Acts Bible Study: Day 14
Today’s passage: Acts 8:26–40
Focus verse: Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road.” (Acts 8:26)
Though God’s doing amazing work in Samaria through Philip, God doesn’t have him stick around to help the people grow in their new faith.
Instead, God sends an angel to tell Philip to leave. “Take the desert road and head south,” the angel says.
From a human standpoint, this makes no sense. Philip’s in the middle of a major revival. He’s performing miracles, telling people about Jesus, and seeing Jesus’s church grow.
Why leave all that and head out into the desert where there are few people, if any?
To his credit, Philip doesn’t question the angel’s instructions. He obeys, even though he may not understand why God wants him to leave.
As he heads south, he meets an Ethiopian official, the treasurer for the queen. The man is returning home from a religious pilgrimage in Jerusalem. He sits in his chariot reading from Isaiah’s prophecy.
The Holy Spirit nudges Philip: “Approach the chariot.” Philip runs up and asks the Ethiopian if he understands what he’s reading.
The man shakes his head. “Can you explain it?”
Philip joins the Ethiopian in his chariot.
The passage prophesies about Jesus, but the man doesn’t realize it. He wonders if Isaiah is writing about himself or someone else.
Starting with that passage, Philip tells the Ethiopian about Jesus, explaining things more thoroughly and answering the man’s questions.
As they travel along in the chariot, they come upon some water. “Look at that,” the man says. “Is there any reason why you can’t baptize me?”
He stops the chariot and the two men walk into the water. Philip baptizes him. That’s the end of their interaction, because after baptizing the man, Philip finds himself supernaturally whisked away to his next mission.
As for the Ethiopian treasurer, he’s unfazed by Philip’s sudden disappearance. He continues his journey home, full of joy. He’ll have much to share with his family and friends—as well as with leaders in the Ethiopian government—when he arrives.
We can only speculate on the scope of his influence there, but it could be huge.
Questions:
- How willing are we to obey the Holy Spirit’s instructions when it makes no sense?
- Do we move forward with reluctance or in expectation?
[Discover what the Ethiopian treasurer read in Isaiah 53:7–8.]
Read the next lesson or start at the beginning of the study.
Tips: Check out our tips to use this online Bible study for your church, small group, Sunday school class, or family discussion. It’s also ideal for personal study. Come back each Monday for a new lesson.
Read more about the book of Acts in Acts Bible Study: Discover How the Early Church Can Inform What We Do Today, available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover.
Revitalize your faith with Acts Bible Study by Peter DeHaan. This 40-day journey through the early church reveals timeless lessons on community, perseverance, and Holy Spirit power.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront a status quo faith and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.