IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

Unless Someone Explains It to Me

Date: Mar. 26, 2019

Passage

Acts 8:26-40 (ESV)

26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. 27 And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship 28 and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” 30 So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this:

  “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter
    and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,
    so he opens not his mouth.
33   In his humiliation justice was denied him.
    Who can describe his generation?
  For his life is taken away from the earth.”

34 And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. 36 And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” 38 And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39 And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

Daily Bread

Key Verse: 8:30b,31

So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”

1. So he started out (26-28)

Philip obeyed an angel of the Lord and left a fruitful ministry in Samaria to go south towards Gaza. He did not know why but did not question God's leading. In time, he would learn that it was God's heart for him to meet one lost soul. He met an Ethiopian eunuch, who was an important royal official. This man had spiritual desire, journeying all the way to Jerusalem to worship and reading the book of Isaiah on the way home. However, there was much he still did not know.

2. Do you understand what you are reading?" (29-40)

The Spirit told Philip to go to the man's chariot and wait for an opportunity to speak to him. He asked the man if he understood what he was reading. The man replied sincerely with the words that every Bible shepherd would love to hear! Philip was able to teach him about Jesus, in particular his humiliation and suffering in bearing our sins. Jesus could understand the eunuch, who had been deprived of descendants. The eunuch was ready to be baptised and accepted Jesus as his Christ there and then.

Prayer: Prayer: Lord, please lead me to one thirsty soul.

One Word: Teach Jesus to one person

Daily Bread

The Final Kings of Judah

2 Chronicles 36:1-14

Key Verse: 36:14

All the officers of the priests and the people likewise were exceedingly unfaithful, following all the abominations of the nations. And they polluted the house of the LORD that he had made holy in Jerusalem.

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