1 00:00:29,939 --> 00:00:30,259 Brother. 2 00:00:31,699 --> 00:00:32,659 Thank you, Brother Stone. 3 00:00:32,659 --> 00:00:34,979 I've been known to kick printers with the best of them, so 4 00:00:35,059 --> 00:00:36,179 I'm pretty good at that. 5 00:00:36,499 --> 00:00:39,779 Well, if you have your Bibles, take it to Acts chapter number eight 6 00:00:39,779 --> 00:00:40,179 tonight. 7 00:00:40,179 --> 00:00:41,459 Acts, chapter number eight. 8 00:00:44,579 --> 00:00:48,499 I hope that you'll remain in prayer for our pastor and for our 9 00:00:49,139 --> 00:00:51,859 team over in West Africa this week. 10 00:00:52,579 --> 00:00:56,179 I do not envy them with the plane flights. 11 00:00:56,599 --> 00:01:00,119 You almost can't pay me enough to fly across the country, let alone 12 00:01:00,439 --> 00:01:02,599 across the ocean or to another country. 13 00:01:02,919 --> 00:01:03,839 So be in prayer for them. 14 00:01:03,839 --> 00:01:05,079 Be in prayer for our pastor. 15 00:01:05,399 --> 00:01:07,439 But I'm thankful for the opportunity to preach tonight and 16 00:01:07,439 --> 00:01:10,439 thankful for the opportunity to speak on what the Lord's laid 17 00:01:10,439 --> 00:01:10,919 on my heart. 18 00:01:11,159 --> 00:01:13,319 If you're in acts, chapter number eight, look at verse number 19 00:01:13,319 --> 00:01:13,879 26. 20 00:01:13,879 --> 00:01:15,079 That's where we'll start tonight. 21 00:01:15,079 --> 00:01:16,199 Verse number 26. 22 00:01:21,399 --> 00:01:24,759 The Bible says, and the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, 23 00:01:24,759 --> 00:01:28,549 arise and go toward the south, unto the way that goeth down from 24 00:01:28,549 --> 00:01:30,869 Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. 25 00:01:31,189 --> 00:01:32,709 And he arose and went. 26 00:01:32,789 --> 00:01:36,949 And behold a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under 27 00:01:36,949 --> 00:01:39,909 Candace, the queen of Ethiopians, who had the charge of 28 00:01:39,909 --> 00:01:44,149 all of her treasure, had come to Jerusalem for to worship, was 29 00:01:44,149 --> 00:01:47,989 returning, and sitting in his chariot read, esaias, the prophet. 30 00:01:48,389 --> 00:01:51,709 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, go near and join thyself 31 00:01:51,709 --> 00:01:52,629 to this chariot. 32 00:01:53,019 --> 00:01:56,939 And Philip ran thither to him and heard him read the prophet Isaias 33 00:01:57,099 --> 00:02:00,139 and said, understandest thou what thou readest? 34 00:02:00,379 --> 00:02:03,819 And he said, how can I except some man should guide me? 35 00:02:04,219 --> 00:02:07,419 And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. 36 00:02:07,899 --> 00:02:11,099 And the place of the scripture which he read was this. 37 00:02:11,499 --> 00:02:13,739 He was led as a sheep to the slaughter. 38 00:02:13,899 --> 00:02:17,619 And like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so he opened not his 39 00:02:17,619 --> 00:02:17,979 mouth. 40 00:02:18,629 --> 00:02:21,469 In his humiliation, his judgment was taken away. 41 00:02:21,469 --> 00:02:24,589 And who shall declare his generation for his life is taken 42 00:02:24,589 --> 00:02:25,349 from the earth? 43 00:02:25,589 --> 00:02:30,309 And the eunuch answered Philip and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh 44 00:02:30,309 --> 00:02:31,349 the prophet this? 45 00:02:31,669 --> 00:02:34,149 Of himself or of some other man? 46 00:02:34,469 --> 00:02:37,549 And then Philip opened his mouth and began at the same scripture 47 00:02:37,549 --> 00:02:39,189 and preached unto him Jesus. 48 00:02:39,669 --> 00:02:42,149 And they went on their way, and they came unto a certain water. 49 00:02:42,229 --> 00:02:44,309 And the eunuch said, see, here is water. 50 00:02:44,779 --> 00:02:46,299 What doth hinder me to be baptized? 51 00:02:46,619 --> 00:02:49,299 And Philip said, if thou believest with all thine heart, thou 52 00:02:49,299 --> 00:02:49,739 mayest. 53 00:02:49,899 --> 00:02:52,539 And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the 54 00:02:52,539 --> 00:02:53,179 Son of God. 55 00:02:53,419 --> 00:02:55,499 And he commanded the chariot to stand still. 56 00:02:55,579 --> 00:02:59,739 And they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch. 57 00:03:00,219 --> 00:03:01,499 And he baptized him. 58 00:03:01,739 --> 00:03:04,179 And when they were come up out of the water, the spirit of the Lord 59 00:03:04,179 --> 00:03:05,219 caught away Philip. 60 00:03:05,219 --> 00:03:06,859 That the eunuch saw him no more. 61 00:03:07,019 --> 00:03:09,099 But he went on his way rejoicing. 62 00:03:09,579 --> 00:03:13,739 But Philip was found at Azotus, and passing through, he preached 63 00:03:14,039 --> 00:03:16,679 in all the cities until he came unto Caesarea. 64 00:03:17,719 --> 00:03:21,559 I am thankful that there are no accidents in the life of a believer, 65 00:03:22,439 --> 00:03:23,959 only divine appointments. 66 00:03:24,439 --> 00:03:27,639 That was Warren Wiersbe who said that, you know, whenever God 67 00:03:27,639 --> 00:03:31,159 directs obedient believers, he directs them to hungry hearts. 68 00:03:31,399 --> 00:03:33,799 Let's pray, and tonight we will jump right into it. 69 00:03:33,879 --> 00:03:35,519 Dear Lord, thank you for this day, Lord. 70 00:03:35,519 --> 00:03:37,759 Thank you for the opportunity to preach tonight. 71 00:03:37,759 --> 00:03:39,399 Lord, I pray that you would hide me behind the cross. 72 00:03:39,399 --> 00:03:42,349 Give me the words to say, Lord, I pray that you would have 73 00:03:42,349 --> 00:03:43,789 me say only the words that you want me to. 74 00:03:43,789 --> 00:03:47,629 Lord, I pray that you would help us as we seek to take this passage 75 00:03:47,629 --> 00:03:50,789 tonight, Lord, and study it and then apply it to our lives, Lord. 76 00:03:50,789 --> 00:03:51,909 In Jesus name I pray. 77 00:03:51,989 --> 00:03:52,549 Amen. 78 00:03:53,189 --> 00:03:56,229 You guys ever been lost before, like, real lost. 79 00:03:56,869 --> 00:03:59,829 And you know you're heading roughly the right direction, but 80 00:04:00,389 --> 00:04:02,149 the details got a little murky. 81 00:04:03,109 --> 00:04:04,229 I will never forget. 82 00:04:04,229 --> 00:04:06,389 I had not been working here maybe six months. 83 00:04:07,119 --> 00:04:09,359 We had just bought the one property acre over here. 84 00:04:09,359 --> 00:04:11,559 The house had already been demolished and taken away, but there 85 00:04:11,559 --> 00:04:14,479 was a lot of rubble left over here on this one acre. 86 00:04:15,119 --> 00:04:17,679 And it must have been a winter day or maybe a spring day. 87 00:04:17,759 --> 00:04:19,919 And we called Brother Kirby and we said, hey, Brother Kirby, 88 00:04:19,919 --> 00:04:21,279 you have your dump truck still? 89 00:04:21,599 --> 00:04:24,279 And he said, yeah, come on, come get it. 90 00:04:24,279 --> 00:04:27,079 So we went and got the dump truck, and we filled that dump truck 91 00:04:27,079 --> 00:04:27,279 up. 92 00:04:27,279 --> 00:04:31,439 It was full of all sorts of rubble and bricks and everything 93 00:04:31,439 --> 00:04:31,919 else. 94 00:04:32,079 --> 00:04:32,339 And. 95 00:04:32,409 --> 00:04:33,409 And then we called Brother Kirby. 96 00:04:33,409 --> 00:04:36,409 We said, hey, where should we take this? 97 00:04:38,089 --> 00:04:39,009 My hand on the Bible. 98 00:04:39,009 --> 00:04:40,209 Brother Chad's already laughing in the back. 99 00:04:40,209 --> 00:04:41,289 Cause he knows where this is going. 100 00:04:41,449 --> 00:04:43,449 Here were the directions we got from Brother Kirby. 101 00:04:43,769 --> 00:04:46,729 He said, all right, you gonna go up by the road by the Walmart? 102 00:04:47,289 --> 00:04:49,129 He said, you're gonna go all the way up that road. 103 00:04:49,769 --> 00:04:52,329 If you pass the big tree over the creek, you've gone too far. 104 00:04:55,289 --> 00:04:56,889 All right, is there like a sign or something? 105 00:04:57,049 --> 00:04:58,409 All right, let me know when you get there. 106 00:04:58,959 --> 00:04:59,279 Click. 107 00:05:02,239 --> 00:05:04,319 All right, we know roughly where we're going. 108 00:05:04,799 --> 00:05:07,679 And so we got on the road and we went up 7:18 there. 109 00:05:07,679 --> 00:05:09,519 We're heading up towards Boyd. 110 00:05:09,759 --> 00:05:12,159 And there's a lot of big trees on that road. 111 00:05:12,319 --> 00:05:14,079 I don't know if y' all ever been down that road. 112 00:05:14,079 --> 00:05:15,319 There's also a lot of creeks. 113 00:05:15,319 --> 00:05:16,159 It's by a lake. 114 00:05:16,559 --> 00:05:18,959 And so we're passing by a creek and we're like, yeah, but that's 115 00:05:18,959 --> 00:05:20,159 a medium sized tree. 116 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:22,359 That's a large tree. 117 00:05:22,359 --> 00:05:24,119 But the creek doesn't. 118 00:05:24,119 --> 00:05:25,319 It's a dry creek bed. 119 00:05:25,319 --> 00:05:27,199 I don't think we can in good faith call that a creek. 120 00:05:28,149 --> 00:05:29,149 And we drove up. 121 00:05:29,149 --> 00:05:30,749 I know we drove past it at least once. 122 00:05:30,749 --> 00:05:32,149 We turned around and came back. 123 00:05:32,869 --> 00:05:36,789 And I remember we finally found it, we thought. 124 00:05:37,269 --> 00:05:41,709 And so we pulled into this dirt road and we went up and it looked 125 00:05:41,709 --> 00:05:43,669 like the place where people were dump things. 126 00:05:45,909 --> 00:05:49,829 And so we're like, alright, let's go. 127 00:05:49,829 --> 00:05:50,869 This must be the place. 128 00:05:51,749 --> 00:05:53,389 And thankfully it was the right place. 129 00:05:53,389 --> 00:05:56,669 We didn't do anything, anything illegal that day, but we 130 00:05:56,669 --> 00:05:57,589 started dumping it. 131 00:05:57,589 --> 00:06:02,229 And all of a sudden this guy, hey, y' all didn't bring me another 132 00:06:02,229 --> 00:06:03,109 house, did you? 133 00:06:04,869 --> 00:06:05,269 No. 134 00:06:05,429 --> 00:06:06,869 Oh, okay, good. 135 00:06:08,229 --> 00:06:13,029 We were in the right place, but we know the feeling and we felt 136 00:06:13,029 --> 00:06:14,109 it very real that morning. 137 00:06:14,109 --> 00:06:17,909 The feeling of being lost and knowing we're heading sort of in 138 00:06:17,909 --> 00:06:21,189 the right direction, but missing the last few steps to get 139 00:06:21,189 --> 00:06:21,509 there. 140 00:06:21,509 --> 00:06:21,909 Right? 141 00:06:22,739 --> 00:06:27,219 In this passage we have the Ethiopian eunuch and he is reading 142 00:06:27,459 --> 00:06:29,899 the passage from Isaiah that brother Stone preached from this 143 00:06:29,899 --> 00:06:31,219 morning, Isaiah 53. 144 00:06:31,699 --> 00:06:34,699 And as he's reading it, he doesn't quite understand what he's 145 00:06:34,699 --> 00:06:36,659 reading, but he's on the right path, right? 146 00:06:38,259 --> 00:06:43,659 Many times in our life, I feel like God directs us to people who 147 00:06:43,659 --> 00:06:44,419 are seeking. 148 00:06:45,059 --> 00:06:48,019 They're looking, they want to know truth. 149 00:06:49,089 --> 00:06:52,929 They know maybe a portion of truth, maybe a smidge of truth, but 150 00:06:52,929 --> 00:06:56,929 they don't quite got the last few steps right. 151 00:06:57,329 --> 00:07:02,169 They're missing the connection from point A to point B. I just want 152 00:07:02,169 --> 00:07:05,009 to look at this passage tonight and look at a few observations. 153 00:07:05,009 --> 00:07:05,809 I want you to notice. 154 00:07:05,809 --> 00:07:08,489 First off a divine appointment, look at verse number 155 00:07:08,489 --> 00:07:09,089 26. 156 00:07:09,409 --> 00:07:12,369 And the angel said to the Lord, the angel of the Lord spake 157 00:07:12,369 --> 00:07:16,009 unto Philip, saying, arise and go toward the south unto the way 158 00:07:16,009 --> 00:07:20,889 that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. 159 00:07:21,689 --> 00:07:26,049 I want you to notice that the spirit of the Lord sent Philip to 160 00:07:26,049 --> 00:07:27,049 a desert place. 161 00:07:27,689 --> 00:07:30,449 You may say, what's so unique about that? 162 00:07:30,449 --> 00:07:31,448 We've all been to a desert. 163 00:07:31,448 --> 00:07:32,569 No one likes the desert. 164 00:07:33,289 --> 00:07:34,009 Agreed. 165 00:07:34,169 --> 00:07:35,369 No one likes the desert. 166 00:07:35,849 --> 00:07:38,089 Philip was preaching a revival. 167 00:07:38,649 --> 00:07:41,529 He was having, humanistically, lots of results. 168 00:07:42,009 --> 00:07:44,569 There were people being saved, there were people being baptized. 169 00:07:44,889 --> 00:07:47,749 Over in Samaria, there was conversions, there were miracles 170 00:07:47,749 --> 00:07:48,389 taking place. 171 00:07:48,549 --> 00:07:52,869 And in the midst of all this success that Philip was seeing humanistically, 172 00:07:52,869 --> 00:07:55,909 what we would call success, the Spirit of the Lord says, leave 173 00:07:55,909 --> 00:07:57,389 right now in the midst of all of it. 174 00:07:57,389 --> 00:07:58,869 I want you to go to the desert. 175 00:08:00,629 --> 00:08:03,869 I don't know if you're that familiar with geography, but typically 176 00:08:03,869 --> 00:08:06,069 there's not a whole lot of people to reach in the desert. 177 00:08:06,869 --> 00:08:07,909 Not a lot grows there. 178 00:08:07,909 --> 00:08:09,909 There's not a lot of food, there's not a lot of water. 179 00:08:10,309 --> 00:08:14,789 There's not really anything that people like to have to live 180 00:08:15,309 --> 00:08:15,949 in the desert. 181 00:08:15,949 --> 00:08:17,949 So a lot of people don't live in the desert. 182 00:08:18,429 --> 00:08:21,829 But here, in the midst of this humanistic success, the Lord says 183 00:08:21,829 --> 00:08:24,309 to Philip, hey, go down to the desert. 184 00:08:24,309 --> 00:08:25,709 I got something for you there. 185 00:08:26,109 --> 00:08:28,189 God didn't give Philip details. 186 00:08:28,429 --> 00:08:29,869 He just gave direction. 187 00:08:30,429 --> 00:08:34,309 And what's really interesting is Philip didn't question it, did 188 00:08:34,309 --> 00:08:34,589 he? 189 00:08:35,229 --> 00:08:36,829 He just obeyed right away. 190 00:08:37,549 --> 00:08:43,389 If you look at verse number 27, and he arose and went, no questions 191 00:08:43,389 --> 00:08:45,949 asked, sending me to the desert. 192 00:08:46,109 --> 00:08:47,549 Yes, sir, let's go. 193 00:08:48,909 --> 00:08:55,229 It's interesting because I ask a lot more questions for a lot more 194 00:08:55,229 --> 00:08:57,069 simple tasks, right? 195 00:08:57,949 --> 00:09:00,269 If I feel like the Lord's asking me to do something or asking 196 00:09:00,269 --> 00:09:04,149 me to go somewhere specific, Lord, why on earth would you want 197 00:09:04,149 --> 00:09:05,549 me to go to Walmart instead of Kroger? 198 00:09:08,758 --> 00:09:11,158 Do you know what kind of people are in the Walmarts? 199 00:09:12,118 --> 00:09:19,078 You know, we've all seen those videos, but for a lot simpler tasks, 200 00:09:19,078 --> 00:09:20,358 I'm a lot more stubborn. 201 00:09:21,158 --> 00:09:24,878 Yet Philip heard, leave your successful ministry. 202 00:09:24,878 --> 00:09:27,038 Leave the place where people are getting saved, Leave the place 203 00:09:27,038 --> 00:09:29,798 where people are getting baptized, and go to a desert place 204 00:09:29,878 --> 00:09:31,718 which, typically speaking, is empty. 205 00:09:32,849 --> 00:09:34,449 And Philip just arose and went. 206 00:09:36,449 --> 00:09:39,649 You know, whenever you go and you follow. 207 00:09:39,889 --> 00:09:42,769 I gave this quote on Wednesday night, and I like it a whole lot. 208 00:09:43,329 --> 00:09:47,209 Faith doesn't always know where it's being led, but it knows 209 00:09:47,209 --> 00:09:48,129 the one who's leading. 210 00:09:49,409 --> 00:09:53,729 You know, whenever we live our lives by faith, whenever we try to 211 00:09:53,729 --> 00:09:57,009 live our lives by faith, we don't know the destination. 212 00:09:58,299 --> 00:09:59,179 We don't know where we're going. 213 00:10:00,299 --> 00:10:03,739 But the good news is that I know the one who's leading, right? 214 00:10:03,979 --> 00:10:08,539 Therefore, I can trust my life and every individual decision I make 215 00:10:08,539 --> 00:10:10,619 in my life to the one who is leading me. 216 00:10:11,419 --> 00:10:16,299 Because he's perfect, he's unchanging, he's perfect, he's holy. 217 00:10:16,619 --> 00:10:18,699 He doesn't give wrong directions. 218 00:10:21,259 --> 00:10:26,029 If you look at verse number 29, as Philip went, he found the 219 00:10:26,029 --> 00:10:28,229 eunuch there, verse 29. 220 00:10:28,229 --> 00:10:32,429 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, go near and join thyself 221 00:10:32,429 --> 00:10:33,429 to his chariot. 222 00:10:34,229 --> 00:10:35,749 He gave him a directed path. 223 00:10:38,069 --> 00:10:42,029 I wonder what Philip's thoughts were when he gets to this 224 00:10:42,029 --> 00:10:42,869 desert place. 225 00:10:44,469 --> 00:10:46,389 One, it's a miracle there's people there, right? 226 00:10:47,029 --> 00:10:50,349 But I wonder if he thought if he pulled up or you know, walked 227 00:10:50,349 --> 00:10:53,449 into this general vicinity in this deserty area. 228 00:10:53,849 --> 00:10:57,209 I wonder if he saw this chariot from a place off and thought, 229 00:10:58,009 --> 00:10:58,729 that's weird. 230 00:11:00,169 --> 00:11:03,809 Or I wonder if maybe he, he was praying the whole time as he 231 00:11:03,809 --> 00:11:06,809 was walking and thought, I wonder why I'm going. 232 00:11:07,849 --> 00:11:11,849 I wonder why the Lord led me to go down towards Gaza. 233 00:11:14,009 --> 00:11:19,059 I think that the awareness of Philip here is something to behold 234 00:11:20,099 --> 00:11:20,979 as Christians. 235 00:11:22,179 --> 00:11:25,139 Do you guys ever like live your life on passive mode? 236 00:11:25,539 --> 00:11:26,579 You know what I'm talking about? 237 00:11:26,979 --> 00:11:29,219 The best illustration I have of this is like if you're driving 238 00:11:29,219 --> 00:11:32,619 somewhere and then all of a sudden like you like, oh man, I'm 239 00:11:32,619 --> 00:11:33,459 already on at work. 240 00:11:34,259 --> 00:11:36,179 What was I doing for the last 15 miles? 241 00:11:37,539 --> 00:11:41,379 Maybe just me, maybe I'm a really scary driver to be around, 242 00:11:41,699 --> 00:11:42,099 right? 243 00:11:43,019 --> 00:11:45,459 But you kind of like wake up and you're like, man, what was I 244 00:11:45,459 --> 00:11:45,739 doing? 245 00:11:45,739 --> 00:11:48,059 And you just kind of went on passive mode, right? 246 00:11:48,219 --> 00:11:51,979 You weren't actively thinking about what was happening, you weren't 247 00:11:51,979 --> 00:11:53,699 thinking about the opportunities in front of you, you 248 00:11:53,699 --> 00:11:55,859 weren't thinking about, in my case, driving. 249 00:11:55,859 --> 00:11:58,179 You weren't thinking about the road or even whatever else. 250 00:11:58,179 --> 00:12:00,379 You're just driving down the road, right? 251 00:12:01,579 --> 00:12:06,299 And I think so oftentimes in my Christian life I'm super passive 252 00:12:07,419 --> 00:12:10,369 about my day to day activities, right? 253 00:12:10,929 --> 00:12:14,209 I think that I live my life almost in this passive mode. 254 00:12:14,289 --> 00:12:18,209 And I wake up and I go to work and I come home and I go to bed and 255 00:12:18,209 --> 00:12:18,849 I wake up. 256 00:12:18,929 --> 00:12:21,929 Well, anymore with Emily, it's like I wake up, we feed Emily, we 257 00:12:21,929 --> 00:12:26,009 go to work, we get home, we feed Emily, we give her a bath, we 258 00:12:26,009 --> 00:12:29,489 feed Emily, we go to bed, right? 259 00:12:29,809 --> 00:12:31,489 And that's kind of our day in and day out. 260 00:12:31,729 --> 00:12:33,409 And then it's like days or weeks. 261 00:12:33,489 --> 00:12:35,369 In fact, me and my wife were just talking about this the other 262 00:12:35,369 --> 00:12:35,649 day. 263 00:12:35,699 --> 00:12:39,049 And it's like days or weeks or sometimes even months go by and we 264 00:12:39,049 --> 00:12:41,449 wake up and we're like, yeah, that was last week. 265 00:12:42,169 --> 00:12:43,689 No, that was three months ago. 266 00:12:45,449 --> 00:12:46,329 You know what I mean? 267 00:12:46,409 --> 00:12:51,089 We live life on passive mode and in those moments when we're just 268 00:12:51,089 --> 00:12:55,769 kind of living life on autopilot, I wonder how many opportunities 269 00:12:55,769 --> 00:13:01,169 I've missed where I thought under direction of the Lord I was 270 00:13:01,169 --> 00:13:03,689 doing this or going to a specific place or doing a specific 271 00:13:03,689 --> 00:13:09,389 thing, there was someone there that I was supposed to meet and I 272 00:13:09,389 --> 00:13:12,149 didn't because I'm in LA la land, right? 273 00:13:12,469 --> 00:13:16,269 I'm just going from point A to point B, it's really interesting 274 00:13:16,269 --> 00:13:19,309 that Philip noticed the person around him, right? 275 00:13:19,309 --> 00:13:21,749 I think the awareness is something there for us to look at. 276 00:13:21,989 --> 00:13:26,109 But the spirit said unto Philip, go near and join thyself 277 00:13:26,109 --> 00:13:27,029 to his chariot. 278 00:13:28,309 --> 00:13:30,159 What boldness, right? 279 00:13:30,879 --> 00:13:33,279 Just walk up and start talking to someone you've never met before. 280 00:13:33,679 --> 00:13:34,519 I can't do that. 281 00:13:34,519 --> 00:13:36,719 I got to like prepare myself, right? 282 00:13:36,799 --> 00:13:37,679 I got to see them. 283 00:13:37,679 --> 00:13:38,719 I got to see what they're doing. 284 00:13:38,799 --> 00:13:40,879 And then I got to like, game plan in my mind. 285 00:13:41,199 --> 00:13:42,959 Like, here's my opening line. 286 00:13:42,959 --> 00:13:47,199 And if they reply with this, then I'm going to say this, right? 287 00:13:47,919 --> 00:13:50,319 Or if they say this, then I'm going to respond with this. 288 00:13:50,799 --> 00:13:53,399 And then, like, sometimes I'll prepare this, like, really awesome 289 00:13:53,399 --> 00:13:55,639 one liner that, like, this is going to get them. 290 00:13:55,639 --> 00:13:57,359 This is going to share the gospel real well. 291 00:13:57,839 --> 00:13:58,479 And then I'll say it. 292 00:13:58,479 --> 00:14:00,159 And they're like, yeah, my name is so and so. 293 00:14:00,159 --> 00:14:02,479 And I'm like, and that's why we're sinners. 294 00:14:04,319 --> 00:14:06,719 They give me like, you know, the weird face and it's like, oh, 295 00:14:06,719 --> 00:14:08,559 yeah, no, you didn't respond the way I thought you did. 296 00:14:10,879 --> 00:14:15,599 But Philip just was told, hey, go attach thyself to a chariot. 297 00:14:16,559 --> 00:14:17,919 This next part's really cool. 298 00:14:18,319 --> 00:14:20,479 Look at verse number 30. 299 00:14:21,279 --> 00:14:24,729 And Philip ran through thither to him. 300 00:14:27,529 --> 00:14:28,729 He's supposed to leave. 301 00:14:29,289 --> 00:14:30,889 He went to the desert. 302 00:14:31,369 --> 00:14:32,049 He's there. 303 00:14:32,049 --> 00:14:32,769 He's aware. 304 00:14:32,769 --> 00:14:34,209 He sees a chariot. 305 00:14:34,209 --> 00:14:37,049 And the spirit urges Philip, he says, hey, go join thyself to 306 00:14:37,049 --> 00:14:38,569 the ferrit to the chariot. 307 00:14:38,569 --> 00:14:41,209 And Philip says, I'm on my way. 308 00:14:41,209 --> 00:14:42,089 40 yard dash. 309 00:14:42,089 --> 00:14:42,969 Man, I got this. 310 00:14:44,729 --> 00:14:46,009 It's incredible, isn't it? 311 00:14:46,329 --> 00:14:49,129 Not only do we see a divine appointment, but we see a devoted 312 00:14:49,129 --> 00:14:49,609 servant. 313 00:14:51,749 --> 00:14:55,669 I have often been on the record as saying, again tonight, 314 00:14:55,989 --> 00:14:59,349 there is no amount of money you can pay me to be a marathon runner. 315 00:15:00,629 --> 00:15:04,229 No amount of money you could set me and my family up for the rest 316 00:15:04,229 --> 00:15:04,789 of our lives. 317 00:15:04,789 --> 00:15:05,869 Millions and millions of dollars. 318 00:15:05,869 --> 00:15:07,749 You cannot pay me to be a marathon runner. 319 00:15:08,709 --> 00:15:09,829 Marathon walker. 320 00:15:09,989 --> 00:15:10,629 We'll talk. 321 00:15:11,109 --> 00:15:14,629 I could walk a marathon for you, but not a marathon runner. 322 00:15:15,599 --> 00:15:17,839 And it's funny because there are many things in our lives that 323 00:15:18,079 --> 00:15:19,519 we feel that way about, right? 324 00:15:20,239 --> 00:15:21,199 I'm not gonna run. 325 00:15:22,239 --> 00:15:23,279 I'm not gonna do it. 326 00:15:23,679 --> 00:15:26,559 If there is a path in this life that leads me to not running, 327 00:15:26,639 --> 00:15:30,159 that's the one I'm going to take every time. 328 00:15:32,079 --> 00:15:36,479 But there are other things, more spiritual things that I also 329 00:15:36,479 --> 00:15:38,399 have a line in the sand over, right? 330 00:15:39,759 --> 00:15:42,879 You guys ever been out door knocking or out doing new Move ins, 331 00:15:42,879 --> 00:15:46,009 and someone's in their garage, like, listening to music, working 332 00:15:46,009 --> 00:15:46,689 on their car. 333 00:15:47,409 --> 00:15:48,889 I know how frustrated you are. 334 00:15:48,889 --> 00:15:49,809 You're working on a car. 335 00:15:49,809 --> 00:15:50,929 I know how mad you are. 336 00:15:51,169 --> 00:15:53,649 I'm not fixing to interrupt you, right? 337 00:15:54,689 --> 00:15:57,569 And I have this, like, little line in my sand where I'm not gonna 338 00:15:57,569 --> 00:15:59,049 talk to someone who's working on their car. 339 00:15:59,049 --> 00:16:01,529 Because in my experience, every person who's ever worked on 340 00:16:01,529 --> 00:16:03,569 a car is angry, right? 341 00:16:05,009 --> 00:16:07,409 And so I have this, like, spiritual line in my sand that I'm 342 00:16:07,409 --> 00:16:11,179 not gonna cross yet. 343 00:16:11,179 --> 00:16:16,739 Philip was devoted enough to run and jump on a chariot for a man 344 00:16:16,739 --> 00:16:17,899 that he's never met before. 345 00:16:19,579 --> 00:16:21,339 He ran to obey. 346 00:16:21,659 --> 00:16:22,779 He didn't debate. 347 00:16:23,019 --> 00:16:24,059 He didn't delay. 348 00:16:24,299 --> 00:16:25,259 He didn't doubt. 349 00:16:25,259 --> 00:16:25,979 He didn't question. 350 00:16:26,619 --> 00:16:27,499 He just ran. 351 00:16:28,939 --> 00:16:30,059 What boldness? 352 00:16:30,059 --> 00:16:31,899 What obedience from Philip, right? 353 00:16:33,019 --> 00:16:37,419 Like, we talk about obeying every impulse of the Holy Spirit. 354 00:16:38,029 --> 00:16:42,589 And in the junior church and everywhere, we teach kids that action 355 00:16:42,589 --> 00:16:43,309 is the key. 356 00:16:43,309 --> 00:16:45,629 Do it immediately for obedience, right? 357 00:16:45,709 --> 00:16:47,669 We teach them that little song, and we do it over and over 358 00:16:47,669 --> 00:16:48,069 and over again. 359 00:16:48,069 --> 00:16:49,549 It's what we live our whole life doing. 360 00:16:49,709 --> 00:16:52,109 But then when the promptings of the Holy Spirit come to me. 361 00:16:52,909 --> 00:16:53,349 Whoa. 362 00:16:53,349 --> 00:16:54,269 Are you sure, God? 363 00:16:55,629 --> 00:16:56,189 Hold on. 364 00:16:56,269 --> 00:16:58,669 Do you think that that's actually what I'm supposed to do? 365 00:16:59,389 --> 00:17:02,669 And I wonder how many opportunities I've missed just in 366 00:17:02,669 --> 00:17:03,629 the questioning moments. 367 00:17:06,139 --> 00:17:09,899 No, I'm not a scholar of the Bible by any stretch of the imagination, 368 00:17:10,539 --> 00:17:15,299 but I understand running because I've spent much of my life 369 00:17:15,299 --> 00:17:16,619 avoiding trying to do it. 370 00:17:17,899 --> 00:17:23,179 If a chariot, presumably pulled by horses, is moving one direction 371 00:17:23,739 --> 00:17:28,779 and I want to run and jump onto that chariot, you have a very 372 00:17:28,859 --> 00:17:30,459 small window to make that decision. 373 00:17:31,929 --> 00:17:32,489 Very small. 374 00:17:32,969 --> 00:17:35,129 And it almost doesn't matter what direction they're going. 375 00:17:35,849 --> 00:17:38,649 If they're coming towards you, you got just a split second to think 376 00:17:38,649 --> 00:17:39,209 about it. 377 00:17:39,209 --> 00:17:42,489 If they're going away from you, you have even less, right? 378 00:17:43,529 --> 00:17:45,049 Just a split second decision. 379 00:17:46,249 --> 00:17:47,129 He didn't question. 380 00:17:47,129 --> 00:17:48,329 He didn't doubt the spirit. 381 00:17:48,329 --> 00:17:49,049 He didn't think. 382 00:17:49,369 --> 00:17:49,929 I don't know. 383 00:17:49,929 --> 00:17:50,929 Is this the right time? 384 00:17:50,929 --> 00:17:52,089 He looks kind of busy. 385 00:17:52,089 --> 00:17:53,289 He was a little busy. 386 00:17:54,089 --> 00:17:55,289 He just jumped right on. 387 00:17:56,499 --> 00:17:57,619 Look at verse number 31. 388 00:17:57,699 --> 00:17:59,619 And he said, how he. 389 00:17:59,619 --> 00:18:00,139 Verse 30. 390 00:18:00,139 --> 00:18:02,859 He ran him and jumped on the chariot and heard him read the prophet 391 00:18:02,859 --> 00:18:06,339 Isaiah and said, understandest thou what thou readest? 392 00:18:07,699 --> 00:18:11,459 And he said, how can I except some man should guide me? 393 00:18:14,259 --> 00:18:17,699 What an awesome opening line from the Ethiopian Eunuch. 394 00:18:18,259 --> 00:18:20,659 It's like if we were to knock on the door, and we're like, hey, 395 00:18:21,379 --> 00:18:22,819 do you have anywhere you go to church? 396 00:18:23,329 --> 00:18:25,329 No, how could I unless someone were to invite me. 397 00:18:25,729 --> 00:18:26,249 Yeah. 398 00:18:26,249 --> 00:18:26,849 Amen. 399 00:18:27,329 --> 00:18:27,729 Right. 400 00:18:28,529 --> 00:18:29,129 Okay. 401 00:18:29,129 --> 00:18:30,209 I know what to do here. 402 00:18:31,009 --> 00:18:31,409 Right. 403 00:18:31,809 --> 00:18:32,529 Invite you. 404 00:18:34,369 --> 00:18:35,809 And he says, how can I understand? 405 00:18:38,129 --> 00:18:39,729 Unless someone were to tell me. 406 00:18:41,169 --> 00:18:47,009 And then verse 32, it gives us some context of where the passage 407 00:18:47,009 --> 00:18:47,409 was. 408 00:18:47,969 --> 00:18:51,859 It was Isaiah 53, which, by the way, this wasn't planned, but 409 00:18:51,859 --> 00:18:54,579 I think it's super cool that Brother Stone gave a gospel presentation 410 00:18:54,579 --> 00:18:56,259 from Isaiah 53 this morning. 411 00:18:57,779 --> 00:19:00,419 And as he heard the gospel present, or as he was reading the 412 00:19:00,419 --> 00:19:06,059 passage in verse verses 31 through 33, in verse 34, the eunuch 413 00:19:06,059 --> 00:19:09,899 answered Philip and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet 414 00:19:09,899 --> 00:19:10,259 this? 415 00:19:10,659 --> 00:19:14,659 Of himself or of some other man? 416 00:19:17,229 --> 00:19:21,629 You know what's funny is when Philip saw this in verse 35, then 417 00:19:21,629 --> 00:19:26,429 Philip opened his mouth and began at the same scripture and preached 418 00:19:26,509 --> 00:19:30,629 unto him, jesus again, I think it's really cool that we heard a 419 00:19:30,629 --> 00:19:33,749 gospel presentation from isaiah53 this morning showing that 420 00:19:33,749 --> 00:19:35,469 even today we can do the same thing. 421 00:19:36,029 --> 00:19:41,119 But you know what's really funny is Philip didn't debate the 422 00:19:41,119 --> 00:19:42,919 eunuch's current understanding. 423 00:19:43,719 --> 00:19:47,639 He didn't try to walk him to a place of which then he was comfortable 424 00:19:47,639 --> 00:19:48,519 to share the gospel. 425 00:19:48,759 --> 00:19:52,279 He took the eunuch exactly where he was with the questions he 426 00:19:52,279 --> 00:19:55,399 had and was able to walk from there straight to Jesus. 427 00:19:56,598 --> 00:19:58,919 I think that's a challenge to us as Christians. 428 00:20:00,359 --> 00:20:04,399 And to me, how prepared am I to go from somewhere in the Old Testament 429 00:20:04,399 --> 00:20:04,999 to Jesus? 430 00:20:06,289 --> 00:20:08,769 You know what people are questioning more than ever today 431 00:20:09,489 --> 00:20:10,929 is the Old Testament law. 432 00:20:11,969 --> 00:20:14,049 They're questioning absolute truth. 433 00:20:14,609 --> 00:20:17,289 They want to know, is the entire Bible true? 434 00:20:17,289 --> 00:20:18,689 And if so, why? 435 00:20:18,929 --> 00:20:21,649 Why can I not mix my cotton and polyester shirts? 436 00:20:23,329 --> 00:20:24,449 That's what they want to know. 437 00:20:24,769 --> 00:20:26,049 That's what they're confused about. 438 00:20:27,089 --> 00:20:30,849 How can I take those questions and run straight to Jesus? 439 00:20:30,849 --> 00:20:34,859 From that I can tell you I'm commanded to. 440 00:20:35,579 --> 00:20:39,259 First Peter 3:15 says that we are ready to be given answer to any 441 00:20:39,259 --> 00:20:40,779 man at any time. 442 00:20:42,059 --> 00:20:46,379 We're to give a defense, an answer to the questions that they 443 00:20:46,379 --> 00:20:46,699 have. 444 00:20:48,859 --> 00:20:51,579 You may say, well, this is the only example of someone doing that. 445 00:20:52,539 --> 00:20:57,219 Luke 24, on the road to Emmaus, Jesus, beginning at Moses 446 00:20:57,219 --> 00:21:00,739 and all the prophets and expounded unto them all the things 447 00:21:00,739 --> 00:21:01,459 about himself. 448 00:21:03,459 --> 00:21:07,379 Jesus did it from Moses and the prophets and the law, he walked. 449 00:21:07,539 --> 00:21:08,819 Would you like to hear that? 450 00:21:10,259 --> 00:21:13,299 I enjoy listening good Bible teachers and good Bible preachers. 451 00:21:13,379 --> 00:21:17,219 I would assume that Jesus is probably the best, right? 452 00:21:17,939 --> 00:21:21,299 I would have loved to hear Jesus just expound the entire Old 453 00:21:21,299 --> 00:21:23,699 Testament to Me also. 454 00:21:23,699 --> 00:21:24,739 How long was that walk? 455 00:21:25,389 --> 00:21:26,749 It had to be a long walk, right? 456 00:21:30,589 --> 00:21:35,469 It's been said that evangelism without Scripture is just opinion 457 00:21:36,189 --> 00:21:36,989 without power. 458 00:21:38,669 --> 00:21:42,549 In other words, we all have our opinions, and I can share my 459 00:21:42,549 --> 00:21:45,389 opinion with you on just about anything. 460 00:21:45,549 --> 00:21:46,909 I'm an opinionated person. 461 00:21:47,389 --> 00:21:51,639 I can share my opinion on fast food restaurants, and I promise you 462 00:21:51,639 --> 00:21:52,839 it'd be just as passionate. 463 00:21:55,639 --> 00:22:00,119 But without Scripture, I'm just talking my opinions. 464 00:22:01,479 --> 00:22:02,919 I don't know nothing. 465 00:22:03,479 --> 00:22:08,359 I'm not a source of truth, but I hold in my hands absolute truth. 466 00:22:09,399 --> 00:22:12,039 And when I speak from the absolute truth, this is the only 467 00:22:12,039 --> 00:22:14,399 thing in this world that God has promised wouldn't return. 468 00:22:14,399 --> 00:22:16,359 Void Scripture. 469 00:22:18,789 --> 00:22:22,069 AW Tozer said, open your Bible anywhere and it'll point you to Jesus. 470 00:22:23,429 --> 00:22:26,069 But I think we ought to know how to help guide him along the way. 471 00:22:27,029 --> 00:22:29,989 So not only do we see a divine appointment and a devoted servant, 472 00:22:29,989 --> 00:22:33,389 but I want you to notice lastly, a decisive Response in verse 473 00:22:33,389 --> 00:22:33,869 36. 474 00:22:33,869 --> 00:22:36,229 As they went on their way, they came into a certain water. 475 00:22:36,469 --> 00:22:38,789 And the eunuch said, see, here is water. 476 00:22:39,269 --> 00:22:41,349 What doth hinder me to be baptized? 477 00:22:42,399 --> 00:22:44,559 I would say that his understanding is much deeper than 478 00:22:44,559 --> 00:22:46,799 it was just a few verses beforehand. 479 00:22:47,359 --> 00:22:50,399 He went from not knowing who the prophet Isaiah was talking about 480 00:22:50,399 --> 00:22:53,119 to knowing that he needed a full body of water to be baptized. 481 00:22:54,559 --> 00:22:59,279 He had been taught, and Philip said, if thou believest with all 482 00:22:59,279 --> 00:23:00,799 thine heart, thou mayest. 483 00:23:01,199 --> 00:23:06,359 And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the 484 00:23:06,359 --> 00:23:07,039 son of God. 485 00:23:07,769 --> 00:23:09,929 And he commanded the chariot to stand still. 486 00:23:10,009 --> 00:23:14,489 And they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch. 487 00:23:15,129 --> 00:23:16,569 And he baptized him. 488 00:23:17,929 --> 00:23:20,649 You know, we see here the Ethiopian eunuch. 489 00:23:20,649 --> 00:23:24,129 Here he makes a public declaration of his faith. 490 00:23:24,129 --> 00:23:28,449 After hearing it right, he looks at it and he says, see, here's 491 00:23:28,449 --> 00:23:28,649 water. 492 00:23:28,649 --> 00:23:30,249 What doth hinder me to be baptized? 493 00:23:31,129 --> 00:23:31,649 All right. 494 00:23:31,649 --> 00:23:32,809 Hey, here's the gospel. 495 00:23:32,809 --> 00:23:33,929 Here's everything you've taught me. 496 00:23:34,009 --> 00:23:37,129 I know that people, when they respond to the gospel, they get baptized. 497 00:23:37,589 --> 00:23:38,429 So here's water. 498 00:23:38,429 --> 00:23:39,909 Why can't I be baptized right now? 499 00:23:41,109 --> 00:23:42,749 And Philip said, well, hold on. 500 00:23:42,749 --> 00:23:43,509 We're missing a step. 501 00:23:44,629 --> 00:23:47,789 Do you believe with all your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord? 502 00:23:47,789 --> 00:23:48,709 Have you accepted him? 503 00:23:49,349 --> 00:23:51,829 And then he gives this public declaration. 504 00:23:51,829 --> 00:23:55,269 He says, I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God. 505 00:23:56,469 --> 00:23:59,069 I personally don't believe that you have to say the words out 506 00:23:59,069 --> 00:24:00,869 loud in order to mean it. 507 00:24:02,309 --> 00:24:04,629 But it is different when you say the words out loud, isn't it? 508 00:24:06,789 --> 00:24:10,789 When me and my wife first started dating, I thought many times 509 00:24:11,349 --> 00:24:16,549 to her that I loved her, but I did not say it. 510 00:24:17,429 --> 00:24:20,309 I did not say it for a long time, Right? 511 00:24:21,109 --> 00:24:24,869 Because the first time you say it out loud, it's different. 512 00:24:25,749 --> 00:24:26,629 It means something. 513 00:24:26,629 --> 00:24:30,589 Then you've verbalized something, and you can't take that 514 00:24:30,589 --> 00:24:32,229 back, Right? 515 00:24:32,949 --> 00:24:35,429 Your relationship is forever different from that moment. 516 00:24:37,109 --> 00:24:40,589 And I think kind of in the same way, our relationship with God 517 00:24:40,589 --> 00:24:41,269 can't be different. 518 00:24:43,029 --> 00:24:48,669 Whenever we say that out loud, whenever we say, I believe Jesus 519 00:24:48,669 --> 00:24:50,069 Christ is the son of God. 520 00:24:50,309 --> 00:24:53,989 Whenever we verbalize it, it's something that we can't take back. 521 00:24:55,509 --> 00:24:58,189 It's verbalizing something that you may think, something you 522 00:24:58,189 --> 00:25:01,479 may be shy to say, but you're verbalizing it. 523 00:25:01,479 --> 00:25:03,159 It becomes out, it comes different. 524 00:25:07,639 --> 00:25:14,959 There's so many verses that talk about being bold and unashamed 525 00:25:14,959 --> 00:25:17,079 about our faith, Right? 526 00:25:17,479 --> 00:25:19,239 And there's many ways to show our faith. 527 00:25:19,639 --> 00:25:22,199 I think speaking it's one of the best ways to show our faith. 528 00:25:23,319 --> 00:25:26,449 You may say, well, I know you and you talk a lot. 529 00:25:27,009 --> 00:25:31,249 Yeah, but it's a good way for me to share my faith, right? 530 00:25:32,049 --> 00:25:32,729 We can share. 531 00:25:32,729 --> 00:25:35,729 We can show our faith through the actions that we do. 532 00:25:37,169 --> 00:25:37,489 Right? 533 00:25:37,489 --> 00:25:39,889 Whoso giveth a cup of cold water in my name. 534 00:25:41,008 --> 00:25:44,369 We can show our faith by the way we live and the way we react. 535 00:25:45,569 --> 00:25:47,289 We can show our faith through our works. 536 00:25:47,289 --> 00:25:47,489 Right? 537 00:25:47,489 --> 00:25:49,769 James chapter two makes that very clear. 538 00:25:49,769 --> 00:25:50,289 He says. 539 00:25:51,029 --> 00:25:52,069 He says show you. 540 00:25:52,709 --> 00:25:53,349 He says. 541 00:25:53,349 --> 00:25:55,749 He says that I'll show you my faith by my works. 542 00:25:55,749 --> 00:25:56,149 Right? 543 00:25:57,509 --> 00:25:59,909 But I think vocalizing it is a really important part. 544 00:25:59,909 --> 00:26:02,309 So we see a public declaration there. 545 00:26:03,909 --> 00:26:06,629 By the way, this wasn't just Philip in the Ethiopian Eunuch. 546 00:26:07,349 --> 00:26:12,669 It's a little detail, but if you look at verse 38, and he commanded 547 00:26:12,669 --> 00:26:14,069 the chariot to stand still. 548 00:26:16,319 --> 00:26:20,479 Horses don't often just listen and need to be driven without any 549 00:26:20,479 --> 00:26:21,359 sort of direction. 550 00:26:22,559 --> 00:26:25,399 Also, I would imagine driving a chariot while reading is probably 551 00:26:25,399 --> 00:26:28,239 akin to, like texting and driving today, right? 552 00:26:28,399 --> 00:26:30,959 You're probably not going to be reading a book or doing something 553 00:26:30,959 --> 00:26:32,639 else while you're driving a chariot. 554 00:26:33,199 --> 00:26:36,439 To me, this indicates there's at least another person there, probably 555 00:26:36,439 --> 00:26:37,119 a whole company. 556 00:26:37,119 --> 00:26:40,479 He's an important man sent from Candace of Ethiopia. 557 00:26:40,479 --> 00:26:43,419 He probably had a whole delegation with him. 558 00:26:43,419 --> 00:26:46,579 He probably had extra chariots for, well, empty chariots for the 559 00:26:46,579 --> 00:26:48,419 gifts and all the things that he would have brought. 560 00:26:48,979 --> 00:26:51,699 There was probably a pretty sizable crowd here. 561 00:26:52,499 --> 00:26:55,259 And yet this Ethiopian eunuch, this man of prominence, this man 562 00:26:55,259 --> 00:27:01,059 of power in his nation, he's not afraid to make a public declaration 563 00:27:01,299 --> 00:27:02,659 of his newfound faith. 564 00:27:04,419 --> 00:27:07,259 I want you to notice that every single Time, every single time 565 00:27:07,259 --> 00:27:10,179 there's a public declaration, there's a personal delight. 566 00:27:10,559 --> 00:27:11,519 Look at verse 39. 567 00:27:11,839 --> 00:27:13,839 And then they were come up out of the water. 568 00:27:13,919 --> 00:27:18,279 The spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, that the eunuch saw 569 00:27:18,279 --> 00:27:22,079 him no more, and he went on his way rejoicing. 570 00:27:24,079 --> 00:27:25,519 What a unique sentence. 571 00:27:28,319 --> 00:27:30,359 There's a lot of people in this world that I've met and I've 572 00:27:30,359 --> 00:27:35,519 never seen since, but this person walked away different, didn't 573 00:27:35,519 --> 00:27:35,759 he? 574 00:27:36,949 --> 00:27:39,749 The Ethiopian eunuch, he accepted Jesus. 575 00:27:39,749 --> 00:27:42,229 He said, I believe that Jesus is the son of God. 576 00:27:42,869 --> 00:27:46,909 He got baptized publicly, he showed his faith, and then he went 577 00:27:46,909 --> 00:27:47,909 on his way rejoicing. 578 00:27:49,589 --> 00:27:51,029 And that's all we know about him. 579 00:27:52,309 --> 00:27:52,949 That's it. 580 00:27:53,669 --> 00:27:55,869 That's all we have on the Ethiopian eunuch until we get to 581 00:27:55,869 --> 00:27:56,309 heaven. 582 00:27:57,749 --> 00:28:00,149 I imagine he has an interesting story to tell, right? 583 00:28:02,159 --> 00:28:04,759 But I think even though we see the. 584 00:28:04,759 --> 00:28:08,799 The personal delight here, I think this story is less about the 585 00:28:08,799 --> 00:28:10,639 Ethiopian eunuch and more about Philip. 586 00:28:11,359 --> 00:28:12,319 Look at verse 40. 587 00:28:13,839 --> 00:28:17,199 But Philip was found at Azotus and passing through. 588 00:28:17,199 --> 00:28:20,399 He preached in all the cities until he came to Caesarea. 589 00:28:21,679 --> 00:28:24,519 Now, the book of Acts is a historical record, it's a historical 590 00:28:24,519 --> 00:28:24,839 narrative. 591 00:28:24,839 --> 00:28:30,029 And we understand that, that really this verse may just be included 592 00:28:30,029 --> 00:28:33,109 to give us the context of where Philip went next, to give context 593 00:28:33,109 --> 00:28:35,069 for the next story in Acts, chapter number nine. 594 00:28:36,589 --> 00:28:42,029 But I would like to think that this is on purpose because Philip 595 00:28:42,029 --> 00:28:45,629 didn't just share the gospel with Ethan and Eunuch and was like, 596 00:28:45,949 --> 00:28:47,549 whew, well, that was good work. 597 00:28:48,189 --> 00:28:49,109 Back it up, everybody. 598 00:28:49,109 --> 00:28:50,589 Let's go home, back to Jerusalem. 599 00:28:50,749 --> 00:28:51,389 We're done. 600 00:28:52,429 --> 00:28:53,709 Mission accomplished. 601 00:28:55,459 --> 00:28:59,499 No, he goes straight from the desert place in Gaza and goes straight 602 00:28:59,499 --> 00:29:02,579 to a whole new region and preaches in all the cities until 603 00:29:02,579 --> 00:29:06,339 he comes into his next semi permanent destination. 604 00:29:07,379 --> 00:29:09,379 We see a persistent messenger there. 605 00:29:10,499 --> 00:29:13,059 Philip didn't just settle, he kept serving. 606 00:29:14,659 --> 00:29:16,019 He passed through all the cities. 607 00:29:17,539 --> 00:29:19,139 You know, the gospel doesn't stop. 608 00:29:20,059 --> 00:29:21,259 It's supposed to spread. 609 00:29:25,339 --> 00:29:30,539 They always say, and it is true, the gospel is just one generation 610 00:29:30,539 --> 00:29:31,739 away from extinction. 611 00:29:33,259 --> 00:29:38,259 In other words, if my generation, if the generation after 612 00:29:38,259 --> 00:29:42,179 me doesn't pick up and carry the gospel and continue to spread, 613 00:29:43,499 --> 00:29:44,059 stops. 614 00:29:45,749 --> 00:29:47,029 But it shouldn't stop with me. 615 00:29:48,469 --> 00:29:53,669 I need to continuously be sharing the gospel to look for those 616 00:29:53,669 --> 00:29:56,709 divine appointments that the Lord has given for it. 617 00:29:58,629 --> 00:30:02,269 Warren Wiersbe on his commentary on this passage, he said, 618 00:30:02,269 --> 00:30:04,469 if you're still breathing, God's not done using you. 619 00:30:05,909 --> 00:30:06,869 I like that thought. 620 00:30:07,989 --> 00:30:13,149 Sometimes I feel done, sometimes I feel used, like, that's 621 00:30:13,149 --> 00:30:15,949 it, there's nothing left in the cup, right? 622 00:30:17,069 --> 00:30:22,589 I've done spent all there is, but I wake up the next day with a 623 00:30:22,589 --> 00:30:26,109 pulse, which means that God's not done yet. 624 00:30:27,869 --> 00:30:31,989 I wonder how many of us are looking for the divine appointments 625 00:30:31,989 --> 00:30:32,989 that God has in our life. 626 00:30:35,629 --> 00:30:36,269 I wonder. 627 00:30:36,269 --> 00:30:38,589 And I don't know this, this is just me pondering up here. 628 00:30:38,969 --> 00:30:41,489 I wonder how often we have divine appointments set up for each 629 00:30:41,489 --> 00:30:42,249 and every one of us. 630 00:30:42,809 --> 00:30:44,169 Have you ever wondered about that? 631 00:30:44,169 --> 00:30:48,009 Is it daily, is it weekly, is it monthly? 632 00:30:48,489 --> 00:30:50,689 How often do I come across people that I'm supposed to share 633 00:30:50,689 --> 00:30:54,489 the gospel with that I miss? 634 00:30:55,929 --> 00:30:58,809 I just, I live my life on autopilot and I miss it. 635 00:30:59,849 --> 00:31:03,609 How often you may be here and you say, well I do the same thing 636 00:31:03,609 --> 00:31:03,969 every day. 637 00:31:03,969 --> 00:31:05,609 I go and see the same people every day. 638 00:31:06,159 --> 00:31:06,719 I get it. 639 00:31:07,439 --> 00:31:10,239 I've shared the gospel enough with the church office that I had 640 00:31:10,239 --> 00:31:11,679 to give up and go down to the school office. 641 00:31:13,759 --> 00:31:14,719 I'm serious though. 642 00:31:15,759 --> 00:31:18,079 Whenever you see the same people every day and you think, well 643 00:31:18,079 --> 00:31:19,919 you know what, maybe this isn't my divine appointment. 644 00:31:20,159 --> 00:31:21,839 Maybe these aren't the people I'm supposed to reach. 645 00:31:22,719 --> 00:31:24,559 Maybe it's time to switch things up a little bit. 646 00:31:25,359 --> 00:31:27,839 Maybe it's time to go to the Walmarts instead of the Kroger's. 647 00:31:28,799 --> 00:31:31,039 Maybe it's time to switch the gas station we go to. 648 00:31:32,649 --> 00:31:37,529 Maybe it's time to join a new pickleball club or whatever it is 649 00:31:37,529 --> 00:31:38,409 that you do for fun. 650 00:31:39,769 --> 00:31:43,729 There are people out there that are looking for truth and we 651 00:31:43,729 --> 00:31:44,249 have it. 652 00:31:45,529 --> 00:31:46,889 Why would we just sit on it? 653 00:31:50,249 --> 00:31:54,249 I think this passage is more about Philip than it is the eunuch. 654 00:31:55,049 --> 00:31:56,649 It's awesome that the eunuch got saved. 655 00:31:57,729 --> 00:32:00,769 I think we have a lot of questions for him when he gets to 656 00:32:00,769 --> 00:32:01,169 heaven. 657 00:32:01,249 --> 00:32:04,369 Maybe we'll do like open forum style questionnaires for some of 658 00:32:04,369 --> 00:32:05,569 these characters of the Bible. 659 00:32:08,209 --> 00:32:11,329 How much like Philip are we in our day to day? 660 00:32:12,849 --> 00:32:15,329 Are we motivated to try to reach others with the gospel? 661 00:32:16,529 --> 00:32:20,449 Are we willing to run, to go jump and see a stranger that we've 662 00:32:20,449 --> 00:32:23,249 never met before and share the gospel with him? 663 00:32:25,159 --> 00:32:27,559 What's our line in the sand that we're not willing to cross? 664 00:32:29,399 --> 00:32:31,079 It doesn't seem like Philip had any. 665 00:32:32,759 --> 00:32:33,799 What about when we're tired? 666 00:32:33,799 --> 00:32:34,599 What do we do then? 667 00:32:35,959 --> 00:32:36,839 Do we keep going? 668 00:32:38,759 --> 00:32:39,759 Do we keep spreading? 669 00:32:39,759 --> 00:32:40,919 Do we keep sharing the gospel? 670 00:32:42,599 --> 00:32:44,919 How much of a fill up are we tonight? 671 00:32:47,319 --> 00:32:50,759 We're beyond blessed to be at a church where we have souls saved 672 00:32:51,369 --> 00:32:54,889 regularly in service and throughout the week. 673 00:32:55,449 --> 00:33:02,449 That's not normal among a lot of churches, but it could be more 674 00:33:02,449 --> 00:33:02,969 normal. 675 00:33:05,449 --> 00:33:06,489 It's encouraging. 676 00:33:06,649 --> 00:33:07,249 It is. 677 00:33:07,249 --> 00:33:10,169 That we had soul saved today and I don't want to belittle that 678 00:33:10,169 --> 00:33:14,729 at all, but can I encourage you? 679 00:33:15,209 --> 00:33:16,969 Let's not be satisfied with that. 680 00:33:19,859 --> 00:33:22,259 There's two souls that got saved today. 681 00:33:23,619 --> 00:33:25,619 There's a million that live in this county. 682 00:33:27,299 --> 00:33:27,699 Right. 683 00:33:29,459 --> 00:33:31,619 So let's be Phillips tonight. 684 00:33:32,819 --> 00:33:35,419 Let's look for the divine appointments that God has for each 685 00:33:35,419 --> 00:33:36,339 and every one of us. 686 00:33:37,139 --> 00:33:39,779 And when they come, let's take advantage of them. 687 00:33:40,739 --> 00:33:43,979 Let's not spend our moments questioning the Holy Spirit or questioning 688 00:33:43,979 --> 00:33:47,429 God's leading jump on the moment. 689 00:33:47,989 --> 00:33:49,189 Let's share the gospel. 690 00:33:49,829 --> 00:33:54,149 Let's preach the truth to a world that is seeking truth. 691 00:33:56,709 --> 00:33:58,949 God doesn't need your abilities. 692 00:34:00,229 --> 00:34:01,989 He needs our availabilities. 693 00:34:03,509 --> 00:34:04,309 Let's all stand. 694 00:34:09,349 --> 00:34:13,879 We'll have a verse of invitation and all that after we 695 00:34:13,879 --> 00:34:14,239 pray. 696 00:34:15,119 --> 00:34:16,559 Dear Lord, thank you for this day, Lord. 697 00:34:16,559 --> 00:34:19,759 Thank you for this passage that you've given us with Philip 698 00:34:19,839 --> 00:34:21,079 and the Ethiopian eunuch. 699 00:34:21,079 --> 00:34:23,639 Lord, I pray that you would help us as we seek to be Philip's 700 00:34:23,639 --> 00:34:25,759 tonight, Lord, in this week, Lord. 701 00:34:25,759 --> 00:34:27,999 I pray that you'll help us as we take the encouragement from this 702 00:34:28,879 --> 00:34:32,999 services today, Lord, as we take everything that we've heard. 703 00:34:32,999 --> 00:34:36,079 And I pray that you would help us as we seek to live for you this 704 00:34:36,079 --> 00:34:36,479 week, Lord. 705 00:34:36,479 --> 00:34:39,279 I pray that you'll help us to have spiritual eyes to recognize 706 00:34:39,279 --> 00:34:41,279 the divine appointments that are given to us, Lord. 707 00:34:41,579 --> 00:34:44,019 And I pray that you'll help us as a church to see souls saved this 708 00:34:44,019 --> 00:34:44,179 week. 709 00:34:44,179 --> 00:34:45,339 In Jesus name I pray. 710 00:34:45,419 --> 00:34:45,979 Amen. 711 00:34:46,059 --> 00:34:47,259 As the instrument prays.