Mar 18
15
Power To Prepare
Acts 8: 26-31
In power, the Lord of glory prepares lost sinners to receive the
messenger and the message of salvation. It was the power of the Lord
which made the Ethiopian eunuch question what his prior hope had been.
The power of the Lord made the Ethiopian eunuch teachable. Left
untouched by the hand of the Master, his pride would have never let him
answer as he did. Instead, he said, “How can I, except some man should
guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.”
God’s Power breaks down every wall sin builds up. The eunuch was from
Ethiopia, a Gentile; Philip was a Jew, from Jerusalem. The eunuch was a
man in authority; Philip possessed no earthly authority. The eunuch was
a dignitary; Philip was unknown by the world. The eunuch was a man
received into the religion of Judaism; Philip was a man rejected by
Judaism. Yet, neither the eunuch’s position of authority nor his
religious tradition got in his way of hearing Philip. And none of these
things moved Philip from declaring the single message of Christ the
Lord. Only the Power of God takes away a man’s pride so that he’s able
to say without shame, “I need some man to guide me” and likewise, only
the power of God humbles his messenger so that he does not water down
the gospel because he thinks he can profit from a man of means. God’s
power makes a man teachable even as it makes his teachers willing to
declare nothing save the cross of Christ.
Power To Cross Our Path
In absolute power God moves his messenger and his vessel of mercy so
that they meet right where God would have them meet. There were two
roads which Philip could have taken. Yet, through the Spirit the Lord
commanded Philip to go south on the road which went down from Jerusalem
to Gaza. This was the desert road. The phrase “go toward the south” has
an alternate meaning in the Greek which means “at midday.” In power the
Holy Spirit of God, literally, moved his messenger to take the road
least traveled, at the time of day when it was least likely to be
traveled, to meet the most unlikely person, an Ethiopian eunuch. The
Lord’s elect may be wandering lost in the most remote places on this
globe but the Lord who saves in power knows exactly where they are. We
may have to be led away from the religion of the day out onto old Gaza
Road, as was the Ethiopian eunuch, but God is able. God our Savior, the
King of heaven and earth, shall bring the good news of his Son to each
of his children in his time in his power.
Power To Send Messengers
Had the Gentile, idol teachers in Ethiopia taught the eunuch the truth?
Had the Pharisees who called on the name of Jehovah, but taught
morality, taught him the one true Jehovah? Had those liberal thinkers,
the Sadducees, who in their sentimental love accepted everyone who
professed to believe the name Jehovah preached the truth to him? Who
did? The only one who preached the truth concerning Christ and him
crucified to such a poor sinner was the one whom God sent in Power (2
Tim. 3: 1-5.) It is the power of God which saves, equips and sends his
messengers. He does it by the gospel wherein he reveals Christ in whom
the righteousness of God is manifest. The Lord Jesus Christ saved Philip
with the same gospel of Christ through the same power of the Holy Spirit
with which he sent him to be a witness of Christ. When the Lord Jesus
Christ ascended to the right hand of the Father he gave gifts unto men
for the perfecting of the saints, the work of the ministry, and the
edifying of his body. There are various measures of grace given to each
member of his body but all believers are in one body, led by one Spirit,
called in one hope. There is one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. Even
as there is one God and Father above all, working through all and in all
of his saints. It is by his power that he saves, equips and sends his
messengers to each of his redeemed, chosen vessels of mercy (Eph 4:
4-12.) How shall they hear without a preacher who preaches the true and
living God? How shall he preach unless he is sent by him who said, “I
will give you pastors after my own heart?” Rest assured, as long as God
has a people who must be called out from among this world he shall
perform it by raising up messengers in truth and in spirit by his
absolute sovereign power.
Clay Curtis.
LIFE FROM THE TRUTH
“Of His own will begat He us with the Word of Truth.” – James 1:18
It is impossible for a fleshly baby to be born from a seed that is not a
fleshly seed. That is, a baby cannot be born from a sunflower seed. So
it is with the spiritual man. It is impossible for a spiritual man to be
born again from a message that does not tell the truth about who God is,
who man is, and who the Savior is. God will never use error to reveal
Christ to the heart. No one is saved and then later on learns the truth
of who Christ is. A sinner is saved when we know who Christ truly is and
we believe on Him. We will know who Christ truly is when He is formed in
us in the new birth. – Frank Tate
“UNDERSTANDEST THOU WHAT THOU READEST?” Acts 8:30
It is good to read the Bible regularly, learn the facts of Bible
history, memorize as much of the Bible as you can, and study the blessed
doctrines of the Bible. But it is quite possible to do all of these
things and yet gain no spiritual benefit from the Word of God. The Word
of God will be of benefit to our souls only to the degree that we
understand it. Such understanding in the Scriptures is, and can only be
gained, by the gracious instruction of the Holy Spirit (I Cor. 2:11-16).
A man has understanding in the Scriptures to the degree that HE SEES
CHRIST IN EVERYTHING AND SEES EVERYTHING IN CHRIST. Philip gave the
Eunuch understanding in the Scriptures when he “preached unto him
Jesus”. He preached Christ, nothing but Christ, and that gave the Eunuch
understanding. In the Word of God, Christ alone is pre-eminent. The
Bible is a Book about the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Christ is the whole counsel of God, and the whole counsel of God is
Christ (Acts 20:26-27; I Cor. 2:2; 9:16).
I have understanding in the Scriptures to the degree that MY
UNDERSTANDING CREATES IN ME A HUMBLE, SUBMISSIVE, OBEDIENT FAITH IN
CHRIST. This Eunuch showed his understanding in the Word by his willing
surrender to believer’s baptism, the ordinance of Christ.
We have understanding in the Word of God to the degree that OUR
UNDERSTANDING CAUSES US TO REJOICE IN CHRIST. Once this man understood
the Scriptures, “He went on his way rejoicing.” Spurgeon said, “The
faith of the Scriptures leads joy by the hand, and chases away despair.”
I have understanding in the Scriptures to the degree that MY
UNDERSTANDING CAUSES ME TO SEEK THE SALVATION OF OTHERS. This Eunuch
carried the gospel with him back to Africa. Once a man learns the
gospel, he has got to tell it to others.
And I have understanding in the Scriptures to the degree that I HAVE A
MESSAGE FOR ALL PEOPLE AT ALL TIMES. I have a message of salvation,
life, comfort, peace and joy to all people, in every circumstance of
life. My message to you is the message I have received – Christ crucified.
Don Fortner.
The Beautiful Feet of Preachers
Maurice Montgomery
“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good
tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that
publisheth salvation, that saith unto Zion, thy God reigneth” (Isaiah
52:7; Romans 10:13-15).
Note in the verse above that “Thy God reigneth” is an integral part of
the gospel. To the degree that preachers have lost sight of the exalted,
glorified, sovereign Christ – to the same degree they have let the
gospel slip away. The gospel is gospel or “good news” only in the
context of Christ’s sovereign power and ability to save sinners who are
“dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1; John 5:21,25; Rev. 1:17,18).
“Thy God reigneth” is the very heart of the gospel hope to conscious,
convicted sinners. They need a new heart, a new nature, they need LIFE!
And no earthly ecclesiastical powers can help them. Only God can give
life. Only One who is “mighty to save” can encourage their heart.
Apart from “Thy God reigneth” there is no good news for sinners, Adam’s
fallen race. But with the sovereign Christ of Scripture, there is hope
for a Saul of Tarsus, for the most obstinate and vile sinner on the face
of the earth, for He is able to pursue, subdue, and renew; and He never
fails! Lost soul, call upon Him. Call upon Him now. He is a suitable and
sufficient, an able and willing Saviour.
“AND NOW WHY TARRIEST THOU?
ARISE AND BE BAPTIZED!”
Henry Mahan
There are people in our assemblies who have heard the gospel of Christ
with the heart. They believe Him, they love Him, and they truly rest in
Him as Lord and Redeemer; but they have not confessed Christ in
believer’s baptism. The question is asked, “Why tarriest thou?” I
believe I can answer for them.
1. They are troubled by the presence and strength of indwelling sin –
“In my flesh dwelleth no good thing.”
2. They are shocked, by the weakness of their faith.
3. They fear that they will fail and dishonor the Lord and embarrass the
church.
4. They are waiting for greater assurance and more grace.
5. They are by nature very timid and shun public demonstrations.
But no such reasons are valid; for in baptism we are not confessing our
holiness, but His; not our strength, but His; not our life, but His! “We
are dead and our life is hid with Christ in God” (Col. 3:3).
“Because thou sayest, I am rich”
(Revelation 3:17)
What makes mistaken men afraid of sovereign grace to preach!
The reason is, if truth be said, because they are so rich.
Why so offensive in their eyes does God’s election seem?
Because they think themselves so wise that they have chosen Him.
Of perseverance why so loath are some to speak or hear?
Because, as masters over sloth, they vow to persevere.
Whence is imputed righteousness a point so little known?
Because men think they all possess some righteousness their own.
Not so the needy, helpless soul, prefers his humble prayer;
He looks to Him that works the whole, and seeks his treasure there.
His language is, “Let me, my God, on sovereign grace rely;
And own ’tis free, because bestowed on one so vile as I.
“Election! ’tis a word divine; for, Lord, I plainly see,
Had not Thy choice [preceded] mine, I ne’er had chosen Thee.
“For perseverance strength I’ve none, but would on this depend
That Jesus, having loved His own, will love them to the end.
“Empty and bare, I come to Thee for righteousness divine;
O may Thy matchless merits be, by imputation, mine.”
Thus differ these; yet hoping each to make salvation sure.
Now most men will approve the rich, but Christ has blessed the poor.
– Joseph Hart (1712-68)