The End Results of Humility-The Ethiopian Eunuch (Acts 8:26-40)

Introduction

There is an adage that goes “show me your friend and I will show you your character”, I believe this adage has its root from the bible text that says “we should not be equally yoked with the unbelievers”. I believe if you are always in the mist of unbelievers not for the purpose of preaching to them but just to hanging around them for friendship, if you don’t become an unbeliever then the unbeliever will become a believer, but the probability of you becoming an unbeliever is higher because, the good book says “faith cometh by hearing…”, so the more you hang up with unbelievers the more your faith increases in the unbelief sayings and things of this word while your faith in the things of God decreases. So if you are battling with a bad behaviour you don’t stay in the mist of people with that same bad behaviour.

Now let’s look at this 13 verses at Acts 8:26-40 and find out why this introduction.

Ac 8:26 ¶ Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.27 So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship,28 was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet.29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go near and overtake this chariot."30 So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?"31 And he said, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him.32 The place in the Scripture which he read was this: "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He opened not His mouth. (Isa 53:7-8)33 In His humiliation His justice was taken away, And who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth."34 So the eunuch answered Philip and said, "I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?"35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.36 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, "See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?"37 Then Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."38 So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.39 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.40 But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea.

A) Interesting passage with lots of lessons but let’s us concentrate on why I said in my introduction, “show me your friend and I will show you your character”. This Ethiopian having been reading the account of Prophet Isaiah, found a character he identified with so much, what might be going through his mind will be something like ‘wow, I am humble but the humility character of the person Prophet Isaiah is describing here (He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He opened not His mouth. Isa 53:7-8) has really challenge me, must he be talking about himself or another person?’. Don’t forget we are looking at this text from the angle of somebody who does not know anything about Jesus Christ.

Why do I say this Ethiopian is humble and he has found a character he identified with, we will answer this by looking at the personality of this Ethiopian Eunuch. From the text, we found out that:

1.       He was riding in his own chariot (a bucket pulled by two or three fine horses) , meaning he is a very wealthy person. In ancient times, ordinary people don’t own a chariot, it is own by kings, queens, top government officials and extremely wealthy people. So, comparing this man to the current 21^st century wealthy people you see around, you can clearly see the personality we are talking about here.

2.       There was a charioteer riding him because he had the luxury of reading on his way which also implies that he is able to afford a charioteer on such a long journey and He is  educated as well.

3.       He is a top government official in charge of the treasury of Ethiopia (Minister of Finance).

4.       He is wealthy to the extent of owning his own scripts of the Prophet Isaiah which was the reserve for the scribes and the priest in ancient times.

By, looking at the background of this highly educated, influential and affluent man and a simple man like Philip, who due to the persecutions of the Christians in Jerusalem run to Samaria for refuge, so you can imagine how Philip was looking like as compared to this rich man. Then this simple man who do not even look like somebody who is educated approaches this big guy and ask him “do you understand what you are reading?” Wow, can you imagine? If you and I were to be in the shoes of this big guy, we will pause and size Philip from head to toe to check if he is even quailed enough in talking to us in the first place, before to even make the attempt to explain something to me a big guy like me. We will arrogantly say to Philip, what is that your question you ask, if he there’s open his mouth again, there he will hear insults he has never heard in his life before.

But this big guy behaved in away that challenges all of us, despite his status , he still admitted it that he does not know it all, so as simple as you are , a nobody as you are, you can please teach me am ready to learn. What a character worth emulating? A character full of humility that saw, another explicit character of humility in the scrip of Isaiah that caught his attention.

We all saw the end result of humility, this man got saved and genuine joy came into his life, His status in life even couldn’t give him this kind of joy.

We should all take a queue from this Ethiopian, we should learn to tolerate the views of all manner people irrespective of their standing in the society. Some men can’t stand women who are their superiors at workplaces, husbands and wives cant’ simple tolerate the views of each other, madams can’t stand the views of their house helps, and the list goes on and on. We are all created in the image of God, we all have some Godly part in us so we should have a big heart for everyone, God can use anyone to carry a message of deliverance to us like Philip.

B) The second thing I want us to note is, despite all the materials that were at the disposal of this man to read, he chose to read the word of God. Some of us are too busy with the blessings God has blesses us with, in that we no longer make time for him any longer. When was the last time you read your bible? When was the last time you prayed? When was the last time you went to church or evening service? When we get the chance we chose to read and watch things of this world than things of God, because the world has succeeded in orienting us that those are things that will keep us on top and bring us more joy and not the word of God or the things of God. But how come this Ethiopian man has it all but was still not happy? Except the word of God that gave him genuine joy? Let’s stay close to God and God will send His angels to come reveal the deeper things of this life world that will make our joy full and stay on top.

C) I want to end by saying, it does not matter where you are now in life or your current crawling situations, if you are ready to listen to God and do His will, that is abiding by every word in the bible like Philip, the text tells us that, after hearing and obeying the word of God, He went from walking to running, from running to riding with a well affluent person, and from riding to vanishing. You can be crawling right now in your finances, your job issues, your marital issues, your childbearing issues and every situation you are confronted with, the spirit of God is going to take you from your current crawling situation to walking, from walking to running, from running to riding and before people realises, you are at the top in Jesus’ Name. They will begin to ask, how did you get there? Come to think of it, you don’t expect God to allow Philip after obeying him and going on that long journey on the desert to come back home on foot, which will have been very unfair on the part of God. That is exactly how God is going to fast track your life if you start obeying him from today. Amen, God richly bless you and stay bless.

Summary

• A)   God can send anybody to you concerning your current condition or situation, so be humble and respect everybody irrespective of their social standing.

• B)      Still find time besides your busy schedule for the things of God.

• C)      Be ready for God surprise you and your enemies, if only you will listen and obey God.

Why You Must Pray?

Why You Must Pray?

Most of the times if not all the time, when prayer meetings are called, you see few people attending, why is this so, the reason is simple, either people do not know the reasons why they are to pray or they feel lazy to pray. Why must we pray without season?

Let’s begin to examine this topic by closely examining the following scripture:

Ge 1:26 ¶ Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion (rule) over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." Ge 1:27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

By this statement, we realized that God has clearly define, who’s in charge here, man’s rulership on this planet earth. God did not include himself in the equation here, “let’s create man in our own image to rule over all the earth”. Wow, can you imagine? This is too good to be true, well, in as much as you want to doubt this statement, it is very true. By this statement, God is telling you and I that when it comes to the issue of plane earth, is fully in charge. This is where most people miss the point by saying there is no God, if there is really God things must be happening automatically on earth without the consent of man. But, You all will agree with me that if God says we should have dominion/rule on earth and He God passes our back to do something on earth without our consent, that will be tantamount to a coup d’état, especially when He God himself has said:

·         Nu 23:19 "God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

·         Jer 1:12 Then the LORD said to me, "You have seen well, for I am ready to perform My word."( This means, the laws of God is also a law unto He himself, His laws serves as a mirror for him, He watches every word to perform it)

·         Mt 5:18 "For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one title will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled

With this background, you now agree with me that the statement in Gen.1:26 is still potent than never before.

Somebody might ask what happened after the fall of man at Gen.3? I will deal with this when I talk on the Grace of God but a short answerer is the second Adam which is Jesus Christ, the bible tell us He came to perfect the laws, in other words He came to realign every word of God to the initial intent of the Father. Quickly, the four major benefits of the death of Jesus on the cross is 1. Reconciling us to our Father again. 2. Claiming our birth right the first Adam lost to the devil through the fall in Gen.3, The return of the Holy Spirit to earth, the part of God we lost during the fall and 4. Setting the captives free.

The fall has been restored by Jesus and nothing is lost, the word is perfect and whole.

What Then Is Prayer?

Many people will answerer by saying ‘communication with God’, good but communication about what? When we define prayer based on Gen.1:26, we will then say:

1.      Prayer is man asking God or enquiring from God about dominionship/rulership guidelines on earth. He created the earth and has delegated us rulers so He knows the earth system better than we do. The one who designed the PC you are using now, knows it better than you despite the fact that you now owns it.

2.      Prayer is man giving God the legal right to establish his perfect will on planet earth. God will not do anything on earth without the consent of man, right from beginning He needed Adam to name all the creations on earth, Noah to save his creations from the flood, Abram, Moses, Mary for Jesus, etc.

But, He is God, why don’t he do it? He can but in order for God not to violate His own law, He will do nothing on earth except in response to our prayers. This law our savior Jesus Christ kept very well, although He was fully God here on earth, He does nothing without praying.

So, if Jesus himself observed this rule to the latter, what are you sitting down doing? why are you swerving prayer meetings? Why don’t you cause the hand of God to move now? Start exercising your legal right now with the following words of Jesus:

Ø  Mt 16:19 "And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

Ø  Mt 18:18 "Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Mt 18:19 "Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. Mt 18:20 "For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."

Ø  2Ch 7:14 "if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

God richly bless you for visiting and all the best in your new found prayer life.

Visit again to read the part 2“If all this is true, why don’t we receive answers to our prayers?”

Shepherd of My Life-John 10:11-18

Most of the times, when a herd of sheep are crossing a highway without a shepherd, you found out that, if not all definitely some will be knocked down by a vehicle, any time they attempt crossing the road, but when there is a presence of a good shepherd, the shepherd makes sure that all the herds of sheep crosses successfully without a single one loosing it life. The shepherd stops every moving vehicle that posses as a threat to the life of the sheep.

This is exactly, what the Shepherd of our life does for us. 

There are three things about this text I want us to look at:

1. The true Shepherd of our life is JESUS: When Jesus spoke of himself as the good shepherd over 2000years ago, not every body present at that time will be happy with this serious statement by our Lord Jesus Christ. Some of the thoughts that might be going through their minds by then will be like: Is this guy claiming to be better than our father Jacob who successfully looked at his father in-law Laban herds? Is this guy claiming to be more experience than Moses who also took care of his father in-law sheep for 40yrs? Is this chap claiming to be better than our father David who fought with lion to rescue his sheep from their mouth? Is this carpenter's son claiming, He is the one David spoke of  in Psalm 23:1 that "The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want"? Today, even after 2000years, people are still doubting the shepherding statements of this Jesus, but today if you will come to terms with this statement, see yourself as a vulnerable sheep and follow this good shepherd, He will guide you through all your danger zone and no uncertainty will over run you. What the people at that time did not know is that the very people (Jacob, Moses, and David) they were taking their inspirations from were all inspired by this same good Shepherd which is Jesus. Today, you might also be taking your inspiration from your fellow men who you call a mentor and be despising every word of Jesus but what you fail to know is that, is this same Jesus who has made your mentor who he/she is today. Why don't you go the source yourself? food for thought.
2. The Shepherd Knows You: The shepherd Jesus is the one who knows both our physical and spiritual needs. He knows all your health needs, financial needs, marriage/marital needs ,job needs ,etc. Just follow the true shepherd through your frequent prayer to Him. The shepherd want us to always follow Him through our prayers, that is why,He told us to always pray to Him, without season.
3. The shepherd Gave You and I An Assignment on This Planet Earth: Ezekiel 34, tells us the assignment, what will happen to those who do the assignment and those who fail to do the assignment. Please grab your bible now and let's reed together : Eze 34:1 ¶ And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,Eze 34:2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?Eze 34:3 "You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool; you slaughter the fatlings, but you do not feed the flock.Eze 34:4 "The weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those who were sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back what was driven away, nor sought what was lost; but with force and cruelty you have ruled them.Eze 34:5 "So they were scattered because there was no shepherd; and they became food for all the beasts of the field when they were scattered.Eze 34:6 "My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and on every high hill; yes, My flock was scattered over the whole face of the earth, and no one was seeking or searching for them."... 

Verse2, You and I have a very big responsibility of preaching the good news to our neighbors so that they will come in to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, when we do that we introduce them to the Holy Spirit, The Holy Spirit comes to stay in their hearts and their Soul and Spirit starts to feed on the Holy Spirit.

Conclusion    
In conclusion, Jesus is the Shepherd and every being created in His image is the sheep. The Shepherd is able to:

1. Lead the sheep to quiet waters to quench their thirst.
2. Lead the sheep to green pastures to eat and be full.
3. Binds their  wounds.
4. Protect them from the enemy.
5. Search for the lost ones as He is searching for you today.
6. Untangle them from thorns and brambles.
7. Pick them up when they fall.
8. Pick them up when they get tired on the way.
9. Is patient and wait till they all finish eating.
10. Wait and bring all of them home safely.

All these and more the shepherd will do for you if you decide to give him full control over your life today. Amen and God richly bless you.