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And then an angel shows up and that’s when things start getting really interesting.

An Angel with a message

“Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, ‘Go south to the road - the desert road- that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. (v. 26)

I’ve never actually seen an angel, except the one I married nearly fifteen years ago! In Old Testament times, angels were one of the ways God communicated His will to people. Skip down to verse 29 for a second. Notice, “the Spirit told him...” In this passage we see the Old Testament medium of angels and the New Testament medium of the Spirit coming together to clearly guide Philip.

The angel’s message must have seemed confusing. Philip is told to go south to the desert road that goes from Jerusalem to Gaza. There were actually two roads that connected these two areas. Philip is told to take the “one less traveled” to put it mildly. He is literally directed to stand in the middle of the desert. In the Greek it is implied that where he is going is really HOT! Dangerously hot!

Notice what Philip doesn’t do. He doesn’t check his Blackberry and tell God that he has more pressing matters. He doesn’t ask God why. In fact, God doesn’t tell him why! He doesn’t pout and worry that the revival will fall apart with him.

Look at the first four words of verse 27. In fact, read them with me:

“So he started out...”

He just did what God told him to do. No questions asked. What are some words we can use to describe Philip?

Obedient. Available. Humble. [Congregational response]

The story is told of a young man who attended a Wednesday night Bible study on God speaking to Samuel. (see I Samuel 3). As he got into his car he wondered aloud if God still really does speak to people today. Then he said a dangerous prayer, “If you do speak to me, I’ll do whatever you want me to do.”

On the way home, as he passed a grocery store, he heard a voice in his head tell him to buy a gallon of milk. He bought the milk and started home when the he heard the voice again. It said turn down that street and stop. He thought he was going crazy but turned and stopped. He felt lead to take the milk to a small row house. The house was dark and it appeared that all the occupants were asleep. He sheepishly knocked on the door and said, “I don’t know why but I felt like I should bring you some milk.” The man who answered the door ran down the hall shouting in Spanish. A women carrying a young baby came to the door with tears streaming down her face. She explained in broken English, “We had no money to buy milk for our baby, so I prayed and asked God to send an angel with some milk? Are you an angel?” [as told by Tom Lovorn]

Point to Ponder:

Are you like Philip? Can God count on you to do what He asks? Even if it is hard? Are you available to drop everything and go stand in a desert if He asks you to?

Let’s read David’s words together: “Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in Your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear Your name.” (Psalm 86:11-12)

Out of Africa