Philip – A Model For Ministry

Acts 8:26-35 - 26 And the angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, Arise and go toward the south, on the way that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza, which is a deserted place. 27 And he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasure and had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28 was returning. And sitting in his chariot he read Isaiah the prophet. 29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, Go near and join yourself to this chariot. 30 And Philip ran there to him and heard him read the prophet Isaiah, and said, Do you indeed understand what you are reading? 31 And he said, How can I unless some man should guide me? And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 And the content of the Scripture which he read was this: "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so He opened not His mouth. 33 In His humiliation His judgment was taken away, and who shall declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth." 34 And the eunuch answered Philip and said, I beg you, of whom does the prophet speak this? Of himself or of some other man? 35 Then Philip opened his mouth and began at the same Scripture and preached the gospel of Jesus to him.

Our model for ministry is Philip, he has been called the Billy Graham of the first century. The principles we find in his life relate to every Christian.

I. SENSITIVE TO GOD’S CALL (V.26)

Out of the blue, God tells Philip to travel to the desert. No reason is given and no arrangements were made for someone to take his place. But there’s a command from God to follow.

Philip knew that to serve God better is to be sensitive to God’s call and follow him completely.

II. AVAILABILITY TO SERVE GOD (V.27)

Sensitivity has a Siamese twins-AVAILABILITY!

Availability is not just good in hearing God’s call but a willingness to follow it when it comes.

Who would have thought it? Out there in the middle of nowhere was a political leader, riding his chariot, and reading the word of God? No one, but God could have known how receptive this mans was.

Philip didn’t know that the Ethopian was the reason for his unexpected journey. He simply was available to the Lord, who is in his sovereign plan caused the path’s cross.

III. INITIATIVE TO BE OF SERVICE (V.30)

Still obedient, Philip follows the Holy Spirit’s direction.

Read verses 29-30

Philip didn’t wait for the man to learn out of his chariot, he took an initiative—carefully. He wasn’t out to impress or convince. He came graciously, with only one simple question: “Do you understand what you are reading?”

Then on Philip’s simple question, he gets a straight-forward answers that bring them to a good result. He wanted for an invitation to come and share what he knew about Scriptures.

Let us not wait the person to decide to attend our church and our Bible study. Lets simply invite them!

IX. EXPOUNDED THE WORD (V.35)

Philip started at the same scripture and preached to him Jesus.