Outcasts
October 8, 2023 / Pastor Joseph BritainAs for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, “Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.” So he started out, and he met the treasurer of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, the Queen of Ethiopia. The eunuch had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and he was now returning. – Acts 8:26-28a NLT
A story about
So the Samaritan woman said to Him, “How is it that You, though You are a Jew, are asking me for a drink, though I am a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) – John 4:9
No one who is emasculated or has his male organ cut off may enter the assembly of the Lord. – Deut 23:1
Jesus changes
Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say, “The Lord will certainly separate me from His people.” Nor let the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.” For this is what the Lord says: “To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, and choose what pleases Me, and hold firmly to My covenant, to them I will give in My house and within My walls a memorial, and a name better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name which will not be eliminated. Also the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, to attend to His service and to love the name of the Lord, to be His servants, every one who keeps the Sabbath so as not to profane it, and holds firmly to My covenant; Even those I will bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar; For My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.” – Is 56:3-7
Jesus reaching this guy is no
There was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, Queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he had come to Jerusalem to worship, and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading Isaiah the prophet. – Acts 8:27b-28
The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.” Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” The man replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him. The passage of Scripture he had been reading was this: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter. And as a lamb is silent before the shearers, He did not open His mouth. He was humiliated and received no justice. Who can speak of His descendants? For His life was taken from the earth.” – Acts 8:29-33 NLT
So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus. – Acts 8:35 NLT
My Righteous Servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for He will bear all their sins. – Is 53:11b NLT
All scripture is from the New American Standard Bible unless otherwise noted