complete dependence upon the
Lord for all needed help this morning wish to direct your very
prayerful attention to the Acts of the Apostles in chapter 8
and by way of text verses 34 and 35 the Acts of the Apostles
in chapter 8 verses 34 and 35 and the eunuch answered Philip
and said I pray thee of whom speaketh the prophet this? of
himself or of some other man? then Philip opened his mouth
and began at the same scripture and preached unto him Jesus and
the eunuch answered Philip and said I pray thee of whom speaketh
the prophet this? of himself or of some other man?
then Philip opened his mouth and began at the same scripture
and preached unto him Jesus a number of times in the holy
scripture we see very deliberately that the Lord deals with some
of the most unlikeliest of characters. And we have an example of that
here. The Acts of the Apostles, perhaps
more than any other book in the scripture, is one where we see
a count of individual conversion. and of the Lord dealing with
men and with women individually and also collectively such as
the spirit going forth on the day of Pentecost but we have to remember this
that all conversion has at the centre of it the Lord Jesus himself
there is no salvation outside of Christ and there's no salvation
in anything other but Christ I remember somebody saying at
least many years ago that a bloodless religion is no religion at all
and what they meant is that if the blood of Christ is not upon
it then it is worthless. Here we have, very clearly, the
Lord Jesus himself preached. And you know, I love the authorised
version, I love the force of this. If you go home and even
read the New King James, it doesn't have the same power. It says
he preached Jesus to him. This says it preached unto him,
Jesus. There is force, there is power
in what we read before us. and there's power in this chapter
isn't there? now by way of context we can see that there was indeed
great persecution against the church Saul of Tarsus was at
this point in his unregenerate state and he was the ringleader
of much of it particularly around at Jerusalem we really made havoc of the church
entering into every house and hailing men and women and committing
them to prison we have to remember sometimes
I think that we can have a too if I may say rosier picture of
the early church there was tremendous blessing but there was tremendous
opposition how would we stand in the face of this? well we know where Philip stood they went everywhere preaching
the word now this man Philip Philip the evangelist he is sometimes
called is a man we read of first of all in the sixth chapter of
Acts and he was appointed because there was neglect in the ministerial
administration as the scripture calls it the natural, the everyday
needs of the people there and we can see that he was one of
them he was at some time sent out by his church to preach the
gospel and here he is before us now going down to the
city of Samaria we don't know all that much about Philip really
some of the characters in scripture we are given great insight from
the day of their birth to the day of their death some we scarcely read little
of at all we know little about them but only this he went down
to the city of Samaria and preached Christ unto them this was the
truth going out this is the only truth to go out and we read that
the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which
Philip spoke hearing and seeing the miracles that he did now
we have to remember that we are living here in apostolic days
Philip not only preached but he healed the sick there were
mighty things that took place but you know there's always been
those that have come for the loaves and fishes and we read
of a very sad character now don't we called Simon the sorcerer
a certain man called Simon which before time in the same city
used sorcery and we can see that nothing has changed men still
use sorcery today paganism we are told is the fastest growing
religion in the United Kingdom you only have to go into a mainstream
bookshop and see the shelves that are given over to it to
see the evidence of that there's nothing new under the sun but he was a man who attached
himself to this preaching He even met a profession of faith. But the question is why? Why? Why? Well, Simon's case wasn't
an isolated one. The Lord Jesus speaks of those
who come for the loaves and the fish. Those who come to see great
things. we have to remember in every
age and in every generation the word of God sifts it separates
it separates and you know some people start off well or appear to but then they are
found out as fraudsters and liars some of us have known such people What happened? What happened? Well, he saw the laying on of hands
from the apostles and he said in verse 19, give me also this
power that on whosoever I lay hands he may receive the Holy
Ghost. But Peter said unto him, here's
the discernment coming through, thy money perish with thee because
thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with
money God's people are not mercenaries
they are not mercenaries we're not here as sales people or to
raise great sums of money Simon thought that he could why? well John Gill observes that
he wished simply to infiltrate himself into the church and use
the gifts of the apostles for his own work as what we would
call today a magician he practiced magic and Peter answered him thy money
perish with thee and it's the same today doesn't matter how
much or how little we have at the end of this life we leave
it all all of it thy money perish with thee because
thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with
money thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter for thy
heart is not right in the sight of God repent therefore of this
thy wickedness and pray God if perhaps the thought of thy heart
may be forgiven thee for I perceive that thou art in the gall of
bitterness and in the bond of iniquity he'd been found out
he'd been exposed you see his response is actually for his
soul because we read that Simon answered and said pray ye to
the Lord for me that none of these things which ye have spoken
come upon me he wasn't anxious about his soul's
welfare he was simply anxious about the judgment this wasn't
real repentance this was a threat now as far as we can rely upon
the history books we do know this about Simon that he wished
to be buried alive and said he would raise again on the third
day and of course he didn't and he
wouldn't but this is what he said he had such high views of
himself and his magic a very solemn case This was no doubt a disappointment
in Philip's ministry. And we have disappointments in
our ministries. There are those that prove not
to be true and not to be real. But, but, and this is a very
blessed but, there are those that prove to be real. There
are those that prove to be real seekers of Jesus. And this is
what we see here. In the next case, after this disappointment, we
see the angel of the Lord. Now, we don't know whether this
is Gabriel or any other in particular. All we know is the angel of the
Lord spake unto Philip and said, Arise and go toward the south. unto the way that goeth down
from Jerusalem to Gaza which is desert. That is at the beginning
of the desert as it happens. God spoke to Philip directly. We are speaking of the age of
the apostles. We know that the church was built
upon the ministry of the apostles and prophets. and it was commonplace
for God to speak directly in the Old Testament and here in
the New Testament church in these apostolic days we now have the
fullness of the revelation in the scripture so if any of you,
as you may have done, come across men or women who tell you that
God has spoken to them directly you have every reason to doubt
it because we have the word here and Philip says goes in accordance
of God's command and he went and behold a man of Ethiopia
a eunuch of great authority under Candace Queen of the Ethiopians
who had the charge of all her treasure and had come to Jerusalem
for to worship now even in this we notice some things don't change
this was a man of the highest authority those of you in business
today know that those who hold charge of the finances are indeed
powerful characters and such we have one here this was a man
of some standing but we have to remember he was not a Jew
he was a proselyte Jew for we read that he had come
to Jerusalem for to worship now again, and I'm quoting John
Gill again, he calls this a remarkable act of divine providence and
it was that two men such as this should meet he obeyed the voice of the Lord
and he went you see we have to remember that Philip was indeed
a faithful servant of the Lord and when the Lord says you have
to go, you have to go this is it and here he was regardless
of the cost and we have to remember again that there would be enemies
to the church round about him even at Galveston but this Ethiopian had gone to
Jerusalem to worship at great cost to himself. This would not
be an easy journey. It was many hundreds of miles,
but he went. Why did he go? Because the Lord's
hand was upon him. If there was ever a proof of
particular redemption, it's the Ethiopian yoke, is it not? you can see the marks of divine
grace upon him he travelled all those miles and believe me when
he got there he would not have been welcomed by everyone certainly
this was a black gentile going among the Jews and we have to
remember that the Jews for the most part at this time felt themselves
to be superior they got God's word and no one else they didn't really welcome proselytes
but he went why? because he feared God that's
why he went and he acted in accordance to the light that he had He only had it in the tides and
the shadows. He read the Torah and here he
is in his chariot reading the word of God. He was sitting in
his chariot reading Isaiah, the prophet. Someone seeking God
truly in their soul will read his word. then the spirit said unto Philip
go near and join my hand to this chariot and Philip ran to the
two and heard him read the prophet Isaiah and said understandest
what thou readest understandest what thou readest he heard him
most likely reading in the Hebrew tongue which he would have recognised
anyway But his first desire was that
he knew what he was reading. You know, many read the Word
of God today and they have no idea what it is, what it means. Not really. What is the theme
of this whole chapter? He preached unto them Jesus. Here, an earnest seeker had met
a faithful preacher. And you know, when God ever has
anything to say, He sends a preacher. We see it throughout the Old
Testament. He sent them prophet, after prophet, after prophet. We see here, in the New Testament,
the word going forth, even in the face of opposition. God still
sends preachers. And in our day, God is still
sending his servants now we have much to be exercised about empty
pulpits throughout the land confusion in many places but God is still sending his
servants do we have an exercise in our soul that he will send
more servants to preach his word? or are we content with reading
services? are we content with empty pulpits? are we content with the supply
system? we've much to be thankful for
here friends that we have a regular ministry much to be thankful
for because in two thirds of our causes that is not the case God here sent a preacher unto
an earnest seeker of truth this is divine providence at work
understandest what thou readest and what do he say? he said how
can I except some man except some man should guide me and
he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him The place of the Scripture which
he read was this, and this was where he was reading. He was
led as a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb done before his
sheep. So he opened, he not his mouth,
Isaiah 53. Speaking of Christ going to the
cross. You know if we preach God's Word,
we will understand this book. I'm not saying we will be able
to give an answer for every particular question that may arise there
are some things that are difficult but you all know the message
of this book this book has one message and that is Jesus Christ
himself don't pay any attention to people who tell you that there's
no such thing as the church or Christ in the Old Testament it's
just not true it's just not true we only have to go into three
chapters of Genesis to read the Lord Jesus Christ the seed that
shall come forth that will crush the serpent's head and all throughout the Old Testament
and here he's opening these things to me The eunuch answered Philip and
said, I pray thee, of whom speakest thou prophet this? Of himself
or some other man? Now we mustn't here be too condemnatory
upon the eunuch. For Isaiah did suffer, didn't
he? At the hands of his enemies. We could be forgiven him for
thinking those things. He didn't have the light that
you and I have got. But there is an earnestness here
and there is an earnestness with all of God's people. Individually, there is an earnestness. This man wanted to know the truth
and he wanted to know it for himself. That's the difference. That is the difference. Simon
was just interested in furthering his own ends, his own ambitious
ends. that he was a man, this eunuch who really desired to know the
truth. Whom speaketh the prophet of
himself or some other man? So we read this, this is precious. Then Philip opened his mouth
and began at the same scripture and preached unto him Jesus. This was an exercised soul when
he preached unto him Jesus. And the first thing that Philip
did was open to him the truth of Christ in all the Scriptures.
If you have a Bible with a margin in it you will see that there
is a reference to Luke 24 and 27. Luke 24 and 27 and it is the
Lord Jesus speaking when He said this, "...and beginning at Moses
and all the prophets, He, that is Christ, expounded unto them
in the Scriptures the things concerning Himself." Making it clear that Christ is
indeed found in all the scriptures in all the scriptures here is the only hope this proselyte Jew he was named in the letters only
hope he was Rahab the harlot's only hope types of the gentile
church and here we can see the time is at hand the word is going
forth he's been preached among the Gentiles each of us here
this morning to the best of my knowledge anyway we are all Gentiles
subjects of God's sovereign mercy and friends whether we are born
Jews or Gentiles there is no mercy outside of Christ and he
preached unto him Jesus now when this Jesus is preached there is always a result of some
kind you may even say there's always a response in that sense it proves to be for some a saver
of life unto life and for others it proves to be the saver of
death unto death you think of the contrast of these two people you have this first character
Simon he had many advantages didn't
he? Simon he had heard the preaching at great length he had most likely
dined and engaged in conversation with the apostles I'm sure he knew all the doctrines
I'm sure he knew all of them we have to remember the devil
believes and trembles they believe, the devil believes you know in
particular redemption the devil believes in total depravity the
devil believes in the final perseverance of the saints but the devil is
not going to happen Simon appeared for a time we read he believed
also, he believed in his might but he didn't believe in his
heart that was never touched a heart must be touched and you
know in preaching Christ is that not our desire? those of you
here that preach is that not your desire that our hearts may
be touched unto him? you say we have to preach Christ you say if there's no Christ,
if there's no blood in the preaching then it is but a lecture there's
a big difference between preaching you know preaching is something
that is unique totally unique there's nothing
like it here we can see Philip preaching
Jesus to a hungry soul this was a soul that was hungry this was
a soul that was desiring to hear the truth you know We must always, when we preach,
preach to character. We describe the character, the exercised
soul, the soul who feels his need of Christ. We describe what
he is, where he's come. Here we have a man who puts himself
out cost to himself he was desirous though to go and worship God's people will put themselves
out to go and worship his servants will put themselves out to preach why? not to be like Simon who
desired to gain these things for his own end but because we
fear God and that we love Him you see the love of God is something
that brings about joy it brings about peace we read when Philip
was preaching in Samaria that there was great joy in that city
when the gospel is preached it brings joy it doesn't make people
miserable now that does not mean that we go about with a sugary
grin on our faces that kind of Christianity is not found in
the scripture nor is it real but it is a joy in the heart
it is a joy in the soul and yes it will be tried things come against us things
come upon us Philip had his trials Simon must have been a great
disappointment but he ventured on he went on
preaching in the knowledge that the Lord will call his own and
he meets this unlikely character this Ethiopian eunuch who desired
to hear the truth when was the last time someone said not literally
but figuratively to us come sit with us guide us in the scripture what does this mean? when was the last time that that
happened to us? if it does happen of course we
should be ready to give every man an answer to the hope that
is within us is that not what we desire? that there would be
those who long to be instructed in the scriptures long to hear
of Christ long to hear of their needs answers to be answered this is what our forefathers
looked for the kind of people that built these chapels many of them separated from the
places that they were in because they could not hear the ministry. They desired a full and a free
gospel and a full and a free salvation. They didn't want works
mixed in with it or any kind of duty-faith. They desired Christ
and Him alone. Here was a man, the Ethiopian
eunuch, the Lord was dealing with him. Where is duty-faith
if the Lord is dealing? he had his hand upon it and you
know the Lord will, we'll look at this this evening that there
was a result, the Lord did work in his son the Lord did bring
joy and the Lord did bring liberty and the Lord does this don't
pay any attention to these people, I've met them that say that there's
no such thing as assurance. It's not the true historical
position of our denomination. It never has been. It's something
that's come in in fairly recent years. You read the old accounts of
God's people. Some of the pastors that have
been here have preached in the old sayings. I should really
say there were people that knew Christ
and they loved Christ and they looked to preach Christ because
He was and I can never get away from this just to finish as we
come to the end but you know we can never get away from the
truth from this truth You think of the early church and what
took place there in the Acts of the Apostles. But when Paul
speaks in Colossians and he says where there is neither Greek
nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bond nor
free, but Christ is all and in all. Well, may the Lord add his
blessings. Thank you.