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ACTS 8:29-35

"THE VOLUME OF THE BOOK"

Intro: The Bible is an amazing book, written over a period of 1,500 years by over 40  authors,
       yet a story of one man. The history of the nation of Israel is actually His  story.

I. Jesus, the central theme of the Bible.
        A. John 5:39, "You do search the scriptures . . ."
                1. Would have to be reference to Old Testament.
                2. Jesus said, "They testify of Me."
                3. "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."
                        a. Who is the creator God?
                                1. John 1:1,2 - "In the beginning was..."
                                2. Col. 1:16 - "For by Him were all things created that are 
                                   in  heaven and earth"
                4. God promised Adam that the seed of the woman would bruise the  head of the
                   serpent.
                        a. Ref. to virgin birth of Jesus.
                5. He is taught by type and analogy.
                        a. Isaac born miraculously to be later sacrificed by Abraham.
                        b. Joseph despised and rejected by his brothers why plot to kill  him,
                           yet became honored by the Gentiles and later receives his 
                           repentant brothers.
                6. You can follow this pattern through the entire Old Testament.
        B. Jesus with disciples on road to Emmaus. Luke 24:27, "And beginning with  Moses and
           all the prophets, He expounded to them in all the scriptures the  things pertaining
           unto Himself."
                1. Over 300 prophesies that gave details of the Messiah, His birth, His  work,
                   His death and resurrection, even the date of His appearing  found in the 
                   Old Testament.
        C. "As it is written of Me in the volume of the book."
                1. The book was written about Him.
                2. He is the central theme all the way through.
                        a. This is where the Book of Mormon fails, it introduces a new  
                           central character, Maroni. Jesus is reduced  to brother of  
                           Lucifer. Mormon doctrine and Christian doctrine incompatible.

II. "PHILIP BEGAN AT THE SAME VERSE AND PREACHED UNTO HIM JESUS."
        A. This should be possible for any trained child of God to do no matter where  he 
           might have been reading. 
                1. If you don't find Jesus within the text or context you are missing the 
                   main theme of the story.
                2. I hear people say they believe in God, but they have difficulty with Jesus.
                        a. They do not believe in the God of the Bible.
                        b. John said, "If you don't abide in the doctrine of Christ, you don't
                           have God."
        B. "He preached unto him Jesus."
                1. What a blessed privilege proclaiming life unto people.
                        a. "This is the record, that God has given unto us eternal life..."
                2. Proclaiming hope.
                3. Proclaiming love.

III. THE TEXT REVEALS THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD.
        A. The Ethiopian eunuch came to Jerusalem searching for God.
                1. It had been a vain trip.
                2. As he was returning home, he was still searching.
        B. God saw his thirsty spirit.
                1. Interrupted Philip's revival in Samaria.
                2. Sent him to share with him Jesus.
        C. You will not find God till you find Jesus.