Title: Power
and Wisdom of God
Text: Acts 8:
26-40
Date:
2-20-2014
Place: SGBC,
New Jersey
In the message Sunday, I used the Ethiopian Eunach as an
example of the glory given to Christ to bring the gospel to those he justified
on the cross and cause them to receive that free justification through faith. Tonight,
I want to look more in depth at how Christ brought the gospel to the Ethiopian
Eunach.
First, let
me remind you of what we have seen in Isaiah 53: 10, “he shall see his seed, he
shall prolong his days.”
Because
Christ obtained eternal redemption for his people on the cross, as promised in
covenant by the Father to his Son, God raised Christ and gave him the glory of
calling out his seed and prolonging our days. Isaiah 53: 10, “and the pleasure
of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.”
Colossians
1: 18: And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the
firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. 19:
For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;…John 1:16: And of
his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
1
Corinthians 1: 21: For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew
not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that
believe.
The pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in Christ’s hand: Christ
shall see his seed, Christ shall prolong our days by Christ sending each one
the gospel and making his word effectual in our hearts.
Isaiah 53: 11: “by his knowledge shall my righteous
servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.” Christ Jesus,
the Son of God, is God’s righteous servant. For all whose iniquities Christ
bore on the cross, Christ shall bring them the gospel and by his knowledge,
shall each one receive free justification through faith in him. God gave Christ
to be the Head over all things to the church that Christ might fill all in all
his people.
Proposition: The glory of bringing the gospel to
each child and making them receive free justification through faith is Christ’s
by his knowledge.
God said in Isaiah 42:4: He shall not fail nor be
discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles [Gentiles] shall
wait for his law. [his gospel]
This is that power Paul warns us that those with a mere
form of godliness shall deny. “For the preaching of the cross is to them that
perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God…But unto
them which are called, [only to them] both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of
God, and the wisdom of God.” (1 Cor 1: 18, 24)
Title: Power and Wisdom of God
I. FIRST, BY HIS WISDOM
AND POWER, CHRIST SHALL JUSTIFY EACH OF HIS ELECT THROUGH FAITH, BY CALLING AND
SENDING HIS MESSENGER—Acts 8: 26: And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip,
saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from
Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.
Christ first works this work of grace in his
preacher—Christ had first called Philip.
Philip was an apostle, meaning Christ called him personally: Christ
found Philip, and said unto him, “Follow
me.” (Jn 1: 43), and Philip followed Christ.
Question: Why did Christ call the apostles and
send them forth to preach the gospel? Why
didn’t Christ just fulfill his cross work?
Why did Christ establish his apostles and send them forth to preach the gospel? Why did the apostle Paul teach Timothy what
Christ had taught him, “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many
witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach
others also.” (2 Tim 2: 2) Why did Christ pray for those who would believe
through their word?
It is because
Christ said, “I came to do…the will of him that sent me.” (Jn 6: 38) “It pleased God by the foolishness of
preaching to save them that believe.” (1 Cor 1: 21) There are no apostles
today. But every true preacher is called
of Christ, taught of Christ and sent of Christ through the preaching of the
gospel.
No Wisdom But Christ; No
Power but Christ
Before sending his ambassador’s to preach his word, Christ
does what he did to Philip: he taught Philip he had no wisdom and power of
himself; that Christ is the Wisdom and Power of God.
Before Christ fed the
multitude
John 6:5: When Jesus then lifted up
his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence
shall we buy bread, that these may eat? 6: And this he said to prove him: for
he himself knew what he would do.
Christ was not proving Philip to know Philip for himself;
Christ was proving to Philip that Philip had no wisdom and understanding in
himself.
John 6: 7: Philip answered him, Two
hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them
may take a little. 8: One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother,
saith unto him, 9: There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two
small fishes: but what are they among so many?
How on earth can these foolish things feed so many? Only
if the foolish things are being used of Christ the Wisdom and Power of God.
John 6: 10: And Jesus said, Make the
men sit down.
Think how foolish Philip thought of himself when Christ
used those foolish means and fed thousands. “God hath chosen the foolish things of the
world to confound the wise;” (1 Cor 1: 23) Christ is still feeding multitudes
through what the world calls foolishness.
Application: The lesson Philip learned is Christ is the Bread, the
Power and Wisdom of God, and Philip’s wisdom and power was utter nothingness. This
is the lesson that we must be taught before we will believe on Christ or be
used to bear witness of Christ. Have we learned that our wisdom is nothing?
Sir, We Would See Jesus
On another occasion, men came to Philip saying, “Sir, we
would see Jesus.” At that time, the enemies were seeking Christ that they might
kill him. Philip did not want to see
Christ die and Philip did not want to die. So Philip, using his wisdom, went to
Nathaniel instead of Christ. When they finally came to Christ, he taught Philip,
“He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world
shall keep it unto life eternal. 26: If any man serve me, let him follow me;
and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will
my Father honour.” (Jn 12: 25-26)
Application: We must be taught that to follow Christ, we must lay
down our life like Christ laid down his life for his sheep. Have we learned to
lay down our life? Our understanding is
vain; our way is vain; our will is vain.
We must preach the gospel—Christ’s word, not our own. We must love Christ and his truth more than
mother and father, sister or brother, son or daughter, even over our own
selves. (Lu 14: 26) Else, men will twist the word of God in order to put their
loved ones in heaven, who leave this world trusting in a lie, for numbers in
the pew, etc…
Greater Works Than These
On another occasion, Christ taught Philip this lesson:
John
14: 6: Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man
cometh unto the Father, but by me. 7: If ye had known me, ye should have known
my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. 8: Philip
saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. 9: Jesus saith
unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me,
Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then,
Shew us the Father? 10: Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the
Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the
Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. 11: Believe me that I am
in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’
sake. 12: Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works
that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because
I go unto my Father.” (Joh 14:6-12)
Now, that Christ has gone to the
Father just as the words that Christ spoke were not of himself, but the Father
dwelled in him, and the Father did the works so Christ dwells in his witnesses.
As we preach, the words come forth in power into the heart of his people, not
by us, but by Christ speaking into the heart. And the greater work is the
miracle of grace which Christ works in the hearts of his people through the
gospel we preach. It is because Christ is God over all!
Back to Acts 8. So having been made
to know that Philip’s wisdom
was foolishness and that Christ is the Power and Wisdom of God now when Acts 8: 26: the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go…27: And
he arose and went:…
Application: Before we can believe on Christ or be used of Christ in
the furtherance of his gospel, we must be taught the power and wisdom is of
God, not of us. So Christ must first call and send his preacher, “how shall they hear without a preacher and
how shall they preach except they be sent.” (Rom 10: 15) This glory in sending his messengers belongs
to Christ—
Ephesians 4: 11: And he gave some,
apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and
teachers; 12: For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry,
for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the
faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God….
Christ only sends his preacher after Christ has made us
to know, “We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the
power may be of God, and not of us.” (2 Cor 4: 7)
II. SECONDLY, BY HIS
KNOWLEDGE AND POWER, CHRIST SHALL JUSTIFY EACH OF HIS REDEEMED THROUGH FAITH, BY
SENDING HIS GOSPEL TO HIS LOST SHEEP—Acts 8: 26: the
angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south
unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. 27: And
he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch [officer] of great
authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her
treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, 28: Was returning, and
sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.
Illustration: Have you ever seen the old roads that
the new road bypassed?
There were two roads to Gaza: the new and the old. The
new road went straight west to Gaza. The old road went south from Jerusalem
then west to Gaza. In verse 26 the Lord told Philip in great detail to “go toward the south unto the way that
goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert”
A Predestinated Meeting
By his Power and knowledge, Christ moves his messenger
and moves his lost sheep so they meet right where Christ would have them meet
at the time he would have them to meet.
Examples: Philippian Jailor, Lydia, Caesar’s household
God the Father predestinated all his elect to receive the
Holy Spirit of adoption at the time appointed, and to receive it by the power
and wisdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 1: 5: Having predestinated
us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the
good pleasure of his will,…
He does it by Jesus Christ because this is the covenant
promise the Father gave to Christ upon the condition of Christ redeeming us by
his own blood.
Galatians 4: 4: But when the fulness
of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the
law, 5: To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive
the adoption of sons. 6: And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the
Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7: Wherefore thou art
no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Christ is sovereign to do as he will to get this gospel
to each one he redeemed:
Ephesians 1: 11: In whom also we have
obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who
worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 12: That we should be to
the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
So not only does Christ call and send his preacher, he
also makes his preacher and his lost child meet at the predestinated time and
place.
Application: Now is this the Christ you believe or
is your God helpless to work his will? Is your Savior sovereign to save in the
manner that pleases him or helpless to do so? It is one or the other! So which is it! This is how it pleased God to save his people
because it pleases God for Christ to receive all the glory!
1
Corinthians 1: 25: Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the
weakness of God is stronger than men….28: And base things of the world, and
things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are
not, to bring to nought things that are: 29: That no flesh should glory in his
presence. 30: But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us
wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31 That, according as it is written, He that
glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
III. THIRDLY, BY HIS
KNOWLEDGE AND BY HIS POWER, CHRIST SHALL JUSTIFY HIS PEOPLE THROUGH FAITH, BY
MAKING THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST EFFECTUAL IN OUR HEARTS BY THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Truth Not Lies
Christ does this work only through the truth. Acts 8: 27: [the officer] was from Ethiopia and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, 28: Was returning,…
Christ did
not work this work through the idol teachers in Ethiopia. Nor did Christ use
the Pharisees or Sadducees who were lost—Romans 10: 3 For they being ignorant of God’s
righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not
submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. 4: For Christ is the end of
the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
Instead, Christ
did as he said he would, Jeremiah 3: 15: I will give you pastors after my own
heart which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.
Impossible to Know Truth by Lies
It is impossible to believe on Christ
in truth if you have not been taught the truth of Christ—Romans 10: 13:…how shall they believe
in him of whom they have not heard?
There is no calling upon God except in truth—Psalm
145: 18: The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call
upon him in truth.
The Holy Spirit only teaches the truth—John
16: 13: Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into
all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear,
that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14: He shall glorify
me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
Christ said “I am the Truth—no man
cometh to the Father but by me.” Would Christ teach a lie? Ephesians 4: 20 you have “learned Christ if so
be that ye have heard him, and been taught by him, as the truth is in
Jesus."
Sinners are born again only with truth—James 1: 18: Of
his own will begat he us with the word of truth,…1 Peter 1: 23: Being born again, not
of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and
abideth for ever…25: And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto
you.
Without the truth there is no
sanctification; "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth."
(Jn 17: 17)
7. Without truth there is no entrance into heaven…Rev 21:27: And there shall in no wise enter
into it any thing that defileth,…or maketh a lie:
The very thing which distinguishes faith from delusion is
that faith believes God’s truth, while delusion credits Satan's lies—2
Thessalonians 2: 10:…they received not the love of the truth, that they might
be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should
believe a lie, that they all might be damned who believe not the truth, but had
pleasure in unrighteousness. 13: But we are bound to give thanks alway to God
for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning
chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the
truth: 14: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory
of our Lord Jesus Christ.God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation
through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.
So “the church of the living God is the pillar and ground
of truth!” (1 Tim 3: 15)
THERFORE, CHRIST SENDS HIS CHOSEN MESSENGERS WITH THE
TRUTH OF CHRIST BY HIS OWN SOVEREIGN POWER THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT—Acts 8: 28: [the
Eunach] Was sitting in his chariot read
Esaias the prophet. 29: Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join
thyself to this chariot. 30: And Philip ran thither to him, and heard
him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
31: And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired
Philip that he would come up and sit with him. [Only the Holy Spirit can
give a sinner this teachable spirit and teach him that he needs God’s preacher
to guide him.] 32 The place 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 opened he 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 pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of
himself, or of some other man? 35: Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at
the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
Philip preached to him what I have
been preaching to you out of Isaiah 53 since August of last year: Christ is the
Root out of dry ground. He had no form that makes men desire him. But he is the
Substitute of God’s elect—wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our
iniquities and with his stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep went astray—the LORD laid on him the iniquities of all
his elect people. He is the Righteousness of His people—he suffered perfectly,
he opened not his mouth. For it pleased
the LORD to bruise him: he made his soul an offering for sin, with his stripe
we are healed. He shall see his seed, and prolong days; the pleasure of the Lord
shall prosper in his hand. By his knowledge—by his work on the tree and by this
gospel he has brought to you now, through God-given faith in him, we receive
justification already accomplished, for he brings this gospel to all those
whose iniquities he bore.
Fruit of Effectual Calling
And Christ makes the word effectual in the hearts by
sending forth the Holy Spirit. Here are the effectual results always brought
forth by Christ—Acts 8: 36: And as they
went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See,
here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? 37: And Philip said, If thou
believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I
believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
This Eunach experienced the time of love.
Ezekiel 16: 8: Now when I passed by
thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I
spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee,
and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou becamest
mine.
He believed Christ was all his righteousness; all his
acceptance with God.
Acts 8: 38: And he
commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water,
both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
Application: If Christ works this work in your heart then you will do
as this Eunach did: He repented from
his sins, from his vain wisdom, from self; in the heart made new by God,
he believed Christ unto righteousness; he confessed Christ with his mouth; he
obediently followed Christ in believer’s baptism. Oh, may Christ enter your
heart today and do this work!
Acts 8: 39 And when they were come up out of the water, the
Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he
went on his way rejoicing. 40: But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing
through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.
What became of the Eunach? According to Dr. Gill, and
historians, he preached in Africa until the day he was killed for preaching the
gospel. But he was not cut off from the Lord:
Isaiah 56:3: Neither let the son of
the stranger, that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD
hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold,
I am a dry tree. 4: For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my
sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; 5:
Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name
better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name,
that shall not be cut off.
If you do not believe Christ does this work, why? It
gives all the glory to Christ. Do you or do you now want Christ to receive all
preeminence?
Amen!