The Road to Scripture
Every time we open God’s Word, we hold a treasure in our hands.
Scripture has led many generations of God's people—uncountable lives, times, and cultures have been influenced and transformed by God’s Word throughout history. God’s Word is a treasure—a treasure we have at our fingertips.
Sometimes, all the richness of God’s Word may come with a challenge. How can we comprehend the nuances, the context, all the many stories and teachings within God’s Word?
“Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.” Acts 8:35
In Acts 8, Philip, a follower of Jesus, crossed paths with an important official from Ethiopia who was reading the book of Isaiah, but struggling to understand it. Philip kindly helped him understand that the passage he was reading (Isaiah 53:7-8) was referring to Jesus and the death He would die for the sins of all. Philip shared the Gospel with this man, showing him how the prophecies of the past pointed to the Messiah, Jesus, and all He would do to save and redeem humanity.
Philip showed him that from the books of the law to the prophets, every part of Scripture points to our Savior. The man didn’t understand what he was reading, and God used that as an opportunity to open his eyes to the Gospel.
When you read the Bible, ask yourself: do I understand what I am reading?
When this man opened himself to understanding Scripture, he encountered Jesus and His love. He believed in him with his whole heart, and his spirit was transformed forever.
The transformation he experienced can be yours as well. Remember that:
1. The Bible tells the story of redemption through Jesus and each book of the Bible points to Him in a beautiful way.
2. Jesus is alive and faithful to reveal himself to an open heart.
3. You aren’t alone on your Bible journey. Just like God sent Philip to teach the man from Ethiopia, he often puts people around us who we can learn from.
Today, take a moment to intentionally dive into Scripture. As you do so, seek Jesus in the text. Ask God what it says about His character. And ask yourself: how can this be applied to my life? How can it transform me?
At the end of today’s verse, the Bible says that the man from Ethiopia went on his way rejoicing. How can we not, when we realize how great God’s love is upon us?
Chapter 7
“Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum. And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die. And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant. And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this: for he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue. Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof: wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed. For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it....
“And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire: and he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth, and cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices. And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not. And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer: but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall ...