Welcome to talk 25 in our series, Lessons from their lives.

Today our subject is Philip the evangelist. This Philip is not Philip the apostle, but the Philip who was one of the seven men, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, who were chosen to help with the administration of food to the poor widows in Acts 6:1-6 and who is described in Acts 21:8-9 as Philip the evangelist who was living at Caesarea and who had four daughters with the gift of prophecy. We read about him in Acts chapter 8. As this is a fairly long chapter, let me summarise its contents for you.

As a result of the persecution which arose after the stoning of Stephen the Christians had been scattered with only the apostles remaining in Jerusalem. We read that Philip, who was one of these Christians, went down to Samaria and preached the gospel to them.

As Philip preached Christ to the Samaritans, healings, signs and wonders took place and the people, persuaded and overjoyed by the message of the gospel, put their trust in Christ and were baptised in water, but they were not yet baptised in the Holy Spirit.

Hearing about this, the apostles in Jerusalem sent Peter and John to Samaria in order that the new converts might receive the Holy Spirit. On seeing the people receiving the Holy Spirit as the apostles laid hands on them, a sorcerer named Simon, who had previously led the people astray, offered the apostles money thinking that he could receive the gift of laying hands on people in this way. Simon was sternly rebuked by Peter and told to repent.

After this the apostles returned to Jerusalem preaching the gospel on their way. Philip was told by the angel of the Lord to go down to the desert road which leads to Gaza. There he met an Ethiopian eunuch who had been to Jerusalem to worship and who was reading a scroll from the prophet Isaiah as he travelled in his chariot. The passage he was reading was from Isaiah 53 and Philip was able to explain to him that this was referring to Jesus. The Ethiopian believed and was baptised and went on his way rejoicing.

As for Philip, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took him away and Philip appeared at Azotus and travelled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

Philip is the only person in the NT specifically named as an evangelist and Acts 8 is the only chapter describing his ministry. So let’s see what we can learn about evangelism from this chapter. We’ll consider:

• The people who should be involved in the task of evangelism
• The people we’re trying to reach
• The message we need to deliver
• The help God gives as we deliver it
• The results we should expect
• The need for new disciples to receive the Holy Spirit

The people who should be involved in the task of evangelism

Evangelists

5. Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there.
6. Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and travelled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

Apostles v. 25

After they had further proclaimed the word of the Lord and testified about Jesus, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages.

Everyone vv1-4

And Saul approved of their killing him. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison. Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.

The people we’re trying to reach

We often think of the ministry of an evangelist as preaching to great crowds. But crowds are made up of individuals and in this passage Philip preaches to both. The passage also makes clear the condition of these people.

Deceived vv 9-11

Now for some time a man named Simon had practised sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, ‘This man is rightly called the Great Power of God.’ They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his sorcery.

Diseased  v7

For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralysed or lame were healed.

Dissatisfied 27-31

Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, ‘Go south to the road – the desert road – that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.’ So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. The Spirit told Philip, ‘Go to that chariot and stay near it.’ Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ Philip asked. “‘How can I,’ he said, ‘unless someone explains it to me?’ So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

The message we need to deliver

Its foundation – the word of God 4, 14, 25, 32, 35

4. Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.

 

14. When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria.

 

25. After they had further proclaimed the word of the Lord and testified about Jesus, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages.

 

32. This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading: ‘He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth.”
33. Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.”

 

Its focus – Jesus Christ

5. Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah (Christ – the anointed) there.

 

35. Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus (saviour).

 

Its forthrightness – a proclamation of the authority of Jesus

demanding that people repent and believe

 

12. But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptised, both men and women.
13. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart.

The help God gives as we deliver it

Signs

6. When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said.
7. For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralysed or lame were healed.

Direction

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.’ So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch…

29. The Spirit told Philip, ‘Go to that chariot and stay near it.’

The results we should expect

Deliverance

7. For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralysed or lame were healed.

Delight

8. So there was great joy in that city.
9. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.

Decision (expressed in baptism)

12. But when they believed … they were baptised, both men and women.

 

38. And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptised him.
39. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.

Who? Those who believed

How? Immersion

The need for new disciples to receive the Holy Spirit

14. When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria.
15. When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit,
16. because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus.
17. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18. When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money and said,
19. ‘Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.’
20. Peter answered: ‘May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!
21. You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God.

Significance 16 come on  Compare Acts 1:8

Seriousness 15

Sign 18. What did Simon see?