On the Desert Road

 

"The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that carriage and stay near it.” Acts: 8:29

The Apostolic Church Deacon St. Philip had been preaching about Jesus Christ in the town of Samaria. Many were coming to believe the Gospel message and experiencing the forgiveness of God in their lives as they received the message.

It is after St. Philip's preaching in that area that the Lord, through an angelic visitation, tells Philip to take the Desert Road which led away from Jerusalem toward the area of Gaza. This area which was a dry and sparsely populated and seemed to offer very little opportunity for evangelism, yet, this is where the Lord had directed St. Philip to go.

"Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” Acts: 8:26

The Ethiopian Eunuch

The Deacon St. Philip set out into the wilderness as he has been directed. There is no indication in the account found within Acts that St. Philip questioned as to why he was to go, he simply goes forth. As St. Philip travels along on the Desert Road there is no record that he encounters any group of persons, except for one.

This one person, whom we are told in Acts, is a eunuch who is the Minister of the Treasury of the African nation of Ethiopia and his entourage who served under Queen Candice.

"So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candice “queen of the Ethiopians.” (27b)

This eunuch had traveled to Jerusalem on a pilgrimage to worship at the Temple of God.

"and he had come to Jerusalem to worship," (27c)

This man was seeking the very Creator of all things, he wanted to understand and know the God who brought all things into being, so he started in the most logical place that he understood which was the Temple of God at Jerusalem, yet, it would not be in the Temple courts that he would meet his God, but rather, it would be on the Desert Road on his way to his home land.

 The eunuch sat in his carriage and read through the Prophet Isaiah, whose writings are so filled with prophetic words regarding Jesus Christ and his saving work that some Scholars refer to Isaiah as the "Fifth Gospel".

"and he was returning and sitting in his carriage, and was reading the prophet Isaiah." (28)

St. Philip Draws Near

As the eunuch reads the Prophets words, the Deacon St. Philip draws near as the Sprint of God directed and approached the carriage and stood close by it. St. Philip quickly obeys the voice of the Holy Spirit.

"Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go up and join this carriage.” (29)

Discerns God is Working

St. Philip hears the eunuch reading from the Scripture and discerns that God is working in this man life and is ready to reveal Jesus Christ to him here on the Desert Road.

St Philip knows that this is no "chance encounter". St. Philip realizes that God has brought him here in this desert place on this road to share the Gospel message about Jesus with this man and so begins the conversation with a question.

"Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” (30)

The man responds that he has does not grasp the full meaning of the Prophet's words and acknowledges his need for clarification so that he might better understand. The eunuch then invites St. Philip to join him in the carriage for a conversation about the Prophet's words.

"And he said, “Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him." (31)

About the Work of Jesus

The narrative of Acts informs us that the eunuch was reading and pondering the prophecy of Jesus' arrest and crucifixion, death and burial.

"Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this: 

“HE WAS LED AS A SHEEP TO SLAUGHTER;

AND AS A LAMB BEFORE ITS SHEARER IS SILENT,

SO, HE DOES NOT OPEN HIS MOUTH.

“IN HUMILIATION HIS JUDGMENT WAS TAKEN AWAY;

WHO WILL RELATE HIS GENERATION?

FOR HIS LIFE IS REMOVED FROM THE EARTH.” (32-33)

The man then asks St. Philip if he can explain the passage of Scripture? St. Philip uses this conversation to speak about Jesus and his work of salvation for all humanity. St. Philip understood that God was working in the man's life and has been preparing him for this moment on the Desert Road where the Lord had directed him to share the Gospel about Jesus with the eunuch so that he might come to know the God which he had sought in the Temple courts at Jerusalem during his pilgrimage.

"The eunuch answered Philip and said, “Please tell me, of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself or of someone else?” Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him." (34-35)

There on the Desert Road, as they rode together in the carriage, the St. Philip tells this Ethiopian man about Jesus and his saving work, that in Jesus, God has revealed himself to humanity.

The conversation led the man to come to believe the word of God regarding Jesus, and he finds here, the very God whom he has sought. He has found his God not in the ceremonies of the Temple but here on the Desert Road, in Jesus, as St. Philip shared the Gospel.

He Responds

In response to the Gospel presentation the eunuch desired to be baptized as he sees a pool of water. St. Philip agrees to his request, that if he believes in Jesus , the Deacon will perform the baptismal sacrament to reflect the truth of Jesus' saving work in this man' life.

"As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?” [And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”] And he ordered the  carriage to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him." (36-39)

It is, as if God is telling the eunuch, and all of us, that the Lord is not found in Temples or in the ceremonies, but rather in the lives of believers who have come into a relationship with God in the person of Jesus Christ.

St. Philip is Snatched Away

As the sacrament baptism is completed the Holy Spirit moves to snatched St. Philip away to other parts where God wants him to minister leaving the eunuch with a new relationship with the God, he sought at the Temple but, instead found him, here on the Desert Road through the Gospel message.

"When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly snatched Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea." (39-40)

St. Philip entered this Ethiopian eunuch's life at the right moment and place through the guidance of the Holy Spirit who moved St. Philip to be there at right the moment in his life to present the Gospel to him. Then as quickly as St. Philip was sent, he was then moved on to minister elsewhere. The Eunuch never saw St. Philip again, but praised God for the encounter which led him to Jesus.

The Lesson for Us

There are times when our Lord may have us go to places which seemed to offer little or no real opportunity to minister. It may be that where he sends us is as that Desert Road which led away from Jerusalem. But if, we are faithful, as was St. Philip, to go walk that Desert Road where our Lord sends us, we might encounter someone, who like the eunuch is even now on a pilgrimage seeking to understand God.

We might be sent to give just a word of encouragement or give clarification to help someone to understand about Jesus. We might enter their lives for but a moment, and our encounters in the lives of others might lead someone to believe in Jesus and accept his saving work for each and all of us.

Others might, through an encounter with us, come to find the God whom they seek and then be baptized. They may never see us again this side of eternity as the eunuch never saw St. Philip again. We might be "snatched away" as was St. Philip moved by God to another place to minister.

We should all be sensitive to the lead of the Holy Spirit and yield to him. We may never know who we might encounter even if it be but once on the Desert Road.

Benediction: Lord May we each and all be faithful no matter where you send us to that other might come to believe, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen

Rev.Todd Crouch, Norman, Oklahoma

                                  If It Is Not About Jesus, It Is Not About Anything

Our Unity is in Christ Alone

Many Years ago in Thailand, there had been a period of growing political and social tension which reached a point that threaten to become a civil war in that nation. The Prime Minister of Thailand and the opposition leader held diametric opposite views regarding political, social, economic policies and a host of other matters relating to the day-to-day life of a nation. The tension between the groups grew to the point of open conflict. The potential unrest threaten to rend the nation in two.

 King Budipaulla of Thailand, seeing what was taking place in his Kingdom, and wishing to avoid further strife, summoned the two opposing leaders to the Royal palace.

The two men came and knelt before the throne of their king, and it was there that King Budipaulla commanded that the two men put aside their differences and work together in a peacefully way and learn to co-exist for the good of Thailand.

 These two men, could agree on very little, but, the one thing on which they did agree on was, who their King was and they obeyed his commands.

The two men heard the command of their king and they obeyed, peace was preserved and Thailand was speared a bloody civil war.

This peace could have taken place only because they valued their king over their own political and social views.

The Lesson for Christians

What is the lesson for Christians today, when we see disagreements between the different Christian groups? It is unfortunate but even after more than two thousand years, there can still be sharp differences among and between Christians, between Armenians, Calvinist, Dispensationalist, Reform, Evangelicals and Pentecostals.

There can be contentions between and with Christians who hold different theologies and doctrines, practices and liturgical preferences. These differences among Christians which arise can give the world around us the ammunition to bring critical charges of inconsistencies and hypocrisy against the Christian Church as a whole. 

Unity

We Christians need something above philosophies, doctrines or theologies, traditions and liturgy for our unity with and among us and bind us together. We need a king who bring us unity. And that King on which we all should agree on, and on whom, we all can look to bring Christians together in unity is Jesus Christ.

In our King Jesus, we can and will find unity. If Christians attempt to find unity in and by any other means we will fail to find it. All else will fail us. If unity is derived from anything other than Jesus, then when disagreements arise among us our unity is broken, but if our unity is founded on Jesus alone then we can disagree on varies issues and still keep unbroken fellowship. Jesus unites us and preserves us in unity and love.

 Nothing or no one else can bring us together and keep us together but Jesus.

St. Paul wrote about the divine identity of Jesus, that it is he and he alone who ultimately has power and authority over all things. It is in Jesus that we see the great God revealed to us in the most perfect and complete way.

“The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him” Col: 1:15-16

St. Paul is telling us that Jesus has that unique place of divine prominence over all things having all power and all authority. 

“For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross”. (16-20)

We are told by the Apostle that it is Jesus who holds the whole created order together, all things are sustained and held together (even we Christians) in and by our King Jesus and it is he, and he, alone who has the supremacy over all.

Proclaim Christ

Jesus is the purpose of God. It is Jesus who all things revolve around. Jesus is the pivotal person in all time and eternity. It is Jesus who should have that place of divine prominence and focus in the life of all Christians individually and collectively.

It is Jesus who is the point of the work of the Church and the object of our lives, devotion, worship and the source of our unity.

St. Paul tells us that Jesus was the reason and the subject of his proclamation of the Gospel and should be the mission of the Church Universal and Christians of all backgrounds, denominations, ministries associated and unassociated, to tell others about Jesus.

“He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.” (28-29)

Jesus should be the center of our lives and worship and the true source of unity among all Christians. When we have Jesus at the very center of all things then we can look upon one another as brethren having in common a faith founded upon our King Jesus Christ alone, above all else. This will bring to us unity and bind us each and all, one with another, this common unity in Christ and the common recognition as members of his body the Church will give us a unity which surmounts all difference which might arise among and between us.

We Christians can come and can kneel together in unity before the throne of our King Jesus Christ and in him we find unity.

Benediction: May we each and all in humble recognition kneel in unity before the Throne of our Lord Jesus, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.

Rev. Todd Crouch, Norman, Oklahoma            

" If It Is Not About Jesus, It Is Not About Anything"

A Shepherd's Priority

 “I am the good shepherd;"

His Priority

For the Shepherd, those who watched over and cared for the flocks, their priority was to see that in the end of the season, that as many of sheep arrived home safely as possible. The sheep were the Shepherd's priority, he was driven by a love for them, and incidentally sheep are difficult animals to tend to. Sheep often behave badly and often, foolishly. Sheep “but heads” against each other needlessly and spread parasites and disease to one other, yet, it is for just such an animal that the Shepherd was willing to lay down his life.

The Good Shepherd

Sheep in so many ways, mirrors the behavior of humanity and even Christians, yet it is for this lot of humanity for which Jesus Christ died to demonstrate God's unconditional love, grace, mercy and forgiveness. 

Jesus made it his priority to come and do all that is needed so that we could, like the sheepfold at the end of the season, be with our God and Father and have eternal life.

 Jesus laid down his own life for all of us, and he did it willingly. Jesus was not compelled nor forced by any law or resident power to go to the cross, it was only out of his love for us, each and all of us and his Father that he did this to show the great depth of God's love and mercy toward and for us all.

“Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.

Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and  

runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it.The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” Jhn:10:1-18

Jesus did for us, each and all of us, what not even the best of us could ever had done for ourselves. Even in our sinfulness our God showed us his unconditional love for us. God would not abandon us to the wolves of sin and death, but came to us, and was among us as one of us all to deliver us.

"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Rm: 5:6-8

 What the cross truly is, is the means by-which God's eternal decree of forgiveness, grace, redemption, sanctification and more are brought into our experiences when we come to believe in Jesus as God's uniquely born Son, the only Savior for humanity.

As a Shepherd Jesus made us his priority, to redeem us, and bring us into his eternal sheepfold that awaits any and all who will but freely receive it. beyond the confines of this life there is great glory beyond what any can understand.

The Father’s Will

Jesus did this out of love for us, but also out of Love for the Father in Heaven to fulfill God's purpose which he has ordained and his loving desire to have us as his Children. This was, and is, the eternal will of God.

Jesus came to do the will of the Father which was for us to have eternal life.

"All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” Jhn: 6:37-40

Jesus came to do the will of the Father, which is, that the Father wanted you and I, and all of us as his own.

Jesus Will get us Home

The Shepherd never took is flock where he himself has not gone. Jesus has walked the life we each and all live. Jesus, as the great Shepherd knows how to get us home when our season upon this Earth comes to a close, Jesus has made us his priority, to bring each and all and as many who will but freely receive it into the household of the great God for all eternity. 

Benediction: The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.He makes me lie down in green pastures,he leads me beside quiet waters,he refreshes my soul.He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.Even though I walk through the darkest valley,I will fear no evil, for you are with me;your rod and your staff,they comfort me.You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever" Amen.

Rev. Todd Crouch, Norman, Oklahaoma

 

Toward the Goal

 

 “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians: 3:14

St. Paul, writing to the Christian Church in Philippi Greece, gives those believers and believers throughout the ages instructions and encouragement for the Christian life and our participation in that life lived in union with our Lord Jesus and one another.

St. Paul, in addressing Christians comparing the life of the Christian as a race in which all Christians are engaged. As with any race or contest of endurance there will be times when the participants may for varies reasons be tempted to give up or cease to be in the event.

Focus on the Goal

The Apostle, is writing to the Philippians and all Christians to encourage them to keep their focus on the goal of the Christian life in Christ so that they will run a good race toward the goal and not give up.

The Games

The ancient world had several annual athletic games which were well known throughout the Greco-Roman world. In these varies competitions it was a general rule that only citizens were given the right and privilege to be a part of the games.

No Advantage in the Flesh

St. Paul begins to address what it takes for Christians to run and finish this race which leads to great glory of receiving the victory crown. St. Paul tells us, that unlike the athletic games of the ancient world where-in physical conditioning, strength and endurance were to the participants advantage, the race however which we are called to run does not rely upon any advantage of the flesh, if this were the case St. Paul would be able to be look to his own advantages to compete and to win.

  “If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.” (4b-6)

St. Paul is saying that “if the victory was won based on the flesh, then I would win”, but his purpose is to elevate the view of Christians above the flesh to the true source of our victory and the receiving the crown of victory and eternal life.

The Apostle then admonishes Christians to relinquish any trust in the things in which we previously trusted, in for these very things in which we had put so much confidents in can become an impediment to us in each of our striving forward toward the goal of the Kingdom.

St. Paul had much to boast in, that is , at least according to the flesh, but none of those things would win him the race of the Christian life, so he turned lose his attachment to them all and focused wholly on Jesus alone for the goal of victory.

 “But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ” (7-8)

Gaining Christ

The Apostle tells us how he viewed his past accomplishments and pedigree and why he had no confidence in them, "I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ”.

St. Paul tells us the end results; the true goal of all human life is to “gain Christ”.

St. Paul had become so aware of the lack of the flesh and our own efforts to reach our goal and the realization that any effort of his, or our own, would prove woefully inadequate but rather than trust in any performance-based righteousness he would simply place his trust in Jesus as the means of reaching the goal.

“and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.” (9)

The Goal

By trusting in Jesus as the only means of reaching the goal it is now not only “possible” but is certain. St. Paul now begins to define the goal for his life and by extension all of our lives.

“I want to know Christ—"(10a)

What he is saying is, that this is the goal and this knowing Christ is a deep relationship made possible for us through the life and death of Jesus. This “to know Christ” goes far beyond simply possessing facts regarding a person or having information regarding Jesus it is an intimacy a sharing of who they are; in the case of Jesus, both his life, suffering and his death, and resurrection we have been afford a place in himself to experiencing these things.

To truly know a person this deeply requires a sharing in both their life and their death.

St. Paul is telling us that this is his goal not only for himself but for all believers in all ages that we all could come to full sharing of who Jesus is and the result of becoming like Jesus in all things and possessing all that Christ has accomplished for humanity to have.

“yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.” (10b-11)

St. Paul tells us that he had not yet experienced the fullness of that goal which he strove for

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal”, (12a)

Yet, he holds on to the assurance of reaching the goal, not due to his efforts or any other flesh bound advantage but only due to the actions of Jesus.

“but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” (12b)

Toward the Goal

St. Paul now speaks in a language of relationship to the Philippians and to all believers throughout the ages, not only because that is how he views them, but because that is how Jesus views them, and we all.

“Brothers and sisters” (13a)

The Apostle now confides to us all that he knows this his reaching the goal has not yet been fully experienced by himself, or by any of us, this side of eternity. He tells us that he knows that this full reaching and striving toward the goal of knowing Jesus will be completely his, and ours, in the eternity that awaits us all, because of Jesus.

“I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (13b-14)

The athletes who trained and ran in games of the ancient world did so only to receive a perishable crown of momentary glory which fades away, but the crown and the prize for which we run is for a crown of eternal glory that never will fade.

This glorious crown is ours’ not through our own efforts or any advantage of the flesh, all those perceived advantages are, as St. Paul declared, “garbage” and he discarded them and they can hider our coming to know Jesus as fully as we may which is the true goal for which we strive and receive in Jesus that glorious crown of knowing him.

Benediction: May we each and all be focused upon our Lord Jesus as we run toward the goal of knowing him, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.

Rev. Todd Crouch, Norman, Oklahoma

                                       If It's Not About Jesus, It's Not About Anything!