Just one good question

Acts 8:26-40

²⁶ As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, “Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.” ²⁷ So he started out, and he met the treasurer of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under the Kandake, the queen of Ethiopia. The eunuch had gone to Jerusalem to worship, ²⁸ and he was now returning. Seated in his carriage, he was reading aloud from the book of the prophet Isaiah.

²⁹ The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.”

³⁰ Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”

³¹ The man replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him.

³² The passage of Scripture he had been reading was this:
“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter.
And as a lamb is silent before the shearers,
he did not open his mouth.
³³ He was humiliated and received no justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth.”

³⁴ The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, was the prophet talking about himself or someone else?” ³⁵ So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus.

³⁶ As they rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look! There’s some water! Why can’t I be baptized?” ³⁸ He ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.

³⁹ When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing. ⁴⁰ Meanwhile, Philip found himself farther north at the town of Azotus. He preached the Good News there and in every town along the way until he came to Caesarea.

Philip asked one excellent question – “Do you understand what you are reading?” The significance of that question can’t be measured. Because of Philip’s question, this Ethiopian official became a follower of Jesus. Because of this question, this new believer was baptised immediately. Because of this question, the gospel was spread to other parts of the world. It was following this question that Philip was whisked away to Azotus and eventually to Caesarea, where he preached the good news about Jesus, paving the way to arguably save Paul’s life (see Acts 9:30) and spread the gospel through the Roman world (see Acts 25:13). Just one outstanding question.

What question could I ask those around me who long for God yet don’t know how to find Him? I could ask, “What’s your feeling about Jesus?” Or, “What do you know about the gospel – the good news about Jesus?” The opportunities are endless (see Matthew 9:37-38). We simply need wisdom from the Holy Spirit, like Philip’s, and the courage to speak (see Ephesians 6:19-20).

Lord, please give me the courage to speak and the wisdom to ask great questions so those around me hear about Jesus and believe. Amen

Written by B van Noppen