Hello, my ‘Walking with Jesus’ friends,
Have you ever sensed a stirring in your soul which you felt was God leading you to do something which seemed, at the time, far outside your comfort zone? In that precarious moment, what did you do? In the past few days we’ve been looking at an unusual time in history as a great persecution suddenly broke out in Jerusalem, against all presumed followers of Jesus. Thousands fled, fearing for their lives. (Acts 8:1-3)
Today, let’s continue following the flight of Philip, one of the seven selected to care for the widows… yet Philip had to flee Jerusalem for his life! (Acts 8:4-8)
Yesterday we saw that apostles Peter and John had been sent, by the apostles in Jerusalem, to go and investigate what was happening in the Samaritan city to which Philip had fled. Amazingly Samaritans were believing the truth Philip was preaching about Jesus being the Jewish Messiah, and the Savior of the world. Many Samaritans were doing what the Jews had done in Jerusalem. They were repenting of their sin, being baptized, and as Peter and John prayed over them, they were receiving the Holy Spirit of God, as the Jews had. The spiritual awakening which had shaken Jerusalem was spreading to Samaria!
In the middle of this euphoria, Philip received a visit, a very unusual visit. Acts 8:26 reports: “Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, ‘Go south to the desert road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.’ So he started out…” Now, that amazes me. Why? We should assume Philip was having a wonderful time in that Samaritan city and that he was busy every waking moment. Why? Philip had brought the good news about Jesus and I’m sure those who were believing Philip and trusting in Jesus were clamoring for Philip to answer all their questions about Jesus and this new life.
I wonder if these Samaritans with Philip had heard about what happened in the Samaritan city Sychar, perhaps a year or so earlier, when Jesus led His disciples there and the entire town was turned upside down by Jesus staying there a few days… remember that story? (John 4:1-42)
Why would God send an angel to tell Philip to pack up and LEAVE this ‘spiritual awakening’ in Samaria and go stand by a roadside south of Jerusalem? Peter and John had already headed back to Jerusalem to report what they had seen in Samaria. (Acts 8:25)
If Philip left this city, who would be available to keep teaching the people about Jesus? I don’t know the answer to that question, but I can well imagine it caused Philip to struggle with this angel’s message about leaving. Still, it appears Philip packed up and headed down the road trusting God had a plan! That’s important for us to embrace my friends.
If you and I are going to be drawn by the Holy Spirit INTO participating with God in what HE is doing in our world, we need to be available and willing for God to call us out of ‘comfortable and convenient’ into the adventure of TRUSTING God with DIScomfort and INconvenient! Pause.
Honestly now, are you in that place of availability and readiness for Jesus to involve you in what God is doing in our world, especially if it’s inconvenient or uncomfortable for you?
Samaria was directly NORTH of Jerusalem and the road to which the angel directed Philip was SOUTH of Jerusalem. Now please remember Philip had FLED Jerusalem, because so many people were being arrested and persecuted! (Acts 8:3) That tells me Philip probably took the long road AROUND Jerusalem to find the desert road to which the angel had directed him. By the way, that road leading from Jerusalem south to Gaza still exists today, although now it’s a major highway!
What do you suppose Philip was looking for as he walked on that road which we presume was like today a busy road full of people and carts. The record says: “…on his way Philip met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury… 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.” (Acts 8:27-29) While we don’t know much about this Philip, it’s safe to assume he was not a man to spend much time around chariots and the wealthy who travel in chariots. But the Holy Spirit was clear and this would require a huge step of faith by Philip. Pause.
Do you and I put limits on God? How many times in your life have you said NO to God? Or perhaps you said ‘not now God, maybe later’? From where Philip stood, I’m sure this gleaming chariot and the African official riding in it seemed something Philip would do well to keep a safe distance away from, yet Philip was hearing an undeniable and urgent message from the Holy Spirit. What should he do? He had already crossed one major cultural barrier by going to the Samaritans, but now an African government official in a chariot? What might happen to him if Philip actually approached and stood near that official chariot, uninvited?
We need to pause here this weekend my friends. At this very moment God is very busy working His purposes all around the world and normal people like Philip, and you and me, are being urged by the Holy Spirit to take courageous steps of faith way outside their comfort zone.
The anxiety they feel is exactly what Philip felt. The questions they have are the same questions Philip had. And God waits and watches to see WHO will have the courage to step forward in great faith, trusting God in the unpredictable! What about you and me, my friends? If God invites you and me to join Him in something outrageous this weekend… something HE is doing… what will be our response?
The ‘lessons learned’ notes will help us discern more from God today, and the worship song will draw us to Jesus, and I hope you have a wonderful worship experience this weekend, and I’ll be here waiting for you on Monday.
Today’s Scripture: Acts 8:25-29.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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