Getting Around Spiritually

Acts 8:26-40

The book we call the Acts of the Apostles is well-named because it shares with us a story of action, of movement, of things being done. But many have suggested the story could be called the Acts of God since God is the primary force at work throughout. Our reading today is a good example. “Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Get up and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza…. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing” (Acts 8:26, 39). Philip is busy, traveling from Jerusalem to the desert and, after a brief encounter with an Ethiopian dignitary, on to Azotus. But Philip’s actions are guided by God, either through an angel––a messenger––or by the Holy Spirit. In fact, Philip seems to be completely at God’s disposal, unaware of why he is going where he goes, but willing and enthusiastic about going anyway.

If you are like me you find it difficult to follow Philip’s example. Sometimes I act more like Jonah because I am not so willing to follow God’s guidance. I hem and haw, I hesitate, I drag my feet, and occasionally I simply try to ignore the whole thing. But Acts makes it clear that allowing God to lead us and, if need be, to pick us up and carry us, gives us opportunities to minister and witness to others, to play a role in what God is accomplishing in the world.

So how will we live today, with bold enthusiasm for the message of God or timidly and reluctantly choosing to remain silent? If we will allow God to work through us there’s no telling what we may accomplish.

Prayer: Lord, use us to do your will even when we are hesitant to get involved. For it is in Jesus’ name that we pray. Amen.

One Way Or Another

Acts 8:14-25

One of the more interesting details to emerge from Acts is the fact that there is no set pattern by which individuals come to full inclusion in the faith. Our reading today is a good example. “Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit (for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus)” (Acts 8:14-16). Elsewhere we read that the Spirit is received at the time of baptism, and occasionally the Spirit comes before baptism, but here the Spirit does not arrive until well after baptism. What then shall we say about these things?

What we can say is that faith is a fluid thing, not bound by human understanding or expectations. God has spoken to God’s people in many ways and in many circumstances, sometimes directly, sometimes in dreams or visions, sometimes by way of angles or a burning bush, sometimes through a heightened sense of awareness. When Jesus healed the sick he did not always do so in the same way; sometimes he touched the one in need of healing and sometimes he simply spoke to them, but sometimes he was not even in their presence at all. The church has never come to a definitive understanding on how it is to baptize men and women, or at what age it is appropriate to receive the sacrament, some believing that a person must be “of age” and able to profess the faith, while others believe that it is appropriate at any point in life.

The good news is that with such fluidity God is never out of touch, never left behind, never without recourse. God always has the appropriate response to humanity and we are blessed by God’s actions.

Prayer: Lord, we thank you for your presence in our lives. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Who Will Lead Us Through the Wilderness?

Acts 8:26-40

If you ever doubted the importance of teaching and education to the life of the church then our reading from Acts for today should convince you. It is the story of the conversion of the Ethiopian by Philip. As the African rides along in his chariot he reads aloud from the Hebrew scriptures. “So Philip ran up to it (the chariot) and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ He replied, ‘How can I, unless someone guides me?’ And he invited Philip to get in and sit beside him” (Acts 8:30-31).

“How can I (understand), unless someone guides me?” Often the words of scripture can appear like a trackless region with no clear direction. The fact that Philip met the Ethiopian on a wilderness road may be symbolic of this fact. Left to his own effort the Ethiopian might never have found the truth contained in the Bible, or upon encountering it not understand it. But when given proper guidance by Philip he grasped the meaning of God’s word. Eventually he way his through the complexities to the good news of Jesus Christ. The same is true in our day as well. This is not to say that Bible study is easy. It is difficult work. Nor is there ever an end to the process. Even those who teach need continual refreshing, need to remain connected to the source, as it were.

If you are a teacher or study leader in your community of faith, thank you. The work you do is essential in preparing others to step up and accept the challenge in years to come. In this way the word of God goes from generation to generation and never lies fallow. In this way men and women, young and old, are made more aware of who they are and whose they are.

Prayer: Lord, uphold those who teach and who guide the study of your word. May they know the joy of leading others to better understanding and to lives enriched . In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Learning Who We Really Are

Acts 8:1b-13

Sometimes even the most faithful of believers can struggle with how he or she fits into the life of the community. Rare are the individuals who can come to see themselves in a new light and willingly, graciously accept that new understanding. Perhaps Simon the magician can give us the needed perspective.

When a great persecution erupted against the church in Jerusalem Philip, one of the newly ordained deacons from Acts 6, made his way to Samaria. There Philip shared the good news and did many signs for the people. As Acts tells us, “…When they believed Philip, who was proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Even Simon (the magician) himself believed. After being baptized, he stayed constantly with Philip and was amazed when he saw the signs and great miracles that took place” (Acts 8:12-13). Keep in mind that up until this time Simon had been considered a great man in Samaria, someone with tremendous gifts. But when the truth of the gospel was revealed to him he set aside his status and became one of the believers, amazed by what Philip was doing, and listening to Philip’s teachings.

I respect Simon for what he did because I know how challenging it can be. Simon let go of his old life and accepted a new reality for himself. Once we’ve lived with certain expectations it is very difficult to see ourselves differently, especially if we sense we have lost status or esteem. In fact, it is even difficult for the community as a whole to reconsider its place in the world, to let go of old ideas about prestige and accept a new role that God holds out. Simon, then, is a compelling figure for us to consider, a man who let go of who he was and embraced the gospel as good news. It would serve us well to follow in Simon’s footsteps, as individuals and as a community, always striving to accept the new thing that God is doing, even if it means letting go of who we once were.

Prayer: Gracious God, give us the strength to trust you and to live out the calling you have given us, that your gospel might bear good fruit in the world. Amen.