Then...He Preached Jesus to Him

Lalo Enriquez

So the eunuch answered Philip and said, "I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?" Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.” (Acts 8:34-35)

The focal point of all New Testament preaching must be Jesus Christ. In the New Covenant scriptures preachers of the gospel endeavored only to tell the story of Jesus. Paul said, “I did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:1-2). While this preaching involved many themes, principles, commandments and doctrines, its central focus was always the Lord and His death, burial and resurrection: “Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you — unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

They knew that in learning about Jesus, of His love and about what He did for us, would awaken in man a new awareness of God and His eternal purpose. Man would also become aware of self, and he would gain a new eternal perspective about life itself. Look what it did for the apostles. The things they learned and experienced about Jesus transformed theme from weak ordinary men, into spiritual giants. Fears were cast off. In just 30 years they “turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6). The “gospel was preached in all the (known) world” (Colossians 1:5-6), “to every creature” (Colossians 1:23).

In our efforts to know Him and live by His examples of love, sacrifice, and doing good, we in the 21st Century will also benefit. It will transform us into a new creation. All things will become “new, old things will pass away” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Every aspect of life will be improved. Right answers will begin to fall into place. Spiritual tranquility will be realized. And finally, eternal life and salvation will be assured.