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7FEBRUARY2014BODYOFCHRISTNEWSNowastheywentdowntheroadtheycametosomewater.AndtheeunuchsaidSeehereiswater.WhathindersmefrombeingbaptizedThenPhilipsaidIfyoubelievewithallyourheartyoumay.AndheansweredandsaidIbelievethatJesusChrististheSonofGod.Acts83637ThisisthelongestpassageintheNewTestamentthatexplicitlyanduncompromisinglydealswithblackAfricainrelationtotheHolyLand.AstheeventsinthispassageunfoldwefindamemberoftheroyalcourtreturningfromJerusalem.HehasbeentoJerusalemtoworshipsug-gestingthathemayhavebeenanEthiopianJew.Hemayhavebeenwhatmanywouldcallagod-feareroragentileproselyte.OnewhothoughnotaJewreveredthetraditionofJudaism.PresumablyifhewereaJewhewouldunderstandtheIsaiah53textthatheisreading.PhiliptheevangelistasguidedbytheHolySpiritencountershimandprovidesafreshChristianinterpretationthatevidentlyisenthusiasticallyaccepted.PhilipswitnessofJesusleadstobap-tismbutonlyaftertheEthiopianhaschallengedPhilipwithaprovocativequestionWhatistopreventmefrombeingbaptizedThispassageisthefirstin-depthrecordedinstanceofsomeoneofcolorablackpersonbeingconvertedtothefaithinJesusChrist.TounderstandourbiblicalidentityasChristianswemustunderstandthatweasapeoplearerootedinbiblicalhistory.WithoutadoubtwehaveaplacealongsideallpeoplesnationsandracesincomingtoChrist.ThispassageissignificantinthatitisbelievedthatthroughtheconversionandcontinuedwitnessofthismanthisEthiopianeunuchtheteachingsofChristcametoEthiopia.GodmadeaspecialefforttobringPhilipinthelifeoftheEthiopianeunuchthathemightbesavedandbeinstrumentalinothersofEthiopiahearingthegospel.Godhadtoover-comesomeobstaclesfortheeunuchtobelieve.HeWasSeenOfGodInAMostUnlikelyPlaceActs826-28SometimesGodopensadoorofopportunitytoministerinthemostunlikelyplaces.Gazaisabout50milessouthwestofJerusalem.TheroadtoGazaledthroughrangelandthekindofcountrywhereAbrahamandIsaacpasturedtheirflocks.Thetermdes-ertdoesnotmeansandywasteliketheSaharaitmeansdesertedunin-habited.OnehastowonderwhatPhilipthoughtinhismindthathemightfindinsuchaplace.KnowingwheretheordercamefromPhilipobeyedpromptly.Hearoseandwent.InthedesertPhilipwastomeetamanofEthiopia.ThisEthiopiawasnotthesameasthecountrywenowcallbythatname.Itsboundar-iesarenotdescribedexactlybutitincludedtheupperNileValleysouthofEgypt.SomestudentsconcludethatitspopulationwasmadeupofpeopleofcolorandincludedAfricansfromtheSouthEgyptiansfromtheNorthandArabiansfromtheEast.GodmaywanttouseyouashedidPhiliptoday.Godmaydirectyouspeakintosomeoneslife.Itmaynotbeaplacethatyouwillfindconvenienttoshareyourfaith.Itmaybeinanawk-wardplacebutyourtestimonymaysavesomeoneslife.TheMeaningoftheScriptureWasNotClearActs829-31WeknowwhyPhilipwassenttothisdesertplace.ThischariotcarriedthemanwhomGodwassendingHispreachertomeet.TheEthiopianwasreadingaloudandPhiliprecognizedthewordsofIsaiah.PhilipsquestionDoyouunderstandwhatyouarereadingwaswelldesignedtoopenthewayforhispreaching.Themanwaswiseenoughtorealizethathedidnotunderstandtheprophecyandwiseenoughtorejoiceintheprospectoffindingsomehelpwithit.HeinvitedPhiliptojoinhiminthechariot.WhatPhilipfoundwasamanwhowasseek-ingsomethingdiligentlysincerelyearnestlynotself-satisfiedreachingoutforsomethingmorethanhehadeverknownbeforeandyetamannotunderstandingwhatitallmeant.ThemanofEthiopiaaskedaques-tionthatpuzzledallthescholarsofIsrael.ObviouslytheprophetwasspeakingofsomeonebutwhomWasitaboutIsaiahhimselfHewasdespisedrejectedandpersecutedperhapskilledbuthowcoulditbesaidthatwearehealedbyIsaiahsstripesIsaiah535.HowcoulditbesaidthatIsaiahwouldjustifymanyIsaiah5311IfIsaiahwassingingofsomeothermanthesamequestionsremainunanswered.ThenPhilipopenedhismouthandbeginningatthisScripturepreachedJesustohimvs.35.Philipmayhaveledhishearerthroughthefifty-thirdchapterofIsaiahstepbystep.Hemayhaveemphasizedespeciallywithhisstripeswearehealedandotherstatementsofredemption.HemayhavecitedotherprophetstoosuchasthoseofDavidthatPeterhadusedonPentecostActs225-36.AsPeterhaddonePhilipmadeaconvincingcaseJesusistheChristforetoldbytheprophetsofGod.AsmoderndayprophetsofGodthetaskofthoseofuswhopreachthetaskofthoseofuswhoteachthetaskofeveryinformedbelieveristohelpothersmakesenseofspiritualthings.WhatwereadandhearofthewordofGodespeciallywhatwereadandhearconcerningChristweneedtounderstand.Wecannotprofitbythescripturesunlessweinsomemeasureunderstandthem.ThepurposeforcomingtoworshipandBiblestudyistoseekadeeperunderstandinginyourrelationshipwithGod.Weseekandwanttoknowwhatlifeisallabout.Weseekandwanttoknowthemeaningofsufferingandofthetragedyandthefailureofmankind.Weseekandwanttodosomethingtowardthepreventionofanysuchcatastropheagain.ThankGodwhatisnecessarytosalvationiseasytobeunderstood.HeWasNotSureWhatToDoToBeSavedActs836-38ObviouslyPhilipspreachingofJesushadincludedinformationaboutbaptism.TheeunuchaskedSeehereiswater.WhathindersmefrombeingbaptizedPhiliprespondedtotheeunuchquestionregardingbaptismIfyoubelievewithallyourheartyoumay.Thatisifyoubelievethisdoc-trinethatIhavepreachedtoyoucon-cerningJesusifyoureceivetherecordGodhasgivenconcerninghimandbelievethatitistrue.Thosewhowouldbelievemustbelievewithalltheirheartforwiththeheartmanbelievethuntorighteousness.Youmustbelievenotwiththeheadonlybyanagree-menttogospeltruthsinintellectualunderstandingbutwiththeheartbyconsentofthewill.ThisistheprinciplepeculiardoctrineofChristianityandwhosoeverbelievethiswithalltheirheartsandconfessittheyaretobebaptized.Sohecommandedthechariottostandstill.Hereweseeanindica-tionthattheEthiopiantravelerhadsomeoneelsedrivingthehorses.Onedoesnotgiveacommandtoachariotitself.ItseemsprobablethatthedriverheldthehorseswhilePhilipandtheEthiopianleftthechariot.Nodoubtthetwotookofftheirouterrobesatleast.Lukedoesnotgivedetailsbutgivestheessentialfacts.ThetwomenwadedintothewaterandPhilipbaptizedthemanofEthiopia.WhentheywerecomeupoutofthewatertheSpiritoftheLordcaughtawayPhilip.Apparentlythepreachersimplyvanished.Theeunuchsawhimnomore.Thetravelermusthavebeengreatlypuzzledbuthewentonhiswayrejoicing.Hehadgoodrea-sonsforjoy.Henowunderstoodthatpuzzlingprophecy.Muchmorethanthathewasfor-givencleansedredeemed.HewasanewmanbornagainasachildofGod.PhilipspreachingledtheEthiopiantofaithinChrist.ThemansresponsewasthenaturaloneofanhonestseekerheheardthegospelmessageunderstoodwhatGodhadcommandedhimtodoandtheneagerlyobeyed.WedowelltofollowtheEthiopiansexamplewhenwecometoanewunderstandingofwhatGodexpectsofus.THEETHIOPIANEUNUCHRev.WilliamT.GolsonJr.Godmaydirectyouspeakintosomeoneslife.Itmaynotbeaplacethatyouwillfindconvenienttoshareyourfaith.Itmaybeinanawkwardplacebutyourtestimonymaysavesomeoneslife.SERMONByRev.WilliamT.GolsonJr.WilliamT.GolsonJr.MDivisPresidentoftheGreaterMetroDenverMinisterialAlliance.