Are you a Very Important Person (VIP)? Are you a “good person”? Will that qualify for heaven?
Hear how a high ranking government official, the Treasurer of Ethiopia, heard the Gospel which changed his life. Click Here to open an MP3 in a separate window.
Bible Reading: Bible Reading: Acts 8:26-39 (highlighted below for your easy reference). Please follow closely the scriptures below as Mr Les Hills from Lismore takes you through the one event that changed the life of the treasurer.
26 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.
27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an 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,
28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. 29. Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
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:
33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.
34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?
35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
38 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.
39 And when they were come up 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.
HYMN
O happy day that fixed my choice
On Thee my Saviour and my God,
Well may this glowing heart rejoice,
And tell its raptures all abroad.
Happy day! happy day!
When Jesus washed my sins away;
He taught me how to watch and pray,
And live rejoicing every day.
THOUGHT
The Ethiopian went on a journey. He was engaged in a book … the Bible. He was thinking about God and what God said. He was seeking God.
God sends a man, Philip, to the desert … to explain Who God was speaking of. The Ethiopian wants what Christians have … a Saviour. He has now found God. Philip has explained the scriptures, and his work was done. The preacher is taken away, and the Ethiopian went on his way rejoicing.
Is it well with your soul? Are there sleepless nights because of this? Pick up a Bible and seek God and His Son Jesus Christ.