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But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness Gal 5:22 |
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Dear
Friend,
If you do not already have a habit of gathering daily manna the first thing in the morning (we can look at the example given to us in Exodus 16 and find the pattern for make it a habit. Establish your life and your schedule to allow you the necessary time to do your daily collection first thing every morning to give you the strength to make it through the day. And remember that today’s manna will not be sufficient for tomorrow; tomorrow’s manna must be collected tomorrow morning. Friday, August 23, 2024
Today's Passage : Today's Passage :Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch [2] Bible Verse:Acts 8:34-40 (ESV) "And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he replied, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea. " Message:
The first sentence relates to the verses preceding it (Acts 8:26-33). The eunuch, an Ethiopian Jew who is coming from Jerusalem, was reading Isaiah as he was riding along. Specifically, he was reading the powerful prophesy of Christ contained in Isaiah 53, and was puzzling over Isaiah 53:7-8 when Philip encountered him:
Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth.
In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.
Philip and the Ethiopian
Philip and the Ethiopian
The eunuch was apparently reading closely and was interested in becoming educated about God. He was ripe to hear the Gospel, as he was studying and was curious about the most powerful prophesy in all the Bible. One can imagine his confusion: who is Isaiah talking about? He is ready to hear the news about Jesus Christ, which is certainly a reason that the angel sent Philip to talk to him; and he is readily converted, to take the good news back to Ethiopia.
Because he was a very high official, he would have been an influential messenger to prepare Ethiopia for a more knowledgeable missionary; indeed, it was likely Philip himself who would bring the word to Ethiopia. (Ethiopia is, even to this day, a predominantly Christian country, a remarkable feat in light of the spread of Islam in north Africa.)
Even more remarkably, Isaiah himself predicted that a foreign Jewish eunuch would play a role in spreading the word throughout the world:
Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say, “The Lord will surely separate me from his people”; and let not the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.”
For thus says the Lord: “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant,
I will give in my house and within my walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.”
(Isaiah 56:4-5
The words of Isaiah seem to find specific fulfillment in Acts 8, but they might apply to anyone who does not have children of their body. (In fact, the Jews, who did not practice child castration, used the word to apply to celibate, infertile and/or homosexual men, i.e. Matthew 19:12.)
To love and serve Christ will prove a greater blessing than children. Some denominations require celibacy of their leaders. There have been entire denominations, whose members did not have children so that they would not be distracted from their life of worship, the best-known of which is the American Shakers. Even more common are communities of celibacy within a denomination (such as monks).
But the most basic message is this: To know Christ and live his word is a greater good even than one of the greatest earthly gifts, creating a family. Luke, in telling this story, brings them special comfort so that they will not grieve. Some people, especially men, think of their children as ”continuing their name“; but the Bible here lets us know that the name of the childless will have greater life, through their service to Christ, than could ever be possible by physical reproduction
Meditation : Prayer : May the Almighty and merciful Lord graciously hear me, pardon and deliver me from all my sins, confirm and strengthen me in all goodness, and bring me to everlasting life; through my Savior, Jesus Christ,..........Amen |
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