BONUS SESSION

Ashes to Fire—Part 2 (Acts)

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Gaza

Scripture Focus:

Acts 8:26-40

Session Truth:

Opportunities to share the gospel are more numerous than we might imagine.

Session in Context

One of the evangelists in the expansion of the Early Church was a young man named Philip, who went to preach in a city of Samaria. The city was filled with joy because as he preached Christ, people were being forgiven, delivered, and healed. While this great revival was still in progress, God’s will was made known to Philip. He was to take the desert road south toward Gaza. Philip must have wondered why God would want him to leave a flourishing revival and take a road to nowhere. Surely, he questioned; but more importantly, he obeyed.

Session Goals:

To reaffirm that sharing the good news is every believer’s privilege and responsibility.

To understand that when God tells us to do something, He is also working to prepare the way.

To commit to respond to the Holy Spirit’s prompting to give witness with quick obedience.

Key Scripture Ideas

Evangelism Is Every Believer’s Business
(Acts 8:26-29)

Philip was one of the seven laypeople chosen by the Jerusalem church to care for the poor widows in their midst (6:1-6). He is described as a believer “full of the Spirit and wisdom” (6:3). Philip understood that sharing “the good news about Jesus” (v. 35) was not just the business of the apostles, but was every believer’s high calling, holy privilege, and greatest joy.

In the passage before us, Philip received divine direction twice (vv. 26, 29). In both instances, he responded immediately.

Philip’s First Divine Directive: Philip was told to go south on “the desert road” that went from Jerusalem to Gaza (v. 26). As he obeyed, his path brought him in contact with an Ethiopian eunuch of high position who had “gone to Jerusalem to worship, and [was] on his way home” (vv. 26-28).

Philip’s Second Divine Directive: Philip was instructed by the Spirit to stay near the chariot of the Ethiopian (v. 29). The Lord brought Philip close enough to hear the Ethiopian reading words from the prophecy of Isaiah. When Philip asked if the Ethiopian understood what he was reading, the man acknowledged his frustration, and he invited Philip to sit with him and explain God’s Word.

Philip’s Pattern of Evangelism
(Acts 8:30-35)

We have already seen several practical principles of evangelism at work in this passage.

First, all evangelism is personal. The Christian religion is first and foremost incarnational: that is, few are going to be won to Christ until they get close enough to a believer to feel personal warmth and caring, to see tears of compassion, and to sense the love of God.

Second, the prompting of the Holy Spirit is essential. Philip was sensitive about when to take the initiative. He did not wait for the eunuch to greet him, but hearing “the man reading Isaiah the prophet,” he asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” (v. 30b). Only then did the eunuch “invited Philip to come up and sit with him” (v. 31). We are called to be open and obedient to the Spirit who prepares the way.

Third, it is necessary to start where the person is. Philip heard the man reading the words of the prophet Isaiah, and he started “with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus” (v. 35). Philip’s response was appropriate for the man’s search.

The Ethiopian’s Great Joy
(Acts 8:36-40)

When Philip shared the good news about Jesus, we know that the Ethiopian crossed the line from “seeker” to “believer.” We know it because Philip consented to the Ethiopian’s request to be baptized. The record of Scripture is that the Ethiopian went on his way rejoicing (v. 39).

God knew about the spiritual quest of this man, and sent into his life someone who could share the Good News with him, and lead him in accepting Christ. Because he was a eunuch, he was a problem for the legalists in Jerusalem. Yet, his physical condition could not keep him from Christ.

Tradition maintains that this influential eunuch went home and evangelized Ethiopia. We cannot say with certainty. However, we can be certain that this happy man could not keep quiet about the wonderful thing that God had done. Surely, he shared the good news with others!

1 engage interest

How Did You Hear?

Ask for two or three people to respond to these questions.

How did you hear the message of the gospel the first time?

How did you come into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ?

Transition: Today’s lesson tells the true story of a man who overcame great obstacles in his quest for God’s truth about Christ.

2 explore the word

Evangelism Is Every Believer’s Business (Acts 8:26-29)

What did the angel tell Philip to do? How did Philip respond? (Quick obedience)

Whom did Philip meet on the desert road? (v. 27) What do we know about Him? (v. 27) What was he doing? (v. 28)

Was this man a likely candidate for Christianity? (Yes and no. He was certainly interested in the God of the Jews, but he was a foreigner and a eunuch.)

Why was it a problem being a eunuch? (Deuteronomy 23:1)

What did the Spirit tell Philip to do? (v. 29)

Philip’s Pattern of Evangelism (Acts 8:30-35)

What passage from Isaiah was the Ethiopian reading? (Isaiah 53, found in Acts 8:32-33.)

Why was the Ethiopian frustrated? (v. 31)

How did Philip relate that passage to the good news about Jesus?

The Ethiopian’s Great Joy (Acts 8:36-40)

What did the Ethiopian do after he believed? (vv. 36-38)

What was the significance of his baptism? (It was an expression of his acceptance of the Christian faith. It was a public affirmation of what he already believed.)

What was the Ethiopian’s attitude as he left? (v. 39)

3 examine life

Be My Witnesses

Why are we sometimes hesitant to follow the promptings of the Spirit when it comes to witnessing to others?

What fears prevent us from telling others about Christ?

How can we overcome the fear of witnessing?

When was the last time you explained the Scriptures to someone? If it has been a while, why?

When it comes to witnessing, what level of training and biblical knowledge is required?

Today we refer to different kinds of evangelism, such as friendship evangelism, mass evangelism, door-to-door evangelism, and literature evangelism. What kind of evangelism do you think is most effective in your community?

4 exercise your faith

Obeying the Spirit

What might happen today if I follow God’s Spirit?

What might not happen if I fail to follow God’s Spirit?
Just as Philip had no idea of the importance and long-lasting effects of his obedience, neither do we know the tremendous impact our willing obedience could make.

Are you willing to “go” where the Spirit leads you today?

Challenge each person to pray that God would lead them to someone who needs to hear the good news about Jesus. Read the words of the chorus of “I’ll Go Where You Want Me to Go.”

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