THE FAITH THAT DOES SAVE

 

Acts 8:25-40

Throughout redemptive history God has poured out His blessing to mankind through the channel of His covenant people. But God never intended Israel to be the reservoir for storing up God’s blessing. They were to be a funnel through which blessings be dispersed to the lost world. Israel largely failed her mission and now the gospel has reached others, outside of Jerusalem; and the church is growing because of God’s master plan for the church. In the 8th chapter of the book of Acts, we see the contrast between the faith that does not save and the faith that does save.

 

We see contrasts like this early in the gospels when Jesus preached His message on the Sermon on the Mount. The Two Paths (Matthew 7:13–14) …. Jesus contrasts the wide gate and easy road (which leads to destruction and has many travelers) with the narrow gate and hard road (which leads to life and is found by few). The Two Trees (Matthew 7:16–18) …. He contrasts a good tree (which bears good fruit) with a bad tree (which bears bad fruit), explaining that a tree is known by the fruit it produces. The Two Builders (Matthew 7:24–27) …. Jesus contrasts the wise builder who builds his house on a rock (representing those who hear His words and obey them) with the foolish builder who builds on sand (representing those who hear and do not act, leading to a great fall). The Two Masters (Matthew 6:24) …. He states that no one can serve two masters; you will hate the one and love the other, contrasting service to God versus service to money. In Matthew 12:30, Jesus said, “Whoever is not with Me is against Me…”

 

This is a clearcut, definitive statement by Jesus Christ, it leaves no middle ground, no neutral place, no room for indifference or compromise. The Lord said that there are only two kinds of people; those who are WITH Him and those who are AGAINST Him. Last week, we looked at the faith that doesn’t save, as illustrated by Simon the magician. Today, we are looking at the faith that does save, as illustrated by the Ethiopian eunuch. In both of those cases, Philip the missionary is the key instrument of God in the narratives in this chapter as the faithful minister of the word of God. It’s here we see evidence that the Word goes out and God brings people in. The same is true then, as it is today; despite unlikely circumstances God is still bringing people in. So, the overall question as we go through this passage is this…. Have you considered what God may be orchestrating on your behalf?

 

It’s here that Phillip was told to go, by the angel of the Lord demonstrates the saving power of God, as Philip is told to go south to Gaza. (v26) Why? God has him go to guide an Ethiopian official to understand what the prophet Isaiah points directly to, and that is Jesus, The Christ. It’s in the conversion of dead souls being brought back to life, through the power of the gospel message, through the mouth of the preacher. The power of the gospel is found in the Scriptures, which makes it supernatural and the work of God in our salvation. The power of God unto salvation is the message of Jesus Christ, which carries the active, supernatural ability to forgive sins and transform human lives. It is God's work, not human effort, salvation cannot be earned through good deeds or strict rules. It is a free gift given by God's grace. Why? According to Paul you were dead before you were awakened to the gospel truth. “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,” Eph 2:1-6

 

And as Voddie Baucham said, “Dead men don’t grab” In other words, according to Paul spiritually dead people cannot contribute anything to their own salvation, including making a first move toward God. Many people picture salvation like a drowning person in the ocean. Jesus throws out a life preserver, and you just have to grab it to be saved. This analogy is unbiblical, because a drowning person is still alive and active, but the Bible says humans are spiritually dead before salvation. As the Word of God says, “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins…” The reason being it’s the work of God, not man, and it centers on Jesus Christ. The gospel power comes from the life, complete sacrificial death, and resurrection of Jesus, alone and His sacrifice pays the penalty for human sin to respond, when awakened.

 

That is evident in this encounter as God tells Phillip to leave his vibrant ministry for one man. That shows you how amazing and merciful our God truly is, and the question could be asked of you is….”Is God calling you this morning?” Is God calling you to minister into someone’s heart with the gospel like Phillip; or is He calling you to respond to the gospel as we will see with the Ethiopian man? This reminds, and encourages my heart that not one soul will be lost in the end; because God is the one calling sinners to repentance and faith. That is evident in what we read in Luke 15, three demonstrations of God saving grace to find and save lost sinners. Salvation, both in its eternal planning and its temporal outworking, is totally God’s work. As John wrote, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.” John 6:44

Paul wrote, “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Cor 2:14

And because the natural man is spiritually dead, the preaching of the gospel means nothing, apart from the Spirit illuminating life to a dead corpse. “but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles,” 1 Cor 1:23. It’s here that God often accomplishes His sovereign work through human instruments as we see here. Go, because there is a man struggling with bible reading walking in a desert place. It is said, that the Old Gaza was destroyed early in the first century by Alexander the Great along with four other Philistine cities, and now the new city of Gaza was being built near the coast.

 

Why are told that this a “desert road”? This is a strange request, because there were two roads from Jerusalem to Gaza, and the Spirit commands him to take the one that was seldom used. And to top it off it would take some time to get to Gaza, and as the day goes on, the hotter it gets in the desert; where there is usually no human life travelling on it. But Phillip goes, and simply obeys without questioning, and it’s here we are introduced to the man, that God had Phillip to meet. (v27) “he rose and went” Understand as he travels the unknown road, desert roads can be fruitful fields for the gospel. An Ethiopian, and he also was a “eunuch” which was a common practice to emasculate men who directly served royalty in the Sudan. Why? Eunuch men were used to stand guard over the king’s harem, the reason for their emasculation was obvious; a king could trust a man who was unable to be sexually tempted. Some eunuchs, rose to elevated positions of authority, they were household stewards for the royal house and chamberlains, treasurers in the community. This Ethiopian man was a man of great authority under Candace the queen of Ethiopia.

There are three things we

learn from this passage.

The Need for Guidance and understanding. 

(v30-v31)

 

Understanding the Bible requires a teacher, or the work of the Holy Spirit to reveal Christ. Though, this Ethiopian man was faithful in his worship. He still needed help understanding Scripture. (v27) As a Gentile eunuch, the official’s access to the temple would have been restricted by Jewish law, yet his determination to worship, demonstrating a genuine awaken and seeking. Despite his position as a court official, this man had prestige and power but had a vast emptiness in his soul. On his way back from Jerusalem, trying to find the true God he left just as empty as he arrived. And as he was reading the portion of Scripture on his journey home, he seemed excited but confused to who this letter was talking about. This speaks volumes about what our world is missing today! They claim to have everything they need but never satisfied with what they have. This world cries, if only “I could do this, make more money, achieve this, and I will be complete, I will be happy.”

But sadly, when our desires become fulfilled, it’s like coming to an end and we still lack a peace or joy. But the person who truly reads the Scriptures to find everlasting life and forgiveness will never be satisfied with a light reading of a passage, they will desire to know more and more. This is a person who realizes that there is a vast emptiness in their soul and the only solution is the forgiveness of sins before a holy God. That only happens when one is awaken to their sin as they understand the grace of God to forgive them. This man needed help to see that more clearly; and this where Phillip came in and why he was sent by providence of God.

 

God is saying, “A heart is ready to receive the grace

that I give through My Son, so freely!

 

Phillip asks, “Do you understand

what you are reading? (v30)

 

He responds with “How can I unless, unless someone guides me”

 

Phillip, at this point must have been grinning from ear to ear, what a wonderful response to his question to open the door to explain the gospel. His response to Phillip’s question demonstrates humility, and a teachable spirit; a prime ingredient to a heart that is receptive to hearing the gospel.

Something every Evangelist

desire in the open air.

 

It’s here we see evangelism at work, being fulfilled, as we read, “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” Rom 10:14-15

 

Just as you were taught by someone who love the Lord about who He is, the same is true for all genuine believers. The Scriptures are not for our intellectual interest; it’s for you to see and find how precious our God is. It’s not a book of information, but a love story given to us by God, His redemptive plan to save us from ourselves. D L Moody wrote, "The Scriptures were not given to increase our knowledge but to change our lives". The Scriptures will create a person with a new heart, that is passionate for God, and His church, and for people to know Him. We as believers get the privilege to share and explain God’s truth to people as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” Rom 10:14-15. Paul uses vivid imagery to praise the messengers who travel over mountains to bring a message of peace, rescue, and hope to people who are hurting or waiting in exile. Phillip, the church, are such instruments that God uses for the sake of the gospel to reach the ears of those who are truly His.

 

The Scriptures Points to Christ….. The Old Testament prophecies are fulfilled in Jesus. 

(v32-v35)

 

The Ethiopian is reading Isaiah 53, the passage about the Suffering Servant being led like a lamb to slaughter. He asks Philip to identify the subject, whether the prophet speaks of himself, or someone else. The Ethiopian asks, “Who is this suffering servant?” This is understandable, since many thought, this passage is referring to the nation of Israel, others thought it is speaking of Isaiah, but there is no doubt in Phillip’s mind that this is purely points to Christ alone. Philip then explains how this prophecy points to Jesus by according to the Scriptures, and nothing else.

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No flattery speech, tricks or the schemes of men,

just purely the simple gospel.

When you read passages about Jesus’ suffering for our redemption, it should cause you weep to know that Jesus died for you! When we read that Jesus died, shouldn’t we stop for a moment; Jesus died, is the only reason that the black filth of your sin could be forgiven. Paul wrote, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Rom 5:8. Jesus carried human sins in his own body on the cross. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” 1 Pet 2:24

 

Jesus is the central message in all of Scripture; they all point to Christ…. Direct prophecies, like Isaiah predicted the birth, suffering, and mission of the Messiah hundreds of years before Jesus arrived. Types and Shadows as we see in Old Testament rituals, like the Passover lamb or the sacrificial system, foreshadowed the ultimate sacrifice of Christ. Law and History, reveal the early books of the Bible show humanity's deep need for a savior, creating a clear expectation for a Redeemer. The Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John record the physical arrival, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. The church letters and Revelation, the epistles explain the meaning of Christ's work, while Revelation describes His ultimate reign and victory.

 

Phillip presents the good news of Jesus. (v35) about the Scriptures that point to Christ. For any gospel presentation to be effective, you must clearly and comprehensively present the Person and work of Jesus Christ. Simply put, without Jesus’ death on the cross for our sins, no one would have eternal life. What Jesus did and accomplished so that we could be forgive…. He literally had to died, “As a sheep He was led to the slaughter”

 

Immediate Response when the gospel shatters your heart. (v36-v39)

God’s sovereignty in salvation does not remove man’s responsibility. God rewards the seeking heart is the clear teaching of Scripture. “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” Jer 29:13. First, God has to awaken the dead, in order to respond, its God’s effectual call on your life, that you can do no other but respond because the heart is receptive. Genuine saving faith demands the proper preparation when the soil is prepared to grow and bring forth fruit of salvation.

This is what produces genuine repentance

and genuine faith in Christ.

Jonny Ardavanis said in a sermon, “Christianity cannot be reduced to imitating Christian behavior. You can learn the language, follow the rules, and look changed outwardly while remaining unchanged within. True obedience grows from a heart that loves Christ. Grace is not permission to become comfortable with the sin Christ died for. Grace draws us toward Christ and teaches us to desire holiness because we love Him. So when you say, “I’m sorry,” we should look deeper: Do I merely want relief from my guilt, or do I want Christ more than I want my sin? Repentance is not perfection. It is a heart that no longer wants peace with sin, but turns from it and runs toward Christ.”

This man’s response to his own brokenness over sin leads him to respond with genuine repentance and a desire to be baptized. True saving faith results in a joyful response and obedience to the gospel and the outward desire through baptism. What prevents me? We read in Hebrews 3:13, “But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” So long as you have air in your lungs, “and it called today”, nothing prevents you from trusting in Christ. There is not one person in this sanctuary that is excluded to hearing the gospel, you are here for a reason, and you should respond, otherwise; if you died today, you will face judgement. There is a sobering difference between feeling sorry for sin and truly repenting of it as we saw Phillips previous encounter. This man was genuinely converted and it would seem that Phillip mentioned the importance of believer’s baptism as they came by some water. (v36) It’s here we see with all genuine conversions…. Faith, confession and rejoicing! His Faith and confession for the forgiveness of sins, was genuine as they approached water and man asks, “What prevents me?” it’s here in his new birth, he publicly testifies to the saving faith that is Christ, though the obedience of water baptism. (v36, v38) His salvation is what produced genuine joy as he is rejoicing for the forgiveness of sins. (v39)

 

What was once an empty soul of a man, seeking truth, was now filled with hope and joy for eternity. This is another example of the sovereign Spirit’s work, bringing this fallen, dead, man to life, just as the gospel brought you to life. Joy is the mark of the true believer Unlike temporary earthly happiness, this spiritual joy remains anchored in Christ regardless of outward circumstances or trials. It’s here we see the sovereign work of God as Phillip is carried away, this is supernatural nothing unheard of during this time in history. Elijah…. 1 Kings 18. Ezekiel…. Eze 3:12. Its this grand removal that the whole caravan, and this Ethiopian man, knew he was the spokesman for God. God’s divine appointment to save a sinner by His grace. Every person who is truly born again has had that same experience, minus the evangelist being sweep away because the gospel has gone into the world.

 

What do we take home as believers? Keep your eyes open! There could well be a great gospel opportunity for witness coming around the corner at any moment. The gospel message of Jesus is for all people, regardless of their background, and that God values individual souls just as much as large crowds. Let this encourage us to share the message for all urgently, but doing with loving and compassion. God has sent us, the true church into the world before He comes back to the world. May we share this message with all. There is no greater joy than to know you are saved by His amazing grace. In light of Philip's example, shouldn't all of us be regularly praying this prayer. “Father, give me a heart for the lost, eyes to see your open doors, and lips to speak as I step through them.”