Let me talk to you for a moment about Philip—an ordinary man with extraordinary faith and obedience. We first meet him in Acts 6, where he’s chosen as one of the seven to serve the early church because of his honest character, wisdom, and being filled with the Holy Spirit. Later, in Acts 8, God calls Philip to leave a thriving ministry in Samaria, where he had been preaching to crowds with great success. You’d think God would leave him there to continue the work, right? But God had a different plan—a more personal mission. God called Philip to leave the many for the one.
Now, let me ask you something: if God called you today to leave what seems like a great work to go after just one soul, would you arise and go like Philip did? That’s exactly what Philip did. He didn’t ask questions or hesitate. He didn’t stop to wonder why God would send him to a deserted road or why one soul was worth more than the crowds he was reaching in Samaria. He simply obeyed. That’s the first lesson we need to learn from Philip: true obedience. Obedience without hesitation. Obedience without questioning God’s plan.
On that road, Philip encountered an Ethiopian eunuch, a man of great authority under the queen of Ethiopia. This man was on a spiritual journey—he had gone to Jerusalem to worship and was now reading the prophet Isaiah in his chariot, trying to understand what it all meant. God knew the hunger in this man’s heart, and He sent Philip to feed him the truth. But notice something else about Philip: he didn’t just show up—he ran to meet the man! He understood the urgency. He didn’t waste a second because he knew that time is precious, and souls hang in the balance.
When Philip reached the eunuch, he didn’t launch into a sermon. He didn’t lecture him or offer opinions. Instead, he asked a question: “Do you understand what you are reading?” That question was more than an icebreaker—it showed genuine concern. It opened the door for a deeper conversation, and the eunuch invited Philip into his chariot to guide him through the Scriptures. Here’s another powerful lesson: Philip knew the Word of God. He didn’t rely on his feelings or opinions; he preached Jesus straight from the Scriptures, starting with the very passage the eunuch was reading.
When the eunuch understood the message, he didn’t wait either. He immediately asked, “What hinders me from being baptized?” Philip baptized him right there. No delay. No hesitation. The eunuch came up from that water rejoicing, and Philip—ever the faithful servant—went on to preach in other cities, always looking for the next soul who needed to hear the gospel.
What made Philip such an effective evangelist? It wasn’t just his knowledge or experience. It was his heart. He was obedient, willing, urgent, and impartial. He didn’t see the eunuch as an outsider or someone unworthy of God’s grace. He saw a soul that needed salvation. And Philip was ready to share the gospel with anyone, anywhere—whether it was a crowd in Samaria or one man on a desert road.
So let me ask you: are you ready to be like Philip? Are you willing to leave your comfort zone and obey God, even when it seems inconvenient or irrational? Are you looking for opportunities to share the gospel, even with people who might seem different from you? Are you prepared to open the Scriptures and point people to Jesus?
Maybe today, you’re realizing that you’ve been hesitant. Maybe you’ve felt the Spirit tugging at your heart to speak to someone, but you held back. Or maybe you’re the one like the eunuch—you’ve been searching for the truth, and now you’re ready to respond. If that’s you, I want to encourage you to act now. If you haven’t obeyed the gospel, it’s time to believe, repent, confess Jesus as Lord, and be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins—just like the eunuch was.
And if you’re already a Christian but haven’t been living as God has called you, today is the day to rededicate your life. Pray for forgiveness. Recommit to the work of the Lord. Let’s stop hesitating and start running toward the opportunities God is putting in front of us. The harvest is ready—the only question is: will you arise and go?
