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The conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch teaches many lessons about evangelism:
Acts 8:26-29
26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Go south to the road--the desert road--that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza."
27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship,
28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet.
29 The Spirit told Philip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it."
1. God is interested in the salvation of every individual
If any person really wants to know God , he will be found by him.
Matthew 13:44-46
44 "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
45 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls.
46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
Two kinds of seekers are mentioned. One was actively looking for the pearl of great price , and he found it. God will make sure someone gets to him with the message as in the case of the Ethiopian eunuch. The other parable describes a person who was not looking but stumbled onto the treasure hidden in the field. Such a person has to see it first before his interest is aroused.
What is the lesson for us? The seeker will be found, but the "stumbler" will not be found unless we are deligent in doing our best to carry out the mission. The majority of lost people are not seeking and we must therefore be seeking them! Thats why we see Paul saying in Ephesians 5 vs 16-to "Make the most of every opportunity".
2. As Disciples we must be interested in the salvation of every person of every type.
In the Old Testament system the eunuchs were forbidden to worship in the temple.
Deuteronomy 23:1
No one who has been emasculated by crushing or cutting may enter the assembly of the LORD.
No one who has been emasculated by crushing or cutting may enter the assembly of the LORD. But Isaiah 56:3-5 foretold an end to that prohibition.
Isaiah 56:3-5
3 Let no foreigner who has bound himself to the LORD say, "The LORD will surely exclude me from his people." And let not any eunuch complain, "I am only a dry tree."
4 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--
5 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 not be cut off.
Phillip did not hesitate to go to the desert road when he was told. He did not hesitate to share with the eunuch. He did not have any prejudice.
How are we today? Which type of people do we not enjoy reaching out to or teaching? What are our prejudices?
Prejudice works in ways we do not even understand. We can be prejudiced against very talented, very successful people. Phillip was sent by God to convert an opinion leader, the treasurer of an entire nation. This is the first of many such instances in the book of Acts, and the accounts are included for a highly significant reason: Opinion leaders are usually more difficult to convert, but without such conversions, the mission will be slow to succeed. These people have a following with whom they have great influence, and they can soon be fruitful-abundantly fruitful. They can quickly rise up to be leaders as well. According to tradition, the eunuch went back to his home country and made many disciples!
3. Bringing people into the Kingdom is hardwork
Making disciples is hard work and sometimes "dirty work". We should not be surprised when God call us to run along some "dusty roads". We sometimes long to have Phillip's experience, meaning that we want to find someone with an open Bible and an open heart who will quickly come to Christ. In this case quickly does not mean easily. From Samaria it was a long way to Jerusalem and then Gaza was further south from there. Do we really want Phillip's experience? Are we willing to pay that price? Most of us are not as fruitful as we should because of our own laziness! Lets be ready to work hard to save souls!
God wants every soul to be saved. Let us overcome our prejudices and reach out to the opinion leaders in the society. Lets be willing to work hard to save souls.
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