The Divine Appointment - Mission Fest 2024

The Acts 8 episode of Philip and the Ethiopian official is the story of a divine appointment. It was not by chance that they met on the Gaza road – God arranged the encounter. While this is an extraordinary event, it is not unprecedented. God is even today in the business of arranging divine appointments – for those who are qualified, prepared, and willing to answer them.

I. Philip was both qualified, prepared, and willing to lead a man to conversion.

II. The normative mode of Gospel transmission is by speaking and hearing… and one-on-one is the ideal.

III. Those Christians who are qualified, prepared, and willing can expect divine appointments like the one Philip received.

Discussion points:

1. The Ethiopian man was, for more than one reason, excluded from ‘the assembly of the Lord.’ What is the reason for this exclusion?

2. Why do you suppose God chose Philip for this assignment?

3. Why do you think God chose the Ethiopian to receive this extraordinary messenger and message?

4.Working from the same passage (Is. 53) that the Ethiopian official read, make the connection between the prophet’s words and Christ the Messiah.

5. Reflect on your own conversion. How were you guided into an understanding of the Scripture and the Gospel message?

6. Have you ever been on either the going or receiving end of a divine appointment? How do you know that is what it was?