Philip Tells the Ethiopian
Month 10: Telling the Good News · Bible Story
Today's Scripture
Read together: Acts 8:26–39
26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Get up and go south to the desert road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official in charge of the entire treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his return was sitting in his chariot reading Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to that chariot and stay by it.” 30 So Philip ran up and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. 31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so He did not open His mouth. 33 In His humiliation He was deprived of justice. Who can recount His descendants? For His life was removed from the earth.” 34 “Tell me,” said the eunuch, “who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip began with this very Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. 36 As they traveled along the road and came to some water, the eunuch said, “Look, here is water! What is there to prevent me from being baptized?” [37] Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” 38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, but went on his way rejoicing.
Memory Verse
“that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”— Romans 10:9 (BSB)memorize this week
📖 Bible-in-a-Year (optional)
Today's reading: Psalms 148–150
Reading the whole Bible in a year — do this when you have extra time. (The Psalms end with everything that has breath praising the Lord — the very thing the Ethiopian went home rejoicing to do.)The Heart of It
An angel told Philip to walk down a lonely desert road, and he obeyed without knowing why. There he met an important man from Ethiopia. The man was riding in his chariot, reading the book of Isaiah out loud, but he didn't understand a word of it. So the Spirit said, "Go near and overtake this chariot." Philip ran up and simply asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?" The man answered, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" That one honest question opened the door. Philip began right where the man was, in Isaiah, and "preached Jesus to him."
Notice how God arranged every piece. He gave a hungry heart reading the right page. He gave a willing messenger who would run. And He sent a Spirit who brought them together at the exact spot in the road. Telling the good news isn't about being pushy or having a fancy speech. It's about being available. It's being ready to go, ready to listen, and ready to point someone to Jesus. When the Ethiopian believed and was baptized, he "went on his way rejoicing." One faithful conversation on a dusty road sent the gospel all the way to Africa. God still loves to use ordinary people who say yes.
Around the Table
Philip met a man who didn't understand the Bible, so Philip told him all about Jesus! The man was so happy he got baptized right away.
Let's do it: Practice asking a friendly question: "Have you ever heard about Jesus?" Smile big when you say it!
Philip started with a question and then talked about Jesus from the part of the Bible the man was already reading. Why is asking a good question a great way to begin?
Let's talk: Who is someone you could ask, "Do you know about Jesus?" this week?
God prepared both the messenger and the listener before they ever met. Philip's job was simply to obey, to listen, and to connect Scripture to Jesus.
Let's go deeper: How does it take the pressure off to know the Holy Spirit is already at work in a person's heart before you ever speak?
💬 Conversation Starter
Imagine you were riding alone, and a stranger ran up and offered to explain something confusing to you. Would you let them? That's exactly what the Ethiopian did with Philip!
🛡️ Defending the Faith
The Ethiopian official is a real historical figure tied to a real kingdom. He was reading a real scroll of Isaiah that still exists today. Luke names places and people we can check. This is reported history, not a fairy tale. And it shows the gospel was meant for every nation from the very start.
For Dad · Go Deeper
Philip models something most of us miss. Evangelism usually begins with listening, not lecturing. His first words were a question, and he met the man inside the man's own curiosity. Teaching your children to share Christ is less about handing them a script and more about cultivating two habits. The first is obedience to nudges ("go near"). The second is genuine interest in people ("do you understand?"). Most kids freeze at evangelism because they imagine they must win a debate. Show them instead that the Spirit goes ahead of them, opens hearts, and only asks them to be present and willing. Your own example here speaks loudest. When your children see you take a kind interest in a neighbor or a checkout clerk and gently mention Jesus, you hand them a pattern they'll carry for life.
Draws on: Sean McDowell, So the Next Generation Will Know.
Let's Pray Together
"Father, make our family ready and willing to share Your good news. Help us be quick to obey, kind to ask, and glad to point others to Jesus. In Jesus' name, amen."
God puts ready people on the road of hungry hearts. I can be one who simply says yes.