Acts 8:26-40 (35) Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture
and told him the good news about Jesus.

 The history before us is pretty unique and wonderful.  We are being
given some insights into the work that the early apostles and evangelists
did.  In previous chapters we heard of Peter and John and the healing of
the crippled beggar.  We heard of the history of Ananias and Sapphira and
how they lied to the Lord.  Then we read of how the Apostles began to be
persecuted and hard pressed because of the name of Jesus.  None of this
stopped them and it seems their example of faith spilled over to others.
 I say that because in chapter 6 we hear how the Church appointed 7
"elders" to help in the ministry of the church.  Actually the primary job
of the seven was to see to the daily distribution of food and the
physical needs of the congregation so that the Apostles themselves could
give their full time to preaching and teaching the Word.  What is
remarkable is that despite the persecutions and hardships that had
started you still find faithful men willing to serve and be counted for
Christ.  Two of those men we get an intimate glance at.
 The first is Stephen.  Stephen is the first Christian martyr.  The first
man put to death because of his faith in Jesus.  Stephen had been brought
in before the Sanhedrin on trumped up charges.  In a moment of great
faith, Stephen didn't back down but rather clearly and wonderfully
proclaimed the salvation of Jesus.  It cost him his life.  His life at
the hands of the young man named Saul.
 But Stephen is not the only one of those seven elders that we know
about.  Another of them is Philip.  Because of the stoning of Stephen the
Jerusalem church is persecuted even more and is basically broken up and
scattered.  Philip ends up first in Samaria and just preaches away,
spreading and sharing the name of Jesus.  We are even told the remarkable
history of how Simon the Sorcerer was brought to faith in Jesus.  And
then we are told the history before us.  It is just another example of
how the wonder and marvel of Jesus was spread.  Let's look closer at this
history of Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch.  Our theme will be: THE GOOD
NEWS OF JESUS.  1st. The opportunity given.  2nd. The good news
proclaimed.  3rd. A soul is saved.
 I think that most of us know the history of this event fairly well.
Philip is lead by the Lord, first through an angel and then by the Holy
Spirit, to leave Samaria and go to the road heading south out of
Jerusalem.  It is a rather desolate area but Philip simple does as he is
told.
 When he finally arrives at this road, a journey that may have taken him
a day or so (after all he is going to travel over 30 miles or better) he
finds there a single soul, a person who is simply referred to as "an
Ethiopian eunuch."  Please note a few things.  The term "ethiopian" is
not a reference to the modern nation using that name but was simply a
term designating that he was a black man.  In all likelihood this man was
from the country of Nubia located on the upper Nile River.  Note that he
was an important man, in charge of all the treasury of Candace, the queen
of his people.  The word "candace" was like the word "pharoah"  to the
Egyptians and so all the queen's of Nubia went by the title of Candace.
He was an important and honored man who had become a convert to Judaism.
Evidently he had gone to Jerusalem to worship and was now on his way
home.  He was studying God's Word, actually reading that Word out loud
and so the Spirit of God directed Philip to go over to that chariot and
stay near it.  It is rather clear that Philip was to work with this man.
 There are two very important things to learn from this opportunity.
First, note that God does not care about race or nationality and the
like.  God views every soul as precious and worthy in his sight.  For
that matter, and this is the second point, note that God sends this
evangelist a great distance for the sake of only one soul.  It reminds us
that every soul is precious and dear to God.  Our job may not be to
convert the masses but to reach the one or two that God brings our way.
To lead every soul God brings our way, to the joy of Jesus is the heart
and core of our Christian hearts and ways.
 Clearly the opportunity has been presented and now Philip needs to go to
work.  What is great is that God makes Philip's job a bit easier.  Our
Ethiopian is sitting in his chariot reading from the book of Isaiah.  By
the way, I would like to mention that a book or a scroll, at this time
were very expensive to have.  This man had one.  Makes you realize that
he took his faith very seriously.  He is reading Isaiah and Philip asks
him, "Do you understand what you are reading?"
 I love the answer given here.  "How can I, unless someone explains it to
me?"  Here is an answer that hits upon the very nature of the ministry
that God has given.  It's true, God has given his Word but sometimes to
fully grasp his Word you need to have one of those special people God
sends to help.  1 Corinthians 12 speaks of them as well as Hebrews 13 and
Ephesians.  Ephesians says, "It was he who gave some to be apostles, some
to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and
teachers, to prepare God people for works of service, so that the body of
Christ may be built up."  That doesn't make the pastor or minister more
important or any less of a sinner than others.  It just means that God
has made provision for those properly called and trained to lead into the
truth of his Word.
 Then comes the next line of this history that I love.  It is the verse
we highlighted for ourselves.  "Then Philip began with that very passage
of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus."  I don't know how
long Philip stayed with this person but I can tell you right now one
simple little truth: He spent the entire time talking about the Gospel of
Jesus!
 Again how wonderful this truth is.  Philip doesn't sit there and begin
to tell about how you must live this way and do that.  He spends his time
speaking of Jesus and the sacrifice for sins that Jesus is.  How do I
know that?  Because of what our verse says.  It says he told the good
news of Jesus.  How Jesus was despised and rejected, a man of sorrows,
and familiar with suffering.  How Jesus took up our infirmities and
carried our sorrows.  How Jesus was pierced for our transgressions,
crushed for our iniquities, and brought us peace.  How Jesus was the
fulfillment of God's plan, the Messiah who would suffer and die and be
brought back to life.  That's the good news of Jesus.  That's the good
news of Jesus using many of the words and phrases found in the very
chapter of Isaiah that these men studied.
 I don't know about you but I never tire of hearing this message of
salvation and joy.  I never tire of speaking of Jesus and his dying for
us.  His dying was the price he had to pay for us.  His resurrection from
the dead was the promise that reveals the beauty and wonder of our
salvation.  Not a Savior who rose to help us on the path to heaven but a
Savior who rose to be that path to eternal life.  Jesus is the complete
story.  Jesus is the complete package of salvation.  He completely pays
for our sins.  He completes our empty lives by filling us with the joy of
salvation and the hope of the new man.  Yes, in Jesus we are completely
changed.  Changed from lost and condemned sinners to sinners who are
heirs of eternal life and heaven.
 It is these things that Philip shared with this Ethiopian.  He spoke to
this man about God's promises and how Jesus has fulfilled them.
Evidently he also spoke about the promise and joy of baptism and that
Jesus gave the gift of baptism for the assurance of our salvation.  In
Baptism God promises us the gift of faith and eternal life.  In Baptism
God makes the grace and mercy of Jesus a grace and mercy poured out on
us.  When water became available, the Ethiopian said, "Look, here is
water.  Why shouldn't I be baptized?"  There was no reason not to.
Clearly this man now understood the wonder of Jesus and wanted in his
life the promise of Jesus as found in baptism.
 The end result of all of this is a precious soul saved.  A soul was
brought into the glorious and wonderful kingdom of our God.  The really
neat thing is that when we get to heaven we will be able meet this man,
learn his name and share with him all the more in the joy of Jesus.
That's what we are about isn't it.  We are about sharing the joy of our
Savior and the marvel of his grace.  We are about the souls of this world
hearing the message of Jesus and coming to faith in that Savior who has
done it all for us.  We are the Philips of today's world, called by the
Lord to go to great lengths that yes, even one precious soul hears and
believes in Jesus.
 This section of God's Word is so simple and wonderful.  It shows us how
God directs things for the good of his name.  It shows us how God's
purpose and goal is the saving of souls, even if it is only one soul on
one lonely stretch of road at a time.  It is a lesson showing us the
power of God's Word.  It was because of the Word that this man's heart
and mind were opened to the message of Jesus.  It was because of the
Gospel message of Jesus, the good news that was shared by Philip, that
this man had his heart in faith turned to Jesus.  Turned so that he
wanted more and got it.  Turned so that he heard and believed in the
power of the Word applied in the water of baptism.  This man went on his
way, as our text declares, "rejoicing."  He had learned the truth and the
truth had set him free.  He was a child and heir of eternal life in
Jesus.
 We also learn of the importance of going that extra distance for the
sake of souls.  A number of important things for us is seen.  First,
don't assume that your children or your friends or any one else you may
know will be Christian just because you are.  We need to get them in the
Word of God.  We need to go that extra mile and make sure they are in
Church and Sunday School just as Philip was sent a pretty good distance
for this one soul.  Second, we need to make sure as a Christian church
that what we are hearing and learning is the message of Jesus and his
total victory on our behalf.  It is that message and that alone that is
the power of God for salvation.  Third, I pray that all of us are filled
with rejoicing in Jesus.  That means that we have heard, been touched by
and grasp the depth of God's love for us.  It is the greatest thing in
the world to know, really know that in Jesus heaven is my home.  It is
the wonder of rejoicing in Jesus that we pray we all grasp as we go on
our way home.  God be with us in Jesus.  Amen.