Click this link to hear an audio version of the below text narrated by SOTH member Jerry Rhinehart:
Acts 8:26-40 (ESV)
Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch
26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. 27 And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship 28 and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet, Isaiah. 29 And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” 30 So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “How can I unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this: “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb, before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth. 33 In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.” 34 And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. 36 And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” 38 And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39 And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more and went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
How did God pave the way for his message?
Lord, Your Holy Word is powerful. It is alive with Your Spirit. You speak through the words on the page and transform them into guidance, comfort, forgiveness, and hope. People are hungry for Your Word, they just don’t know it. Massive changes have taken place in our country and many countries around the world, and not for the better. People not only reject You, but they persecute those who follow You. When that happened after Your resurrection, the disciples were scattered to many towns and cities. Instead of hiding and keeping quiet for safety’s sake, they never stopped boldly preaching about the glory of Your salvation wherever they went. Lord give me that passion to love You so much that I can’t stop talking about You. The disciples also relied on the Holy Spirit. Philip didn’t plan the encounter with the Ethiopian but he followed the leading of the Holy Spirit. The result of that remarkable conversion was the birth of Your church in Ethiopia that continues to thrive today. The Holy Spirit is the agent of change that can bring about change in our nation too. Let me follow Your Spirit to encounters that will renew Your church in America and around the world. Keep me focused on Your Word so that Your Words are flowing out of my head, heart, and mouth. The more I immerse myself in Scripture, the more receptive I will be to the leading of Your Holy Spirit. Help me to pray more and to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit every day. Lead me to people who need to hear about Your message and give me the words that will plant seeds of salvation in their hearts. I pray that our nation would be transformed as people come to know you. Amen.