SCRIPTURE: Acts 8 

KEY POINTS TO PONDER: Philip, in verses 26-40, had an incredible experience of being guided and dependent upon the Holy Spirit. The Spirit led him to go walking along a road, to run up to a specific chariot, and then even transported him to a whole new place in the blink of an eye! Many people in more western churches would never expect to be used in the same way by the Spirit, but this idea robs us of God’s amazing invitation for us to bring others to him by the Spirit’s power. Perhaps as Christians we will not experience being “magically teleported” by the Spirit, but as we ask God to help us follow him, as our prayer life and scripture study becomes alive and as we seek him daily, we will begin to be more in tune with the Spirit’s leading us in different ways. 

CHALLENGING TERMS: The great persecution which is mentioned in verses 1-3 is now commonly known as the diaspora, which is when a certain people group is scattered throughout different regions. This scattering, though it seemed to be a success on the religious leaders’ part, actually led to the gospel being spread further and further, just as Jesus said it would in Acts 1:8. 

REFLECTION: Can you think of a time you’ve felt led by the Holy Spirit to do something? How can you start to gain more attentiveness to God’s voice and leading?

PRAYER: Jesus, thank you for giving us your Holy Spirit, and the incredible opportunity to share Christ with others just as Philip did with the Ethiopian eunuch. 

Pray for a greater sensitivity to God’s voice.