Understanding the Cross: The Key to Salvation

 

Summary

In the book of Acts, we encounter a profound story involving Philip the Evangelist and the Ethiopian eunuch. This narrative is not just a historical account but a spiritual lesson that resonates deeply with our own lives. Philip, guided by the Spirit, meets the Ethiopian eunuch, a man of great authority who is earnestly seeking truth. Despite his religious devotion, the eunuch is left unsatisfied by both paganism and Judaism. As he reads from the book of Isaiah, he is perplexed, unable to grasp the meaning of the scriptures. Philip, prompted by the Spirit, approaches him and asks the pivotal question: "Do you understand what you are reading?" This question is not just for the eunuch but for all of us. Understanding the Word of God is crucial because it holds the key to our salvation.

Philip explains the scriptures, revealing that they speak of Jesus Christ, His suffering, and His sacrificial death on the cross. This is the heart of the Gospel, yet it is often the most misunderstood and rejected aspect. The cross is offensive to many because it confronts us with the reality of our sin and our need for a Savior. It challenges our pride and self-sufficiency, revealing our guilt, lostness, and spiritual sickness. The world, with all its wisdom and knowledge, still fails to comprehend the message of the cross because it is spiritually discerned.

The cross is not just a symbol of suffering but a profound declaration of God's love and justice. It shows us the seriousness of sin and the lengths to which God went to redeem us. Jesus bore our griefs and carried our sorrows, taking upon Himself the punishment we deserved. This is the only way to true peace and reconciliation with God. The Ethiopian eunuch, upon understanding this truth, believes and is baptized, going on his way rejoicing. This transformation is available to all who believe in Jesus Christ and accept His sacrifice.

Key Takeaways:

- The story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch highlights the importance of understanding the Word of God. It is not enough to read the scriptures; we must comprehend their meaning, as our salvation depends on it. The Spirit guides us into this understanding, just as He guided Philip to the eunuch. [02:23]

- The cross of Christ is central to the Gospel, yet it is often the most resisted aspect. It confronts us with our sin and our need for a Savior, challenging our pride and self-reliance. The cross is not just a symbol of suffering but a declaration of God's love and justice. [08:19]

- Our natural understanding is insufficient to grasp the spiritual truths of the Gospel. The world, despite its advancements in knowledge, remains as perplexed as the Ethiopian eunuch without the Spirit's illumination. Spiritual truths are spiritually discerned, requiring humility and openness to God's revelation. [06:06]

- The condition of humanity is one of guilt, lostness, and spiritual sickness. We are like sheep without a shepherd, wandering aimlessly and unable to find our way. The cross addresses this condition, offering redemption and reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ. [27:09]

- True salvation is not achieved through human effort or moral striving but through faith in Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross. It is by His wounds that we are healed, and by His sacrifice that we are saved. This is the message that brings true joy and transformation, as seen in the life of the Ethiopian eunuch. [53:01]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:10] - Introduction to Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch
- [00:59] - The Eunuch's Search for Truth
- [02:03] - The Question of Understanding
- [03:46] - Philip Preaches Jesus
- [05:16] - The Spiritual Nature of Understanding
- [06:39] - The Offense of the Cross
- [08:19] - The Heart of the Gospel
- [11:01] - The Necessity of the Cross
- [13:09] - Humanity's Condition
- [17:10] - The Reality of Sin
- [20:08] - God's Law and Human Guilt
- [24:33] - The Helplessness of Humanity
- [30:33] - The Lostness of Humanity
- [36:34] - The Compassion of the Good Shepherd
- [42:30] - The Depravity of Humanity
- [49:18] - The Helplessness to Save Ourselves
- [53:01] - The Glory of Salvation Through the Cross

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Acts 8:26-40
2. Isaiah 53:7-8
3. 1 Corinthians 1:18-25

---

Observation Questions:

1. What was the Ethiopian eunuch doing when Philip approached him, and why was this significant? ([01:49])

2. How did Philip respond to the eunuch's question about the passage from Isaiah, and what was the outcome of their conversation? ([03:46])

3. According to the sermon, why is the message of the cross often misunderstood or rejected by the world? ([08:19])

4. What does the sermon suggest is the condition of humanity without the guidance of the Spirit? ([06:06])

---

Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch illustrate the importance of understanding Scripture for personal salvation? ([02:23])

2. In what ways does the cross challenge human pride and self-sufficiency, according to the sermon? ([08:19])

3. Why does the sermon emphasize that spiritual truths are spiritually discerned, and how does this relate to the Ethiopian eunuch's experience? ([06:06])

4. How does the sermon describe the human condition as one of guilt, lostness, and spiritual sickness, and what role does the cross play in addressing this condition? ([27:09])

---

Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you read a passage of Scripture but struggled to understand its meaning. How did you seek clarity, and what role did the Holy Spirit play in that process? ([02:23])

2. The sermon suggests that the cross confronts us with our sin and need for a Savior. How do you personally respond to this confrontation, and what steps can you take to embrace the message of the cross more fully? ([08:19])

3. Consider the idea that spiritual truths require humility and openness to God's revelation. How can you cultivate a more humble and open heart towards God's Word in your daily life? ([06:06])

4. The Ethiopian eunuch experienced joy and transformation after understanding the Gospel. What specific changes or actions can you take in your life to experience similar joy and transformation through faith in Jesus Christ? ([53:01])

5. The sermon describes humanity as lost and spiritually sick. In what ways do you see this reflected in your own life or the world around you, and how can you actively seek the guidance of the Good Shepherd? ([27:09])

6. How can you better support others in your community who are seeking truth and understanding, much like Philip did for the Ethiopian eunuch? ([03:46])

7. Identify one area of your life where you rely on your own understanding rather than seeking spiritual discernment. What practical steps can you take this week to invite the Holy Spirit's guidance in that area? ([06:06])

Devotional

Day 1: Understanding the Word of God is Essential
Understanding the Word of God is not merely about reading the scriptures but comprehending their profound meaning. The story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch illustrates this truth. The eunuch, despite his religious devotion, was perplexed by the scriptures until Philip, guided by the Spirit, explained them to him. This encounter emphasizes that our salvation depends on understanding the Word, as it reveals the path to eternal life through Jesus Christ. The Spirit plays a crucial role in guiding us to this understanding, just as He guided Philip to the eunuch. [02:23]

Acts 8:30-31 (ESV): "So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, 'Do you understand what you are reading?' And he said, 'How can I, unless someone guides me?' And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him."

Reflection: Is there a passage of scripture you find difficult to understand? How can you seek guidance from the Holy Spirit or a trusted mentor to gain clarity today?


Day 2: The Cross Confronts Our Need for a Savior
The cross of Christ is central to the Gospel, yet it is often resisted because it confronts us with our sin and our need for a Savior. It challenges our pride and self-reliance, revealing our guilt and spiritual sickness. The cross is not just a symbol of suffering but a profound declaration of God's love and justice. It shows us the seriousness of sin and the lengths to which God went to redeem us. Understanding this truth is crucial for embracing the heart of the Gospel. [08:19]

1 Corinthians 1:18 (ESV): "For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."

Reflection: What aspects of your life do you find difficult to surrender to the message of the cross? How can you invite God to help you embrace your need for a Savior today?


Day 3: Spiritual Truths Require Spiritual Discernment
Our natural understanding is insufficient to grasp the spiritual truths of the Gospel. The world, despite its advancements in knowledge, remains as perplexed as the Ethiopian eunuch without the Spirit's illumination. Spiritual truths are spiritually discerned, requiring humility and openness to God's revelation. This understanding is not achieved through human wisdom but through the Spirit's guidance, which leads us into all truth. [06:06]

1 Corinthians 2:14 (ESV): "The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned."

Reflection: In what ways can you cultivate a posture of humility and openness to the Spirit's guidance in your daily life?


Day 4: Humanity's Condition and the Cross's Redemption
The condition of humanity is one of guilt, lostness, and spiritual sickness. We are like sheep without a shepherd, wandering aimlessly and unable to find our way. The cross addresses this condition, offering redemption and reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ. Jesus bore our griefs and carried our sorrows, taking upon Himself the punishment we deserved. This is the only way to true peace and reconciliation with God. [27:09]

Isaiah 53:6 (ESV): "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all."

Reflection: How does recognizing your own lostness and need for a shepherd change the way you approach your relationship with God today?


Day 5: Salvation Through Faith in Christ's Sacrifice
True salvation is not achieved through human effort or moral striving but through faith in Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross. It is by His wounds that we are healed, and by His sacrifice that we are saved. This message brings true joy and transformation, as seen in the life of the Ethiopian eunuch, who went on his way rejoicing after believing and being baptized. This transformation is available to all who believe in Jesus Christ and accept His sacrifice. [53:01]

Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV): "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."

Reflection: What steps can you take today to deepen your faith in Christ's sacrifice and experience the joy of salvation in your life?

Quotes

Philip, an evangelist and the Deacon of the church, had been working in Samaria, had been working very successfully. Large numbers of people had believed the gospel and had been baptized, and we're told that there was great joy in their city. But suddenly, an angel of God addresses him, telling him to arise and to go toward the Sabbath unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem to Gaza, which is desert. [00:00:28]

Philip is told by the Spirit, "Go near and join thyself to this chariot." And Philip did so, and when he reached the chariot, he put his famous question to this great man, the Ethiopian eunuch: "Understandest thou what thou readest?" Let me say it again, that's the biggest question you'll ever face in this world. Here it is, the Word of God. Do you understand it? Do you know what it's saying everywhere? [00:01:52]

The world doesn't understand it tonight after the passage of all these centuries, with all the advance of knowledge and all the understanding that science has given us. And quoting the modern man, we are as far from understanding this as this Ethiopian eunuch was. Why? Well, because, as the Apostle Paul puts it to the Corinthians, these things are spiritually discerned. [00:05:48]

The cross is offensive, and that's the thing that comes out in that fifty-third chapter of Isaiah. We looked at it last Sunday night, the terrible suffering. His visage was marred. The cross is ugly. It is powerless, telling them the agony, the suffering. We notice the way in which it's all prophesied there and the way in which, when you read the latter chapters of the Gospels, you see it described in detail. [00:09:51]

The first explanation of why he had to endure and suffer all that is the state and the condition of men by nature. Here's the way we begin to understand it. He was innocent, yet he suffered. Why did he suffer? It is because of us. He was wounded for our transgressions. The chastisement of our peace was upon him. [00:13:15]

The whole world lieth guilty before God. The whole world, both sides of the Iron Curtain, guilty before God. It doesn't matter what political party you belong to, doesn't matter what social class you belong to, doesn't matter the wealth you have. The whole world lieth guilty before God. This is the thing that matters, not the superficial divisions and distinctions. [00:24:11]

The world is not as it was meant to be. This is the first thing we've all got to sense within us. It's a person of the restlessness, which is a misunderstanding as to what it is meant to be. What the world thinks it's meant to be is this: the wars are banished so that we can all go on using our money to buy food and drink and sex. [00:30:53]

The world doesn't understand itself. It doesn't understand life. It has no purpose. It has no sense of direction. It has no goal. But you know, my friend, the world was not meant to be like this. The world has gone astray. It's missed the mark. It's lost. It is in the wilderness, and this is the whole tragedy. [00:31:56]

The world is between her, but each is trying to find a way out. Each is seeking for a way of relief, and it's exactly like sheep rushing along here, one forward, one backward, all in different directions. There's your mankind with all its learning and sophistication, but no direction, no answer, no solution. [00:34:48]

He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement, the punishment which we deserve, was put upon him, and so we have peace. My dear friend, it had happened because of our transgressions, because of our iniquities, because of our helplessness and hopelessness. We tell he has to come when these come, and he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. [00:52:52]

This is the glory and the wonder of this way of salvation, that it doesn't ask me to attempt into his say things that are impossible to me. It simply asks me to say this: not the labors of my hands can fulfill thy law's demands. Could my zeal no respite know, could my tears forever flow, all for sin could not atone. [00:53:39]

He had to come. He had to die to bear the guilt and punishment of our sins, and he's done it. That's what Philip said to the Ethiopian eunuch. The man said, "I believe. Can I be baptized?" And he was baptized, and he went on his way rejoicing. He will remain miserable, filled with griefs and sorrows, iniquities and transgressions, until you likewise believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. [00:54:50]

Chatbot

  • I'm an AI bot trained specifically on the sermon from May 24, 2017. Do you have any questions about it?

Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?