WEDNESDAY 05 May 2021 “Interruption”

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Hello my ‘Walking with Jesus’ friends,

Have you ever been minding your own business, going about life according to plan when suddenly, out of nowhere, something happens which calls for your attention…right now! What did you do in that unexpected moment of interruption?

The Bible is filled with these unexpected moments and very often they are God sent moments of opportunity. If the person ignores or rejects the ‘defining moment’ they miss out on something special. If they step forward, even if it’s a very inopportune time, and are willing to take a faith step with God, it usually results in something beyond amazing, and something which helps define the rest of their life! We’ve been tracking with Philip for the past few days, and today, join me in Acts 8:26 where suddenly, out of nowhere, Philip has such an experience!

Luke describes it this way: “Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, ‘Go south to the road, the desert road, that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (Acts 8:26) Luke often writes with great detail, but not this time. That’s it. What Philip was doing when suddenly approached by an angel, we don’t know. What the angel looked like, or what else the angel might have said…we don’t know. We do know Philip was busy at this time. Acts 8:4-25 describe a remarkable time of very significant spiritual response to him in Samaria. Many people were responding to his preaching and the miracles Jesus was doing through him. Even a sorcerer named Simon believed in Jesus! Apostles Peter and John had come to see for themselves and prayed over these new believers, and the Holy Spirit had come upon them. A “Jesus spiritual movement” was spreading across the city of Samaria and surrounding region and Philip had no help! Peter and John had returned to Jerusalem. My guess is Philip was busy from sunup till well after sundown everyday! Certainly this was NO TIME to be distracted by an angel with a message from God!

Has that ever happened to you my friends? You’re busy, very busy, doing good things, things that are helping people, the kind of things Jesus would do. And then the interruption comes. It’s not a simple, short phone call, or a request for help that you can accomplish in just a few moments. No, the interruption you receive will require stopping all you are doing and maybe even traveling somewhere for a while! That’s what happened to Philip. Philip was north of Jerusalem up in Samaria in the middle of a spiritual revival! To do what this angel told him to do would require walking away from this great ‘spiritual movement’ and traveling back south toward Jerusalem. But you remember he had fled Jerusalem due to persecution which Saul the Pharisee was leading and it was brutal! It would be dangerous for Philip to be seen anywhere around Jerusalem! But then Philip was to find the desert road which went south from Jerusalem down to Gaza, and then do what? The angel hadn’t given any more instructions! So what have you done when you sensed God was calling you to take a step of faith, but God has not given you all the details?

Philip went! We don’t know who he left to carry on the work of this ‘spiritual movement’ in Samaria, but he left and he went south, to Jerusalem and then beyond, toward the desert road. Now that is remarkable to me… but then again, I suppose if an angel appeared to me and gave me direct instructions from God, I hope I would do the same, how about you, my friends?

So there he is, Philip, standing alongside the desert road watching the busy traffic going both north and south. Let’s just stand there with him for a minute. Lots of people, carts and oxen and an occasional chariot. I’m sure he’s wondering “and, why am I here? Who or what am I supposed to be looking for?…when suddenly the Holy Spirit speaks into Philip’s mind and heart with very clear instructions. This my friends is very significant. Philip’s relationship with Jesus was strong and growing rapidly through the persecution in Jerusalem, the spiritual awakening in Samaria and now his obedience to the angel. Philip is standing there, very alert, waiting and watching for a fresh word from God which would give him further directions.

I have an important question if you are a Christian man or woman, no matter where you live in the world. Are you living everyday like this? Alert to the leading of the Holy Spirit in your life and ready to obey, to take great steps of faith, immediately if so directed? Can you discern when God’s Spirit is speaking to you? Can God trust you to respond obediently and immediately to HIS instructions?

Luke describes a magnificent chariot is approaching on this ‘desert road’, probably going very slowly with so many people walking on this busy road. Luke describes the man in the chariot like this: “an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of Ethiopia. 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” (Acts 8:27,28) Ethiopia is, as you may know, a country in north-eastern Africa. I presume, therefore, this man was a black Ethiopian, but his chariot and probably his servants and his attire showed him to be a man of important position and probably wealthy.

Now watch this friends: just as the Holy Spirit had led Philip to flee Jerusalem and go into Samaria and share the Gospel with Samaritans, a people Jews hated, so now the Holy Spirit is asking Jewish, white Philip to approach what I presume to be a wealthy, highly educated, black man in a sparkling chariot. In both cases God was challenging Philip to step way out of his comfort zone and set aside any prejudices, or bigotry, or preconceived ideas if he would partner with Jesus in something very significant! It was a defining moment. Philip’s obedience or refusal would be very significant for him, for that Ethiopian official, and perhaps for the spread of the Gospel to the country of Ethiopia! My friends we must learn to never limit God, never underestimate what Jesus might be planning and how HE might want to involve YOU in God’s purposes.

Luke writes: “Then Philip ran up to the chariot and asked the Ethiopian official, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ ‘How can I, unless someone explains it to me?”. It was another defining moment. From the Ethiopian officials’ vantage point up in his chariot, dressed in his fine robes, I’m sure Philip looked like a peasant. From Philip’s perspective, the Ethiopian official may have looked like a king!

But the Holy Spirit was working in BOTH their hearts and Luke writes: “So the Ethiopian official invited Philip to come up into his chariot and sit with him!” (Acts 8:30,31) I’m sure a spiritual battle was raging as demonic forces tried very hard to prevent this rendezvous, but the Holy Spirit was victorious and a Jewish Christian and an Ethiopian official began traveling in a chariot together talking about Isaiah 53, and Jesus being the fulfillment of that great Messianic prophecy! Is there any more significant Old Testament Scripture the official could have asked for Philip’s help with as they rode south from Jerusalem? Oh my friend, if you’re not familiar with it, I urge you to take a moment, right now, and read Isaiah 53 and the graphic description of Jesus being crucified, written more than 600 years before Jesus’ birth!

Luke writes the Ethiopian official asked “Who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?’ Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture [Isaiah 53] and told him the good news about Jesus.” Oh my what a conversation that must have been!! Let’s just walk alongside that chariot for a while and watch. Can you see the Ethiopian’s furrowed brow at first, then his eyes beginning to open wide, a big smile on his face as he comes to understand truth, and how if he would trust his life to Jesus everything would change for him now and for eternity? Can you see Philip’s excitement as the Ethiopian official understands Philip’s explanation and lifts his eyes toward heaven, opens his arms and prays inviting Jesus to be his Savior and his Lord?

I think it’s best we stop right here for today. We’ll finish looking at this remarkable event tomorrow, but for today, do you see the strategic significance of Philip’s obedience and his encounter with this Ethiopian official? Do you see the courage required for Philip to leave the revival in Samaria and immediately walk several miles, down to Jerusalem and stand by a road waiting?

I ask all of us to look deeply into our hearts, our priorities… does Jesus see in us a person who is ready to be invited to strategic involvement in God’s purposes like this? What stands in your way? What will you do about that?

Here are five African young men with a simple, short, yet powerful song, perhaps similar to what Philip might have been singing as he stood along that desert roadside waiting:

Today’s Scriptures is Acts 8:26-35 and Isaiah 53.

Choose below to read or listen.

Isaiah 53.

Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.

Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.

Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“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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