Introduction

• In the last lesson, we learned about Abram. He was a man who obeyed God even when it was what? (Difficult.)
• Today, we will learn about another man named Philip who obeyed the Lord and led someone else to Jesus.

Bible Story

God sent an angel to speak to a man named Philip.
“Go south along the desert road that leads from Jerusalem to Gaza,” the angel told him. Philip obeyed and left.
An important Ethiopian official happened to be going along that road also. He was sitting in his chariot reading the book of the prophet Isaiah.
The Holy Spirit told Philip to catch up with the official. Again, Philip obeyed and ran up close to the chariot. Philip could hear the man reading aloud from the book of Isaiah.
“Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked him.
“How can I?” the man replied. “I can only understand if someone helps me.” Then, the official invited Philip to come and sit beside him.
Philip began at the Scripture passage the official had been reading. Then, Philip explained the good news about Jesus.
As they continued along the road, they came to a place where there was some water.
“Look!” the official said. “Here is some water. Can I be baptized?”
So, Philip and the official got out of the chariot and went down to the water. There, Philip baptized him.

Review

Philip heard and obeyed God twice in the story. First, God sent an angel to tell Philip to travel along the desert road. Then, God’s Holy Spirit told him to catch up with the official’s chariot.
If we listen carefully, we can hear God speak to us also. This does not mean we will always hear God with our ears. Instead, it means we can hear him with our “inner ears” when we quiet our minds and our hearts. When we hear God speak to us, it is important that we obey just like Philip did.
God used Philip to share Jesus with someone who did not know about him. It is likely that the official from Ethiopia returned to his country and told other people about Jesus. God wants everyone from every country to know the good news about Jesus. God can use each of us—just like he used Philip—to spread the good news about Jesus, too.

1. Whom does God want to hear the good news about Jesus? (Everyone from every country)
2. How does this story show that God wants all people to hear the good news about Jesus? (God sent Philip to tell someone from a different country about Jesus. It is likely that this official then shared the truth about Jesus with others in his own country.)
3. How can we listen for God using our “inner ears”? (We can quiet our minds and our hearts.)
4. How can God use us like he used Philip? (God used Philip to share the good news about Jesus with the official who did not yet know him. God can use us to share the news about Jesus with others, too.)

Prayer

Dear God,
Help me quiet my mind and heart, so that I can better hear you. Amen.