|
First
Reading
|
Psalm |
Epistle |
Gospel |
| Acts 8:26–40 |
Psalm 22:24–30 |
1 John 4:7–21 |
John 15:1–8 |
The Book of Acts is the continuation of the Gospel of Luke, beginning after the resurrection. Acts was written or complied by the same author of Luke. Like Luke, Acts was intended to be a witness to the Gospel and a testimony of the early disciples to the continuing presence of the living Christ among them. It was not written to be what we would term a strict chronological and unbiased history.
Today's lesson from the Book of Acts about the baptism of the Ethiopian official follows the baptism of a Samaritan magician named Simon and many of his followers, and precedes the baptism of the gentile Roman soldier Cornelius and his family. The baptismal stories of Acts seem to follow a logical progression. The Samaritans were descendants of the so-called lost tribes of Israel that had intermarried with other peoples when northern Israel was overrun some seven centuries before. While officially scorned by mainstream Jews, they were, nonetheless, closely related to Judaism. They honored and thought that they were the legitimate inheritors of Abraham and Sarah’s blessing. They had their own temple on Mount Gerizim, like the one in Jerusalem.
Both the Ethiopian and the Roman Centurion, however, were different from ordinary gentiles. For the early church, this foreign ambassador from Africa and the Roman Centurion served as representatives of hundreds of people throughout the Roman Empire who were not Jews, but in some way were visitors, seekers, and informally associated with a local synagogue. Even at this time, most of the larger Jewish population lived outside of Palestine. The Gospel would prove to have great appeal to these people who had knowledge of the scriptures, admired the traditions of Judaism, and were an identifiable group, called “god-fearers”. These were especially the people with whom missionaries like Paul would meet. Hence the Ethiopian and Centurion represent an enlarging horizon encompassing the Roman Empire and beyond the strictly religious outcasts like the Samaritans of Palestine.
It should be emphasized that The Ethiopian would not have been belittled or slighted. He was a powerful and important official, and he and his retinue would have been accorded utmost respect due a foreign ambassador of rank. It is difficult to say for sure what is meant by the use of the word eunuch, for in this context it may only mean that he was a single male.
The ambassador from Ethiopia had come to Jerusalem on a diplomatic mission, but worshipping in the Temple was one of his personal priorities, too. The likely reason his queen chose him to make the journey in the first place was that he was a god-fearer and was knowledgeable of Jewish customs.
Philip was called around noon of the day, not the usual time to set off on a journey. However, the Holy Spirit had other ideas, and roused Philip to travel down a little used wilderness road. There he met the Ethiopian reading his own copy of the scriptures and receptive to learning more.
Philip used the opportunity to share the Gospel of Jesus with him, and did what members of the early church characteristically did and what people of faith throughout the ages have done; namely to reinterpret the scriptures, and to ask “what do they mean for us today”. The early Christians believed that what was said by the ancient prophets of centuries before, sounded like their own situation, or was very applicable to what Jesus taught. Hence Philip adapted the message of the prophet Isaiah to his own experience of Jesus.
What Philip discovered was that he did not carry the Holy Spirit with him. The Holy Spirit already had been working when he arrived. Philip didn't have to frantically attempt to jump-start the engine of the spirit when he perceived that the opportunity was right. The engine was already running, purring just fine along a hot wilderness road. Both the Ethiopian and Philip discovered God's grace at work. Both went on their way rejoicing, blessed with the gift of an increased awareness of new life in Christ.
In the Gospels, being dead and being asleep often mean to be oblivious or to be unaware. To be alive and awake means to be receptive to the wonderful power of the heart and to be alert to the heartbeats of others. The lesson of the baptism of the Ethiopian official reminds us of the great gift that increased awareness brings. It tells of a grace that virtually leads us from death to life; a grace that may very well rouse us up unexpectedly and take us along hot and little traveled desert roads. It reveals itself operating in wonderful ways when the Gospel is shared with open hearts. Such encounters inevitably send us on our way rejoicing.
The Ethiopian was prepared to accept the Gospel because most of the synagogues throughout the Roman Empire were open and welcomed “god-Fearers.” That historical precedent serves as a lesson for us. Communities of faith that are open, welcoming and accepting of seekers, searchers, and those on the edges, are cultivating an environment for the next generation of disciples.
And
I offer this to you in the name of the Living God, Amen.
