Philip proceeded to tell him the good news about Jesus, beginning with that Scripture. (Acts 8:35)
I love the book of Acts because of all the action and excitement that happened when the Holy Spirit came upon the followers of Jesus. When the Holy Spirit moves in us, we need to act immediately, without hesitation. I can hear Mr. Keating telling his students in Dead Poets Society, “Carpe Diem,” and that is the encouragement we all need in living out our faith and telling others about Jesus. In chapter 8, we see a prime example of a Christian living out their faith.
The Holy Spirit prompted Philip to go to the chariot where an Ethiopian eunuch was reading from the prophet Isaiah. When God calls us to do something, we have the choice to obey or disobey what He asks us to do. Take it from me, it is better to obey God because there are blessings and your faith in Jesus deepens when you continue to trust God with more and more areas of your life. Also, by obeying Jesus from the start, you will probably save time and heartache from disobeying and the consequence of trying to do your own thing.
Philip proceeded to talk with this Ethiopian official and starting with that passage from Isaiah, was able to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Because the whole Bible points to Jesus, we can use any portion of Scripture as a launching point into a Gospel conversation. Now you might be thinking that this kind of evangelism technique may seem quite daunting, especially if you’ve just decided to follow Jesus. Part of being prepared to Seize the Day (Carpe Diem) for Christ is to get to know Jesus and his playbook (The Bible) better. Joining our church Read through the Bible in a Year is a great start to learning more about Jesus and his love for us everyday in new ways.
As we see at the end of chapter 8, the Ethiopian eunuch also seizes the opportunity to be baptized immediately after believing in Jesus. We may not know what will happen when we follow Jesus through obedience in our lives, but one thing is for sure, it will be exciting and there’s nothing better than living the adventure of staying close to Jesus and getting front-row seats to watch Him transform lives (including yours). Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”