I want what you have – Part 2
Today we are picking up with the second half of Chapter 8. Last week we learned about the dealing of Philip in Samaria and in particular with Simon the Soarcer. The main focus of last week was that when Simon say the success of Philip he was impressed and the scripture says he believed and was baptized and then he followed Philip around like a kid on a construction sight. He listened to every word he taught and he witnessed fantastic signs. It was not just Simon that was impressed. The whole town was caught up in what was happening. The Samaritans were a people rejected by the Jews as just being trash were being welcomed by a prophet of God. Something was changing for Samaria. Some help arrived, Peter and John were sent and all heave breaks loose as the Holy Spirit comes when the apostils lay their hands on people.
It must have been like something they had never seen. People changed, shouting praises, maybe speaking n tongues and falling out on the floor. Something, something was happening, and I imagine everyone was excited. That is when Simon speaks up and offers to pay to be able to have these gifts.
Peter, stops and stares at this “new believer” and tells him that he has no part in the ministry. Basically, you can’t buy the grace of God and if you think you can…well you don’t have a clue.
We tied the excitement of Simeon to any of us when we think we can shortcut God’s plan. If we think a how too book for ministry has the answers instead of relying on God.
It is natural to want what other people have……I am not saying it is right. I am saying is when we see someone that is successful to want to mirror the success. Serving God is no different. But we have to understand that we have to do it God’s way wither in ministry or in life, Christians are dependant on God. We can buy success or short cut growth.
This week our scripture is also about a person that wants something. He is successful. He has money and a great job. He has gone on a pilgrimage to learn more about God.
He wants something.
The scripture for today starts with, 26Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza."
Last week we talked about when ever you leave Jerusalem you always Go down. Last week Philip went down and went north. He traveled 40 to 100 miles for the story we studied last week. This week the suddenly we have an angel of the lord that tells him to GO south young man. And so he is headed back 40 to 100 miles and then heading back out of Jerusalem toward Gaza to the south.
If he is following the mountain road he and actually going to Gaza it will we about 130 miles from Jerusalem. So he starts from the North 40 to 100 miles back to Jerusalem and then we have no real idea as to how far he is traveled. As far as we know Philip does not complain at all…perhaps the contact with the angel impacted him in a big way.
27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. The Spirit told Philip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it."
The description of the Ethiopian is that he is an important official, His responsibility put him in charge of the treasury of the Queen of the Ethiopians. This man was no poor working man. He is wealthy. He is important. He is trustworthy. which are all pretty impressive traits, however there is more that we know about him.
The most important is that He is searching for God.
He had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and was on his way back home. There is one more thing about this man that needs to be understood so that we can get the full meaning of the story.
This man was a eunuch. That means that for what ever reason, perhaps force, or as a sign of loyalty his body was altered. Without going into graphic detail. He was unable to produce children.
In the Jewish culture, that made him an abomination because it was a physical change which they believed that God would not approve.
Simplified, God made you like you are and it is not up to you to change your self.
The Ethiopian was physically modified and that, as far as the Jews were concerned, made him un-acceptable to God according to the law.
One of God’s main blessings in that day was with the gift of children the growth of herds of sheep and goats. Through one’s children, you as an individual lived on …even after your physical death.
So this man, has a problem, evidentially he had been a worshiper at the synagogues or had heard the teachings about the one true God back in Ethiopia.
He was a believer in the one true God even though he as a gentile.
He made a pilgrimage to the most holy place to worship.
He was around 2000 miles from home. That is a long way to go for church.
This important man has taken a trip that probably took well over a month to Go to the Temple dedicated to the one true God. You don’t make a trip that far for church unless you are a believer …. do you?
As a believer, to receive full forgiveness for sins he had to go to the temple and offer the appropriate sacrifice.
This man was considered a proselyte, he is a pagan that has converted to Judaism. So what do you think his worship experience was like?
That probably depends on what he told them at the temple.
If he went to the temple as a proselyte he would be allowed to enter the court of then gentiles.
He would have been involved, at a distance. There would have been prayers and teaching in the court of the gentiles. The smoke from the sacrifices would have filled the air with the fragrance of a barb-B-Q. He could bring an offering on his behalf to make his relationship with God right and him blameless.
The music echoing off the walls and the sounds of people worshiping would be a very impressive mix in the ears. As a gentile he would not be able to enter and participate in the inner but, court he could see a lot going on by looking through the Gate entrance. It would have been pretty neat to participate and to be caught up in all the liturgical or ritual.
But there is a chance that he never made it that far….What if the priest had an inspection station before entering the courtyard. -- Maybe just a few questions to assure that the people entering were eligible.
This man was obviously not Jewish, he probably had dark skin, and He is from Africa after all. His clothes would not have included the normal Jewish accessories to mark him as a Jew.
He would have made him stand out in the crowd in appearances and even his position and the guards with him would have called attention to him as the came to the temple.
But none of the excluded him form temple worship. But he does have a problem…It probably, would come down to one thing as to wither he was able to worship in the temple or not. If he was honest he would have to admit that his body had been altered. That he was an abomination which would bar his access to the temple grounds.
There is a big chance that he had traveled all that way to experience Temple worship and been rejected at the door.
- Philip is sent to stand close to the man. He hears him reading from reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. He hears the man reading probably in Greek which was the language that the Septuagint was written. Remember that Philip was a Greek Jew. He jumps in with a question.
"Do you understand what you are reading?"
A statement like that could have been taken wrong. Like some kind of a racial slur, or perhaps as some kind of superior arrogant attitude.
The Ethiopian responds, "How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?"
He is not threatened or insulted at all, he is on a spiritual journey and he is looking of for something. When this stranger steps up it is like an answer to prayer. He invites Philip to join him in the carriage.
The section that he was reading is quoted from Isaiah 53:
"He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 33In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth."
34The eunuch asked Philip, "Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?"
This is the key description that most Christians understand about Jesus sacrifice for us. The Man is struggling with the actions offered in the salvation of mankind. He is less than a year away for the fulfillment of prophesy of Isaiah that he is reading.
God has opened the door for Philip the share the good news.
35Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
Philip explains the prophesy, and connects it to the real events. It says that he starts there…that means that he went on to explain even more of the scriptures and that may have taken him to Isaiah 56:3-6.
Let no foreigner who has bound himself to the LORD say, "The LORD will surely exclude me from his people." And let not any eunuch complain, "I am only a dry tree." For this is what the LORD says: "To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose what pleases me and hold fast to my covenant- to them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off.
Do you think that passage might have any special meaning to this foreigner, this eunuch? The prophesy of Isaiah explains that even foreigners and eunuchs are welcome inside the walls of the kingdom of God. He will receive their sacrifices. He will make them better than sons and daughters.
Folks the Good news of Jesus Christ is for foreigners like you and me the Samaritans of this world. It if even for thoes that make permanent alterations for their physical bodies no matter how distasteful or improper IF…IF they accept God’s covenant and keep the Sabbath.
No matter how much of an abomination we make ourselves, God will accept us if we come back to him.
Folks, I hope that gets your attention. The prophet Isaiah for-told it and Jesus fulfilled it and our scripture this morning as about how Philip was sent to explain it to a man that wanted to understand the relationship that God offered.
A man that could not repair the physical damage to his body any more that we can remove our sin,
Folks the Bible explains the relationship that God offers. It is like a time life book…IT’s all in there. Every proof and explanation for us to come to faith, for us to let go of doubts caused by our own fears and thoes caused by other people.
According to Isaiah, The Eunuch never really had to do anything to be welcome in Worship except show up. God never excluded him, from worship, that tends to be something man does, ether by judging others or judging ourselves.
The scripture for today continues : 36As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. Why shouldn’t I be baptized?" 38And he gave orders to stop the chariot.
The man accepts for himself the Good news of Jesus Christ and wants to be baptized. Look over there, a creek. I want what you have explained. I want what prophesy has foretold. I want what he the Jews in Jerusalem tell me are impossible.
I want to be forgiven of my sins and to accept the salvation offered by the son of God.
Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.
Is he rejoicing because Philip never got the chance to take up an offering? No, he is rejoicing because he knows what god can do. He is refreshed because his 2000 mile trip has lead to more than worship, it has led to understanding and Joy.
It has lead to acceptance and freedom.
Philip, is taken away, some how he is transported. I probably would have been shocked when the teacher disappeared.
He appears in Azotus, (Ashdod) which is on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Almost level with Jerusalem From there he is going to preach and teach his way up the coast to Caesarea.
Our message this morning reminds us that sometimes even the high in society have things that they believe separate them form God. They might be spiritual issues such as their intellect or position which allow them to be arrogant.
It might be physical, something they did to themselves, something sexual, something harsh to others, anything that lets our unworthiness be more powerful that God.
How will they and we know if some one does not explain it to us. How can they worship and have a relationship unless they overcome their personal obstacles and come to God?
Are you ready to be sent? Are you willing?
Do You need a prophet to help you along the road to understanding and joy?
All Glory be to God!
