Jump Start # 746

Acts 8:30 “Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’”

This week we are taking a look at some of the great questions found in the New Testament. Many of these questions are not hard or difficult questions, instead they are personal, penetrating and get to the point of what is truly important.

Our question today comes from the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch. He had been to Jerusalem to worship and was now traveling back home. He was an important man, in charge of the queen’s finances. His position put him in important places and around important people.  His position would have provided a grand income. Part of that is illustrated by the fact that he has a copy of Isaiah. That book would have been composed of three large scrolls. It was extremely rare for anyone to have a personal copy. This Ethiopian did, somehow. That is impressive!

God called Philip away from Samaria and sent him to the Ethiopian. Philip found him along the road. Our passage says that Philip ran to the chariot. He heard the Ethiopian reading. Two thoughts:

Philip is excited and ready to do God’s work. He ran. He didn’t hesitate. He didn’t delay. He didn’t spend all this time planning on the sidelines. He got right into things. Sometime folks, and churches, spend too much time in the huddle and not enough time just doing what they ought to do. Philip ran. Folks back in those days didn’t run much. They didn’t run for recreation as we often do. We remember that the father of the prodigal “ran” to him when he saw the boy returning home. Running shows the urgency and the excitement that Philip felt.

We also notice that Philip “heard” the Ethiopian reading. He was reading out loud. He may have been sharing this with those who were traveling with him. He was an important man and he would have had assistants and servants and others with him. Reading aloud, much like Paul and Silas, singing aloud in a Philippian jail, influences those around. People hear. The message is powerful. Sometimes reading aloud is a good study practice for us. We hear things that our eyes tend to miss.

Philip began their conversation with a question. It’s a great question. It’s a simple question. “Do you understand what you are reading?” That question opens the door to a conversation about the Bible and about God. Notice, Philip did not begin by saying, “Let me tell you what you this means.” He could have. He didn’t. He asked, “do you understand…”

The Ethiopian was honest in his answer. He didn’t understand. He wanted to know, so he invited Philip to teach him. How easily the Ethiopian could have ended the conversation by saying, “Yes, I do understand.” Instead, he opened the door for Philip. Honesty, and humbleness and a desire to know God’s word fill the atmosphere of what happened here.

Do you understand? That question led to teaching about Jesus and the conversion of the Ethiopian. How easily it started with simply, “Do you understand…?”

Without understanding a person is in the dark. Without understanding they don’t “get” what they are reading. Without understanding the message becomes choppy, confusing and boring. A person will stop reading if they do not understand. I wonder how often that happens today? A person feels guilty for not reading the Bible and they pick up that big book and start reading but a few paragraphs later, they do not understand what is going on, why something is happening the way it does and the darkness and confusion takes over and they quit reading. They try again several months later and the same thing happens again. They become convinced that the Bible is too hard to understand. They need a Philip to help them. They need to understand what is going on.

God’s word can be understood. Paul said, “understand the will of God” (Eph 5:17).

There are three simple lessons for us:

1. We need to understand what we are reading. If we don’t, we need to ask for help. What is the message God is telling us? What does God expect you to do? Take time with God’s word. Take it slowly. Understand what you are reading. Don’t be too proud to invite a Philip into your life to help you understand.

2. God can use you as an instrument to help others. There are others who do not understand. You can help them. Show them. Walk them through the things you have learned. Don’t guess. Don’t tell them things that you are not sure yourself. But what you do know, share it and help them. You will see the fog of darkness lifted once someone understands. Philip had to understand first, before he could teach someone else. So must we.

3. Use Philip’s question. It’s a great question. It’s an easy one. When you see someone reading the Bible, ask, “Do you understand what you are reading?” A conversation may follow. A Bible study may take place. Someone may become a Christian. This question can be used even when someone is not reading the Bible. A conversation takes place around the kitchen table or at work, or school, and you ask, “Do you understand what the Bible says about that?” Many have no idea that the Bible addresses so many subjects. They are in the dark about what God says. Do you understand is a great way to build a bridge to those subjects.

Do you understand…a simple question and a profound result!

Roger