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04 Acts 08 26-40 PHILIP MINISTERING TO THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH 45 Review III
📖 Acts 08:26-40
45 – 18Mar2024 – *Review III* - _Acts 08:26-40_ – PHILIP MINISTERING TO THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH – _I Corinthians 13:01-03_
- Philip was fulfilling the Great Commission to the letter. A disciple of Jesus Christ was being birthed. *Our task is to go and make disciples of Jesus Christ.*
- A disciple of Christ was being brought into the kingdom of God as he was to be baptised. *The Ethiopian was also taught all things that were commanded by Jesus, for him to obey.*
- The Ethiopian Eunuch was crossing the threshold. He was crossing over from death to life. This is the climax of this encounter between the Ethiopian and Philip. *Evangelism is bringing people from death to life.*
- "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." This is what this man confessed with his mouth. *People must express their belief and commitment to Jesus.*
- The Ethiopian was baptised and he was now all ready and set to move forward as a disciple of Christ. *Coming out of the waters of baptism represents being raised from the dead, just as Christ was raised from the dead. We now begin to walk in the newness of life in Christ, which is a life in the Holy Spirit.*
_Rom 6:4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life._
- As soon as both Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch came out of the waters of baptism, a strange experience took place. The Holy Spirit caught Philip away and he was found elsewhere. God’s ways cannot be limited, confined or ordered. *When the Lord calls us to obey, we must.* The rest are in His hands.
- The ‘thorn in the flesh’ is precious. How often, we too, like Paul, ask the Lord to take away our thorns. These are necessary for us to remain level-headed in ministry. *If we do not have these thorns in the flesh, we will be carried away with the spiritual manifestations, which are real.*
- Paul was able to have this tremendous stability. He was not carried away with his out-of-body experiences. At the same time, he was happy to be weak. *When he was weak, then he was strong for the grace of God was in operation in him.*
- There are diversities of activities of the Holy Spirit. We cannot restrict how the Holy Spirit will operate in us to reveal to us, God’s will. Some of us feel uncomfortable when we see different expressions of the Holy Spirit. We need not be as long as the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in each person meet the criteria of the following verse.
*_(I Corinthians 12:7) But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:_* We are here to ensure that we are all growing into Christ Jesus. We are not here to insist that the manifestation of the Holy Spirit that the Lord has given to each of us is the only way of the Spirit.
- Having discussed the manifestations of the Spirit, Paul tells us that there is a more excellent way. That way is the way of love.
_I Corinthians 13:1-3 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. (2) And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. (3) And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing._
- The Eunuch did not see Philip after this encounter but he went on his way rejoicing. The Christian journey for the Ethiopian had begun.
- He was now filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit was now his companion. Philip had a role to play in his life but that part was now over. Similarly, *each of us has a part to play in each other’s lives for a God-ordained time. After which we move on but the Holy Spirit is always our companion*.
_John 14:17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for *He dwells with you and will be in you*._
- The Holy Spirit gives us joy. _Acts 13:52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit._ Joy does not depend on our circumstances. Our conditions may be painful and difficult but the Holy Spirit gives us His joy, which the world cannot comprehend but they will see the difference.
- This life of joy in the Holy Spirit that begins within us when we believe in Jesus, spreads into our circumstances. This is how we are lights in this world of darkness.
- This joy of the Lord the Holy Spirit is our witness to the world.
- Philip was faithful to the Lord. The Lord moved him to the next place of ministry that God had chosen for him. Our responsibility is to remain faithful to God, where He has planted us. He may move us to different places that are according to His purpose.
We conclude the study of _Acts 08:26-40_ – PHILIP MINISTERING TO THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH. We now begin the next study of _Acts 09:01-22_ THE CONVERSION OF SAUL
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