Sunday 28 April 2024 - All three, with me
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I thought about taking the easier route this morning and digging in to the Gospel reading for my sermon today, but the story of the Ethiophian eunuch is just too tempting to pass up - and suspect you’ve heard more sermons on abiding in the vine than you have about the Ethiopian eunuch! I’ve got a terrible memory, and our first reading feels like quite a long time ago - but lets see if we can recap the story quickly.
angel of the Lord sends Philip to the road between Jerusalem and Gaza
met an Ethiopian eunuch (court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. He was in charge of ALL HER TREASURY. Important guy.
He had come to Jerusalem to worship, was returning home, sitting in his chariot reading the prophet Isaiah (another indication of his wealth and status…. scrolls weren’t things everyone had)
Spirit told Philip to go over and join the chariot (was he running alongside?!)
Philip asks him if he understands what he was reading. “How in the world can I, unless someone guides me?” invited Philip to join him
Was reading Isaiah 53:7-8
Eunuch asks him who Isaiah is talking about, Philip points him to Jesus
Eunuch sees water, asks to be baptised. So they stop and Philip baptises him.
When Eunuch came out of the water the Spirit of the Lord “snatched Philip away” (poof!), and eunuch went on his way rejoicing. Meanwhile Philip found himself at Azotus (now called Ashdod - roughly 38km from where he was before), and continued to proclaim the good news.
OK. I’m just going to really quickly burst a bubble - we don’t actually know if the person in this story was actually a Eunuch in our current understanding of the word - because both the Greek word (sah-ris) and Hebrew word (you-nuke-os) can be used interchangeably for either eunuch or a court official or similar. Scholars argue strongly either way - and a lot of popular interpretations of this story are drawn from what is felt as a concrete fact that he was, indeed, a Eunuch. If you’re interested in this then I’m happy to go into it later - but this isn’t really the space to do it.
What we actually know
So let’s focus on the things we DO know from the text, because I actually think this is more important for us today.
Firstly, we know that this man was important, educated, devout and privileged (the fact that he was reading a scroll is a pretty big clue to this) and humble enough to ask for help to understand what he’s reading. We know he was most likely black skinned - and this section of Acts continues the larger story of the spread of the Gospel - from its Pentecostal epicentre in Jerusalem, to “all Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest parts of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
This is all important and could easily be the basis of a sermon, but as I was praying and preparing for this sermon it’s not where I felt the Spirit was leading me. So first, a question:
How many characters were active participants in the majority of this story?
Ethiopian eunuch
Philip
Spirit of God
(yes, angel of the Lord is mentioned, but only in passing at the beginning).
It’s pretty clear the roles the eunuch and Philip played. But what was the Spirit’s involvement?
told Philip to join the chariot
spoke through Philip (inferred from elsewhere in Acts, not directly mentioned here) as he unpacked the scripture and pointed to Jesus (and I dare say placed those verses from Isaiah on the eunuch’s heart in the first place - but again, I’m speculating)
snatched Philip away
Why is this important? Because Philip was utterly reliant and responsive to the spirit. But as 21st century Christians, are we? I was reflecting with someone earlier this week over coffee that a lot of Christians have forgotten the power of the spirit. We’ve forgotten to listen and instead often pray shopping list prayers - the things that are on our heart, rather than listening for what is on the heart of God. We’ve taken scripture at face value, instead of listening to the Spirit to help us guide and interpret. We’ve missed opportunities when the Spirit has been calling us to action, or dismissed it as coincidence. Let’s relearn what it is to be people who listen and step out in courage.
Philip / Jesus
Philip / Jesus
The other thing I’m struck by in this passage is how Philip followed in the footsteps of Jesus. Just for clarity, this is Philip the Evangelist, not Philip the Apostle - not one of the 12 apostles. But the parallels are striking:
He went to an outcast, shared the good news, and welcomed him to the family of Christ through baptism. More than this though, I can’t help but feel that Luke, in writing this passage, is drawing a parallel to his account in what we call the Gospel of Luke of Jesus on the road to Emmaus.
Luke 24:27 (NET 2nd ed.)
Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things written about himself in all the scriptures.
Acts 8:35 (NET 2nd ed.)
So Philip started speaking, and beginning with this scripture proclaimed the good news about Jesus to him.
There are so many similarities between these two encounters that it’s difficult to ignore - even both Philip and Jesus vanishing from their sight!
Philip is modelling his life after the example of Jesus. But are we, as disciples two centuries later? This is why Rebecca and I are so passionate about small groups and increasing the spiritual temperature around discipleship. Let’s learn again the rhythms and patterns of Jesus, practice modelling them together, learn to listen to the Spirit and step out in faith, and be part of bringing God’s kingdom on earth, in Newlands, together. Let’s be people who abide in Jesus, and let his words abide in us.
Let’s be people who are equally attuned to God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
In one of the night prayer liturgies that we use up at the Vicarage, from Iona Abbey, there’s an alternative ending that we find quite funny as it sounds like a kids story book - and Nate invariably will crash in to make sure we use this alternative ending because it’s sure to raise a giggle. But for me it’s also a profound reminder of equally valuing each part of the Trinity, even as we sleep. So let’s pretend it’s nighttime, and pray it together now.
I lie down with God,
and God lies down with me.
I lie down with Christ,
and Christ lies down with me.
I lie down with the Spirit,
and the Spirit lies down with me.
God and Christ and the Spirit –
all three with me.
This week may we be people who know the presence of all three, God, Christ, and the Spirit with us. Amen.