Acts 8:26-40

This Scripture passage tells us so much about the modern Church. So much about ourselves.

You see, you cannot buy God’s gifts. Like Simon the Sorcerer, we often miss the entire point. We hear politicians and business gurus wax on about what we can do to get ahead, etc. But we fail to listen to God. It truly is not about us. Or our family or our country. It is about our obedience to Jesus. It is about what we do with the message of Good News about the Kingdom of God. That’s what matters. Kinda simple, and yet the richest and most complex challenge of eternal consequence. And when we choose to obey Jesus, we receive God’s blessing, as does our family and country.

Many people in the Church, like Simon the Sorcerer, want people to pray for them. They want God to do things for them. And they want daily assurance that nothing terrible will happen to them. That’s what we see Simon doing (8:24). And yet, that’s what we do as well. Now, what’s rare, is the man willing to listen to God’s advice and command - just as Peter faithfully relayed it to Simon: repent of wickedness and pray to God for forgiveness. People ask for all sorts of things, yet they stubbornly refuse to do what God requires.

Let us, to a man, repent and pray. Right now. May we take responsibility for our failures. Right now. Let us not be full of bitter jealousy, and may we be free by the power of the Holy Spirit, with none of us held captive by sin.

         And we must keep moving forward. Time is short. Make something of this day – for God’s purposes. The Devil says you should call it quits; you’re a reject. A sinner and failure. The Devil is wrong. He’s a liar. We are indeed sinners, but God does not reject us. He accepts us. God wants us to press on. To fight on. To charge forward rather than to retreat in shame.

         Notice how Peter and John stuck together and how they moved on from Samaria – from village to village preaching the Good news. It’s OK not to have a big production – a megachurch meeting – each week. And focusing endlessly on past successes. Move on. Move to the next adventure. It’s OK to preach to individuals and small groups and to go where the Spirit or angels lead us. Please be open to that. An angel may show you, like Philip, today. Be ready to go and preach today. But first, be right with God. Be baptized. And be able to share what Jesus did and what God offers every man and woman, every boy and girl alive today.

         Philip was ready. He successfully preached and converted many in Samaria but did not sit back, relax, and start complex ministry programs there. He listened to the angel that said, “go to the coastal road toward Egypt.” Are you ready to hear from an angel today? I’m not sure I am.

         Lord, increase our openness to your way and your voice.

         Notice here that this powerful man from Egypt (Egypt representing so much of the story of Israel’s past now represented by a eunuch) is looking to worship God. Egypt was spiritually impotent, a long-forgotten relic of spiritual deadness, shame, hardness of heart toward God, and spiritual oppression. And yet here we have the Spirit of Christ ensuring that Egypt promptly received His offer of Grace for renewal and life in Christ. His offer of a changed life; His offer of eternal life.

                Pay no heed to those that say that a child cannot wonder about God and seek the approval of the Father. They can and do wonder about how to worship the True God. People want to know the meaning of the mysteries of God. God desires those willing to harvest. God desires to draw every person to Him. He will not force, but He will encourage, prompt, draw, and provide enough evidence of Himself for any man or woman to go from wondering and seeking Him to knowing Him. The Egyptian treasurer, the eunuch of great authority, was about to have his eyes opened with understanding and then repentance, baptism, and receipt of the Spirit of Christ. God used his faithful servant Philip to share the Good News about Jesus.

         If it is not yet clear, God wants to show us that his message of Grace is for all people. It’s for the wealthy sorcerer named Simon. It’s for poor Samaritan village people. It’s for every nation. It’s for men and women. It’s for those hearing of God for the first time. And for those, like the Egyptian treasurer, who have been studying the Scriptures, worshipping God without yet fully knowing him, and trying to figure out who the Messiah is for many years. God says, “come to me.” He says, “all of you, come to me.” He says, “repent of your sins, and pray to me, believe in me, know that you now have eternal life with me.”

         Oh, that we would be granted the honor by the Messiah to be used by Him to relay His message about His love and mercy for everyone, the need for people to repent of sin, and to be baptized in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins.

         Thank you, Jesus, for how you grow, guide, and bless your people, your Christians. May we be faithful. Amen.

Arch

Colt

Jack