Title: "Oasis in the Desert." Philip – in the first person
Situation; it’s been quite an exciting season around Jerusalem…
We’ve been waiting so long for the messiah to arrive. Then, Jesus of Nazareth came – through his teaching and his love and his miracles, people started to realize - yes!!! Finally – our long awaited messiah had a arrived. Not only for the Jewish people – but the messiah is for all the world!!
Then Jesus was arrested and crucified. It was ugly…
Peter denied even knowing him
Judas another disciple sold him out
All the disciples abandoned Jesus and ran for their lives
“Black Friday”
But then 3 days later Jesus rose from the dead … “he is risen – just like he said.” When Jesus Rose from the dead – that clinched it. The romans and the high priest and the Sanhedrin thought they had everything under control. They never anticipated him getting up out of the grave – he even folded his grave clothes before exiting the tomb!
Then, 40 days of thrills -- 40 days of Jesus “showing up.”
First, Peter
Then the 12
Then Thomas the doubter saw and believed!
Then James
Then the 2 - while walking the road to emmaus
Then…500 of us at one time.
it was no mistake – he was alive.
Then, good-bye.
Jesus ascended to heaven – but promised a special gift would follow – the Holy Spirit.
He told the 12 to wait in Jerusalem – the gift would be delivered there.
It happened on Pentecost (a Jewish holiday – 50 days after Passover) – the time we always remember the gift of the law – now a new gift -- for a new era.
There were languages and flames. We knew some of the symbolism – fire has always been associated with God’s presence – like at the burning bush and like on MT Carmel – fire came from heaven
Then Peter preaches this amazing sermon – yes- Peter the same one who denied even knowing Jesus… now look at him… preaching like he’s Jeremiah or john the Baptist
Everyone was in awe.
3000 people believe!!!
Our burgeoning movement of Jesus followers is capturing everyone’s attention. Then, just a short time later the number of Jesus followers reaches 5000.
Complication; But we were so poorly organized in those days – just riding the wave so to speak… the Holy Spirit was on the move.
“we had the fire – but we had no fireplace” – we needed leaders and we needed to get organized. For example…. The widows among us had to be fed… Jesus always had compassion for the poor and as Jesus followers we would do the same. The 12 apostles were overwhelmed and feeling stretched… They decided the preaching of the gospel had priority – but what about the hungry?
Physical food or spiritual food? Must we choose? So… they decided to appoint 7 deacons to care for the “foodbank.” It was a daily task… every day more people came – every day we had to find food … and fairly dispense it – making sure the Hebraic Jews and the Greek Jews were treated the same…
Where to find these leaders?
“Find 7” … said the 12
It was no trivial decision – all 7 men had to be filled with the HOLY Spirit and wisdom. By God’s grace I was one of the 7 – my name is Philip.
At first it was busy and then it got busier… Now I knew why we needed to be filled with the Holy Spirit and wisdom – people can turn cranky when they are hungry or feeling overlooked. The 12 apostles laid their hands on us and prayed for God’s wisdom.
Then, a short time later – one of the members of our food team – Stephen – started preaching and God used him to perform miracles. Stephen was a man of great faith – and a great anointing of the Holy Spirit was on him. He started preaching and God used him to work miracles. Very soon the push back came…The Jewish authorities – the Sanhedrin brought him in – to investigate the charge of blasphemy – very serious!!!
Stephen – being bold and full of zeal was not intimidated – he began to preach to them too…. He covered the entire history of Israel… Egypt…Moses…the burning bush.. king David… prophets… and then Jesus … “and now you have murdered and betrayed him.” {7:52)
They were furious --- they dragged him out into the streets and stoned him to death. Our first martyr.
A very sad day.
On the heels of stoning Stephen… a great persecution breaks out – and everyone scatters… south to Judea and north around Samaria.
Saul of Tarsus was the ring leader in the outbreak of persecution… he began to destroy the church…he was throwing both men and women in prison for being a Jesus follower.
Resolution; “But those who were scattered preached the gospel wherever they went.
Every Jesus follower was full of the Holy Spirit and full of passion --- we had waited so long for the Messiah… now that he’s come we could no longer be silent.
And so I too was scattered – I found myself in the region of Samaria…
What to do? No widows to feed here. Do I hide in fear? Do I stay silent? Or do I witness to the truth of who Jesus is!!!
Preaching it is!!! If Stephen can do – maybe I can too.
I preached to large crowds in Samaria – the Holy Spirit was with me all the way. Miracles were happening – signs - authenticating the message. Demons were cast out of people. Paralyzed people were able to walk again.
It was incredible…
You can read it in Luke’s history … “there was great joy in that city” {Acts 8:8}
There was a guy there named Simon – he was a terror -- using sorcery to manipulate the people into spiritual bondage – an agent of the devil himself. But when I preached about Jesus – the demons fled and Simon believed and was even baptized. The news of the great things God was doing in Samaria reached Jerusalem and Peter and John came down to visit.
if all of this wasn’t enough excitement for a church deacon – remember I was asked to feed hungry widows – and now I’m preaching and healing and casting out demons.
{Let’s be honest - It was more than I signed up for – but it was worth it and then some.}
…well … if that wasn’t enough… one day I had a visitor come by…
it was an angel! I’m not kidding. I’d never seen an angel before but let’s just say I knew it was an angel… if you ever see an angel – I think you will know it too. I know, I know – some angels disguise themselves – not this one!!! So this angel says to me …. “Phil, go south to the desert road – you knew the one that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.”
What should I say? Should I ask ‘why”? Well I didn’t feel like asking an angel “why” – I just did what I was told… I’m in samaria… its 50 miles – 80 kms to Gaza…
I arrive in the region and I start out on the road to Gaza…
So on this road I meet an Ethiopian on his return home from Jerusalem. He’s in a high-end chariot and turns out he’s reading the prophet Isaiah.
Now what? What am I supposed to do?
The Holy Spirit speaks – “go to that chariot.”
So, I ran up to the chariot… and I just said what came into my mind – I’m thinking the Holy Spirit is in charge… I just go with it.
“Do you understand what you are reading?”
He’s reading from Isaiah --- the prophesy about the death of Jesus!!! What timing!!! Talk about an open door!!! Only the Holy Spirit could make this happen!!!
He says to me – who is the prophet talking about?
This man was hungry for God. (He’d been in Jerusalem… and had purchased this scroll – quite costly.)
{**God always finds a way to reach the hungry heart.**}
So… starting with that very passage I told him the good news about Jesus.!!!! {Acts 8:35) He was all ears… drinking in the good news…. The HS was with us and faith rose up in his heart. Then as we travel along we come upon water – in the desert! – He says – “ I want to be baptized” …. Look…look… here is water!!!!
and right there I baptize him!!!
The Ethiopian came up out of the water “rejoicing” !!!
Me, Philip, I came up out of the water and my feet didn’t touch the ground… the Holy Spirit took me and brought me out of the desert and I found myself out on the coast near azote’s and I kept on preaching up the coastline toward Caesarea.
Now how is that for evangelism!!!
I have often wondered what happened when he got home to Ethiopia --- did the queen, Candace, also believe? I realized the HS is at work when I don’t see and when I don’t know… Never underestimate the Holy Spirit
Application; who knows what God will use you for!!!
So… I signed up to feed widows. I became a preacher. I was used of God to see people healed. I cast out demons. And people got saved… An Angel showed up. The Holy Spirit spoke to me…. How did it happen? It was the work of the Holy Spirit – he took me along for the ride.
Who knows what God will do in your life – and how he will use you.
Obey him
Don’t be afraid.
Watch him work… watch him reach… watch him call people to follow Jesus
“Feeding a hungry belly is one thing – feeding a hungry soul is quite another.”
