My Daily Pause

The Baptism of the Eunuch – 1626 –
Rembrandt (1606–1669)

The account of the Ethiopian Eunuch (Acts 8:26-39) is a reminder of how rich the Bible is in content. We could spend a lifetime in the book and not master the lessons it is able to teach us. Take a look at just some of the takeaways that this passage gives us about Christianity:

Christianity is learned

The Eunuch asked, “How can I unless someone guides me? (Acts 8:31)

It’s true. God meant for is word to be studied, but most importantly – taught. One of the key verses I pivot a lot of my posts on in this blog is 2 Timothy 2:2. In that one verse, four generations of teachers are described.

Let’s face it, while the basic gospel plan of salvation is simple to follow, the Bible has some difficult content that needs to be learned and then taught. The essence of the great commission (Matthew 28:19-20) is Teach – Baptize – Teach.

Christianity has been the plan from the beginning

Philip found the Eunuch reading from the book of Isaiah. (Acts 8:32-33 = Isaiah 53:7-8) A passage talking about the crucifixion! The Jews missed it then and today’s Jews still deny that passage is about Jesus.

We know from John 1 that God’s word was uttered in the beginning and Christ became that word.

We might not ever fully understand the full impact of that, but God’s plan is and always was in full effect.

Christianity cannot wait

Once the Eunuch understood what was required for his salvation, he asked to stop and fulfill it at the very next opportunity. (Acts 8:36-38)

We are not promised tomorrow…

Almost saved still equals lost …

Something to keep in mind whether we are currently the teacher or the student.

Christianity is a joy

After the Eunuch was baptized, he went on his was rejoicing. He understood in that moment that the blood of Christ had paid for his sins. What’s not to like about that?

Keep studying!

As we continue building a habit of reading and re-reading the Bible, remember to look deeper and deeper into the passages for more of what God was trying to tell us.

Peter Confronts Simon – 1620 – Avanzino Nucci

Despite being fully immersed in practicing something other than the gospel, Simon believed and was baptized when he heard the genuine “good news.” (Acts 8:9-13)

It is difficult to teach – or even approach – someone that has a lot invested in a false doctrine. (By false doctrine, I mean a teaching that is different from what the Bible teaches.) Like Simon …

…their personal income might come from it.

…they may have started a large project in its name.

…they may have committed time and money to help spread it.

Luckily, since true faith only comes from the word of God, (Romans 10:17) it is not impossible to change someone in these situations. Philip showed us that in the Simon the Sorcerer account.

Note that I didn’t say it was easy, just possible.

The possibility comes…

• from commanding the knowledge needed to prove the false teaching wrong
• from living a lifestyle that reflects what you teach
• from standing your ground even when it makes the relationship uncomfortable.

Luckily, God only holds us accountable for planting the seed of truth – He’ll give the increase in his own time. (1 Corinthians 3:6-7) Like Simon, if they desire to be honest with their heart, they will come around to the truth.

The Death of Ananias – 1515 – Raphael (1483–1520)

Ananias and Sapphira “overstated” their contribution. (Acts 5:1-6)

There they were, on the edge of doing something good and right, and they let their ego get bigger than their heart.

Look what Solomon says about that:

The Lord hates sacrifices brought by evil people,
particularly when they offer them for the wrong reasons. – Proverbs 21:27 NCV

The bible talks a lot about our money and our giving. More than most other subjects even. He wanted us to be good givers – givers that think nothing of the rewards.

Here are the critical moments of some famous giving in the Bible. Think about what must have been on their heart as you check the verses:

Poor examples:

• The Rich Young Ruler: Mark 10:18-22
  
• Judas: John 12:3-6
  
• Ananias and Sapphira: Acts 5:1-2
  

Good Examples:

• Barnabas: Acts 4:36-37
  
• The Poor Widow: Mark 12:41-44
  
• David: 2 Samuel 24:24
  

David may have made the most stinging statement of all – The gist of it is “It’s not a sacrifice if I didn’t make a sacrifice.”

In the end, will your giving really count?

Just leaving a Bible out in view can be enough to get a Bible study started.

When people live so that they please the Lord,
even their enemies will make peace with them. – Proverbs 16:7 NCV

Moral boundaries are being erased at every turn. It isn’t hard to find someone willing to make fun of those that believe in God. “Alternative” lifestyles are being accepted as normal. Many worry about admitting their belief in God in the “wrong setting.”

You have the ability to make the opposite happen. Living in a way that promotes God is powerful:

• Insist that those around you not use “four-letter-words” and see how quickly they respect your wishes.
• Leave a Bible in the open and see how many supportive comments and questions you get.
• Decline to attend meetings or events that conflict with church, Bible study or related activities and tell them why. I’ve had regular meeting dates changed this way.

When you are willing to stand firm on your belief of God and live accordingly, you will find others quite willing to respect you for it and will often become receptive to learning more. The key is to know why you shouldn’t be ashamed (Romans 1:16-17).

One final thought … Did you know that there is a way to get Christ to mention your name to the Father? Look at Matthew 10:32-33.

The Sermon On the Mount – 1877 – Carl Heinrich Bloch (1834–1890)

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. – Matthew 5:4 ESV

This beatitude is one I’ve been asked about a number of times over the years. It means literally, “Happy are those who are grieving.”

This sounds like a contradiction, but God has never made it a secret that Christians will sometimes have to grieve. He has instructed us to make the best of it because it is all part of his plan.

What are the ways that this could possibly be true?

• Hard times mature our patience (Romans 5:3-4) – We need to go through the challenges of life to be able to appreciate life.
• It grows the fruit of righteousness (Hebrews 12:11) – If we did not fall on hard times, we would soon forget how much we need God.
• Godly sorrow will lead to repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10) – Being those that grieve about sin helps us find our way back to God.

Jesus’ promise of comfort in troubling times is certainly a precious gift. Mourning is an emotion that can cause us to act on some serious matters:

• Christians should mourn the sinful world
• We mourn our own sins
• We mourn the family and friends who are lost

You see, only those convinced of the sinfulness of sin will ever be sorrowful for their separation from God and seek a remedy – much like one who is not sick does not seek out a physician. The Great Physician says “Come Unto Me all ye who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)