The Eunuch, Lydia and the Jailer

In our study, we have looked at 2 examples of conversion from the New Testament book of Acts. In both of these cases, both the preacher and the unsaved person were given instructions directly either from the Lord or from the Holy Spirit. To review these 2 cases, read Acts 9:1-18 and Acts 10:1-48. Now we look at 3 examples in which only the preacher received a direct revelation from the Holy Spirit regarding preaching to those who were unsaved.

The first case we will notice is found in Acts 8:26-39. This conversion took place before the 2 cases mentioned in the paragraph above. In the Bible reading, we find a eunuch from Ethiopia returning to his homeland. He lived under the Jewish religion, and had been to Jerusalem to worship. Question: Why, having come such a long way (possibly about 1000 miles) to worship, was a man such as this not saved, but in a lost condition? Answer: Because the Mosaic law had been fulfilled when God's Son died on Calvary's cross, and His new law - the New Testament - came into force on the first Pentecost, 50 days after Jesus' resurrection (Acts 2). This man was a religious man; he was reading God's Word, as he traveled; but he was lost because he had not obeyed the Lord's commands, as given in Matthew 28:18-20, also in Mark 16:15,16. When this Ethiopian was baptized, his sins were washed away, just as Paul said his were when he was baptized (see Acts 22:16).

Today's second example is found in Acts 16:9-12. Paul, an apostle and a preacher, received what is referred to as "the Macedonian call." Paul and his companions went at once to the Macedonian city of Philippi. While there, they went on the Sabbath to the riverside, where some women had gathered and were praying. It is clear these who had gathered were religious people, yet there was something else necessary in order for them to be saved people. Notice that "after" Lydia had heard the things spoken by Paul, she was baptized. Notice, also, that it was after this that Lydia was judged faithful to the Lord.

Luke, the writer of Acts and a companion of Paul on this journey, says that after many days Paul and Silas were cast into prison; even into the innermost part of the prison, and were placed in stocks, so they could not move around. At midnight, they prayed and sang praises to God. It is rare today to hear a person praying and singing, even though free and not bound in prison! A great earthquake occurred, one that even loosed the bands by which all the prisoners were fastened. A strange thing occurred: none of the prisoners fled (Acts 16:16-28). The jailer, seeing that the prison doors were opened, supposed the prisoners had fled. Knowing it was his responsibility to keep them all imprisoned, he set out to kill himself. Paul cried out for him not to harm himself, for the prisoners were all there. At this point, the jailer asked "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" Again we see the Great Commission practiced, as Jesus gave it: "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations" (After the jailer asked his question, the Bible says Paul taught him about Jesus.)..."baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19). After learning about Jesus, the jailer and all in his house, believed and were baptized. Why won't you do the same as these people did? Their examples in the New Testament book of Acts show obedience to Jesus' commands. Next week, we'll study more examples from Acts.