Today's Devotion

December 16, 2010

Saved by the Word

Today we see how the Spirit of God can direct our steps to accomplish His purposes. Philip is directed by an angel of the Lord to go and preach the Gospel to a eunuch.

“So when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans. Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." This is desert. So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet. Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go near and overtake this chariot." So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?" And he said, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. The place in the Scripture which he read was this: "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer [is] silent, So He opened not His mouth. In His humiliation His justice was taken away, And who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth." So the eunuch answered Philip and said, "I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?" Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, "See, [here is] water. What hinders me from being baptized?" Then Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so 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.” (Acts 8:25-40 NKJV)

The word angel is used in the Scriptures in a great variety of significations. See Barnes "Mt 1:20". Here it has been supposed by some to mean literally a celestial messenger sent from God; others have supposed that it means a dream, others a vision, etc. The word properly means a messenger; and all that it can be shown to signify here is that the Lord sent a message to Philip of this kind. It is most probable, I think, that the passage means that God communicated the message by his Spirit; for, in Acts 8:29,39, it is expressly said that the Spirit spoke to Philip, etc. Thus in Acts 16:7, the Spirit is said to have forbidden Paul to preach in Bithynia; and in Acts 16:9, the message on the subject is said to have been conveyed in a vision. There is no absurdity, however, in supposing that an angel literally was employed to communicate this message to Philip. (See Hebrews 1:14; Genesis 19:1 22:11 Jud 6:12)—Barnes.

While this was more than a feeling that Philip had, certainly the Spirit of God directs our steps too. He prompts us to engage people, to pray for people, and minister to people all the time. The closer we walk with God in holiness the more we feel these promptings.

However, we never want to lose sight of the methodology that God employs to save people. There are many today that employ a kind of supernaturalism to every little thought that pops into their head. This usually ends up with them willing to believe all kinds of aberrant doctrines making them perfect candidates for the cults. God does prompt us, but He never prompts us to do anything that is inconsistent with His revealed, written will.

Philip was directed to this eunuch not to perform some miracle for him, or to save him by the laying on of hands, but to preach the Gospel. He taught him from the Scriptures who Christ was and how to be saved.

I have heard so many testimonies of people being saved because Jesus came to them and talked to them directly. I even heard one testimony how a person claimed conversion because he saw a big ball of light. No message, no instruction, just a ball of light. Friends, this is not how God works today. “So then faith [comes] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17 NKJV)

“How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!’" (Romans 10:14-15 NKJV)

People are converted by hearing of God’s word taught by preachers/teachers/people. You, me, and others must take the word of God and teach them about Christ and salvation.

Philip and the eunuch lived in a time when God was doing many miraculous things. Yet we see God use the preaching of the Scriptures to save this man.

We have the completed canon of Scripture. We have all we need to preach the word effectively. Therefore, when God prompts you to speak with someone about their salvation take the word and explain to them how to be saved. If you can’t do that because you don’t know your Bible well enough or you are not sure what verses to use, then get to work figuring it out or get help.

We are the messengers today. Be faithful to your calling!