Study #5 Acts 8:26-40
Recap
In our last study, were read about the first seeds of division in the church, and how the apostles dealt with this challenge. We learned that each member of the church has different callings, gifts and skills. And we also read about the election of the seven deacons who were assigned as “Table servers.” Even though they had this role, they also went on and proclaimed the gospel, leading to the first Christian martyr, Stephen.
Introduction
This week, our reading picks up a few chapters later. Persecution has broken out against the church in Jerusalem, and many Christians have scattered from the city to the surrounding region, specifically to Judea and Samaria. Jesus’ words at the beginning of the book are starting to come to fruition: “Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, even to the ends of the earth.”
Chapter 8 of the book of Acts follows Philip the Deacon as he travels through Samaria and beyond, resulting in several notable conversions. We will focus on one conversion within the chapter, The Ethiopian Eunuch.
This conversion is significant for many reasons, but maybe most notably because it is a fulfillment of a few Old Testament prophecies. In Psalm 68:31we read
“Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God.” And in Isaiah we read
“And let no eunuch complain,
“I am only a dry tree.”
For this is what the Lord says:
“To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths,
who choose what pleases me
and hold fast to my covenant—
to them I will give within my temple and its walls
a memorial and a name
better than sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name
that will endure forever.”
The Conversion of the Ethiopian Eunuch is another incredible sign of God’s restoration plan in the world.
As we examine this conversion, we should ask ourselves: what does it take for someone to convert to faith, what stands in the way, and what is our role as Christians in the process of conversion?`
With that in mind, let’s read this week’s passage.
Read Acts 8:26-40
(Remember - First read out loud, either one person reads the whole thing, or separate it by verses. After you read through the passage out loud, take a little bit of time to re-read it individually, noting and marking verses, words or phrases that stand out in the story.)
Three Quick Questions:
Is there anything that stands out to you as we read through the passage?
Did you learn anything new or surprising about Jesus or God’s character?
Are there any other stories or passages in the bible that Luke may be subtly referencing? Why is Luke connecting this story to that passage?
Diving Deeper
In the earlier part of Chapter 8, Philip has an extremely fruitful ministry in Samaria, filled with healings, conversions and baptisms. But our passage begins by saying that God called Philip to go to a Desert place.
How do you think Philip would have felt leaving a place of such fruitful ministry to go to a place where he thought no one else would be?
Has there been a time in your life when it felt like you left something fruitful, but went into a barren place or time?Luke describes the Ethiopian Eunuch as “an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet
What do these tell us about who he is and why he might matter in the story of Acts?In verse 30 we read “Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.” What might this teach us about how are able to share our faith?
What does this story teach us about the role of Scripture, the Holy Spirit, and human obedience in sharing the gospel?
In Verse 36, the Ethiopian Eunuch says, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” At first, we may think that this is a rhetorical question, but there is a great seriousness to the Eunuchs’ question. In those days, a eunuch could not have been a convert to Judaism because they were barred from the congregation. They could only worship in the outer courts, which were open to the Gentiles. The eunuch may be genuinely asking, Does anything block me from being baptized. What does Philip’s decision to baptize the Eunuch reveal about the Gospel?
In this desert or barren place, Philip comes across a eunuch who is also technically barren, yet new life is about to spring in this place. Who are the “Ethiopian eunuchs” in our world today — people who may feel excluded or distant from faith — and how might we be called to meet them on the road?
Benediction:
(If you are using the daily offices, save this till the end.)
Go from here as witnesses of what you have seen and heard.
Share God’s love with those you meet.
Bring hope to those who are in despair.
Live lives of gratitude and praise.
And may the love of God,
the peace of Jesus Christ,
and the ongoing presence of the Holy Spirit
be within you and among you until we meet again.
Amen.
