Devotions for May 7th May 13th Acts 8:26-39 Guided by the Spirit Sunday, May 7th Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, Get up and go toward the South. So he got up and went. (Acts 8:26a). Our story for this week is one that often gets skipped over. After all the book of Acts is more about Peter and Paul than anybody else and neither of them appear in this story. Philip, while not one of the original twelve disciples was one of seven men who had been chosen by the twelve to serve as deacons in the church, so that the twelve disciples could concentrate on prayer and preaching. Stephen, btw, the subject of last week s preaching text, was also one of these seven deacons. As a deacon, Philip was given one job to do to wait on tables and serve the widows so that none in this fledging church were neglected. But the God, clearly had other plans for Philip sending an angel to guide Philip to go toward the south ; although the original Greek phrase can also be translated go at noon. The implication of a noon setting makes the circumstance of our story all the more out of the ordinary: for in the high desert, hardly anyone would be venturing out in the scorching sunshine of noon. And yet, Philip does meet someone. Clearly, God was at work. Coincidence? Or the work of God? How often do things happen in our lives and we chalk it up to coincidence? Or don t even think about it at all. And yet, if we take the time to look back through our day with the eyes of faith, how many of the coincidences, would we actually be able to see God s hand at work. Holy God, give us eyes of faith to see your hand at work in our lives. Amen. Monday, May 8th This is a wilderness road. (Acts 8:26b) I was on my home from work several years ago when, as I approached the grocery store in town, the thought stop at the grocery store popped into my brain. I immediately dismissed the thought as I had already done our grocery shopping for the week. But the thought came
again, stop at the grocery store. I was about ready to drive by the store when at the last minute I decided to stop. Upon entering the store I bumped into a member of my congregation who upon seeing me immediately stopped me to talk, and it soon became clear from our conversation that it was God who had prompting me to visit the grocery store all along. Philip was led by the angel of God to leave Jerusalem and head towards Gaza-a route which took him upon a wilderness road-someplace unexpected that perhaps made no sense to Philip. Think back on your own life. Are there times when you have felt God s leading--had a thought (or even a voice) pop into your brain that prompted you to stop and listen, and when you did, you could clearly see God s hand at work? When we let ourselves be open to the Holy Spirit, we will find that God has a way of guiding us to places and people we might not expect. Even in the middle of our doubts, Lord, may our response to you always be, Here I am Lord, send me. Amen. Tuesday, May 9 th Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship. (Acts 8: 27) Philip s presence in this story is not the only thing strange about it; there is also the Ethiopian Eunuch. If we read carefully, we ll notice something striking about this nameless Ethiopian. He is an extraordinary person. His description points to an individual of great means and education. He is literate and wealthy enough to own what would have been an expensive scroll of Isaiah as well as being wealthy enough to own a chariot with a driver! However, the Ethiopian eunuch would normally have been seen as other by someone like Philip. Although he was a high court official in the office of the Queen of Ethiopia, and on his way to Jerusalem to worship, his race and sexual identity would have made him an outsider, only allowed in the very outer courts of the Temple in Jerusalem. Who are the people that you would see as outsiders in the church? As the early church grew it came to include many diverse groups of people. How well do we welcome those who are different from us? Lord, we praise you that you sent Jesus for all people. Enable us to live this truth out in our own lives and in our congregations. Amen. 2
Wednesday, May 10th Philip heard him reading from the prophet Isiah and asked, Do you understand what you are reading? The Ethiopian replied, How can I, unless someone guides me? (Acts 8:30-31) In the January issue of Living Lutheran the author of an article about Lutheran Hermeneutics which is a fancy word meaning how do we interpret the Bible wrote about how Luther believed that all the baptized, including the laity, should read the Bible and be familiar with it. Thus he translated Scripture into German so ordinary Christians could read the texts. However, he didn t mean that everybody gets to decide for themselves what Scripture means. Luther thought Christians would interpret Scripture through the lens of its central message of justification by faith. This work of understanding what Scripture means for us in a certain time and place is done in the church. Lutherans say the church is the assembly of believers. This is to say that the task of understanding Scripture is done with others so we may hold each other accountable to Scripture s and Christ s claim on us. In other words, Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch would have made good Lutherans! Our understanding of God s Word does not occur in a vacuum; we need good, solid and regular preaching and teaching and devotionals and commentaries and Bible Studies to guide us as we seek to understand the Scriptures. Holy God, you have given us the gift of your Word in the Bible; send your Spirit to guide us so that we might have a right understanding of your Word. Amen. Thursday, May 11th How can I unless someone guides me? (Acts 8:31) Every Sunday my parents took us kids to Sunday School and church. There was never any question about whether we were going or not. Church was simply something we did on Sunday mornings. In high school, one of my best friends mom was our Sunday School teacher and she had a way of making the Bible come alive and applying it to our lives. In college, I was lucky enough to fall in with a group of friends who took their faith seriously and sought to live out their faith in Jesus in their every day lives. Each in their own way modeled the faith for me and opened the scriptures to me. Through them the Holy Spirit was able to work, not only bringing me to faith but helping me to grow in my faith during those critical faith development years. Who has been a significant mentor in your faith life? Be sure to give God thanks for placing them in your life and if possible think about taking the time to write, call or email them to thank them for nurturing you in the faith. Lastly, are you mentoring anyone in their faith? If yes, great! If not, look for opportunities to do so. 3
Holy Spirit, thank you for those who modeled the faith and opened the scriptures to me; in gratefulness, use me to model the faith and open the good news of Jesus to those you place in my path. Amen. Friday, May 12th Starting with this scripture, he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus. (Acts 8:35) What is this scripture? These words from Isaiah: Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter...in his humiliation justice was denied him for his life is taken away from the earth. This prophecy was understood by the early church to be speaking about Jesus suffering and death; clearly Philip uses this scripture to lay out for the Ethiopian Eunuch God s plan of salvation through Jesus suffering, death and resurrection. So, compelling is Philip s teaching that the Ethiopian is moved to ask to be baptized. But it all begins because two people were open to God and were obviously steeped in the Word of God. Which is a good reminder for us that one of the ways the Holy Spirit guides us and proclaims the good news of Jesus Christ to us is through our regular reading of God s Word! Holy Spirit, guide us to make regular, even daily reading of God s Word a priority in my life and speak to me in that Word that I might here the good news of Jesus and be able to share that good news with others. Amen. Saturday, May 13th Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized? (Acts 8:36) I was only three months old when I was baptized. I, obviously, don t remember a thing about it and I clearly did not make any sort of statement of faith. But in baptism, God claimed me and named me as one of his own and that baptism has shaped my life in powerful ways. I give thanks on a regular basis for parents who not only cared enough to have me baptized, but then took their promises seriously and raised me in the faith. The Ethiopian also did not make a statement of faith before he was baptized. He simply is moved by the power of Philip s preaching and teaching and asks to be baptized. The chariot is stopped and Philip baptizes the Ethiopian Eunuch using whatever water was available it could have been a mud hole for all we know; but it was enough. Baptism is always enough, no matter how much water may have been used or when or where or how the baptism happened; it is always enough, because baptism is not really about us but about God for in baptism God claims us and names and promises the gifts of forgiveness, new life and eternal life, both now and forever. 4
Holy God, thank you for the gift of baptism, for claiming us and naming us as your own and promising that through Jesus Christ we will never be separated from you. Amen. Devotions on this week s Narrative Lectionary Preaching Text are written by Pastor Sheryl Kester-Beyer 5