Thursday, April 18, 2024
(click here to listen to or read today’s scriptures)
Interlude
Philip’s story interrupts Saul’s fall out of the Pharisees into grace.
Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me. Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father.
But Philip had seen the Son of the Father, and he did not repress his enthusiasm. Everyone around him knew his faith, his love, his energy. So when the angel sent him down a lonely road into the southern desert, Philip didn’t know what to think.
But like many missionaries, Philip didn’t worry about thinking – he just obeyed. He listened again, and spoke to an Ethiopian traveling down the road in a royal chariot, who asked Philip to explain what he was reading in Isaiah.
Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, he also did not open his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who will tell of his posterity? For his life is taken from the earth.
“This is about Jesus!” Philip cried. And, my friend, do you know who Jesus is?”
It did not take long. I think of the baptism scene in the film O Brother, Where Art Thou? Or Don Francisco’s song “He’s Alive!” Or Carmen singing “The Champion!” God’s energy brimmed out of Philip and surrounded them in the chariot, and the man from Ethiopia, the man in charge of the queen’s court and all the finances of the country, was quickly overcome and inspired.
The eunuch in the chariot said to Philip, “What is to prevent my being baptized? So he ordered the chariot to stop, Philip and the eunuch both went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.
As a result, the Ethiopian Christian Church remains alive and well two thousand years later. But Philip had done his work, and God made it clear that he was on his way to his next appointment.
When they came out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. The eunuch saw him no more, but continued on his way rejoicing. Philip came to Azotus and went about proclaiming the good news to all the towns until he reached Caesarea.
All this while Saul is wreaking as much havoc as Satan can get him to wreak. The so-called battle between the old guard and the new does not relent. No one knows yet today, but tomorrow things are going to change. Let the angels sing and the children shout, Jesus is coming soon.
I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats THIS bread will live forever. The bread that I will give is my Flesh for the life of the world.
(posted at www.davesandel.net)
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