Perplexity and Opportunity January 27, 2019
Overview
God's Concern for the One
In Acts 8, Philip is one of those easily forgotten figures in Scripture—not the apostle, but the deacon who had served the widows and now proclaims Christ in Samaria. The gospel is bearing fruit there: people believe, are baptized, and Peter and John come down to witness this remarkable expansion of the church beyond Jerusalem. Then, surprisingly, an angel directs Philip away from this fruitful field to a wilderness road—the old road from Jerusalem to Gaza that hardly anyone traveled anymore Acts 8:26. It doesn't make strategic sense. Yet Philip simply gets up and goes. That is obedience without all the facts.
The reason becomes clear: a high-ranking Ethiopian official—the treasurer of the Candace, the queen who actually administered the kingdom—is returning home reading aloud from Isaiah. This is no coincidence. It is a divine appointment, and it reveals the heart of God for the one. The same Lord who is moving powerfully in Samaria leaves the ninety-nine to seek the lost, just as Jesus describes in Luke 15. The Ethiopian happens to be reading Isaiah 53—the clearest statement of vicarious atonement in the Old Testament. "He was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities… and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all." Beginning with this Scripture, Philip proclaims to him the good news about Jesus: that the wrath of God for sin fell upon the Messiah, that the great exchange has occurred—our sin laid on Him, His righteousness given to us—and that we are reconciled to God.
Notice the moment: the eunuch is perplexed ("About whom does the prophet say this?"), and into that perplexity Philip speaks the gospel. This is the intersection of perplexity and opportunity. Paul names the same dynamic in 2 Corinthians 4:7-8: we carry this treasure in clay jars; we are "perplexed, but not driven to despair," because we have Christ, and Christ is enough.
The pastoral application is direct. Nothing in the believer's life is accidental. The clerk at the store, the coworker, the family member, the long-lost friend—these are divine appointments. And we will hear perplexity everywhere this week: about the world, the country, relationships, our own bodies and circumstances. We can be tempted to deflect with "I hope it works out" or to redirect the conversation to ourselves. But we have something far better to give. People do not need our thoughts; they need the gospel. At the intersection of someone's perplexity and God's appointed opportunity, get up, go, and speak of Jesus.
Transcript
Would you open your Bible please with me to the eighth chapter of the book of Acts? 0s
His name was Philip. 6s
And Philip can be one of those well forgotten people in Scripture. 9s
You have huge names in Scripture. 15s
Moses and Joshua, David, Paul, Peter, huge, huge, 20s
figures in Scripture. 29s
And then you also have these other folk that sometimes appear just rather briefly. 33s
People like Philip. 43s
This is not the apostle. 48s
This is the one who had helped in the distribution of the food to the widows. 50s
And now God is using Philip to proclaim the recall that setting of the eighth chapter. 55s
Paul has unleashed this ravaging of the church. 64s
This persecution has propelled the Christians out of Jerusalem into the first of the concentric circles. 68s
Jerusalem, or Judea and Samaria. 75s
Then you had as we studied last week. 79s
The conversion of the sorcerer, Simon. 82s
And now when returns to this witness of Philip. 87s
Consistent, faithful, proclaiming Christ. 94s
Look with me please, at verse 5 of chapter 8. 101s
The Scripture says, Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah 105s
to them. 111s
Verse 12 of chapter 8. 113s
But when they believed Philip who was proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, 116s
they were baptized both men and women. 124s
Remember Peter and John had come to see this incredible event that was occurring. 129s
He is now all of a sudden Christianity is moved outside of the walls of Jerusalem. 133s
It's moved into Judea and Samaria. 140s
This is a huge event, a time of rejoicing. 143s
And verse 25 says, 147s
Now after Peter and John had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, 149s
they returned to Jerusalem proclaiming the good news to many villages of the Samaritans. 154s
And now you've got Philip again. 165s
Philip. 168s
Look with me please, verse 26. 171s
Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, 175s
Get up and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. 179s
This is a wilderness road. 186s
By the description there, we know that this is the old road. 192s
It's not the new road. 196s
The old road here that traversed this section of geography, 200s
the old road was hardly ever traveled anymore. 206s
And so God is telling Philip, 212s
leave the fruitful surroundings now of Samaria, 216s
where at one seas evidence of the work of the Spirit, 221s
conversions are happening, 225s
leave the fruitful soil here of Samaria and go out on the old road 227s
into the desert and he doesn't tell him why. 233s
And what is Philip do? 241s
Verse 27. 244s
So he got up and went. 247s
That's obedience. 253s
He doesn't have any facts. 257s
In fact, it doesn't make sense. 260s
Why wouldn't you want to keep Philip? 261s
Where the fruit is being seen in Samaria? 264s
Why don't you keep him here? 267s
It seems like God is focusing on Samaria 271s
and opening up in these doors, Peter and John have come 273s
in their rejoicing over these events. 276s
Wouldn't it make sense to keep Philip in Samaria? 279s
Philip, you know that old road. 284s
The nobody ever really goes on anymore. 288s
Go there. 292s
So he got up and went. 294s
And we see why. 301s
Next part of verse 27. 304s
Now there was an Ethiopian unit, a court official of the Candace, 307s
Queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury. 312s
He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning home. 318s
She was reading the prophet Isaiah. 323s
So he's on the old road. 329s
He's returning home. 331s
He's a unit. 333s
King's in ancient day would oftentimes use units to guard their herums 337s
because they could be trusted. 343s
In Ethiopia, while the king rained the king didn't rule. 347s
The one who did the business of the kingdom was the Queen. 355s
So the king had the title, the king rained, but the one who did all the work was the Queen. 361s
That's why the definitive article appears in verse 27, 368s
where it says, now there was a Ethiopian unit, a court official of the Candace. 372s
The Candace. 378s
That's a title that would be passed on from Queen to Queen. 380s
So she's the one that does all of the business. 386s
And this is a high ranking official. 390s
Okay, so you've got the picture here. 393s
You've got Philip. 395s
He's proclaiming the gospel. 397s
He's called out in the desert. 399s
God puts him on the old road, so specifically he can meet up with this unit. 400s
This is a divine appointment. 408s
Is it a divine appointment? 412s
This is not accident. 414s
This is not coincidence. 415s
This is not happenstance. 416s
This is not look who I bumped into on this road here. 418s
This is God orchestrating the meeting of these two. 421s
Why? 427s
Because God is concerned for the one. 427s
Concern for the one. 432s
He is moving in wonderful ways in Samaria. 435s
And he's also moving on this road. 438s
Nobody goes on anymore. 441s
Because God wants the conversion of this unit. 444s
And so God arranges it. 452s
That's the heart of God, isn't it? 453s
That's Luke the 15th chapter where it says, what shepherd wouldn't leave the 99 and go search for the 455s
One who is lost. 463s
That's the heart of God. 465s
It's the heart of God as you keep reading on and Luke the 15th chapter about the woman who has 467s
Ten Silver coin. 473s
She loses one. 474s
And so she lights up the place and she sweeps in order to find it. 476s
She searches for it. 481s
That's the concern for the one. 482s
And Philip is the one who is given the privilege of coming to this one on this old road for the 484s
Express divine purpose of proclaiming Christ. 496s
So the heart can be transformed and faith blossomed. 501s
This is divine appointment. 506s
Luke will be pleased at verse 29. 515s
Then the spirit said, to Philip, go over to this chariot and join it. 520s
So Philip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. 526s
That's how people read in ancient day. 533s
They didn't read silently to themselves as we do. 536s
They read out loud. 539s
And so he knows exactly what is being read. 541s
He can hear it. 545s
He asked, do you understand what you're reading? 548s
He replied, how can I unless someone guides me and he invited Philip to get in and sit. 551s
Decided. 562s
Verse 32, now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this. 564s
Like a sheep, he was led to the slaughter. 571s
And like a lamb, silent before its sure, so he does not open up his mouth. 577s
This is Isaiah 53. 587s
There is no greater statement in the Old Testament than Isaiah 53 with regard to the doctrine of 592s
Vicarious Atonement. 601s
What's Vicarious Atonement? 604s
It is the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, dying for us. 606s
Dying in our place in order to redeem us. 614s
There is no clear, more beautiful statement on Vicarious Atonement in all of the Old Testament than Isaiah 53. 619s
That's what the unit is reading. 632s
And now this is what Philip gets to explain. 635s
Jump down into verse 35. 643s
Then Philip began to speak and starting with this Scripture, he proclaimed him the good news about Jesus. 646s
Okay, keep your finger here now, please. 656s
And I'd like you to turn to Isaiah 53. 658s
That's in the Old Testament. 661s
Page 643. 663s
Isaiah 53. 665s
Page 643. 667s
Because this is what the unit is reading. 674s
It is only logical to assume, is it not, that if he begins with this portion in Isaiah, he's going to first go to 681s
Surrounding portions of Isaiah as he explains the text. 689s
So look at verse 5 of Isaiah 53. 694s
But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our equities. 699s
Upon him was the punishment that made us whole and by his bruises we are healed. 707s
So what is Philip going to tell this unit? 716s
This is the prophecy about the Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah. 719s
He was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our equities. 723s
When Jesus Christ went to the cross, all of our iniquity was laid upon him. 729s
That is the crushing weight of the sin of every single human being that ever was or would be. 736s
That is the weight and the crush of sin. 748s
He was wounded and he was crushed and then upon him was the punishment that made us whole. 752s
The wrath of God for sin was expressed as his wrath was poured out, not upon us for our sin, 763s
but upon the Messiah the Lord Jesus Christ. 772s
The crushing weight of sin and the wrath of God the punishment for sin laid upon Jesus and by his bruises we are healed. 776s
So what happens? 791s
The cross. 792s
The wrath of God for sin is laid upon the Messiah. 795s
The great exchange occurs. 799s
Jesus takes our sinfulness gives to us of His righteousness to affect the restoration of the relationship that had been severed by sin itself. 803s
That is what a tone it needs at one meant to be reconciled to God. 819s
What would fill up his set? 827s
Could have her six. 829s
All we like sheep have gone astray. 834s
We've all turned to our own way and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 838s
There's not one sinless person. 849s
Not one. 852s
Save the Lord Jesus. 854s
We're all sinners. 857s
We are all deserving of God's eternal condemnation and eternal wrath. 858s
There is none of us that are righteous. 865s
No, not one. 868s
All we like sheep have gone astray. 873s
We've all turned to our own way and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 878s
No clear passage in the Old Testament. 893s
On Vicarious Atonement. 900s
Then this. 902s
Come back to our text now. 906s
Verse 33. 908s
The passage here being referenced goes on in his humiliation. 912s
The passage here is mentioned in his book. 918s
Justice was denied him. 921s
He was absolutely unjust for the sinless, spotless lamb of God to be killed on the cross. 925s
Talk about an unjust act. 934s
That's it. 938s
In his humiliation, justice was denied him. 940s
Who can describe his generation? 944s
For his life is taken away from the earth. 947s
Who can describe the generation of the Lord Jesus Christ? 952s
Because there the Jews look upon Jesus Christ. 955s
And then understand. 960s
Then understand the cross. 962s
Then understand he's the Messiah. 965s
All of the disciples of Jesus flee. 967s
And there's this incredible unjust act of the spotless sinless lamb of God hanging between two criminals. 973s
What an amazing, amazing sea. 986s
And the Jews. 990s
Who can describe his generation? 993s
They don't get it. 998s
They don't get it. 999s
The UNIC ASCED FILLA. 1006s
About whom may I ask you? 1010s
Does the prophet say this about himself? 1014s
Or about someone else? 1020s
Then Philip began to speak and starting with this Scripture. 1024s
Isaiah 53. 1029s
He proclaimed him the good news about Jesus. 1031s
The good news that are sins have been atoned for. 1037s
The good news that Jesus is no longer in the tomb, 1041s
but that Jesus lives and reigns the good news that we have been reconciled on to God Almighty. 1045s
The good news that we are claimed in the waters of holy baptism. 1052s
The good news of the Lord Jesus Christ. 1057s
The UNIC IS PERPLECT. 1064s
Who is this? 1067s
And right at this intersection of perplexity and opportunity. 1071s
Philips speaks. 1084s
It's the intersection of perplexity and opportunity. 1087s
And he speaks. 1098s
I think a poll. 1103s
Second Corinthians of 4th chapter. 1106s
You're right to this. 1109s
He says, but we have this treasure in clay jars. 1110s
The treasure he's talking about there is the good news of Jesus Christ. 1115s
So we have this treasure in clay jars. 1120s
The clay jars is his humanity, the frailty of us all. 1124s
And yet we contain this glorious gospel. 1130s
It's the Lord Jesus Christ, the wells within us. 1135s
He says, we have this treasure in clay jars. 1139s
So that it may be made clear. 1141s
Now this extraordinary power belongs to God. 1142s
Does not come from us. 1145s
Then he says, 1148s
we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed. 1149s
And listen to this. 1157s
Perplexed, but not driven to despair. 1163s
Here's Paul, who could say, 1170s
So I look at what's going on. 1173s
I am confused and I am baffled, but I don't despair. 1176s
I'm perplexed, Paul says, we all are. 1183s
But I don't despair. 1188s
Why? 1191s
Because he had the treasure. 1193s
He had the treasure of the gospel. 1195s
He knew Christ. 1199s
And Christ was enough. 1202s
He was enough. 1206s
Today, and throughout this week, you are going to have divine appointments. 1212s
Nothing happens in the life of the believer that is accidental. 1225s
Nothing. 1233s
God is sovereign, and God oversees all. 1238s
And so the people that you will come across this week. 1242s
It is not accidental. 1248s
It is not coincidence. 1251s
You never would have believed who I bumped into today. 1254s
It is divine appointment. 1261s
That's the clerk at the store. 1267s
That's the work associate. 1269s
That's the family member. 1271s
That's the conversation with someone that you have been talking to in years. 1273s
There's nothing accidental about it. 1278s
It's the get up, fill up, and go down the road here because we've got a divine appointment. 1283s
You're going to keep it. 1292s
A divine appointment with this Ethiopian unit. 1294s
You're going to have divine appointments all over, all over. 1299s
And what you will hear is you will hear perplexity. 1306s
You will hear perplexity this week. 1311s
People are going to say, can you believe the state of the world? 1317s
Can you believe our country? 1320s
I can't believe this relationship. 1322s
Let me tell you what's going on at work. 1325s
I can't believe that this is happening in my own life. 1328s
I don't know what's going on in my own body. 1332s
I'm really perplexed about this. 1334s
You are going to hear example after example of people in perplexity. 1335s
Because that comes with the human condition, doesn't it? 1344s
We are a perplexed people. 1349s
And so what might we be tempted to say? 1353s
Boy, I sure hope that all works out for you. 1357s
Don't we have anything better than that? 1363s
Anything better? 1366s
We're going to be tempted to turn it on ourselves and say, 1369s
Oh, let me tell you when I had a problem. 1373s
And the person just shuts down because not listening to what they're saying. 1377s
Don't we have something better to say than to talk about ourselves? 1384s
It's the intersection. 1391s
It's the intersection. 1394s
It's God's divine appointment and it's the intersection of perplexity and opportunity. 1396s
And what do we have to share? 1408s
We've got to share the gospel of Jesus Christ, 1414s
which is so much better than what the world says. 1420s
I'll be thinking about you. 1427s
People don't need our thoughts. 1433s
People need the gospel. 1437s
And at the intersection of perplexity and opportunity, 1439s
God will reveal its divine appointment. 1451s
You see it, don't you? 1459s
The divine appointment forplexity, opportunity, 1465s
speak, and be filled up, be a fill up, share the gospel. 1473s
That's memorable. 1490s