Acts 8 – Philip Available

After the ministry of Peter and John in Samaria in the middle of Acts 8, the narrative returns to Philip who was used of the Holy Spirit to begin the ministry in Samaria.  In Acts 8:26 we read:

     But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, “Arise and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza.”  (This is a desert road.)

This was a substantial distance from where Philip was in Samaria, well north of Jerusalem.  The “but” at the beginning of the verse is because he was having a very fruitful ministry in Samaria.  He was being used of the Holy Spirit to open up a major city, indeed an entire region, to the gospel.  Why would the Lord have him leave when things are going so well?  It must have been important, because the Lord sent one of his heavenly messengers to make sure Philip got the point.  In fact, it’s instructive to observe the various ways that Philip is “led” in this story.  In addition to being directed by the angel to go from the North to the South, later in verse 29 the Holy Spirit said to Philip: “Go up and join this chariot.”  The prior verses tell us that in this chariot was an Ethiopian eunuch from the court of the queen of Ethiopia.  He was returning by the South Road to his country from worshiping in Jerusalem, and was reading from the prophet Isaiah.  That prompted a third way that Philip was led in this passage (vv. 30-31):

     And when Philip had run up, he heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”

     And he said, “Well how could I, unless someone guides me?”  And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

By this time, Philip started to put two-and-two together: he was divinely directed to this remote desert road; began to engage this man in a conversation about the Scripture he was reading; and finally got invited by the man to join him.  That sounds like a leading to me!  It may not be as dramatic as an angel or the Holy Spirit speaking; on the other hand it’s something I can relate to a lot more easily.  In fact, the point for me is that Philip was available.  By that I mean he was being obedient to what he already knew God wanted him to do – he was actively proclaiming the gospel in Samaria. Even though big things were happening there, he didn’t pout when God took him elsewhere, but remained committed to the gospel ministry, even with just one person on a desert road.  He likely didn’t realize it, but the Lord was beginning to fulfill His prophecy in Acts 1:8 through Philip with this one Ethiopian to take the gospel to Judea and Samaria, and now to the world – even to the remotest part of the earth.  Will I be available to allow God to push me here or there according to His timetable to accomplish His larger purposes?