A DIVINE APPOINTMENT
A DIVINE APPOINTMENT
A DIVINE APPOINTMENT
After Stephen died, the Jews worked against the church in Jerusalem. The apostles stayed in the city. But many of the other people who followed Jesus left. They went to other places to live. And, when they got to a new place, they told the people there about Jesus.
Philip went to the region where the Samaritans lived. And he told the people there about Jesus. God used Philip in that place. He healed people who were sick. He made evil spirits stop bothering people. He did many wonderful works. And the people in that place were happy because of what he did.
One day, an angel came to Philip and said, “Go to the road that goes south out of Jerusalem.” So Philip went. When he got there, he saw a man from Africa. He was riding in a cart. This man was an important official in his country. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship God. Now he was on his way home.
God’s Spirit said to Philip, “Go to that cart.” So Philip ran over. When he got close, he heard the man reading from the words of the prophet Isaiah.
So Philip called out to him. He asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
And the man said, “How can I understand it? I have no one to explain it to me.”
Then he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. So Philip did. And he began with Isaiah’s words. And he told the man about Jesus.
And, as they went along in the cart, the official said, “Look! Here is some water. What is stopping me from being baptized?” And so they stopped. They went down into the water. Then Philip baptized him.
When they came up out of the water, God’s Spirit took Philip away. The man from Africa never saw him again. So he went on his way. And he was very happy.
But Philip found himself in another town. So he told the people there about Jesus. Then he went from one town to another. And he talked about Jesus in those places too.