The Book of Acts ~ Study Thirty-Three

"Ready to Run"


Acts 8:26-40 (NLT) As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, “Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.” So he started out, and he met the treasurer of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under the Kandake, the queen of Ethiopia. The eunuch had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and he was now returning. Seated in his carriage, he was reading aloud from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
   The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.”
   Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
   The man replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him.
   The passage of Scripture he had been reading was this: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter. And as a lamb is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. He was humiliated and received no justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.”
   The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, was the prophet talking about himself or someone else?” So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus.
   As they rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look! There’s some water! Why can’t I be baptized?” He ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.
   When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing. Meanwhile, Philip found himself farther north at the town of Azotus. He preached the Good News there and in every town along the way until he came to Caesarea.


Philip had an interesting and exciting ministry. I'm so glad that we got to have a glimpse of this man and what God did through him. As he was walking along the desert road from Jerusalem to Gaza, God presented another opportunity to experience His wonder. A carriage passed by. God spoke to Philip and told him to run up to the carriage. I'll bet he was hot and tired and now had to run, but Philip didn't make any excuse, he ran anyway.


Have you ever felt God was telling you to do something but you didn't respond to His call? What were your reasons for not responding? Did you do what God asked or did you make up excuses?


Because Philip obeyed the Lord and ran up to the carriage and probably had to continue to run alongside it, he was able to hear the man inside reading the Book of Isaiah aloud. Philip asked the man,“Do you understand what you are reading?”  The man responded with, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?”  The man was an "eunuch" which means that he had been castrated. His manhood had been taken. I'm sure he felt unsure about himself and lonely. His body had been abused and broken and he was searching for something to fill up the emptiness he felt.


Because Philip was obedient to God he was able to assist someone in their search of God. He was sensitive to the call of God and acted on it.  If Philip had not obeyed what would have happened to this eunuch from Ethiopia? 


Little did Philip know how much this man was searching and in need. When the man asked Philip into his carriage and was able to explain a prophecy concerning the Messiah hope came to this scarred and broken man.


When we listen to the promptings of God's Holy Spirit He uses us to bring Jesus into others' lives. Hurting, abused, lonely, unloved and dying people need to hear about Jesus and the healing He brings.


Psalm 25:16-18 (NCV) Turn to me and have mercy on me, because I am lonely and hurting. My troubles have grown larger; free me from my problems. Look at my suffering and troubles, and take away all my sins.


I imagine the Eunuch had been reading the scriptures and was praying that he would find answers. (My imagination here!) Maybe he prayed a prayer much like David's in the Psalm, "Turn to me and have mercy on me..." I know I've felt like this Eunuch and prayed for answers. Have you? The Lord hears us and by reading this about the Eunuch and Philip we learn that God will and does act.


God not only hears and acts on our behalf, He often sends His children to act on His behalf. You see, we as believers, we are Christ's ambassadors to the world. It is our responsibility to be the hands and feet of Jesus. 


2 Corinthians 5:19-20 (MSG)  God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We're Christ's representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God's work of making things right between them. We're speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he's already a friend with you.


Are you willing to be an ambassador for the living Christ? God wants to use us to be Christ to others. Philip is a good example of this. He ran when God said to run and spoke when God said to speak. The results of this obedience was a changed life bound for eternity. Though the man in the carriage was abused and disfigured, a slave to someone, he was now free and whole and knew he was loved by the Savior.


Oh to be used like Philip. I want my life to be like that. What about you? God is ready, willing and able to employ our gifts that He gave us for His glory and purpose. So when God says to run up to the "carriage" passing you ~RUN!! When God says to speak to the "Eunuch" ~ SPEAK!! And when God needs you to bring others to Jesus ~ BRING!! And when God wants to use you somewhere else ~ FLY!! 


Be alert, listen and be ready to experience the miracles and wonders of God.