Understand

By Pastor Jeff Hanson

I recently met a lady called Ruth who was sitting outside our local Chick-fil-A, I noticed that she was sitting and reading a book which I thought was a bible. I went inside to eat and felt led to read the account of Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch so after eating I approached her. I asked if that was a bible she was reading and she affirmed it and noticed she was reading 1Corinthians 14, I asked her if she understood what she was reading and she said yes. Well to make a long story short she stated that she was ok and was on a spiritual journey, I wished her the best and parted ways, but let us look at this story from the book of Acts.

Acts 8:26-30, “And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?”

 Understanding is seriously lacking in our world today, not only in the hearing but the speaking of the word, its all about making people feel good about themselves, be positive, victorious, happy little Christians.

 Understandeth in this verse is comprised of three different definitions in the Greek and one is “interrogation” to which a negative answer is presumed, to us understanding is having comprehension, we must first have a understanding of the test before we can share that with others…maybe that is why we have a generic, lukewarm gospel being preached today.

Let’s see what Philip does with this meeting with the Ethiopian Eunuch.

 Act 8:31-40, “And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea. 

 We witness here how artful Philip uses this scripture form Isaiah 53 to preach Jesus! That’s the way should be, our focal point is to bring Jesus into the conversation to bring the sinner to a point of repentance and conversion.

 It starts with obedience to the voice of God, “And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip” he had no idea why he was being sent into the desert, “Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.” Philip still didn’t know who he would meet up with at this chariot.

 The bible says this man was of great authority but that didn’t stop Philip from challenging him on what he was reading.

Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

 Boldness is a product of being with Jesus, when Peter and John were being questioned before the council in Acts 4:10-13, “Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.”

Proverbs 4:7, “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.”

 Let’s get understanding for then we can use it to bring others to Jesus Christ. Brother Bob last week taught on the Holy Spirit and the importance it brings to our lives and one of the things it does is give us understanding.

 2Co 5:20, “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 

2Co 6:1, “We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)” 

 We live in a lost and dying world and we need Jesus everyday!