Acts 8:1-3
That day a severe persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria. Devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation over him.
Meanwhile, Saul was ravaging the church by entering house after house -- dragging off both men and women, he committed them to prison...
Before we get into our lesson for today I need to explain some word usage. The new Jesus-followers, at the time we’re reading about and discussing right now, did not yet call themselves “Christians.” The majority of them were still, in their own thinking, observant Jews – just with the new Good News of Jesus as a natural growth in their faith.
But it’s getting pretty complicated, now that we are spreading out into the world and adding believers who may have been born in other regions, or speak other languages, or may even be converts from other faiths – or all three at once. And it’s going to keep on being complicated, because the cast of characters is starting to become more and more diverse.
The Old Testament, or Hebrew Scriptures, is the story of the Hebrew people – a people created, and growing through the centuries into God’s own Chosen People – the Jews. Those are the people the scripture stories are about. But – there have always been other people as well – not-Hebrew people – foreigners, outsiders – but so far they have mostly been viewed as enemies or simply people-not-worth-our-notice.
But now they are starting to catch our attention. Some of these non-Jewish people are choosing to follow the way of Jesus and they are entering into the story, and so I’m going to start using that word Christian, even though it won’t technically come into being for a few more chapters, because these formerly outside people have now become the story – and we need a unifying word to discuss this growth and inclusion. This inclusion was not always easy. Reading our opening scripture today about Saul’s persecutions tells us just how ugly it would often be.
Now – to get back to the spreading out, the reaching out, we are going to follow one of those who traveled and risked much to tell others about Jesus – one of the earliest Christians. Philip doesn’t show up a lot in the gospels but he was one of the very first of those called by Jesus to follow – to come and see. He had been a follower of John the Baptist and when John told his followers to go and see Jesus for themselves, Philip did, and he became the third to be called, after Peter and Andrew.
When the persecutions began, Philip went to Samaria and began preaching there – and many were healed, and many were baptized, and there was great joy in the city. Hearing this, the apostles in Jerusalem sent Peter and John to help Philip, and in their praying and laying on of hands, the Holy Spirit swept through the area and masses of new believers were added to their numbers – in that most unlikely place – Samaria!
After a bit, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, but an angel appeared to Philip in a dream and directed him to travel south, where he met a traveler who was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the queen of the Ethiopians. He had come to Jerusalem to worship but was now on his way home again.
He was seated in his chariot, beside the road, and reading from the prophet Isaiah when the Spirit directed Philip to go talk to him. When he saw him reading Isaiah, he asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” The man replied, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” -- indicating that though he came to worship, he could find no one willing to help him understand.
This is one of the classic stories of these early Christians welcoming those who had not been welcomed before. This Ethiopian was most likely a God Fearer – a term used to describe Gentile sympathizers to Judaism who observed certain Jewish religious rites and traditions without ever becoming full converts to Judaism. He could study and learn, but he could never become a fully accepted member of the Jewish faith.
Why? Because not only was he an Ethiopian, but he was also a eunuch. That was two strikes against him, since in the 23rd chapter of Deuteronomy it states that no one who has been castrated, either accidently or intentionally, could ever be accepted into fellowship in the Assembly.
Philip and the Ethiopian traveled together while Philip explained the Reading from Isaiah, and much more. After a while, they came near a stream, and the eunuch asked if he could be baptized. Philip agreed, so this man who could not be accepted in the temple or synagogue, was now freely accepted into the fellowship of Jesus followers.
As they came up together out of the water, the Spirit carried Philip away to the city of Azotus, or Ashdod as it was later known, where he continued preaching and winning souls as he traveled north, all the way to Caesarea – and the now accepted Ethiopian eunuch continued on his way south -- rejoicing – and surely preparing to tell his friends and associates at court all about this wondrous thing that had come into his life!
While the apostles are busy spreading the Good News around the further reaches of Israel, it’s time to check back in with Saul, who is still doing his best to destroy the nascent Christian faith. Acts chapter 9 tells us:
Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” (Acts 9:1-4)
Many of us already know this story from hearing it preached in church -- how Saul was found to be blind after his encounter with a light and a Voice. Those who had traveled with him led him into Damascus where he waited for three days for another word from the Voice.
Meanwhile, a man named Ananias, a good man and a believer, also heard the Voice directing him to find Saul and care for him. Ananias argued at first because he had heard of Saul’s evil, but the One speaking to him assured him he had plans for him. So Ananias did as he was told, He found Saul and laid hands on him, and his vision was restored. Saul was then baptized in the name of Jesus and immediately began the process of becoming a new man – Jesus’ man.
As we began this series, I said that the story of Acts is a story of spreading out and welcoming in – and that the welcome was not always universal. Instead, it was often met with hostility – both from those on the inside, and those on the outside.
This is our legacy as Christians. In our shared history we have been the ones on the outside, the new people, seeking to be included -- and we have also, all too often been the ones on the inside – doing our best to keep others out.
In our collective past we have been both Saul and Paul. May we choose, much more often, to be the ones who invite and welcome.
But it’s getting pretty complicated, now that we are spreading out into the world and adding believers who may have been born in other regions, or speak other languages, or may even be converts from other faiths – or all three at once. And it’s going to keep on being complicated, because the cast of characters is starting to become more and more diverse.
The Old Testament, or Hebrew Scriptures, is the story of the Hebrew people – a people created, and growing through the centuries into God’s own Chosen People – the Jews. Those are the people the scripture stories are about. But – there have always been other people as well – not-Hebrew people – foreigners, outsiders – but so far they have mostly been viewed as enemies or simply people-not-worth-our-notice.
But now they are starting to catch our attention. Some of these non-Jewish people are choosing to follow the way of Jesus and they are entering into the story, and so I’m going to start using that word Christian, even though it won’t technically come into being for a few more chapters, because these formerly outside people have now become the story – and we need a unifying word to discuss this growth and inclusion. This inclusion was not always easy. Reading our opening scripture today about Saul’s persecutions tells us just how ugly it would often be.
Now – to get back to the spreading out, the reaching out, we are going to follow one of those who traveled and risked much to tell others about Jesus – one of the earliest Christians. Philip doesn’t show up a lot in the gospels but he was one of the very first of those called by Jesus to follow – to come and see. He had been a follower of John the Baptist and when John told his followers to go and see Jesus for themselves, Philip did, and he became the third to be called, after Peter and Andrew.
When the persecutions began, Philip went to Samaria and began preaching there – and many were healed, and many were baptized, and there was great joy in the city. Hearing this, the apostles in Jerusalem sent Peter and John to help Philip, and in their praying and laying on of hands, the Holy Spirit swept through the area and masses of new believers were added to their numbers – in that most unlikely place – Samaria!
After a bit, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, but an angel appeared to Philip in a dream and directed him to travel south, where he met a traveler who was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the queen of the Ethiopians. He had come to Jerusalem to worship but was now on his way home again.
He was seated in his chariot, beside the road, and reading from the prophet Isaiah when the Spirit directed Philip to go talk to him. When he saw him reading Isaiah, he asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” The man replied, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” -- indicating that though he came to worship, he could find no one willing to help him understand.
This is one of the classic stories of these early Christians welcoming those who had not been welcomed before. This Ethiopian was most likely a God Fearer – a term used to describe Gentile sympathizers to Judaism who observed certain Jewish religious rites and traditions without ever becoming full converts to Judaism. He could study and learn, but he could never become a fully accepted member of the Jewish faith.
Why? Because not only was he an Ethiopian, but he was also a eunuch. That was two strikes against him, since in the 23rd chapter of Deuteronomy it states that no one who has been castrated, either accidently or intentionally, could ever be accepted into fellowship in the Assembly.
Philip and the Ethiopian traveled together while Philip explained the Reading from Isaiah, and much more. After a while, they came near a stream, and the eunuch asked if he could be baptized. Philip agreed, so this man who could not be accepted in the temple or synagogue, was now freely accepted into the fellowship of Jesus followers.
As they came up together out of the water, the Spirit carried Philip away to the city of Azotus, or Ashdod as it was later known, where he continued preaching and winning souls as he traveled north, all the way to Caesarea – and the now accepted Ethiopian eunuch continued on his way south -- rejoicing – and surely preparing to tell his friends and associates at court all about this wondrous thing that had come into his life!
While the apostles are busy spreading the Good News around the further reaches of Israel, it’s time to check back in with Saul, who is still doing his best to destroy the nascent Christian faith. Acts chapter 9 tells us:
Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” (Acts 9:1-4)
Many of us already know this story from hearing it preached in church -- how Saul was found to be blind after his encounter with a light and a Voice. Those who had traveled with him led him into Damascus where he waited for three days for another word from the Voice.
Meanwhile, a man named Ananias, a good man and a believer, also heard the Voice directing him to find Saul and care for him. Ananias argued at first because he had heard of Saul’s evil, but the One speaking to him assured him he had plans for him. So Ananias did as he was told, He found Saul and laid hands on him, and his vision was restored. Saul was then baptized in the name of Jesus and immediately began the process of becoming a new man – Jesus’ man.
As we began this series, I said that the story of Acts is a story of spreading out and welcoming in – and that the welcome was not always universal. Instead, it was often met with hostility – both from those on the inside, and those on the outside.
This is our legacy as Christians. In our shared history we have been the ones on the outside, the new people, seeking to be included -- and we have also, all too often been the ones on the inside – doing our best to keep others out.
In our collective past we have been both Saul and Paul. May we choose, much more often, to be the ones who invite and welcome.
RSS Feed