PHILIP & THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH – A PATTERN FOR RELATIONAL EVANGELISM

WEEK 37
PHILIP & THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH – A PATTERN FOR RELATIONAL EVANGELISM

KEY VERSE: Do you understand what you are reading?” ACTS8:30B

SCRIPTURE LESSON: 8:26-38
ACTS 8:26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road-the desert road- that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.”
27So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian (a) eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship,
28and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet.
29The spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”
30Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet.
“Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.
31How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
33In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.”(b)
34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?”
35Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
36As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. Why shouldn’t be baptized?”(c)
38And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him.

INTRODUCTION
Last week we saw how Jesus overcame cultural and social barriers to interact with the Samaritan woman. That interaction led the woman to a saving knowledge of Jesus. The result was that the woman on her own, went back to the village to proclaim Jesus as the long awaited Messiah. The response to that proclamation was that most of the people in the village came to confirm the woman’s testimony after their interaction with Jesus. That pattern of evangelism, it must be recalled, was described as relational or personal.

This week’s lesson is another example of relational/personal evangelism in which Philip helps the Ethiopian Eunuch to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus. Another similarity of this week’s lesson with last week’s is that it was also on Samaritan soil.

EXPOSITION
The commission given by Jesus to his disciples after his resurrection was to take the gospel to all nations (Matt.28:18-20, Mark 16:15-18, Luke 24:45-49, John20:21-23) In Acts1:8 Jesus instructed them to be his witnesses “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth”. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost thus launched the witness in Jerusalem (Acts 2:1ff). The persecution of the Church at Jerusalem following the stoning of Stephen seems to have prompted the spread of the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria (Acts8:1,4). Philip, one of the Seven chosen to overlook the distribution of food to the widows (Acts 6:1-5, found himself in a successful mass outreach in Samaria (Acts8:5-8). Philip was also directed by an angel of the Lord to a Gentile God-fearer, an Ethiopian eunuch returning from worship at Jerusalem (Acts 8:26-28). Directed by the Holy Spirit to the eunuch’s chariot, Philip found him reading from Isaiah the prophet. Beginning with a question, Philip engaged the eunuch in a conversation (8:29-30). The response was an invitation to Philip to come up into the chariot. This gave him an opportunity to explain the passage taken from Isaiah 53:7-8 to the eunuch. Philip, thus used the same method Jesus used with the Samaritan woman to draw the Eunuch into a conversation. The starter question was, “Do you understand what you are reading?” (Verse 30b) Relational/personal evangelism thus began. Again, like Jesus, Philip used that question to focus on a need of the Eunuch. The response, “How can I… unless someone explains to me: (verse 31) shows that the Eunuch needed someone to provide a spiritual service to him.

The personal/relational nature of this pattern of evangelism gives opportunity for the enquirer to be educated at his/her level of understanding such that issues are thoroughly clarified. The eunuch was thus given the opportunity to ask questions on issues he did not understand. He asked; “Who is the prophet talking about….?” (verse 34), it gave Philip the opportunity to show him that the suffering servant was the Davidic Messiah of Isaiah 11 or the Son of Man (Daniel 7:13-14). By that opportunity, Philip “told him the good news about Jesus” (verse 35). This implies that Philip thoroughly explained the necessity for Jesus to be crucified for the salvation of mankind. Philip also brought him to a realization of his need for Christ.
Having well understood the scripture he committed his life to Jesus on that basis and, requested to be baptized as a public expression of his repentance and faith in Christ (verses 36-38)

This shows that when the gospel is well presented and thoroughly explained, and applied to the needs of inquirers/would be converts, there will be those who will sincerely commit their lives to Jesus and submit themselves voluntarily and sincerely for baptism. Thoroughly explaining, illustrating and applying the gospel to the lives of enquirers’ means making them understand the following facts of the way of salvation.
That God gave life to man (Gen.2:7)
That man rejected life (Rom. 3:23)
That God has provided New Life in Jesus Christ (Rom. 6:23)
That man must accept New Life in Jesus (Jn. 1:12)
That New Life is seen in man’s behaviour (1Cor. 5:17)
These should be supported by relevant scriptures, explained, illustrated and applied to the lives of the converts sought.

Relational/Personal evangelism always leads to a demand for a verdict. It challenges and encourages the would be convert to accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour or to reject him.

There are a lot of opportunities for relational/personal evangelism.
You will find it most effective to use relational evangelism to witness to the following categories of people
· Nominal Christians in your church. – These are people in your church who have never understood or experienced the personal application of the Gospel in their own lives.
· Inactive church members and people with some contact with your Church. – By virtue of the existing connection with your church, a visit from
· New residents in your town or neighbourhood. –If you show them some kindness and concern and welcome them, they are likely to respond.
· Friends, relatives, fellow workers and neighbours.

DISCUSSION / WORKSHOP
Use the rest of your class/group meeting to set up personal evangelism situation.
Take turns to use the principles learnt to practice the art of relational/personal evangelism.

BIBLE LESSON APPLICATION
Create opportunities this week also for personal/relational evangelism. Share the results with you group.

DAILY BIBLE READINGS
Monday Acts 18:24-26 Priscilla and Aquila experience the Gospel to Apollos
Tuesday Titus 2:3-5 Ministry to the Older Women
Wednesday Titus 2:6-8 Ministry to Young Men
Thursday Titus 2:9-10 Ministry to Workers
Friday Acts 8:9-12 Philip in Samaria
Saturday Acts 8:9-12 Philip Converts the Samarians
Sunday Acts 8:26-38 Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch.