Title: Let's Work Together / Acts 8:26-40
Contents
In order for a person to do good deeds and become a person who can have a good influence and benefit to others, it is necessary to learn right away, but study hard. There is no hope for the unlearned. No expectations can be expected. No growth, no feet. So, the saying ‘knowledge is power. You have to learn to live’ is very meaningful. Learning the science of the world is a precious thing, and besides, reading, hearing, and learning the Word of Life, which is the basis of faith and actions, is the most blessed and precious thing.
I don't know how many people in this society are sad that they can't learn because they don't have a good level of finances even though they have a passion for learning. Also, there are students who are sad because they can't find a good teacher.
However, the more precious words of wisdom, life, and blessings, the Word of God, can be heard and learned without cost and without money. And everyone has the opportunity to learn.
If you were to pay tuition to learn the Bible based on worldly studies and its value, it would be too expensive for any chaebol in the world to afford. But just because they say they are actors doesn't mean they don't know the value.
In fact, everything that God gives to us has been freely given. You just gave me water, air, sunlight, and great nature... Is that all? He just gave our lives.
Moreover, the greatest is the bread of life and the word of salvation that leads to the kingdom of heaven.
When people who are wandering without setting a goal in life read and learn the Bible, they realize the right goal and the real meaning of life. When we read sinners, we repent and become new.
When a proud person reads, he becomes a humble person. When the broken spirit reads, it is comforted and healed. When discouraged and discouraged people read, they gain hope and courage. When a fool reads these words, he gains wisdom.
Like Handel, when an artist reads the Word of God, he gets a yellow inspiration. When a scientist reads the Bible, he becomes more dependent on God. When politicians read the Bible, they can rule the country right away. When a teacher reads the Bible, he develops a good character. Soldiers become more courageous when they read the Bible.
Therefore, everyone should read and learn. That is why it is said that blessed are those who keep the words of this prophecy and what is written in it.
How much grace and blessing is it that you just come out and learn this wonderful secret of wisdom? You should be thankful. If you say thank you for the little things and don't know how to truly appreciate God's great grace, this is a great misfortune. That's stupid.
The more you realize this preciousness, the greater your zeal to learn the Word of God. It is hard work to learn.
If you look at today's text, you can see a person who diligently reads and learns the Word of God.
He is the Ethiopian eunuch, Cush. Ethiopia is a black country, located between Egypt and Arabia. He is the person in charge of the treasury of the queen Gandage of that country. In terms of the fortress, it sounds like the Minister of Finance.
As a Jew, he came to Jerusalem to worship and was on his way back, riding in a chariot while reading the Old Testament book of Isaiah. If you look at this, you can see how severe his zeal is and how much he longs for the Word of God. God gives grace and blessings to those who long for him.
How busy would you be if you were the Minister of Finance? Making time is very difficult.
In the midst of this, he devoted himself to reading the Bible. He did not have enough to read and learn the Bible in the temple, so he read the Bible while riding on the road in a chariot. At that time, there was no asphalt, no quiet passenger cars. It was a swaying wagon. It is very difficult to say that we read the Bible here. This is how I longed for the word.
In the Old Testament, the prophet Habakkuk said, “Let the saints read while running.”
Indeed, Gusnash read the Bible while running. ‘What does it mean to run?’
It means that the lives of the people of Israel at that time were not smooth enough to sit quietly and read the Bible. The Hebrew word for peace is derived from the verb shakan, which means to sit. Therefore, the word ‘running’ means on the contrary, crisis, anxiety, and being pressed for time.
It seems that today is the time to really read while running. It is a life in which everyone is chased. When I go to work, I get chased by work. When you return home, you are chased by household chores. chased by education.
I'm trying to pretend to be a person again, so both the superior and the inferior are being chased by face.
Of course, in some cases, you can get away from this complicated environment and go into the mountains to quietly pray and read the Bible. However, in this era we live in today, it is very difficult to create such an environment. It's a really busy world. In fact, there are many times when it is difficult to even pay five or ten minutes. Dongbun-seoju, always running.
But I told them to read while running. No matter how busy you are, you should put more effort into reading the Word of God. The Lord said that the kingdom of heaven is taken by violent men. Aggression is not something to do with leisure. Others may be sacrificed for this.
When a soldier goes to war, he ceases to do anything based on his personal life.
This is to protect families, businesses and people.
Why should we read God's Word while we run? Why are you telling me to take a break and read the Bible when I am tired in this busy life?
Because the Bible is the food of our life. This is because it becomes a weapon and food for the soldiers of the cross who come to the battlefield.
Everyone! In a busy world, we need to read and learn more about God's Word. Because this is the key to solving ten thousand problems. No one in the history of Christianity has failed in this way. Rather, they experienced the power and miracles of God and received amazing grace and blessings.
I hope that our whole church will be all the blessed saints who yearn for the Word, read and learn, regardless of whether it is students, young people, adults or old people. This is the driving force of church revival, the fountain of grace, and the source of blessing.
The busier and more difficult the world, the more we need to read and learn the Bible. As much as we care and yearn for God's Word, God cares about us, hears our prayers, and the Holy Spirit always guides us into green pastures of grace.
God saw his zeal and longing for the village and sent Philip.
In verses 29-30, it is said that the Holy Spirit then made Philip go to the chariot on which the Ethiopian eunuch was riding. Philip saw him reading the book of Isaiah and said, 'Do you understand what you are reading?'
His answer is clear. Verse 31 says, “He answered, “How can I understand, since there is no one to guide me?” He asked Philip to get into the chariot and sit with him.”
Yes. It is impossible to learn without someone to teach and teach. Learning is also important.
At the same time, you will find that teaching is even more important. Without good teachers, good students and good workers are not born. Moreover, a teacher or a clergyman who teaches the Bible should pray more earnestly than a student who wants to learn, prepare with all sincerity, but, most importantly, follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit and teach with the power of the Holy Spirit.
When a teacher or learner does it with longing and zeal, God is with them in wisdom and power.
I hope that this Bible School is for teachers and learners with longing hearts and devotion. So, I hope you will rediscover yourself and be renewed through the Word. Not only that, I hope that you will be refreshed with the spiritual grace given through the Word and will be honorably used for the gospel and the glory of God.
When you see that Cushnash had Philip sit in a chariot with him, you can see how humble and longing for grace he was. “How can you understand without a guide?”---
This is a sincere, humble attitude, politely speaking of one's own tribe.
If a person is not humble and proud, he cannot learn anything. These people don't even want to learn at all. The reason is that they ignore even those who teach.
It is the misfortune of those who mistakenly think that it has become impossible. Only humble people can be good students.
He never had the pride that I could learn for myself by reading and researching on my own.
People with development are always aware of their shortcomings and are willing to learn humbly. “I can learn on my own, so what do I need a leader?” Those who do not know themselves and are arrogant are of little value.
Some people are engrossed in spiritual pride and foolishly expose their pride and ignorance by saying, “I am a spiritual person who is in direct contact with God, so I do not need to learn from anyone, and I do not need to rummage from book to book.” These types of people are usually found in cults and their followers.
If you look at verses 32-33, you can see that the bible verse Cushunash was reading is from Isaiah 53:7 and below. It says, “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; like a lamb to the slaughter, and a sheep silent before its shearers, so he did not open his mouth.”
After the eunuch Cush had read all the words, he asked Philip. ‘Who is this Lamb to whom is he?’ Then Philip made it clear that the Lamb was Jesus Christ. He was very happy and moved when he realized that Jesus was the promised Messiah. So he was baptized after completing Philip's brief baptismal question and answer (verses 37-38).
There is true joy in the heart that realizes the truth. True freedom is found in those who possess the truth. That is why Jesus said, “The truth will set you free.”
The tragedy of mankind today is that we do not receive Jesus Christ, who is the truth, and do not understand His words.
Dear saints! The source of the water of life is before us. Like the eunuch, I long for the word of God, and by taking the opportunity to read, learn, and abide in the word, I pray in the name of Jesus that you may receive all the abundant grace and blessings from the word.