirit

Many people today read the Bible because they think it's a good book, yet understand neither its content nor its importance. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:14 that "the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." It is a spiritual book that God speaks through.

One of the biggest compliments I've received over the years of teaching is that I've helped people understand the Scriptures in a way they never had before. That's not because I'm super smart or richly schooled—I have no formal Bible education. It's just like the early disciples: they had been with Jesus. As you spend time with the Lord in His word, the Spirit guides you to understand.

The eunuch's answer was right on: "How can I, except some man should guide me?" What a blessing to have older brothers and sisters who can instruct us—I'm thankful for men like Charles Spurgeon, Matthew Henry, Adam Clarke, Pastor Chuck, and my friend David Guzik.

The Promise of the Spirit of Truth

But more than that, we have a great promise in John 14:26: "the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance." And in John 16:13: "when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth."

So when you come to a passage you don't understand, the first thing to do is pray and ask God to show you. "Lord, would you guide me by your Spirit, as you promised?" I guarantee you'll be blown away by how the Lord does that. We can answer your questions through email or phone, and that's wonderful—but lean first on the Spirit of truth.

How Shall They Hear?

Romans 10:13 says, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." But Paul continues: "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent?"

We need to go, and we need to be ready to give a defense for the hope within us. Peter says, "always be ready to give an answer"—an apologia. People will ask questions you can't answer; that's not terrible. Don't make something up. Tell them, "I'll get back to you," and search the Scriptures. The Bereans were more noble because they searched the Scriptures daily to see if those things were so.

Of Whom Speaks the Prophet?

The passage the eunuch was reading was Isaiah 53: "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter... so he opened not his mouth." Then he asked, "Of whom speaks this prophet? Himself or some other man?" Talk about a wide-open door.

Consider this: the eunuch had already reached chapter 53, nearly the end of Isaiah, by the time Philip arrived. Only God can make openings like this. God knew the man's heart was open and engaged, so He made sure His servant was right there and ready.

God gives us openings and opportunities like this on a regular basis. There is not a day that goes by without one. I don't believe we even need to pray for such opportunities—God constantly gives them. But we are often too busy, distracted, or afraid to act. I'll confess, even as your pastor, there have been times I've seen an opportunity and gone the other way out of fear or distraction. Oh God, give us eyes to see the opportunities and boldness to take hold of them.

Open Your Mouth and Preach Christ

Verse 35: "Then Philip opened his mouth." We actually need to say something. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1:21, "in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God; it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe."

You won't find God in a test tube, telescope, or microscope. He is not part of His creation—He spoke it into being and holds it together, but He is separate from it. Our society puts great stock in science and rejects God because science hasn't "proved" Him. There is much evidence for God in science, but science is not sufficient to prove Him. God, being outside His creation, had to reveal Himself—through the prophets, and most personally by becoming a man, God incarnate, Jesus Christ.

The word "foolishness" in 1 Corinthians 1:21 is moros, from which we get "moron." It means dull. I'll admit that compared to the Masters, the Super Bowl, or even Shakespeare and Beethoven, the preaching of the word may seem dull. But the redemptive value of those things is nil. Paul said, "I am not ashamed of the gospel... it is the power of God unto salvation."

Charles Spurgeon said he believed it was a sin to make God's word boring. The sad thing is that for the last thirty years the church has tried to make God's word entertaining with flashing lights, lasers, smoke, and fireworks. But none of that saves a soul. Pastor Chuck said, "What you win them with, you win them to." When the concert ends and the smoke machine dies, everyone leaves—but the word of the Lord endures forever. (And if you want excitement, read the book of Judges—tent pegs through heads, knives in seats. Junior high guys love it.)

Philip "began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus." We should be able to preach Christ from any passage. Philip had the easiest passage in the world, but even from Leviticus 19 you should eventually be able to bring it back to Jesus. How? Paul told Timothy, "Study to show yourself approved unto God... rightly dividing the word of truth." It is not enough just to go to church and hear someone talk about the word; you must meditate on it and study it for yourself. If you don't know how, that's okay—we'll teach you.

What Hinders Me From Being Baptized?

In verse 36 they came to water, and the eunuch said, "See, here is water; what hinders me from being baptized?" Whatever the length of their conversation, Philip had brought him all the way to baptism. This raises an important question: what is baptism, and why do we do it?

First, obedience. Jesus commanded, "baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." On Pentecost Peter said, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ" (Acts 2:38).

Second, identification with the Lord in His death, burial, and resurrection. Romans 6 says, "we are buried with him through baptism into death... even so we should walk in newness of life."

Third, association with the Lord. When Jesus was baptized in Matthew 3, the heavens opened, the Spirit descended like a dove, and the Father said, "This is my beloved Son."

Consider John the Baptist. In John 1 he says twice, "I knew him not, but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water." The purpose of his baptism was first and foremost the revelation of Jesus the Messiah. Our baptism reveals to the world that we are God's possession.

When and How

Verse 37: Philip said, "If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest." When can someone be baptized? When they believe. Believe what? The eunuch answered, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." Then verse 38: they both went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.

The word "baptized" is the Greek baptizo, meaning to be immersed or submerged. Baptism does not save you. If it did, Paul would not have said, "I came not to baptize, but to preach the gospel," and Jesus would not have told the thief on the cross, "Today you will be with me in paradise"—He would have called for water first. Baptism is not essential for salvation, but it is obedience, identification, and association with the Lord.

Several people have recently asked, "What hinders me from being baptized?" Nothing—except that it just wasn't on our schedule. So on May 31st we'll have a baptism at the Welches' house. If you're a believer and have not been baptized, it is one of the first steps of obedience to Christ.

Go on Your Way Rejoicing

Verse 39: "When they had come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip"—his own individual rapture—"and the eunuch saw him no more." How tripped out would you be? You come up out of the water and the man is gone. But the eunuch "went on his way rejoicing."

Some people come up out of the water and say, "I don't feel anything different." That's okay—it's not about feeling. Rise and walk in newness of life; go away rejoicing in Him. Philip, meanwhile, was found at Azotus and preached in all the cities until he came to Caesarea.

Church, God has called you and me to bring the good news of Jesus Christ into all the world. It's caught like chickenpox—probably the only thing you'll remember today. We have to come into personal contact with people. We have to step outside our comfort zone, recognizing we are strangers and pilgrims in the earth.

Maybe you say, "I don't know how to share my faith." That's okay—we'll teach you; we have a class for it. "But people ask me questions I can't answer." That's okay—we'll teach you. God wants us thoroughly equipped for every good work, ready and willing, as we see in Philip. I can't wait to meet him one day. What a great evangelist. Amen?

Closing Prayer

Father, I thank You for Your great word. As we prepare to go from this place, I ask that You would help us to be those with beautiful feet, carrying the glad tidings of good things to a world that is dead in trespasses and sins. The word literally means happy feet—ready to go, excited. Give us boldness, Lord. Open our eyes that we would see the opportunities, and give us boldness to walk through those doors when they come. Give us Your Spirit that we would know how to answer the questions people bring. And I pray that we would be obedient to Your heavenly calling. I ask it in Jesus' name, and all God's people agreed, saying, Amen.