The Invitation - Day 13
Acts of the Apostles 8: 26-38
“As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, “Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.” So he started out, and he met the treasurer of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under the Kandake, the queen of Ethiopia. The eunuch had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and he was now returning. Seated in his carriage, he was reading aloud from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.”
Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
The man replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him.
The passage of Scripture he had been reading was this: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter. And as a lamb is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. He was humiliated and received no justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.”
The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, was the prophet talking about himself or someone else?” So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus.
As they rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look! There’s some water! Why can’t I be baptized?” He ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.
When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing.”
This is a great story to spend time with, with so much we could unpack. However, for this reflection, we’ll keep it simple.
First, we note that Jesus’ disciple, Philip, was open enough to hear from and follow the Holy Spirit wherever she led him. I find this to be the kind of disciple I want to be.
Secondly, the other character in our story is a Eunuch. Eunuchs had an interesting history in Biblical times, but one thing was sure - they were not allowed to enter the temple in Jerusalem.
This Ethiopian Eunuch was likely a convert to Judaism, may even have been circumcised, and had traveled to Jerusalem to worship. He was hungry to learn about and meet with God.
But likely, upon arriving, he would have had the door slammed in his face (don’t ask me how they checked to see if he was a eunuch or not). Like many others who went to Jerusalem, he had been met with one barrier after another.
In today’s story, he’s on his way back to Ethiopia and reading from the scroll of Isaiah (he must have had wealth because a scroll was very expensive), but he doesn’t understand what he’s reading. God sends Philip to help him know that the following two parts of the story are essential.
For those who have been baptized, we’re told what our job is when it comes to helping others know more about Jesus, the barrier-remover: “So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus.” (Acts 8:35) Our job is to help point people to Jesus.
And for those who haven’t been baptized, listen to what happens when the eunuch has the story of Jesus come together for him for the first time; he responds.
“As they rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look! There’s some water! Why can’t I be baptized?” He ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.” (Acts 8: 36,38)
When we come to see Jesus for who He is - a God who so loved the world that He died for us, a God who removed the barriers between us and Him so we could be made whole again with Him, then the only thing left that keeps us from being baptized is finding some water and going for it.
Questions to consider today:
The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.”
Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
The man replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him.
The passage of Scripture he had been reading was this: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter. And as a lamb is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. He was humiliated and received no justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.”
The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, was the prophet talking about himself or someone else?” So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus.
As they rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look! There’s some water! Why can’t I be baptized?” He ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.
When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing.”
This is a great story to spend time with, with so much we could unpack. However, for this reflection, we’ll keep it simple.
First, we note that Jesus’ disciple, Philip, was open enough to hear from and follow the Holy Spirit wherever she led him. I find this to be the kind of disciple I want to be.
Secondly, the other character in our story is a Eunuch. Eunuchs had an interesting history in Biblical times, but one thing was sure - they were not allowed to enter the temple in Jerusalem.
This Ethiopian Eunuch was likely a convert to Judaism, may even have been circumcised, and had traveled to Jerusalem to worship. He was hungry to learn about and meet with God.
But likely, upon arriving, he would have had the door slammed in his face (don’t ask me how they checked to see if he was a eunuch or not). Like many others who went to Jerusalem, he had been met with one barrier after another.
In today’s story, he’s on his way back to Ethiopia and reading from the scroll of Isaiah (he must have had wealth because a scroll was very expensive), but he doesn’t understand what he’s reading. God sends Philip to help him know that the following two parts of the story are essential.
For those who have been baptized, we’re told what our job is when it comes to helping others know more about Jesus, the barrier-remover: “So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus.” (Acts 8:35) Our job is to help point people to Jesus.
And for those who haven’t been baptized, listen to what happens when the eunuch has the story of Jesus come together for him for the first time; he responds.
“As they rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look! There’s some water! Why can’t I be baptized?” He ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.” (Acts 8: 36,38)
When we come to see Jesus for who He is - a God who so loved the world that He died for us, a God who removed the barriers between us and Him so we could be made whole again with Him, then the only thing left that keeps us from being baptized is finding some water and going for it.
Questions to consider today:
- Do you believe that Jesus is who He said He is - the Word made flesh who came and died for our sins?
- If you believe the above, have you entirely given your life to Him through baptism? Why or why not? If not, what’s keeping you from saying yes?
- PRAY TOGETHER - As you talk all this over with the person you are studying with, ask each other any questions about Jesus or baptism, knowing you can reach out to a pastor if you still have questions after talking. But pray for God to lead and guide you to a better picture of Him, to a conviction in your heart to trust in Him more, and then, when the time is right, to remove the barriers so that you may be baptized or rededicate your life to him.
1 Comment
I too love this story. For all the reasons you brought up, but also because I spent 6 of my growing up years in Ethiopia. A few things that might add to your story. According to Ethiopian history, their royal lineage are direct descendents of David. This was an immediate result of King Solomon having supposed relations with the Queen of Sheba, the predecessor of Ethiopia. Her son was allegedly Solomon's son. In fact the older Ethiopian flag included the lion of the tribe of Judah on it. So from the time of Solomon, Ethiopia was linked to Judaism. And a Paul Harvey ending to the eunuch and Phillip's encounter is that upon the eunuch's return to Ethiopia, he spread the Gospel. The result of that was that Ethiopia was the very first nation to adopt Christianity as a state religion. . . . And now you know the rest of the story.