We're there in Acts 8 and we are continuing where we left off last week now
We are continuing the story there of the the deacon Philip all right. We've seen Philip last week that he was
Evangelizing to the Samaritans there was great persecution that fell upon the church in Jerusalem many were scattered
He found himself in Samaria winning souls and anyway
Now Peters got a new target this Ethiopian eunuch look at verse on 27
It says and he arose and went and behold a man of Ethiopia and eunuch of great authority and the Candace queen of the
Ethiopians the title for the sermon tonight is the Ethiopian eunuch the Ethiopian eunuch now
Let's start there in verse number 26
It says in the angel of the Lord
Spake unto Philip saying arise and go toward the south unto the way that goes down
From Jerusalem unto Gaza Gaza, which is desert and so I'll just sometimes I'm curious when I read about these things
I look and I kind of look at okay
I know where Jerusalem is on Google Maps and then look at Gaza Gaza
And then yeah, it is desert in between it's it's it's like and even today
I mean there are a few towns here, and they're scattered around, but really it is a still a very desert empty place
And so Philip you know like I said was in Samaria now. He's been asked to go down to this direction
And it's an angel of the Lord that is speaking to Philip is you know the angel Lord is giving him direction
And anyway look Philip is a obedient man to the Lord in verse number 27
he says and he arose and went and
behold a man of Ethiopia
You know that that's that's a non Jew okay. That's an African man
I want you to be aware of that okay, and eunuch of great authority on the Candace queen of the Ethiopians
Who had the charge of this of all her treasure and had come to Jerusalem for to worship?
And so this is a man who has great authority in Ethiopia
He's in charge of the treasure. He's in charge of you know
I think of this man as maybe the the like the the treasurer right when we think of Australia
We think of you know who's got the the most prominent or powerful position
We'd say the Prime Minister, and then who would be second in power you probably say the treasurer like he's got a big say
as to far as far as how the the nation spends its wealth and so he's pretty much a treasurer and
We find that that he's a he's a eunuch of the Queen
Queen Candace there, and I want to quickly keep you thinking then come with me to Matthew 19
Matthew 19 we could make the rest of this chapter in Acts 8 all about baptism. I could teach a lot about baptism
I feel like I've taught enough about baptism
I just want to get some other thoughts that we can learn about the Ethiopian eunuch here and
first thing I want to talk about is just is this topic of what a eunuch is okay and
In Matthew 19 Jesus Christ has a bit to teach you on this topic in Matthew 19 verse number 9 Matthew 19 verse number 9
You know Jesus Christ sent he's teaching
About marriage and divorce and he's teaching that you know if someone is divorced
He should not get remarried and so we get to Matthew 19 verse 9 and I and I say unto you
Whosoever shall put away his wife
except that be for fornication and shall marry another committeth adultery and
Whoso marrieth her we just put away doth commit adultery
It's like Jesus is essentially teaching, you know one spouse for life
Okay, you know the very vows that we often make you know till death do us part
That's God's original plan for marriage and then verse number 10
It says his disciples saying to him if the case of the man be so with his wife
It is not good to marry
We can't be committed to one person for our whole life one wife Jesus
Maybe then it's just better not to get married then like if that's the kind of out and by the way marriage is a big
Vow it's it's you know
It should be something we kind of pause and and consider and be sober about the kind of decision
We make and getting married a person we choose to marry the commitment. We're making for life
you know, this is a big decision of life and
Then Christ responds in verse number 11
But he said unto them all men cannot receive this saying
Save they to whom it is given so not all men can receive this saying okay there
Are there are some exceptions to the rule? All right, so if you're someone that says, you know
I just better not to get married. All right, maybe so but there was an exception
This is just for a few people that they call and is to not get married then Christ says in verse number 12
For there are some eunuchs and now he begins to describe three different types of eunuchs
All right
So we learn just by looking at verses 11 and 12 what a eunuch is a eunuch is a man
Who doesn't get married essentially?
He doesn't have a spouse does not have physical intimacy will not bring forth children
okay, he's refrained from taking a wife refrain from having children and
So Christ and explains what these three types of eunuchs are verse number 12 for there are some eunuchs
Which was so born from their mother's womb
Alright, there are some eunuchs that are born just they're born with a defect from the mother's womb where they can't produce children
Where they can't you know have physical intimacy with a woman and so that would be obviously a defect
And I guess you know, I don't know
I don't know what percentage of people like that in the world
But there are some people like that and Christ says those are eunuchs obviously because they're not going to be able to have a wife
And have children and then it says and there are some eunuchs which were made eunuchs of men
Alright, and so this is what we read about in history
We'll read about even in the Bible and I personally believe that Daniel and his three friends Shadrach Meshach and Abednego
I believe they're all eunuchs
Made eunuchs of men so they were taken into captivity, right?
You have one powerful Kingdom the Babylonian Kingdom taking over and other people and sometimes the king wanted servants
you know many times kings had
Multiple wives or they had other women in the in the palace and instead of having these women taken by these men
These eunuchs of men were taken and castrated essentially, right?
I kind of like what you do sometimes to pets so they can't reproduce they can't have children
So they can't you know, obviously they're not going to get married and obviously I mean to think that that happens and that's happened
It makes me weak to even think about that
You know, I mean give me all the code vaccinations in the world rather than make me a eunuch, right?
Any other medical practice right rather than then that being made a eunuch of men?
But there are some people like that obviously and so Christ just explaining there are eunuchs of different sorts
But then he says this and there be eunuchs which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake
He that is able to receive it. Let him receive it. So there are some eunuchs. There's nothing wrong with them
They've got no defects. Okay, they're not being made eunuchs of men, but they've chosen instead of taking a wife and having kids
They said we're gonna focus on God's kingdom. I'm gonna focus on on the work. I'm gonna focus on winning souls
I'm gonna focus
Nothing on the temporal world all of my attention is for eternal matters
Getting as many people into the kingdom of God as possible
And so there might be eunuchs where their love for God and the love for the kingdom of God is
Greater than taking a spouse and having a family and all those things
But then he says he that is able to receive but in other words
Not many are gonna be able to receive that. Okay, let him receive it
So there's nothing wrong with it in of itself, right? If someone says look I'm making myself a eunuch for the kingdom of God's sake
You know, I've got no desire for a woman. I have no desire for physical intimacy
I just want to give all my time and attention to Jesus and his kingdom
Well, if he's able to receive it, let him receive it. Okay, it's nothing nothing. I'm godly
It's just something that is not very common
It's not the normal stance of the average man
And so I just want to point that out to you and obviously when we talk about the eunuch that we read about in Acts
Chapter 8, you know, which one would that be?
You know, well, obviously if he's been made a eunuch and he's you know, overseeing the Treasury
He's essentially a servant to the Queen there. I
Believe he's a eunuch that second eunuch a eunuch of men. Okay, he's been taken and castrated and well, I mean not the best
Not the best, you know surgical outcome you'd want in life
but he finds himself in that situation and even though he's made that way even though, you know, you might say he's a little bit weird or
Unusual to have gone through such a procedure, you know, I'm not saying probably obviously against his will
But what we still learn about this man at the end of verse number 27 in Acts 8 27
It says that he had come to Jerusalem for to worship
That's really interesting that he came to Jerusalem to worship. This is an African man a Gentile man
And he says that the gods of
Ethiopia are just not sufficient for him. He's looking for someone greater, right?
He's looking for the true God and whatever circumstances
Circumstances have surrounded his life have told him that though the place to go is Jerusalem
You've got to get out that you're gonna find the God of the Jews
You've got to find the God of Israel and so he's a desire the reason he goes to Jerusalem is just to worship God
So obviously he's seeking right he's seeking the true God and God of course is going to reward him
And this is where Philip then comes in
Hey Philip is going to be that sole winner that sees this man come to Christ and look at verse number 28 in Acts 8 28
It says he was worshiping then was returning so he's on his way back to Ethiopia and sitting in his chariots read
Isaiah's the prophet
So I suppose in Jerusalem, he probably got himself a copy of the book of Isaiah
okay, and he's reading for the book of Isaiah and
Look even as a believer
Reading the book of Isaiah is a lot of work like reading it and understand the book of Isaiah
Like if you've read the Bible, you know, that's probably one of the books he gets is like whoa
Like what is this about like so many things? It's so deep. It's so detailed
I mean, it's challenging even for a believer. What about an unbeliever?
Unbeliever picking up Isaiah there's a reason why we tell you know unbelievers if they're interested in the Bible or
Newly saved people start with the book of John because we know that there are books in the Bible that are very challenging
And Isaiah most definitely is one of those
Anyway, he's reading it right. He's reading it and then verse 29
It says then the Spirit said unto Philip go near and join thyself to this chariot
So an angel of the Lord told him to go first
But now the Holy Spirit within Philip is telling him go near and join thyself to this chariot. I
don't know if you've ever had a
situation like this
Where the Holy Spirit has specifically told you to go and talk to a certain individual
I don't know if you ever had that experience. I've had it once
Once in my life and I've shared it before it's not my favorite story. It makes me sad when I think about it
I'll tell you my story very quickly. Okay, and
This is after you know, I was dating Christina. We weren't married yet and Christina was studying
Administration. I can't remember what what call she was doing exactly, but we needed to go to I don't know why but we needed to
Go facts. That's right. We needed to go to to Burwood Westfields
There's a post office in there and back in the day when you said really the fax machine guys remember
It's a faxing sometimes. All right. I don't know what it was exactly about Chris ending to make some photocopies
Used the fax machine and we thought the easiest place to go get a photocopy was at the post office and we could fax from
There something like that. Anyway, we're kind of having a half date half work kind of situation and
Christina goes into a shop. I can't remember some lady's shop probably looking for clothes somewhere
And I'm just waiting outside like like the dudes we do that, right?
we just wait for our you know loved ones to go and do that shopping whatever and I come across this guy and
You know it it's it's like I can remember like like yesterday I can just because if it it burned in my heart so much
Right, just though. It's just like this one individual guy just standing
I think maybe he was waiting for someone to who knows right and and it just I just felt pressed in
My heart in my soul. I need to give this guy the gospel. I
Can't tell you why it was just he has to hear the gospel
All right. Now I had recently gone through some training on how to give the gospel I was probably about
How old would I have been probably about 20 years old at that time?
21 probably 20 probably around 20 years old at that time and I just felt compelled this guy needs to hear the gospel
anyway, I'm too timid too afraid to go up to him and
Christina comes out of the shops and whatever, you know, we keep walking around Burwood Westfields
They're in Sydney and then I think that Westfields has three levels or two levels three that I don't know
Anyway, well, you know, we're walking around walking around and as we continue to walk and we're making our way eventually to the post office
I don't know how many times I came across that same person the same man just constantly just again and again and again and again
And I'm thinking I have to give this guy the gospel
Right. I felt compelled to just give him the gospel
Like how do I do this Lord?
How do I just go to complete stranger and give them the gospel?
Anyway, I refuse to do so I you know, I I pushed back against that that burden that I had in my heart
Anyway, we make it to the post office and we line up for the for the photocopy machine
I've given this story before I'm sure and who will stand in right in front of us
Waiting for the same photocopier in line with us the same man
Like we're literally behind him me and Christina we're behind him
He's in front of me and we're waiting for the photocopy machine
There's a line up there and I'm like, I gotta give this guy the gospel
I can't tell you why but I had to do it and
Anyway, we get to you know, he got to the photocopy machine and as he's doing his whatever he's doing photocopying or faxing
I don't know what he was doing. All right, I
Turned to Christina would say hey
I don't have any I told her I don't have any change for the machine because the machine yet to put coins in machine
Right to make photocopies. I said I don't have any change Christine like for that and the guy in front of me overheard me
Well before that actually I was saying to God God
I don't know how I can even open and tell this guy about Jesus. I can't do it Lord and
So God changes it so I don't have to speak to him
He speaks to me and he overhears me say that there's not enough change
I don't have enough change for the machine and he says don't worry
I put too much money in I put too much of like money you got plenty of photocopies to make here
You know, I put way too much in because you can't get a refund or whatever it is from the machine, right?
It's he spoke to me
And even still then I never gave him the gospel
Anyway, we made the photocopies or whatever was that we had to do
I can't remember going back that look, but I never did it and
It still haunts me to this day
You know, why didn't I do that and like that is the one time in my life
Just the one time where I can say the Holy Spirit just kept pressing me kept pushing me kept giving me
opportunities after opportunities after opportunities and made it easy for me that this guy would open his mouth instead of
Me opening his mouth to him and I just wanted to but they were just words would not come out of my mouth
Anyway, it makes me sad to even think about that's what happened, but I can't say that's ever happened again in my life
Obviously now we're just actively going out soul went in knocking doors, you know, everyone needs to hear the gospel
But there are times the Holy Spirit might very well just put a burden on your heart
You have to talk to this individual person
now I believe the reason that happened was because that man was seeking the Lord and
You know somebody once comforted me a pastor once come and said look don't worry about it
If that man was seeking the Lord like the Ethiopian eunuch, there will be a man there be a Phillips
Somebody would open their mouth and give that God the gospel. It's just that I lost that reward
I lost that chance to get that reward, but you know if that man is truly searching then you know
He'll find a sole winner
He'll find someone that would be able to open the Word of God to him and present him the gospel
But I'm ashamed of that and you know, I never want that to happen ever again
Alright, I told the Lord if you ever do that again Lord, I'm gonna open my mouth. Nothing's gonna stop me
Okay, but it's never happened again. Alright, I'm not saying this is something like, you know
Charismatics or anything like that
I'm just saying, you know, the Holy Spirit can put a burden on your heart and just you know
It's just that's the person you got to speak to. Okay
And so this happens to Philip then the spirit verse number 29
Then the spirit said unto Philip go near and join thyself to this chariots
verse number 30 and Philip ran
Vither to him. I mean that's what I should have done right when that man when I knew that man needed to hear it
I should just run to him
Instead of like I want to do it. I'm too afraid. I'm too timid man. Phillips shows his quality here
Okay, he shows the maturity. He doesn't just bristly walk to him. He runs. It's like man
I'm gonna get this guy saved the spirits telling me this guy needs to hear it
and
Philip ran visit to him and heard him read the prophet Isaiah since said
Understandest thou what thou readest and he said how can I?
Accept some man should guide me and he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him
So Phillips a seasoned soul winner. He knows how to start a conversation
He opens his mouth. He's able to you know, begin that conversation and of course Phillips gonna show him
The Lord Jesus Christ, but I want you to keep your finger then come with me quickly to 1st Corinthians 1st Corinthians chapter 2
1st Corinthians chapter 2
And so the Ethiopian eunuch says, you know, how can I how can I understand?
Accept some man should guide me
And you know, this is an important principle of the Bible that the natural man the unsaved man
They cannot understand the Bible. You need to understand this. I know we read the Bible and it's in English and
It's in you know books. It's in chapters in verses we can break it down
We can take the spiritual truth out of it, but truly an unsaved man cannot grasp
You know the nature of God's Word cannot understand the meanings
Of God's Word, you know the same way in the same capacity that you can obviously not save man has
Some limited understanding right like an unsaved man can open Genesis 1
Read Genesis 1 and read that God created all things in six days
Like you don't need to be saved but to take a spiritual lesson and application
Do you think an unsaved man will read that God created all things in six days and rested on the seventh day?
And do you think he'll conclude well interesting the seventh day the day of rest picture salvation that salvation is not by works
But it's by resting and God has set us that example from the very beginning of creation
The unsaved man is not going to get that he's just going to read
God created all things in six days rested on the seventh
He's not going to be able to take away the spiritual meaning from that unless somebody guides him in 1st Corinthians chapter 2 verse number 14
It says but the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God
For they are foolishness unto him neither. Can he know them?
Because they are
spiritually
discerned
So the natural man cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God
This is why the Spirit of God is telling Philip go and explain to him what he's reading there in Isaiah
You know Philip is being used by the Holy Spirit of God because the unsaved Ethiopian eunuch
Does not have the Holy Spirit of God to guide him into all truth
Can you come with me to Romans 10 come with me to Romans 10 Romans 10?
Romans 10
And
While you're turning to Romans 10, I'm going to read to you from 1st Corinthians
1440 that says let all things be done
decently and in order
let all things be done decently and in order and
So, you know even our soul within efforts our efforts to go and evangelize and preach the gospel
Jesus Christ needs to be done decently and in order
Okay, and when we get to Romans 10 it gives us an order by which
God will utilize us or the Roman Church in that day or the Sunshine Coast Church New Life Baptist Church today in
2024 how we can be utilized decently and in order to reach the unsaved
Let me read it to you from verse number 12
Romans 10 verse 12
Well, there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek for the same Lord over all is rich
unto all that call upon him
Isn't that true Philip and the Ethiopian?
they got saved the same way right doesn't matter what our backgrounds are and
It says in verse number 13 for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved
So we read these verses here
Okay, someone needs to call upon the name of the Lord to be saved and then it says in verse number 14 ask the question
Well, then shall they call on him?
Yeah, how does someone call on him actually in whom they have not believed?
Oh, right. So to be able to call on Christ you have to actually be able to believe on him
But then you wonder well, how do they believe on him?
It says and how should they believe in him of whom they have not heard?
Oh, yeah to believe on him. They have to hear about him. That makes sense
Okay, and then it says here and how shall they hear?
Without a preacher. All right, if for them to hear it, they need a preacher
They need a spirit-filled man who can open God's Word and explain it to them
Just like the Ethiopian eunuch said right? How can I understand except some man should guide me. He needs a preacher
and
Look at verse number 15 and how shall they preach?
Except they be sent. Oh, they need to be sent. They need to go
Okay, as it is written how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things
And so, you know it is, you know for you that attended our members of New Life Baptist Church
It's New Life Baptist Church that sends you out
you know, I do believe in the body of Christ being the you know, the
What's the word I'm looking for? Like the headquarters of the work that we do for his kingdom
And so of course this would be for the Roman Church there in that time
They'd be sent out by their church. They'd go out and preach
They'd allow people to hear the gospel and they heard it
They believed and when they believed they would call upon the Lord in faith and be saved
Verse number 16 says
But they have not all obeyed the gospel for Isaiah saith
Lord who have believed our reports
So the verses that we just read there in verse number 15 and 16
They're from Isaiah. They're from the same chapter of Isaiah that the eunuch is actually reading from it
We'll look at that soon, but let's end there verse number 17. So then faith comes by hearing and
hearing by the Word of God
so we have
you know by was
God says that he does everything decently in order. We need to do things decently in order
God tells us the order by which we have to go out and to see souls saved
Where to be sent where to preach where to open our mouths so that the gospel can be heard
You know, we need the lost to hear it to believe it and to call upon Christ as Savior
So this is why we practice what we practice here in new life at this church
We go out we preach we open God's Word
We know that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God
So we use the Bible use Bible verses because we know faith comes by God's Word
Right, and when someone is ready to put their faith and belief on Christ alone. What do we ask them to do?
We invite them to call upon them Lord right, you know, we use the sinners prayer. All right
And you know, it doesn't have to be word for word
Like we'll have a look at the sinners prayer shortly of the Ethiopian eunuch
But we invite them to call upon the Lord and ask for salvation
And so we have this order laid out for us in the scriptures
And I believe it is proper and right for us to follow that order. Okay?
But as a pastor I get you know questions I get scenarios that play out in people's lives
You know, for example
When we read about the Ethiopian eunuch and he says how can I accept some man should guide me?
And you know, we should take the lesson that well, yeah, obviously, you know
We as preachers need to go and explain that to the this lost and dying world
But what about people who have a testimony that say I got saved without a preacher
You say pastor it's impossible and
Yet there are people I won't even say who that are in our church that are saved and they didn't have a preacher
All right, you are so how'd you get saved?
I just read a tract. I found a gospel tract. I read that tract. I called upon the Lord
All right
other scenarios
Pastor I never called upon them the Lord. I never did that
But that was that mean are they not saved? I
Haven't you know scenarios a pastor. I just I just read the Bible
You know, what what do we do when we have these kinds of exceptions
What do you think about that? Just just carefully? What do you do in that case?
Well, he's like, you know one thing I'll just say this very quickly, you know
sometimes I have something that says to me I'd never called upon them the Lord and
What they mean by that is I never said the sinner's prayer. That's kind of what they mean
Okay. Now call upon the Lord the sinner's prayer is
Call upon the Lord is essentially
Acknowledging your salvation to God
That's what it means right Lord Jesus, I receive your salvation
Lord Jesus, thank you for my salvation
something about
addressing the God of the universe the God that saved you and
Telling him that you receive or you acknowledge or you're thankful
For the salvation is given you and you're putting your you know
You've put your trust in him and the Lord knows that you've done that right now
Now the reason we have a sinner's prayer is because this helps people call upon the name of the Lord
All right. Now if someone has not said that sinner's prayer again, I've come across that situation. I
Still know I'm pretty like I think it's impossible that there's never been a time
where you've acknowledged your salvation to God I
Think it's like impossible
Because even some of the hymns we sing at church acknowledge our salvation to God
Like even if you never have like you got like I said, I heard the gospel. Yep. I
Kept my mouth shut and I never said anything to God and I never will
How is that possible?
You know, you may not have said that sinner's prayer word for word
But whatever, you know whenever someone gets approached by this you're like, you know
It gets kind of challenged about the process of how they got saved. I didn't have a preacher
I just read this. I didn't actually say the sinner's prayer. I didn't you know
It wasn't by the incorruptible word the King James Bible. It was some other version look just
You need to understand that what saves you is your faith on Jesus Christ
Not your faith on the process
Okay, when I talk to a Calvinist I have some Calvinist friends, all right
It's sometimes I have to say to look it sounds like your focus is on the process
That your faith has to be on the process that I was
regenerated
Before I put my faith on Jesus and I was incapable of putting my faith on Jesus
The Holy Spirit forced me to do it
Forced me to do it and I got no choice in the matter. It's like and that's why I know I'm saved
But you're saved because you put your faith on Christ
But Calvinists many times are obsessive of the process
like faith in the process being how they're saved and
Sometimes I find the same thing even amongst ourselves
That our faith can be on the process
rather than our faith on Christ alone
And so if I look I'm not against the process, you know, God is telling us how to do this
Right how to go out there and to be sent and use God's Word and I'm never gonna change my methods because I see it
Laid out for us clearly in a passage like Romans 10
I see a story like the Ethiopian eunuch that says he can't understand without some guy some man to guide him
You know, I'm going to use the incorruptible word the King James Bible
Even though I might have a test me on someone that says I got saved in the NIV I just passed
I can't tell you how or why but that's what you know, I was that's what okay
my question is
How do you know you're saved if someone says because my faith is on Christ alone. I've trusted his death his burial his resurrection
Can you ever lose it? No, it's everlasting. It's eternal
There's nothing that I can do or ever have done or ever will do that can take away my salvation
Then that man is saved
I'm not going to get obsessed by the process
Yeah, but did you hear a preacher though?
Was it the King James Bible though? Did you say this in his prayer though? Right and go through the whole thing was like
I don't know
See God wants us to do things decently in an order
But you need to understand things about people's lives
sometimes what we think and understand and process and
Believe with this heart is not always orderly
It can take time
Now when someone gives me a testimony, you know, I just read a tract and I got saved. Well, that's
But everything else is correct
Somewhere in my mind. I think he's probably heard a preacher
maybe as a little child
Probably doesn't even remember
Okay, because here's the thing. I got saved and I was four years old
Say pastor, do you remember the sinners prayer that you prayed? Nope
Do you remember the presentation your mum gave you? Nope
Do you remember the time your mum presented you to the past to make sure you understood kind of?
Do you remember the day is it clear? Do you have it written down in the Bible? Nope
But here's the thing. I know
There's never been a day that I can remember that I can recall
That I ever had my faith on it on anything else on works on church
I've always known as far as my memory goes that salvation has always been on Christ alone
He's done it all and I rest in him and I'm thankful and there's nothing I ever need to do or can ever do to
Lose that I've always had that faith as an other child. That means when I was four years old
I must have heard the right thing for my mum and believe that simple truth
Now other times that you had doubts yeah, I had doubts when I was a teenager
But why did I have doubts I tell you why because I went to a Christian school and I heard horrible preaching on the topic
And you know how many people want to put their trust in their changed life for salvation
I'd hear those testimonies of someone's changed life. I was once
a
Gang banger or whatever. I was once in prison and you know God changed my life and I'm thinking where's my changed life
I'm the same that I've always pretty much been I don't have some testimony where I came out of drugs and alcohol and prison cells
And now look at me go. I don't have that kind of testimony
so I'm kind of like
How do I know then if that's what they're using and I'm a teenager, right
I'm still growing the Lord. I'm still trying to understand things
And keep confusing bad sermons bad preaching bad doctrine before you know it like God am I really saved
But then a few days later, of course, I'm saved
and it's Christ alone and
it's always good teaching that reminds you of the simple truth that your faith must be on Christ alone and
If you go past the odd enough I went for this process properly
Forget the process for a moment is your faith and trust on Christ alone today
Do you understand that it's everlasting it's eternal you can never lose it today you say yes, I believe those things
Then you are saved
It's your faith that saves you your faith on Christ not faith on the process
Faith on Christ is what saves you
And I'm telling you as a pastor I hear these a lot
Now does that mean I'm against the process of course not we've got to do things a certain way
God's telling us the ideal way the best way and I'm never gonna deviate from the way that God has prescribed for us in the
scriptures
But I understand that life
belief coming out of bad religion bad teaching
Our memories fail us sometimes I
Understand that all of that can be confusing
Forget about that and remember who you are trusting in today if you say to me today pastor. I am NOT trusting Christ alone today
I'm trusting my works, then you're not saved
Then you need to get saved and put your faith on Christ
But if you say to me my faith is on Christ alone. I know I can never lose it then you are saved
Forget about what took place
Okay, it doesn't matter. What matters is that your faith is on Christ. You are saved. You'll go to heaven
All right now move forward and serve the Lord for his kingdom
Have you ever had this question how do I know if I truly believed
Truly believe though what do you believe now? Yes, then you've truly believed
It's a riot you don't need to know the day or the hour
I mean if you do know praise God we have testimonies like that too or else confronted with the gospel
I know the very day the very minute. I called upon the Lord in faith
praise God for that
But if you don't have that testimony it doesn't matter
What matters is where your faith is placed today?
Anyway acts chapter 8 verse number 32, let's continue acts chapter 8 verse number 32
The place of the scripture which he read
was this he was led as a sheep to the slaughter and
Like a lamb dumb before his shearer so opened he not his mouth in
His humiliation his judgment was taken away
And who shall declare his generation for his life is taken from the earth so you can see there that the
Eunuch was reading from Isaiah 53
If you know about Isaiah 53 it's all about the sufferings of Christ
Okay, so he's reading portions there. Well at least what he quotes there is portions of chapter verse number 7 and verse number 8
Obviously when when the eunuch had his scriptures it wasn't divided into chapters and verses like we have it today
Okay
So he's quoting what he's up to and his his reading the exact suffering that Christ went through to deliver us from our sins
verse number 34
And the eunuch answered Philip and said I pray thee or I ask of you right pray thee of whom
speaketh the prophet this of
himself or of some other man
You know at the moment
I'm going through the book of Isaiah with blessed of Abbot's church and as I prepare and read and study and meditate prepare my sermons
I'm often asking myself that same question
Is Isaiah speaking of himself or is he speaking of?
You
Know Israel as a whole or is he speaking about the Babylonians here or is this about the millennium or is this about Jesus?
Or is this about you know King Cyrus, or is this about Nebuchadnezzar?
I'm often asking myself that question because sometimes you know you have these verses that come in you kind of wondering that doesn't sound like
Isaiah now that doesn't sound like what we just read about it seems like the scenery has changed
And so as I is very much like it makes sense to me that he asked this question, right
You know is Isaiah speaking of himself this man who's suffering?
Always it you know is it some other man that he's speaking of
Verse number 35 then Philip opened his mouth and began at the same scripture and
preached unto him Jesus and
As they went on their way they came to a certain water and the eunuch said see here is water
What doth hinder me to be baptized?
So not only did Philip preach him Christ he preached about baptism. That's why this man's asking about baptism
Because obviously what does baptism represent the sufferings and the death of Christ and his resurrection right when Jesus Christ was crucified
It's as though we're when we stand at the water, and then he was buried we enter into the water
We come out of baptism the resurrection of Christ and so this man is getting it
He's getting the fact that yeah baptism and the death of Christ is a connection there
so it's like what's stopping me from getting baptized what doth hinder me verse number 37 and
Philip said if thou believeth with all thine heart thou mayest
So there's something that must come first before you get baptized, what is it you must believe on Christ with all thine hearts
Okay, now what does that mean with all thine heart? I really believe
It means all of your heart's belief is on Jesus
Okay, because you got the Roman Catholic Church for example
Yeah
Part of their heart is believing Jesus and then part of their heart is believing in the priests ability to forgive them the sins
Part of their heart is that they're going to take the sacraments
You know the the the wafer and the grape juice to be saved
Part of the heart is that needs to be confirmed by the Roman Catholic Church
Part of the heart is they believe that if they suffer enough purgatory they can finally make it to heaven
Part of their heart is they need to pray to Mary and then do the rosary beads and the hail Mary's and the our father
prayers and all these vain repetitions
Now all of your hearts must be on Christ alone. That's what it means to believe for your heart
Okay, there's like your heart doesn't believe Christ and something else
Oh, if your heart is on Christ alone, then you have believed before your heart
Okay
And he answered so this is this is his prayer this is his
public declaration he answered and said I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and
that's good enough for Philip and
He commanded the chariot to stand still and they went down both into the water
Both Philip and the eunuch and he baptized him
What a sinner's prayer sinner's prayer, you know, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God
Guess what? That's good enough
Now look I'm not going to use that
You know when I preach the gospel
I'm gonna use a sinner's prayer that wraps up nicely the presentation that we've given them. Okay
Obviously in these days to say that Jesus Christ is the Son of God is to believe on Christ
I mean, that's a very rare thing to be saying in those days
but in 2024 pretty much any
You know anyone that names name of Christ, even the cults will say something on those lines
Yeah, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God
Alright, so we want to make sure that their faith is truly on the sufferings of Christ that they believe that Christ has paid for
all of their sins suffered for all their sins and
That they're redeemed by God solely by Christ alone
Which is why it's perfect that he was going through the book of Isaiah explained the suffering of Christ in Isaiah 53
Now obviously when I give and I lead someone in the word word of prayer, you know calling upon them Lord
I'm going to summarize those key elements, you know, dear Lord. I know I'm a sinner. I know I deserve hell
You know, but I believe that Christ died for me that he paid for all of my sins
You know, please give me everlasting life. I'm only trusting you Jesus
You know, please take me home to heaven when I die in Jesus name. I pray. Amen something like that
All right, just summarizing once again the presentation that we've given them
And when they do that brethren it's it's good enough what do the thief on the cross say remember me
Remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom
Regardless of what words exactly are being said
You know
They are they are speaking that they are essentially, you know
Taking that decision and telling God they've made the decision that they're putting their faith on Jesus Christ alone
I
Think the sinner's prayer is important in the way we go out and preach the gospel
number one it helps
You know a nation that does not fear God that you know people that do not know how to speak to God
we're encouraging them where we're helping them in their journey of
Verbally put in their faith on Christ alone. All right, number one
Number two, we're giving them as you know a level of confidence that this is the moment that I've made the decision
All right, because when they say I'll think about it, you know, maybe I'll call upon Christ
So maybe I'll pray in my own time
You know, they may not make that decision
They may not have to make that decision where we're kind of giving them that time to make the decision now
So we can submit and confirm for them that they are now believers and saved because of Christ Jesus
And number three, it's good for us a soul winners
Because we can witness
This man isn't just going through the motions, but he's actually ready now to tell God that he's trusted him alone
It's good for us as witnesses to be able to say hey, you know, this person has put their faith on Christ
And so they enter both into the water and the fact that verse number 38 says they they went both into the water
Obviously the baptism there was not sprinkling because you don't have to go into the water to get sprinkled
You can just go near the shore. All right, just flick some water in his face and say now you're baptized
They're going into the water
Right because he's getting dunked because the word baptism in Greek is baptism
Which means to submerge or to immerse something like that. Okay to submerge or to immerse
That's why when we do baptisms we take someone into the water
All right, we and then we do the picture of Christ's, you know, death on the cross
They stand and they go into the water his burial. They come out of the water his resurrection. I don't know how sprinkling
demonstrates that in any way
The verse number 39 look at this and
When they were come out of the water the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip that the eunuch saw him no more
And he went on his way rejoicing
So, I don't know what happens exactly God's Spirit just catches Philip. I don't know if it's like
Philip just one second is somewhere else or he's flying through the sky. I don't know exactly
Okay, he's got a fast way to travel out of there. The Holy Spirit does a job for him
But it's very interesting than at the anniversary. No halfway through it says that the eunuch saw him no more
And so if we lived in that that day right and Philip said man, I gotta say the story
You know, I was I was walking and the Ethiopian eunuch was there and you know, he was reading Isaiah
I gave him the gospel, you know, he confessed that Jesus is Son of God
even wanted to get baptized I got him baptized and
We're like, yeah, but where is he I
Never saw him again. Yeah, but why isn't he a church?
What do you mean you never saw him again? How do you know we really got saved then?
Isn't that the stupid teaching that we hear these days, where are they all?
We've got 2,000 over 2,000 salvations in Fiji
We may never see them again.
I don't know about you, but I'm rejoicing for them and they're rejoicing for their salvation
We may never see these converts ever again
In verse 139 it says when Noah comes to the water the spirit of the Lord caught away Philip and the eunuch saw him no more
And he went on his way rejoicing. Where is he going? He's going back to Ethiopia
There is no church in Ethiopia at this point in time
Like where is he going?
I don't think there's even an Ethiopian Old Testament
Maybe there is I don't know but there definitely isn't an Ethiopian New Testament for several, you know decades or centuries later
This guy doesn't have a group of fellowship to get around. He doesn't have a church to get into
Philip did not pressure him to be part of the Jerusalem Church
they never saw each other ever again and
Going by the standard of some preachers out there the Ethiopian eunuch must not be saved then
Because where is he if he's not at church?
If he's not walking of the Lord if
He's not serving the Lord faithfully with all the days of his life. How could be sure that he's really saved
Because the Bible tells me he saves that's why
He's put his faith on Christ alone. He believes with all his heart
And that's all you need
Salvation is easy. Thank God for salvation being easy
Thank God that God can use people like you and I we aren't much are we really when you think about it
Doesn't matter wouldn't have to be much we have the Holy Spirit of God living within us
He gives us the words of the gospel the words of eternal life
he gives us the courage to open our mouths boldly to preach the gospel and
We're able to see sinners saved
It's a great story
And you know Philip was chosen to be a deacon we we know why this guy was full of the Holy Ghost
This guy had a love of preaching the gospel
Even when his church has been persecuted in Jerusalem. He's not giving up is he he's like all right. We've been persecuted
We've been scattered all right. Let's just continue reaching others with the gospel who cares where we are. That's Philip's attitude. What a great man
verse 140
But Philip was founded as a toss
So this is where they find him. He's found there like I don't know I can't explain, right?
And passing through
He preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea
All right, so the Holy Spirit drops him off at Azotus
Yeah, Azotus. That's like a town near the near the coast, and then he's like okay. Well. I need to make my way to Caesarea
Okay, and if you can come with me to come with me to acts 21 very quickly acts 21
You know so on his way to Caesarea, which is I looked it up. It's about if you walk to non-stop
It's about a 24-hour walk
Okay
So it's probably took him a few days to get there because as he's walking through his passing through different towns
Different villages different cities and he's preaching the gospel, so he's obviously stopping by making his way there
Maybe it took a whole week to get to Caesarea. We don't know
But that's almost the end of Philip's story, but then we once again
But then we once again we pick up the story of Philip in Acts 21
And look at Acts 21 verse number 8 just very quickly Acts 21 verse number 8
It says and the next day we that were of Paul's company departed and came into Caesarea
And we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist which was one of the seven and abode with him
So you can see there, you know Acts 21, you know in the future
Philip is still in Caesarea
Right. He was on his way there in Acts 8. He's still there
He's now an evangelist and obviously when we get to Acts 21
We'll compare the differences between an evangelist and a deacon but we can see that Philip definitely started as a deacon
But because of the persecution he became an evangelist through that process
Anyway, brethren the title for the sermon today was the Ethiopian Eunuch, the Ethiopian Eunuch
I hope it's been good for you to hear this and you know
Please don't doubt your salvation because of the process by which you believed
You know, I mean God knows you're seeking God knew the Ethiopian Eunuch was seeking God sent him Philip, you know
I just want to just reinforce if your faith is on Christ alone. You know that for certain you've you've trusted him
You know it. I mean, there's you don't need to worry anymore
I mean God doesn't want you
Concerned and doubting and why but I don't know but there I don't know if this and I don't know
What do you mean you know if you believe on Christ?
You know if you've trusted him
If you don't know if you've believed on Christ, but that's not usually the response
People aren't saying to me. I don't know if I believe in Christ often. They're saying to me
I just don't know the process doesn't seem to line up with what we see in the Bible. Don't worry
All right, you will seek in the Lord the Lord came through
Your memory may not be the best
God had may have used decades of your life
Bit here a little bit there a little bit there some seeds planted here and there maybe you've come across a godly man a preacher
Maybe entertain strangers at some point that were spirit-filled believers
You don't even remember
Maybe you turn on the tv briefly once then you heard a spirit-filled man present the gospel, but you can't even remember these days
Don't worry about what process it was
Your faith on Christ alone today, then you can know you're saved no matter what so you need to stop doubting
Stop doubting. Okay, your faith is on Christ. God promises you everlasting life. You're a child of God. Let's pray