Pastor Tom Johnson, May 3, 2015
Ethiopians have a
rich and ancient history with Israel dating back when the Queen
of
Sheba travels to see the greatness of Solomon, the King of Israel (1 Kin 10). But
they are not Hebrews. They are foreigners who must come into the people of God
as outsiders through instruction and ritual—including circumcision. But there is
little hope for Eunuchs. They are ceremonially and permanently unclean—forbidden
by the law to enter the Temple. There is nothing a eunuch can do to reverse how
these males were born or what the authorities did to young boys. To be
Ethiopian and to be a eunuch is to have two counts against you. The Ethiopian
goes on a very long journey to Jerusalem but still unable to enter the Temple. He
is on his way home on a desert road going south toward Gaza. He still has a
long journey ahead. He probably will follow the Mediterranean coast to Egypt
and then go down the Nile River to his home in Ethiopia.
Philip had just witnessed his companion Stephen being stoned to death
because of his faith in Jesus. Believers are scattered all over Judea and
Samaria. Saul is persecuting and ravaging believers. Philip is one of those
scattered into Samaria and preaching the Gospel as he went. That’s when God
calls Philip to go even farther into foreign territory—into a remote place. God
simply calls him to go south into the wilderness. He doesn’t say why or who or
if he will meet anyone there. Just go. And away Philip goes.
The Ethiopian is a gentleman and a scholar. He takes care of the queen of Ethiopia’s treasury. He wastes no time on his journey. He reads Scripture—a scroll from Isaiah. Why is the Eunuch reading Isaiah? Perhaps it is because Isaiah is the one prophet who speaks of a time when Eunuchs will no longer call themselves a dry tree but will have an inheritance in the house of God (Isa 56:3-5).
The Ethiopian is a gentleman and a scholar. He takes care of the queen of Ethiopia’s treasury. He wastes no time on his journey. He reads Scripture—a scroll from Isaiah. Why is the Eunuch reading Isaiah? Perhaps it is because Isaiah is the one prophet who speaks of a time when Eunuchs will no longer call themselves a dry tree but will have an inheritance in the house of God (Isa 56:3-5).
Two believers on
two different journeys. Philip is answering his call into the wilderness even
though his mission is vague and uncertain. The Ethiopian is answering his call
into the Scripture even though its meaning is vague and uncertain. They are two
sojourners on two similar, but distinct, paths about to intersect. When Philip sees
the Ethiopian in his chariot, God calls him to go and walk alongside him. God
calls Philip to accompany the Ethiopian on his journey. Philip hears the
Ethiopian reading aloud from Isaiah and asks him if he understands. “And how
can I,” the Ethiopian says, “unless someone guides me?” And so the Ethiopian
invites Philip into the chariot to take a seat right next to him. They are now
true companions on a spiritual journey. Philip is now called by both God and
the Ethiopian. Philip has the privilege of leading a new friend into the joy of
discovery.
The Ethiopian
learns how reading Scripture is an encounter with the living Word. The Bible’s
message is relevant to us now and for each generation of pilgrims after us.
What the prophet Isaiah wrote down hundreds of years before speaks clearly of
the suffering and resurrected Jesus—the One who is, who was, and who is to
come. This passage from
Isaiah chapters 52 and 53 speaks of the suffering Servant of God—the
sacrificial Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. This Scripture is
the starting point of a life-transforming conversation. Philip would have
shared how this Jesus of Nazareth suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified
like a common criminal, but was the innocent and perfect Lamb of God. This
troubling truth would be followed by good and encouraging news. He would share how Jesus rose again on the third day to bring us the
“portion”—the inheritance of an eternal kingdom that Isaiah talks about—the
forgiveness of sins and eternal life.
This is also our
mission as the Body of Christ—to lead people to a helpful, healing, and
redemptive understanding of Jesus in the Scripture—and to do so through
conversation, making a new friend, and becoming a companion on life’s journey. The Ethiopian is
not called to journey alone. He is humble and courageous enough to admit that. He
knows the story of our first parents Adam and Eve. He knows that when God
created Adam, he said, “It is not good for the man to be alone.” God brings Eve
into Adam’s life. God brings Philip to the Ethiopian. You know the
saying: even the Lone Ranger had Tanto, a faithful and caring friend. They certainly would
talk about Baptism. Because when the Ethiopian sees a body of water he asks
what prevents him from being baptized. “I was excluded from the Temple because
of my ethnicity and my physical body. But there is nothing to keep me from the
water, the Spirit, and the adoption into God’s Family now, is there? So he is
baptized.
And so this story should challenge us to look around for empty seats in the
chariots that daily pass us by—whether they be in our pews, buses, trains, park
benches, or lunch tables. How can you and I be a friend, an encouragement, and
a companion along the way? Today, we have
water in our font. What prevents us from baptizing Roger Park this morning?
What obstacle is there from him being adopted into our family and assuring him,
his parents, his family, and his sponsors that he is a royal son of the living
God. What prevents us
from seeing the fullness of the promise of the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Nothing.
Nothing will separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus! It is a
joy and privilege to be in this chariot together. We all get to be Philips and
Ethiopians to each other. We get to
celebrate what God is doing in the world through us through the power of the
resurrected Christ. This first convert from the heart of Africa reminds us that
black lives indeed matter to God. And even better than that: all lives matter
to God. And in Holy the Word and gift of Baptism we are not only companions for
life’s journey together; we are completely forgiven. We are fully accepted. And
we are truly family.
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