INTRODUCTION
A. The song " The Gospel Is For All " is proven by the conversion of the Ethiopian " eunuch " to Christ.
1. " I am not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God to salvation to everyone who believes, the Jew first and also the Gentile," Romans 1:16
2. As there are still billions who are NOT yet in Christ today, this passage remains a CHALLENGE to all professing Christians.
B. This lesson will be discussed in the following manner:
1. The NEED for an evangelist in winning souls to Christ
2. The GOSPEL must be fully explained to the honest SEEKER
3. There is an URGENCy in obeying God's command
4. The GOSPEL transcends RACE and SOCIAL STATUS
DISCUSSION
A. The Need for an Evangelist In Winning Souls to Christ
1. The conversion of the eunuch to Christ was " miraculous."
2. An angel of the Lord told Phillip to go to the road going to Gaza, v.26
3. After the eunuch's baptism, the Spirit of the Lord took Phillip to Azotus, v.40
4. It must be NOTED that it was Phillip who preached the gospel to the eunuch, v.35
5. God leads us to people by His providential power, but we have to preach the gospel to them
6. The command is " go and make disciples from all nations," Matthew 28:19
7. " Teach them to do ALL things that I commanded you," Matthew 28:20
B. The Gospel Must Be Fully Explained to the Honest Seeker
1. There is NO shortcut in preaching the NT gospel of Christ
2. Some would say " accept Him as your Personal Savior and you are already saved !"
3. Others propose " Be baptized NOW and learn the GOSPEL later."
4. But Phillip used Isaiah 53:7 as reference to explain Jesus as the Savior of all men, v.35
5. Phillip told the eunuch " to believe in Jesus and to be baptized for the forgiveness of his sins," vs.36-37
6. The eunuch learned, understood and obeyed the gospel that was fully explained to him.
7. We too must learn to fully explain the NT gospel to honest and true seekers of God's words!
C. There is an URGENCY in obeying God's command
1. No doubt Phillip told the Eunuch, " unless you are born of the water and the Spirit, you cannot enter the Kingdom of God," John 3:5
2. Also, he could have repeated Mark 16:16, " He who believes and is baptized shall be saved."
3. Phillip echoed Peter's words, " Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins and you shall receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit," Acts 2:38
4. Upon seeing water, the Eunuch volunteered, " See, here is water, what hinders me from being baptized?" Acts 8:36
5. At once, Phillip and the Eunuch went down into the water and he baptized him, Acts 8:38-39
6. Both Phillip and the Eunuch knew the urgency of God's command
7. For Paul wrote, " Now is the acceptable time.Today is the Day of Salvation," 2 Corinthians 6:2
D. The Gospel Transcends Race and Social Status
1. The " gospel is for all " as the song goes was proven by the conversion of the Ethiopian Eunuch to Christ.
2. The eunuch belonged to the black race ( descendants of Ham ) and he was Treasurer of the Queen of Candace..a high position.
3. Whereas the apostles were " Jewish fishermen, publicans and zealots."
4. The Israelites, later called the Jews, were proud that they were God's chosen people.
5. The Jews despised other races like they did with the Samaritans, John 4:9
6. But Paul wrote in Romans 1:16 that " the gospel is God's power to salvation first to the Jews and also to the Greeks ( Gentiles )."
7.Thus, Jesus' command is " to go and make disciples of ALL nations..." Matthew 28:19
8. In Colossians 3:11, we read " There is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all and is in all."
CONCLUSION
A. The conversion of the Ethiopian Eunuch to Christ obeyed Jesus' great commission in Matthew 28:19-20
1. The command is " to make disciples of all nations" is also for us today
2. We do not have to go to " all nations" but to our families, friends, neighbors, workmates and so forth.
B. Let us follow this simple formula in winning souls to Christ
1. God loves the world so He sent His Only Son to save us from condemnation to HELL, John 3:16
2. We must believe in Christ; be baptized to be saved, Mark I6:16; Acts 2:38
3. " Now is the acceptable time. Today is the Day of Salvation, 2 Corinthians 6:2
4. Jesus invites everyone to "come to Him for spiritual rest," Matthew 11:28-30