Summary:
Let us emulate the Ethiopian eunuch in loving both the temple of God and the word of God.

• Loved temple of God: He willingly made the time and effort to travel ~100km to Jerusalem! As pandemic restrictions ease, will we make the journey to worship in church? We give many reasons e.g. can’t sing hymns. But a person who truly loves God would know worshipping in church is different from worshipping at home - the environment helps to prepare our hearts, we’re able to worship alongside fellow brethren, we can get laid hands upon!
• Loved word of God: After worshipping in Jerusalem, he spent his journey back reading the Scriptures! How many of us would read the Bible on the way/at home after church service? Some people love the temple of God but don’t love the word of God. They love to come to church for service but don’t love to listen to the word of God. Some people love the word of God but don’t love the temple of God. They read the Bible at home daily but don’t want to go to church.

Previous sermons talked about the incorrect zealous heart Saul/Paul had and the impure heart Simon the sorcerer had. This sermon will talk about the heart God loves.

Acts 8:26-39
Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is desert. So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet. Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot.” So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. The place in the Scripture which he read was this: “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He opened not His mouth. In His humiliation His justice was taken away, And who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth.” So the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?” Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.

The road to Gaza is about 100km from Samaria. It’s a narrow road along the Mediterranean Sea. Since the road to Gaza was desert, how unlikely it would have been to meet someone to preach to. But God led Philip to preach to someone along the road. Philip had no idea what great work was set out for him by God.

Philip preached to an influential Ethiopian eunuch along the road! If we were given the task to preach along a desert road, we may be less likely to go. We’d be more likely to go if we were tasked to preach in a city. But the Bible tells us while we plan our ways, the Lord directs our steps (Prov 16:9). We may wonder why God leads us a certain way, but we must believe God has His beautiful will.

The Ethiopian eunuch was the first seed that the gospel was preached to in Northern Africa. Philip could never have imagined this was God’s plan. He just knew Jesus said the gospel would be preached in all Jerusalem, Samaria, Judea and to the ends of the earth.

The Ethiopian had many good qualities we can learn from. He was an important eunuch in charge of the queen’s treasury. In other words, he was the Minister of Finance. He had come to Jerusalem to worship God. It was likely 100km of journey!

Today, we are more comfortable staying home for service. We think: “Aiya there’s no difference staying home and going to church!”

But the Ethiopian eunuch was willing to travel such a far distance to worship God! The desert roads were bumpier than our roads; he was travelling in a chariot (as compared to our buses and cars). He really must have had a heart to worship God to make the journey.

Being an official, he must’ve had a busy job as well. Yet, he made the effort and time.

The pandemic has made a big difference to our lives. But would we still show the same affection to God’s temple? Will inconvenience be a reason for not loving the temple of God? We can give many reasons. “I can’t sing hymns in church!” is one often said.

Would this be a habit for us over a period of time? To the point we don’t even want to take the bus or car to church? A person who truly loves God would know: coming to church for service is different from having service at home.

Personally, the sermon speaker thinks it’s easier to get distracted at home. But the atmosphere in church is different. Humans are like this; we are affected by our environment. In church, we wouldn’t walk around unnecessarily and would sit up straight. This is because we’re gathered together in church and our mind is prepared to worship. But at home, we are more relaxed. Sometimes at home, we do things we wouldn’t normally do if we were in church.

Eccl 5:1-2
Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil. Do not be rash with your mouth, And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; Therefore let your words be few.

Besides reminding us to walk prudently when going to the house of God, the verse also reminds us not to be rash with our mouths. Last time, people would make vows thoughtlessly. This reminds us not to have a carefree attitude or to speak without reflection when talking to God. When we have service at home, do we chat? But coming to church gets us in the right mindset. It helps to immerse us into the worship of God. Coming to church for service is different from coming to the temple of God! It’s a place everyone comes to worship God together. It’s different from having service alone at home.

The Ethiopian eunuch was very serious in his worship of God. He wanted to draw near to the temple of God, no matter how far the distance. When we are given so many opportunities to come to the temple of God’s and fail to seize them, perhaps it’s time to reflect whether we truly love the temple of God.

Psa 84:1-2, 10
How lovely is Your tabernacle, O LORD of hosts! My soul longs, yes, even faints For the courts of the LORD; My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

The Israelites were taken to a foreign land for a long time. They weren’t able to worship God in His temple. After returning, to finally be able to worship God in His temple again, was very precious to them.

Is returning to church as precious to us?

Heb 12:22-23
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect

Congregating in the church of God is different from having services at home. It’s not an issue of the building, but the spirit of gathering together to worship God.

Heb 10:25
not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

Why do we want to meet together? So we can mutually exhort/encourage one another! Coming together to worship is different from the worship we have alone at home.

As we progress from Phase 1 to 2 to 3, while the church has been encouraging members to return to church, fewer members than before the pandemic are coming. The reasons given are: “I can’t sing when I’m in church! So I rather stay home.” But in church, you can worship together and get laid hands upon in prayer! Which is more important?

At home, it’s perhaps one family worshipping together. But in church, it’s many families coming to worship together!

We can give many reasons. But for a person who truly loves the temple of God, all these reasons are not valid. As Phase 3 comes, let’s actively seek to return to the temple of God. This is a place we can mutually exhort one another and strive to do good together.

Hebrews reminds us that when we have formed the habit to not come to church, it’s difficult to break the habit.

Acts 8:27-31
a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet. Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot.” So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him.

How humble his response was!

Apart from his love for the temple of God, we see his love for the word of God! On his way back home, instead of falling asleep, he seized the opportunity to read the word of God!

How many of us are like him? After going to church for service, how many of us would read the Bible on the way home? “Aiya I already heard the speaker talking about the Bible so long already!” Perhaps we may say that we get motion sickness, or that we are driving so we can’t read. But how many of us would read when we get back home? “Ah the fact that I stayed awake during the service was already a great feat!”

The Ethiopian eunuch thirsted for the word of God. We see this from how he invited Philip to teach him. An official ought to be knowledgable. But he admitted he didn’t know and humbly asked Philip to teach him.

When we read the Bible and don’t understand, what do we do? Do we just put it aside? Or do we make the effort to seek to understand it?

If we don’t have a heart that thirsts to understand the word of God, it’s hard for our lives to change! Maybe we have been a believer for so many years but have not changed.

The gospel is the power of God! This power of God is able to change sinful human beings to live out the word of God.

Acts 8:36
Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptised?”

After understanding the Scripture that pointed to Jesus, the Ethiopian eunuch immediately asked to be baptised!

This baptism was of full immersion and in living water (v38). We baptise according to what the Bible says.

After understanding the word of God and loving the word of God, the next step is to act out the word of God.

During a Bible study, a brother asked, “Why was there no record of Holy Communion being conducted in this incident?” To think of this question shows he had been reflecting on the word of God. He loved the word of God and wanted to understand it better.

The Bible may not record every detail the disciples did. So even if the Bible doesn’t record it, it doesn’t necessarily mean the Holy Communion wasn’t conducted.

Don’t other parts of the Bible record the Holy Communion? When we read the Bible, we cannot just read a part on its own. We need to read it in its entirety. Just because Acts 8 doesn’t mention Holy Communion, it doesn’t mean it’s to be done away with. We know conducting the Holy Communion was instructed by Jesus. But the author may not record each time it is conducted every time.

One verse of the Bible says we need to repent (Matt 4:17). One verse says we need to believe and be baptised (Mark 16:16). One verse says we need to repent, be baptised and receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). Another verse says we need to have the renewal of the Holy Spirit! (Titus 3:5) If we just refer to the first verse, does it mean we don’t need to be baptised? Does it mean we don’t need to receive the Holy Spirit? We need to read the Bible in its entirety.

If we truly love the word of God, we would study and seek it comprehensively. We wouldn’t read the Bible in sections and say: “Oh this part doesn’t mention this. That must mean it doesn’t matter!”

-livestream got cut off- (another reason to worship in church instead of streaming in from home :p )

The Ethiopian eunuch not only loved the temple of God, he also loved the word of God. This is a point of reflection for us. Some people love the temple of God but don’t love the word of God. They love to come to church for service but don’t love to listen to the word of God. Some people love the word of God but don’t love the temple of God. They read the Bible at home daily but say: “Go to church ah? I don’t want I don’t want.”

But the Bible teaches us that we ought to love both the temple of God and the word of God!

Testimony:
In the northern part of Thailand, there was an old lady who came to know of Jesus Christ and got baptised. She stayed near the church; just 200m down the slope. Then, she suffered a stroke. The speaker went to visit her. She said, “Preacher, no. I need to go to the church of God.” The speaker told her, “You have a stroke! It’s okay if you aren’t able to come to church.” Her son was caught taking drugs and was taken by the police. Her daughter-in-law had to work to support the family. There were two young children at home. Still she said, “Preacher, no. I must go to church.” Despite having a stroke, she made it to church. When she made it, she was moved to tears while praying. She truly loved the temple of God. Despite having a stroke, she still wanted to go to the temple of God!

This is worthy of our reflection.

We can give many reasons to not come to church. But if we truly loved the temple of God and the word of God, we would come. What kind of heart do we have?