1. The Conversion of The Ethiopian Eunuch Acts 8:26-40

2. 26 But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, “Get up and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a desert road.) 27 So he got up and went; and there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah.

3. 29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go up and join this chariot.” 30 Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this: “HE WAS LED AS A SHEEP TO SLAUGHTER; AND AS A LAMB BEFORE ITS SHEARER IS SILENT, SO HE DOES NOT OPEN HIS MOUTH.

4. “HE WAS LED AS A SHEEP TO SLAUGHTER; AND AS A LAMB BEFORE ITS SHEARER IS SILENT, SO HE DOES NOT OPEN HIS MOUTH. 33 “IN HUMILIATION HIS JUDGMENT WAS TAKEN AWAY; WHO WILL RELATE HIS GENERATION? FOR HIS LIFE IS REMOVED FROM THE EARTH.”

5. 34 The eunuch answered Philip and said, “Please tell me, of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself or of someone else?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him. 5

6. 36 As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch *said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?” 37 [And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”] 38 And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing. 6

7. What’s the significance of the conversion story of the Ethiopian Eunuch? 7

8. Can Gentiles (non-Jews) be a part of God’s people? 8

9. Can Eunuchs (castrated males) be a part of God’s people? 9

10. Deuteronomy 23:1 “No one who is emasculated or has his male organ cut off shall enter the assembly of the L ORD. 10

11. Isaiah 56:3-7 Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, “The LORD will surely separate me from His people.” Nor let the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.” 4 For thus says the LORD, “To the eunuchs who keep My sabbaths, And choose what pleases Me, And hold fast My covenant, 5 To them I will give in My house and within My walls a memorial, And a name better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name which will not be cut off. 11

12. Isaiah 56:3-7 6 “Also the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, To minister to Him, and to love the name of the LORD, To be His servants, every one who keeps from profaning the sabbath And holds fast My covenant; 7 Even those I will bring to My holy mountain And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar; For My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.” 12

13. What’s the significance of the conversion story of the Ethiopian Eunuch? 13

14. Conversion of Jews Conversion of Samaritans (Half-Jews) Conversion of Ethiopian Eunuch (Proselyte Jew) Conversion of Saul (Jew) Conversion of Cornelius (Gentile) “Salvation is of the Jews” John 4:22 (NKJV) Gospel moves from Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, ends of the earth (Acts 1:8) to peoples of different backgrounds 14

15. Acts 15:1 Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” Key Jewish Distinctiveness: - Circumcision - Dietary Laws - Sabbath Observance Solving the “Gentiles getting saved without becoming Jewish” problem: The Acts 15 Jerusalem Council 15

16. Acts 15:5 5 But some of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses.” 3 Therefore, being sent on their way by the church, they were passing through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and were bringing great joy to all the brethren. - Acts 15:3 Solving the “Gentiles getting saved without becoming Jewish” problem: The Acts 15 Jerusalem Council 16

17. Acts 15:19 – Apostle James speaking: 19 Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles, v28 – “burden” Acts 15:22-35 > letter and leaders to Gentile churches to clarify their position in this matter. Solving the “Gentiles getting saved without becoming Jewish” problem: The Acts 15 Jerusalem Council 17

18. Jew-Gentile Church in Ephesus Acts 18:19 They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He [Paul] himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. Acts 19:10 (Paul’s ministry in Ephesus) This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord. False Teaching to Address: “Gentiles must become Jewish to get saved” 18

19. Ephesians 2:8-11 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (that done in the body by the hands of men)-- False Teaching to Address: “Gentiles must become Jewish to get saved” 19

20. Ephesians 2:12-13 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you [Gentiles] who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. False Teaching to Address: “Gentiles must become Jewish to get saved” 20

21. Ephesians 2:14 14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by abolishing in His flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. False Teaching to Address: “Gentiles must become Jewish to get saved” 21

22. Ephesians 2:16-18 His purpose was to create in Himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which He put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. False Teaching to Address: “Gentiles must become Jewish to get saved” 22

23. Ephesians 2:16-18 19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In Him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in Him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. False Teaching to Address: “Gentiles must become Jewish to get saved” 23

24. Ephesians 3:1-5 1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles — 2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. 4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. False Teaching to Address: “Gentiles must become Jewish to get saved” 24

25. Ephesians 3:6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. False Teaching to Address: “Gentiles must become Jewish to get saved” 25

26. Matthew 22:1-14 (NASB) Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. 3 And he sent out his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come. 4 Again he sent out other slaves saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fattened livestock are all butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast.”’ 26

27. Matthew 22:1-14 (NASB) 5 But they paid no attention and went their way, one to his own farm, another to his business, 6 and the rest seized his slaves and mistreated them and killed them. 7 But the king was enraged, and he sent his armies and destroyed those murderers and set their city on fire. 8 Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 27

28. Matthew 22:1-14 (NASB) 9 Go therefore to the main highways, and as many as you find there, invite to the wedding feast.’ 10 Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered together all they found, both evil and good; and the wedding hall was filled with dinner guests. 11 “But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes, 12 and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?’ And the man was speechless. 28

29. Matthew 22:1-14 (NASB) 13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.” 29

30. He who believes in the Son [Jesus] has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. John 3:36 Entering the Wedding on God’s terms