The Holy Spirit not only empowered Christians to be bold and courageous to speak the Word, but he also guided them on where to go and what to do even in the midst of persecution. In the efforts to proclaim the good news of the Gospel, God uses even angels to guide his people. Philip is a perfect example of a follower of Christ who was obedient to such guidance. He was told to take a road that led to a desert place and yet Philip obeyed and went. He did not question why would God lead him to a desert place. If the goal was to preach to as many people as possible, why go to the desert? The city is a better choice! Am I open to God's guidance in whatever form it may come? Am I willing to obey even when I don't understand clearly why? If I am going to be effective in the proclamation of the Gospel in this world I must not only understand the message, but I must be obedient to God's directions on where to take the message as well.
Philip's obedience brings him in contact with an Ethiopian eunuch, a very important and influential Treasurer for queen Candace. A eunuch is a castrated man chosen to work in very influential positions in a kingdom. Castration was a means to ensure that the person would not have any family taking away any personal interests or ulterior motives to serve a king or queen. What an opportunity to bring the Word to someone so influential in his time. This was a divine appointment. If I receive and obey God's guidance, I will have divine appointments to share the good news of the Gospel. Am I sensitive enough to perceive God's guidance day by day? I can't obey what I can't hear.
Philip came along side the eunuch's chariot and befriended him before he was invited to get in the chariot to speak the Word. The Ethiopian eunuch confessed that he needed guidance in order to understand what he was reading, but he didn't have someone to help him. The proclamation of the Gospel takes place when a person with a need to understand is met by a person with a desire to explain. Philip's obedience brought him in contact with someone in need, but he first comes alongside and waits for an invitation. Like Philip, I must seize the opportunity of an encounter by coming alongside and showing a genuine interest to help. Only then will I be invited to share the good news. The old saying applies here: "No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care." (Don Swartz)
When the eunuch invited Philip to enter the chariot, he was in for the ride of his life. The eunuch was reading Isaiah 53 and he was wondering who was the prophet talking about. Philip begins with this passage and told him the good news about Jesus leading him to believe and even make a commitment to baptism. Divine appointments require that I be ready to explain the Scriptures leading to the good news of Jesus. If I don't study the Scriptures, how can I lead those who are hungry to understand it? My effectiveness as a witness in the world depends on my ability to convey God's message as it is written in the Scriptures. Do I read the Bible? Do I take time to study it? Do I meditate on it day and night?
Father, make me an obedient messenger of your Word. Help me perceive your guidance in the midst of a noisy world. Empower me to intentionally befriend those who are seeking to understand your Word. Grant me great understanding of your Word and the ability to explain it to others. Amen.
Showing posts with label Philip. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Philip. Show all posts
Friday, September 25, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Acts 8:4-8 Philip Proclaims Christ in Samaria
God is an expert in redeeming terrible and chaotic circumstances. Persecution scattered the Ancient Church, but with its scattering came the spread of the Gospel. Jerusalem had become a place of comfort for the church and the Apostles made it a fortress so to speak. But in doing so, they were disobeying the very instructions that Jesus gave them to be witnesses in Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. Sometimes, God uses very unusual circumstances to overcome my lack of motivation to be a witness outside of my Jerusalem (local place of ministry). Am I entrenched in my Jerusalem unwilling to go out to Samaria to be a witness?
Another key element in the propagation of the Gospel is that not only did the disciples break out of their zones of comfort, but they all were proclaiming the good news. The preaching of the word, understood in this context as being witnesses for the kingdom, was not the exclusive task of the Apostles - "those who were scattered went about preaching the word." In fact, the Apostles remained in Jerusalem! I must be a witness myself. I can't delegate the proclamation of the word to my leaders. I am called to do so. I must obey! My willingness to proclaim the good news as a believer is a key factor to the spread of the Gospel.
The persecution also forced the Ancient Church to go into places they probably would not have gone on their own. Not only were the disciples forced to leave Jerusalem and move outwardly, but they were forced to go to undesirable (to them) places. Samaria is a case in point. The inhabitants of Samaria are descendants of the Jews that mixed themselves with foreign women of the Assyrian empire. The Jews despised them for adopting not only foreign women, but also foreign gods. The Jews despised the Samaritans so much that they would rather walk around their city than enter it to go anywhere even if it meant walking more. Where is my Samaria? Who is despised like that in my context? Is it a social class? Is it the poor? Is it an ethnic group? There could be multiple answers, but the bottom line is that I must be a witness to them also!
"Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ." Maybe to his surprise, the people paid attention to his message and many signs followed the preaching of the Gospel, just like he had experienced in his own Jewish context. God had no partiality. He demonstrated his power among them just like he did among the Jews. Philip became an instrument in God's hands to demonstrate the love, compassion, and mercy of God. The result of such a campaign of love motivated by the persecution was much joy for the Samaritans. My pain sometimes becomes the motivator to do God's will so that others may experience joy. Christ compels me to identify my Samaria and seek them Samaritans to proclaim the good news so that they might have the opportunity to experience true joy.
Father, thanks for the tough times as well as the good times. Fill me with your Spirit and grant me courage and boldness to speak your word, to be a witness and not rely on my leaders to do so. Help me take responsibility and action. Open my eyes to see the Samaria in my context and seek them. Thank you for the joy you give us all who follow you in your kingdom. Amen.
Another key element in the propagation of the Gospel is that not only did the disciples break out of their zones of comfort, but they all were proclaiming the good news. The preaching of the word, understood in this context as being witnesses for the kingdom, was not the exclusive task of the Apostles - "those who were scattered went about preaching the word." In fact, the Apostles remained in Jerusalem! I must be a witness myself. I can't delegate the proclamation of the word to my leaders. I am called to do so. I must obey! My willingness to proclaim the good news as a believer is a key factor to the spread of the Gospel.
The persecution also forced the Ancient Church to go into places they probably would not have gone on their own. Not only were the disciples forced to leave Jerusalem and move outwardly, but they were forced to go to undesirable (to them) places. Samaria is a case in point. The inhabitants of Samaria are descendants of the Jews that mixed themselves with foreign women of the Assyrian empire. The Jews despised them for adopting not only foreign women, but also foreign gods. The Jews despised the Samaritans so much that they would rather walk around their city than enter it to go anywhere even if it meant walking more. Where is my Samaria? Who is despised like that in my context? Is it a social class? Is it the poor? Is it an ethnic group? There could be multiple answers, but the bottom line is that I must be a witness to them also!
"Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ." Maybe to his surprise, the people paid attention to his message and many signs followed the preaching of the Gospel, just like he had experienced in his own Jewish context. God had no partiality. He demonstrated his power among them just like he did among the Jews. Philip became an instrument in God's hands to demonstrate the love, compassion, and mercy of God. The result of such a campaign of love motivated by the persecution was much joy for the Samaritans. My pain sometimes becomes the motivator to do God's will so that others may experience joy. Christ compels me to identify my Samaria and seek them Samaritans to proclaim the good news so that they might have the opportunity to experience true joy.
Father, thanks for the tough times as well as the good times. Fill me with your Spirit and grant me courage and boldness to speak your word, to be a witness and not rely on my leaders to do so. Help me take responsibility and action. Open my eyes to see the Samaria in my context and seek them. Thank you for the joy you give us all who follow you in your kingdom. Amen.
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