The Ethiopian Eunuch

Temple Baptist Church - 10-19-2008

Acts 8:26-40

Introduction:

A. I am still looking at some of the recorded conversions in the New Testament. Last week, we saw the glorious salvation of the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well. What a wonderful love and compassion our Lord showed to this poor sinner that day! What a marvelous grace that transformed this sinful woman into a dedicated soul winner.

B. This morning, I want to look at another conversion: that of the Ethiopian Eunuch. In Acts 8, we find Phillip holding a great revival in Samaria. The Lord spoke to him and ordered him to Gaza, which is desert.

1. Phillip was obedient to the Lord – vs. 26-27 God spoke and Phillip “arose and went”

2. Phillip was obedient to the Spirit – vs. 29 The Holy Spirit said “Go near, and join…Phillip ran”

3. Phillip was obedient to the Word – vs. 35 “preached unto him Jesus” “faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God”

C. There, in Gaza, Phillip met this Ethiopian sitting in his chariot reading from the Book of Isaiah.

1. The Eunuch was a man of great authority – vs. 27 “not many mighty”

2. The Eunuch was a man of great responsibility – vs. 27 “charge of all her treasure” “not many noble”

D. This Ethiopian (Ethiopia means “scorched” or “Black”) had been to Jerusalem to worship. I am reminded of the Old Testament prophecy found in Isaiah:

Isaiah 56:3-5 Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I [am] a dry tree. 4 For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; 5 Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.

E. Let’s look at the particulars of his dramatic conversion:

1. He Was A Religious Man – vs. 27 He had evidently become a Jewish Proselyte through the spread of Judaism in North Africa. Judaism is a monotheistic religion based on principles and ethics embodied in the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh). He had traveled to Jerusalem to worship JEHOVAH God.

a. Moses married an Ethiopian woman while exiled in that land:

Exodus 2:16, 21 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew [water], and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. 21 And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter.

Numbers 12:1 And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman. (Zippoah was daughter of the priest of Midian. Later his father-in-law came and met him after the Exodus so his people were very familiar with JEHOVAH God and His promises of the Messiah.)

b. Solomon was visited by the Queen of Sheba in
2 Chronicles 9:12 And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside [that] which she had brought unto the king. So she turned, and went away to her own land, she and her servants. (Sheba was in Ethiopia, south of Arabia.)

c. This Eunuch had believed the report of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He knew the truth and accepted it the best he knew how.

2. He was a sincere man! Vs. 27 From Ethiopia (Addis Ababa) to Jerusalem is app. 1580 miles! That is a 3160 mile round trip in a chariot through harsh desert land.

a. Most religious people in the south won’t drive across either town of the county to go to church. Theirs is a religion of convenience!

b. This man, though ignorant of who Jesus Christ was, was doing his best to worship Jehovah God and did not care who knew it. He lived in a pagan land where Jehovah God was not the God of the people.

3. He was a seeking man. Vs. 28 He felt that his duty to God went beyond going to worship. He was personally involved in reading God’s Word for understanding. He was dissatisfied with what he both had and had experienced in Jerusalem.

a. One of the dangers of religion is that it satisfies the needs of the sinful. You can be what you are, do what you want, and still feel good about yourself.

b. This man was honestly seeking to be right with the Lord, not the Lord right with him!

4. He was a honest man. Vs. 30-31 Most of us would have at least “faked it” when asked such a question.

a. Religious people are normally proud of their “spiritual understanding.” This man did not understand and wanted the right answers. He desired Phillip!

b. Religious people will argue scripture instead of listen to scripture. They are blinded to truth through the hardness of their hearts. Their minds are made up before they hear the truth.

5. He was a hearing man. Vs. 32-36

Romans 10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?

Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also [trusted], after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

a. He heard the gospel
b. He understood the gospel
c. He believed the gospel

6. He was an obeying man. Vs. 36-38

a. He immediately confessed Christ through both his words and his life to others around him. He certainly was not on this long trip alone!

b. Upon his profession of faith, he desire scriptural baptism. I hear many of the reports of thousands saved and hundreds baptized. If they are not obedient to Christ in baptism, you had best not count them!

7. He became a satisfied man! Vs. 39 He went away rejoicing! I find no instance in the Bible of salvation without satisfaction.

a. He was now satisfied with his Saviour

b. This satisfaction with Christ satisfied his desire to worship. Jerusalem had not!