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May 04, 2025The Gospel Illustrated: The Ethiopian Eunuch
Topical Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville
The Gospel Illustrated: The Ethiopian Eunuch
Introduction: In our last two lessons we have explored how we should be thinking and responding when the scriptures refer to the “gospel.” We have had a narrow view of the Lord’s purpose for us by thinking that the Lord is just trying to “get us saved.” This has often caused huge mistakes in how the gospel message is taught, so much so that there has been an inordinate emphasis on getting a person to baptism. Please do not misunderstand. As we will see in this text, Philip’s teaching brings the eunuch to the point that he requests baptism. The concern we should have is not whether baptism is important and necessary – it certainly is – but the greater importance is what should be taught in order to bring a person to desire to be united with death, burial, and resurrection of Christ in the water of baptism.
In other words, the Lord was not simply interested in forgiveness, but in disciples who promote and live out his kingdom values.
Seeing the Story of Philip and the Eunuch
“Now and angel of the Lord said to Philip…” We read that easily, do we not? We might say to ourselves, “Yes, those were the days when the Lord sent angels and was intimately involved with getting the gospel out to the whole world.” I hope you see the silliness of that thought. Do we really think that the Lord no longer is involved in getting his people connected to those who need to gospel message? There are a number of reasons why we should not think that way:
Jesus made a promise at the end of the Great Commission when he said, “Behold I am with you even to the end of the world.”
Throughout the book of Acts we are given repeated assurances that the Lord is working with the Christians to get the word out to the world: Acts 11:21, “And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.”
Paul urged the Colossian Christians to “pray that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ…” We may not get an “angel visit” as Philip did, but that does not mean the Lord isn’t working with us in getting the message out.
If there is any problem we have with this it is that we do not open our eyes to see the opportunities that the Lord is putting before us.
“An Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official…in charge of all her treasure… He had come to Jerusalem to worship…”
“An Ethiopian” tells us about his dedication to God. He had traveled at least 1000 miles to worship at one of the feasts in Jerusalem.
Further, as an Ethiopian we would conclude that he was a proselyte, a Gentile convert to Judaism.
That he was a eunuch meant that he was limited to the “court of the Gentiles” and was not allowed in the sanctuary (Deut. 23:1). This follows a pattern the Luke began at the beginning of chapter 8. The gospel is now being spread beyond the nation of Israel. Samaritans were taught and baptized at the beginning of the chapter. Now an Ethiopian is taught. Then in chapter 10, uncircumcised Gentiles will come to Christ. The “all the world” great commission is being fulfilled.
“And he was reading the prophet Isaiah.” That is such an amazing statement. It is apparent that while in Jerusalem this Ethiopian purchased a scroll of Isaiah, which would have cost him a significant amount of money. Imagine his excitement as he studied this great prophet on his journey home! Think of what he has read so far:
The idolatry of ancient Israel and God’s judgment against them by the Assyrians and Babylonians.
But on the positive side, God’s promise to return, reign over the nation again, and bring her enemies into judgment.
He would have also seen glimpses of the coming Messiah/King and the glory that he would bring Israel. But here is where he would have become confused.
Philip was told to join the chariot, and as he ran to him he could hear him reading Isaiah. And as if the timing was planned perfectly by the Spirit, the eunuch was reading in Isaiah 53, the Suffering Servant song. Reasons he would have struggled with that text:
No one, not even the apostles understood or believed that the Messiah would die. No rabbi taught it. It was completely outside the realm of possibility in the minds of the Jews.
Isaiah’s text speaks of this suffering one as God’s “servant,” one who would be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted” (52:13), and yet also die. That alone does not make sense.
But further, the eunuch asked Philip, “Who is this prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” That is a good question seeing that Isaiah spoke of four different “servants of the Lord” in his prophecy. Peter tells us that even the angels struggled with these prophecies.
The Context of Isaiah’s Good News
We are told plainly the answer to this question: “beginning with this scripture, he told him the good news about Jesus.” Indeed! Philip preached the gospel by using Isaiah. What he didn’t do is go straight to the point and say that Jesus died and raised for him, so he must be baptized. The gospel was preached from Isaiah, and it is not hard to know what Philip would have preached.
The eunuch would have already read a number of passages leading up to chapter 53 that would have been a natural beginning point for Philip’s lesson.
40:1-5 “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem and cry to her that her warfare is ended… A voice cries in the wilderness prepared the way of the Lord… And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
42:1, 6-7, 10-13 “Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations… “I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.”
“Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise from the end of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that fills it, the coastlands and their inhabitants. Let the desert and its cities lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar inhabits; let the habitants of Sela sing for joy, let them shout from the top of the mountains. Let them give glory to the LORD, and declare his praise in the coastlands. The LORD goes out like a mighty man, like a man of war he stirs up his zeal; he cries out, he shouts aloud, he shows himself mighty against his foes.”
49:6-7 “And now the Lord says…It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth. Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One, to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation, the servant of rulers: “Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall prostrate themselves; because of the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”
52:7-10 “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’ The voice of your watchmen—they lift up their voice; together they sing for joy; for eye to eye they see the return of the LORD to Zion. Break forth together into singing, you waste places of Jerusalem, for the LORD has comforted his people; he has redeemed Jerusalem. The LORD has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.”
When you look at these texts and consider the message as the Ethiopian would have heard it, what would stand out?
The return of the Lord to Zion so that they can again see the glory of the Lord just as his glory had filled the temple.
The Lord will come and bring justice and righteousness. He will give sight to the blind and release the prisoners. To do this, he will go out like a mighty man, mighty against his foes.
When the Lord comes he will bring good news of peace, happiness, and salvation because he is the one who reigns, nor sinful, mortal man.
Again, he will return to Zion. He will bare his holy arm, and all the earth will see the salvation of the Lord.
Philip’s Explanation of Isaiah 53
I can just imagine Philip saying, “How is the Lord going to bare his holy arm? How is he be like a mighty man destroying his enemies and bringing peace, happiness, and salvation to his people?”
Then, we can see Philip directing the eunuch back to the text he was just reading (53:7-8).
The way the Lord exhibited his strength was by offering himself as a sacrificial Lamb, God’s Lamb that would redeem the people. In fact (vs. 4-5), “he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; by his wounds we are healed.”
You will notice that the prophecy emphasizes that he did not resist, indicating that his death was intentional so that he could be “stricken for the transgression of my people.” In fact, (vs. 10), it was the will of the Lord that he be made “an offering for guilt.” All the while, Philip would have been comparing the prophecy to the story of Jesus.
But then Philip would have given the eunuch cause to leap for joy. In the middle of verse 10, Philip would have pointed the eunuch to the victory statement: “…when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied.” And then you can hear Philip relate the story of the resurrection. He appeared to the twelve and spent 40 days with them. He appeared to his brothers and they believed. He appeared to over 500 brethren at once, most of whom are still alive.
Then Philip would have added one more reason to shout for joy. Do you see the word “offspring” in verse 10? Yes, his resurrection is producing offspring.
Philip’s Invitation
As the eunuch pondered the “offspring” promise, Philip would then urged the eunuch to read further.
54:1-3 Yes, it is not just Israel God is saving. He is bringing the nations into Israel so that they also can become his people.
54:11-13 And look! The good news is more than sins forgiven, God is building a mighty kingdom, a permanent kingdom, and a beautiful kingdom. Everyone it it will be taught by the Lord, and it will be a kingdom of peace and righteousness.
Then Philip would have urged him to read just a little further into chapter 55. It is the invitation of the Messiah himself.
Come and drink water and eat food that will truly satisfy. It is not bought with money. If you will listen diligently to the Lord, give up your thoughts and ways for his thoughts and ways, he will make a covenant with you and give you his steadfast and sure love for David.
Then 55:12-13. All of God’s creation will leap for joy and you will not longer be like a thorn and a brier, you will “make a name for the Lord, an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”
One more thing Philip would have surely shown the eunuch from Isaiah. In having him read 56:3-5, it is hard to imagine the look on this foreigners face: “Let not the eunuch say, ‘Behold, I am a dry tree’… I will give in my house and within my walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.”
Just listen to Philip…”Hey, my friend, you also can be an adopted son into the household of God. You will no longer be an outsider. And most importantly, you will bear offspring, have a legacy, and your children will have an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.”
Then to bring the gospel message to its completion, Philip may have reminded the eunuch of the Passover and the Red Sea crossing that freed Israel. Following that, the last words of Jesus before his left the earth in the Great Commission. This is offered to all nations…”Repent, therefore and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
At that moment the eunuch said, “Look, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized? And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.”
Conclusion: If you haven’t done this, you just heard what the eunuch heard. Why are you waiting?
Berry Kercheville
The post The Gospel Illustrated: The Ethiopian Eunuch appeared first on Woodland Hills Church of Christ.
38 min
May 01, 2025 1 Kings Chapters 13 & 14
Bible Classes / Speaker:David Desloge
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43 min
April 27, 2025 Job 15-17 : Second Round of Speeches – Eliphaz & Job
Old Testament Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville
Job Chapters 15, 16, 17
The post Job 15-17 : Second Round of Speeches – Eliphaz & Job appeared first on Woodland Hills Church of Christ.
47 min
April 27, 2025The Gospel We Always Desired
Topical Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville
The Gospel We Didn’t Know But Always Desired
Introduction: In our last lesson we introduced the true meaning of the “gospel of Jesus Christ,” also called the “gospel of God” or the “gospel of the kingdom.” A few reminders are in order:
There is a difference between the “plan of salvation” and the “gospel.” The plan of salvation is certainly part of the gospel message, but to speak only of the plan of salvation empties the gospel of its power and meaning.
1 Corinthians 1:17, “For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom lest the cross of Christ be empties of its power.”
It is not difficult to see that preaching baptism is not preaching the gospel. Again, that is not to depreciate baptism, but it is to show that forgiveness of sins is not the primary emphasis of the gospel message.
The gospel has to do with a kingdom. It is the gospel of the kingdom that was preached by Jesus, that was foretold by the prophets and anticipated by the Israel nation.
Acts 1:6, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
Acts 3:19-21, “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.” –– Restoration is another way of summarizing the gospel message.
The Kingdom Is the Good News
Remember, “kingdom” is used by the writers of the Gospels 105 times. Luke introduces Acts with Jesus teaching the apostles for 40 days about the kingdom. Luke ends his letter with Paul “proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ.” Lord and Christ are ways of proclaiming Jesus as the King of this Kingdom.
Why a Kingdom? New Testament writers speak of an eternal kingdom: “For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:11). We can see just from these statements that though forgiveness is necessary to enter the kingdom, the Kingdom is the real goal; the Kingdom is the good news because of what is enjoyed in that Kingdom. Consider some implications of the kingdom:
In Jesus’ parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price, the kingdom is the greatest treasure that any human can possess. It is so great that a rational person would be willing to sell everything in order to attain it. It’s value is beyond anything we can conceive of.
The Kingdom is a community of people. It is a family reunion, a household, “an assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven” and are joined with “innumerable angels in festal gathering” (Hebrews 12:22-23).
(This fact has always caused me to be confused about Christians who meet as little was possible with other Christians and virtually live independent lives. How can that Christian find any joy or hope in seeing and living eternally with fellow disciples?)
The Kingdom is where Jesus “crowns us with glory and honor.” (More on this in another lesson)
One of the major implications of the eternal kingdom is that God has now provided us the abundance of life that our inner soul has always desired. David describes is as the fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore. (Psalm 16:11). It is this last point that we will focus on in this lesson.
Visualizing the Gospel of the Kingdom
The “Gospel” is the integration of three biblical stories:
In the Story of Creation we are presented with a glimpse of God’s purpose. We see God making a “material realm” in which humans become the pinnacle of his creation, image-bearers (Ikons) crowned with glory and honor, who multiply his image throughout the world and are given dominion over the world.
Adam and Eve are pictured as priestly mediators in God’s Garden Temple. This is made more evident by later passages that indicate God’s purpose for us: Exodus 19:4-5; Isaiah 61:6; 1 Peter 2:5, 9.
God not only dwells with man in his Garden, he also foreshadows the eventual relationship he will have as an eternal marriage. Cf. Hosea, Ephesians 5:22-34; the marriage of the Lamb, Revelation 21.
It is important that we give careful attention to this Creation story since it prepares us for what God planned for us in his eternal kingdom.
The Story of Israel foreshadows God’s restoration of the fall of man. Israel illustrates the failure of man to live up to God’s creative purpose, and the need for God to be a Redeemer, Rescuer, and Righteous King who lead them in attaining God’s purpose.
The Story of Jesus brings the Creation Story and the Israel Story to God’s intended glory for himself, for his true Israel, and for a Kingdom filled with righteousness and joy.
When we do not understand that the “Gospel” is an integration of the Story of Israel and the Story of Jesus, what do we often miss? We miss what is so obvious that we pass right over it. We are so focused on the plan of salvation and our forgiveness that we cannot see the obvious message of the glory to come. We are hard-pressed to find a passage about the Kingdom without a description of God’s desire to bring us joy, peace, and rest. Is this the way we grew up thinking of God? Or, was the emphasis on whether or not you would be able to escape God’s wrath?
Evidence God’s Intentions
When Matthew introduced Jesus to us, the first seven chapters mirror Moses in his birth, escape from death, his deliverance of the people, his giving of the law, and the promise of living righteously in a kingdom of joy. The Sermon on the Mount begins with Jesus exclaiming “Blessed” eight times.
In Matthew 11:2-6 when John asked if Jesus “is the one who is to one, or shall we look for another,” Jesus said, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.” The Kingdom is about the Lord healing that which has afflicted us. Revelation 22 tells us that the Tree of Life is for “the healing of the nations.”
When Jesus described the Kingdom, he used parables of joy and abundance to picture the kingdom.
Parable of the wedding feast (Mt. 22),
Water to wine @ the Wedding of Cana (Jn. 2),
Jesus refers to himself as the bridegroom and thus a time for eating and drinking (Mark 2).
The Great Supper (Luke 14)
Parable of the Talents: “Enter into the joy of your Lord.”
Jesus’ warning to the Jews of what they will miss in Matt. 8:11-12, “I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Do you know that when God asks us to assemble together, to love one another fervently, and encourage one another daily, he has us foreshadowing our kingdom life and the joy we will share with one another in eternity. If that is not one of your top motivations for today and in eternity, you have misunderstood the meaning of being a Christian.
Jesus repeatedly performed miracles of abundance: Feeding 5000 and 4000, turning water to wine (180 gallons).
In Romans 8, Paul speaks of us being adopted into the family of God as sons and daughters and that the glory we will enjoy cannot be compared to our present suffering.
Hebrews 2 also speaks of Jesus “bringing many sons to glory.” The Kingdom is where glory is given and enjoyed.
There are even more prophetic pictures in the Old Testament.
We have already seen the obvious pictures of Garden of Eden and the Promised Land flowing with milk and honey for Israel.
Isaiah 25:6 “On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken. It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”
Isaiah 55:12-13 “For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall make a name for the LORD, an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”
Isaiah 61:1-3 “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the LORD’S favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.”
Psalm 27:4 “One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple.”
Psalms 43:4-5 “Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy, and I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God. Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.”
Psalm 45:15-17 “With joy and gladness they are led along as they enter the palace of the king. In place of your fathers shall be your sons; you will make them princes in all the earth. I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations; therefore nations will praise you forever and ever.”
Psalm 84
Finally, when Peter preaches the first gospel message, he concludes with “…and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, for the promise is to you and your children and to all who are far off.” Later, Paul refers to this promise in Ephesians 1:13-14 and in Galatians 3.
When John the Baptist burst on the scene, his first message was that the one who comes after me will “baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” This promise is a reference to God’s promises to Abraham of being in a great nation/kingdom, of having your name great, and of being given a “great land” where there is abundance and enemies cannot enter.
This promise was considered even greater than forgiveness. Forgiveness was necessary, but the promise of the Kingdom superseded all else.
Conclusion: What is God all about in his relationship with us? It is a King, a marriage, a family, and the greatest joy and pleasure beyond anything we can imagine.
Lesson: Are you serving him in a way that appreciates and desires him and his kingdom? Or, is this life with its trials an possessions swallowing up your time. Remember Jesus words to the Jews? “There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see…” There will be no pain like the pain of missing what God has planned. Don’t be lazy. Don’t let inconvenience keep you from all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. This is urgent! The time is short. The longer you delay, the less likely you will change.
Berry Kercheville
The post The Gospel We Always Desired appeared first on Woodland Hills Church of Christ.
37 min
April 27, 2025 1 Timothy – Items of Interest (Chapters 2, 3, 4)
Bible Classes / Speaker:Adam Malone
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42 min
April 24, 2025 I Kings Chapter 12
Bible Classes / Speaker:Berry Kercheville
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45 min
April 20, 2025 Job 11-14 : Speeches of Zophar and Job
Old Testament Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville
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43 min
April 20, 2025 The Death Problem
Topical Sermons / Speaker:David Desloge
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37 min
April 20, 2025 1 Timothy – Theme Verses (Chapters 5,6) & Items of Interest (Chapter 1)
Bible Classes / Speaker:Adam Malone
Theme Verses (Chapters 5, 6)
Items of Interest (Chapters 1)

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43 min
April 17, 2025 Caleb
Special Studies / Speaker:Josh Higgins
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45 min