Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1934-10-12
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(By REV r. b. FITZwATER, ID. D..
Member of Faculty, Moody Bible
Institute of Chicago.)
q. Western Newspaper Union
Lesson for October ii
THE CHRISTIAN AND HIS BIBLE


Psalm 1897.
PRIMARY ToPIC-Learning From
Gods Book.
JUNIOR TOPICAL Ethiopian
Finds Good News in the Bible.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR
TOPIC-Finding Time for Bible
Study.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT
TOPIC-How to Study the Bible.
In the conversion of the Ethio-
plan we not only see the Word Of
God in relation to the salvation of
a sinner, but the Lords work
broadening in its scope.
!. Philip Meeting the Ethiopian
(vv. 26-29).
l. Leaving the Lords work by
Divine direction ". 26). The Lord
called Philip away from a great
work in Samaria, and specifically
directed him to this man. Abraham
like. he obeyed the divine command,
not knowing why he should leave
the work in Samaria and go into
a desert place. AS he journeyed
on by faith, he espied the state
chariot of the Ethiopian treasurer.
The Spirit Of God directed him to
go near and join himself to the
chariot. The tactful question put
to the treasurer gained him a seat
by the side of this dignified officer.
The commission which at first
seemed so unpromising was now
clear. The way of faith begins in
obscurity, but it always ends In
the clear light.
2. An officer Of state reading the
Bible wv. 81. 28). The Ethiopian
had been to Jerusalem to worship.
Despite his high official position, he
was not ashamed to be a worshiper
Of God. Following after God should
not be considered beneath the dig
nifty of a statesman. Indeed, the
worlds greatest statesmen have
been God-fearing men.
8. A providential meeting In the
desert ". 29). The coming together
of these two men was clearly the
predetermined way Of God. God
knew the road which the eunuch
would be travelling, and the time Of
his passing through GAIA. Philips
going to that place was timed &C.
Cording to the divine knowledge.
u. Philip Preaching to the EthIo-
plan wv, 30-35).
1. The Ethiopian's employment
while journeying ". 30). His occu-
patton at the time of this meeting
was reading the Word of God. At
the invitation of the Ethiopian,
Philip joined himself to the chariot
and found him reading from the
fifty-third chapter of Isaiah. God
will eventually show the way of life
to the one who searches his Word.
2. The absolute need of an inter-
prefer ". 81. The Ethiopian was
reading one of the clearest testi-
monies to the Messiah In the Old
Testament, yet he was unable to
understand it. The Ethiopian, a
great statesman, needed an inter
prefer of the Scriptures. The mind
Of the natural man is blind to spir-
itual things, making the work of an
evangelist indispensable. Preaching
the Word Of God will always be nee
essary. Valuable as is the Bible in
the hands Of men, the touch and In
fuence of the living man who has
experienced the work of Gods say.
lng grace in his own heart is
'reeded;
3. Philips. message (vv. 32-35).
He began al. She: Scripture which the
BthCpFan was :real1ing, and preached
unto him Jesus This shows us that
the person represented in the fifty
third chapter of Isaiah as suffering
In the stead of others was Jesus
Christ instead of Israel. It shows
also that the central theme of the
preachers message should be
Jesus. He did not preach Jesus as
great teacher, but as a Saviour
who had suffered and died instead
of the sinner. He preached Jesus
as the one who had offered himself
as a ransom for many. If there is
to be revival, there must be a re-
turn to the preaching Of salvation
through the shed blood Of Jesus
Christ.
~. Philip Baptizing the Ethiopian
(vv. 36-38).