Encountering God through the Gospel

"Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus." - Acts 8:35

In the vast, sun-scorched desert between Jerusalem and Gaza, an extraordinary divine
encounter unfolds. An Ethiopian official—a man of considerable influence who oversees
the treasury of the queen—sits in his chariot reading from the prophet Isaiah. Prompted by
the Spirit, Philip runs alongside and hears the man reading aloud about a suffering servant
who was led like a sheep to slaughter.

"Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asks.
"How can I," the official responds, "unless someone explains it to me?"
Then comes our verse: "Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the
good news about Jesus."

This simple statement captures the essence of how we encounter God through the gospel
message. The Ethiopian official had Scripture in his hands, but he needed the gospel—the
good news about Jesus—to transform those ancient words into a life-changing encounter
with the living God.

Notice how Philip approaches this moment. He doesn't begin with abstract theology or
complex doctrines. He starts "with that very passage"—meeting the man exactly where he
is, with the questions already stirring in his heart. The gospel message doesn't float
disconnected from human experience; it answers the deepest questions we're already
asking.

As Philip unfolds the gospel story—how Jesus fulfilled Isaiah's prophecy through His
suffering, death, and resurrection—something remarkable happens in the Ethiopian's
heart. The text tells us that soon after, he asks to be baptized. This wasn't merely
intellectual agreement with a set of facts. This was a transformative encounter with God
through the message of Jesus Christ.

The gospel has this unique power. When proclaimed faithfully, it becomes more than
information—it becomes the very means by which people meet God. The message itself
carries divine power that awakens faith, transforms hearts, and initiates relationship with
the Creator.

Throughout history, countless people have testified to this reality. Augustine, reading
Paul's words in Romans. Luther, grasping justification by faith. John Wesley, feeling his
heart "strangely warmed" as he heard the gospel preached. In each case, the gospel
message became the doorway to divine encounter.

This story also reveals something beautiful about God's heart. He orchestrated this entire
scenario—sending Philip to this exact spot, at this exact moment, to meet this person who
was sincerely seeking understanding. God goes to extraordinary lengths to ensure that
seekers find Him through the message of Jesus.

How We Encounter God Through the Gospel

Philip was led by the Holy Spirit to a divine appointment—a man from Ethiopia was
reading Scripture but didn’t understand it. Philip stepped in, shared the Gospel, and led
the man to Christ.

The moment the Ethiopian believed, he encountered God—so much so that he
immediately asked to be baptized!

This shows us that when we share the Gospel, God moves. He arranges moments for us
to bring His truth to others, and when we obey, people encounter Him.