5/17/09 - Mission Festival - Acts 8:26-40

GO! LOOK! LISTEN! SPEAK!

We can learn a lot from those who do things well. If there is an expert in a certain line of work, if there is someone who has had years of experience doing a particular thing, we seek those kinds of people out. We ask them questions, we listen to them very carefully, we observe what they do, and we try to copy their exact approach and emulate their proven methods because they have been so successful when doing it that way in the past. This happens in our every day lives with any number of different things, but it also happens with our spiritual lives as well. We seek out those Christians who lead exemplary lives. And as Christians, it is no surprise that many of the people we look to as examples are found in Scripture.
Paul, Peter, Abraham and Sarah, Moses, Esther, and Jesus himself are all people in the Bible that demonstrate different Christian virtues that we can also put into practice. But on a day like today, one in which we are focusing on the mission of spreading the Good News to others, it might be beneficial for us to take a closer look at a lesser known missionary of the early Christian Church: Philip. Not the disciple Philip, but “Philip the Evangelist” as Scripture calls him. He was one of the seven men chosen by the apostles - along with Stephen - to help distribute food to the widows in Jerusalem. But, like Stephen, he also played a large role in spreading the gospel as well. Philip is probably most famous for meeting the Ethiopian eunuch on his way from Jerusalem, explaining Scripture to him, and baptizing him on the side of the road. This is the incident that we’ll concentrate on today. Because in this story from Acts 8, Philip demonstrates for us a method of mission work that we can also utilize in our own mission fields: Go, look, listen, and speak.
“26Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." 27So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. 29The Spirit told Philip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it." 30Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked. 31"How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: ‘He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 33In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.’ 34The eunuch asked Philip, "Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?" 35Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. 36As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?" 38And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.”
Go. Look. Listen. Speak. A nice simple method for us to use in our own missions in our own lives. But now come the excuses. I know they are already coming to your mind: excuses not to do the mission work that Christians are supposed to do. Excuses to make yourself feel better when you do not follow Philip’s example. And there are hundreds of them, aren’t there? There are countless kinds of excuses that you can come up with - and I know them all! And I know them all because I have used them all myself! “Well, I’m just not good at that kind of thing.” “I’m sure other people will eventually do it if I don’t.” “That person won’t listen to me anyway.” “I don’t know what to say.” “I’ve tried it before and it just doesn’t work for me.” “I get too nervous in those situations.” “I don’t really have the time.” “It’s really someone else’s job.” “That person won’t talk to me again if I bring religion up.” “It’s going to be too awkward.” “Maybe I’ll get around to it some other day.” “Now’s just not the right time.” “I’m pretty sure they believe anyway, so I won’t bring it up.” “They have already made it pretty clear that they don’t want to talk about that kind of thing.” “I’m tired of trying with this person.” “That person is too far gone to even bother.” “Things just aren’t as easy for me as the Lord made them for Philip.”
The list could go on and on, couldn’t it? Excuses for every occasion in any situation. It’s easy to convince yourself not talk to others or encourage others or invite others to hear the Word of God. It’s easy to just not do that kind of work because there are so many obstacles involved and so many hazards that are unavoidable if you were to carry out that mission. But, in the end, are any of those excuses are acceptable? In the end, are any of those excuses motivated by loving hearts or God-pleasing Christian intentions? In the end, do any of these excuses overrule the directive from our Lord that we are to preach the Good News to all creation?
But don’t you think Philip had access to the same excuses? He was a regular human being just like we are. And so he certainly had the same doubts and fears and apprehensions about spreading the gospel just like we do. But in Acts 8 we don’t hear him say anything like we say to ourselves. Philip did not say, “Lord, why should I go to the road that leads away from Jerusalem? That doesn’t make sense!” “Lord, I don’t even now this guy in that chariot. I’ve never met him before!” “Lord, I was called on to distribute food to widows, I’m not qualified for this!” “Lord, what if I don’t know what to say if he asks me a tough question!” “Lord, I don’t want to intrude on his travels; I’m sure he’s a busy man!” “Lord, can’t you send someone else to speak to him because I’ve got a full-time job that I’ve got to get back to!” Philip undoubtedly had these excuses at his finger tips - and many more. There could have been hundreds of reasons why he shouldn’t have gone up to that chariot in the middle of the road on its way out of the county. But Philip didn’t use any of them. He simply went, he looked, he listened, and he spoke. And he did those things not because he was somehow a greater Christian than you are at all! He did those things because he remembered how great his Lord was.
Do you recall what the Ethiopian was reading while riding in the chariot? The section of Scripture he was reading was the very thing that motivated Philip to do mission work. Because the eunuch was reading the gospel. He was reading about Christ and the cross, about salvation and forgiveness. It was the beautiful prophecy of our Savior in Isaiah 53. “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.” A sad yet beautiful section of Scripture that shows us how great the Lord really is.
Because Jesus didn’t make any excuses. And he could have, couldn’t he? He didn’t have to be there. He wasn’t required to suffer as he did. There was no one there forcing him to do anything. And yet he remained silent. He let his hands be tied. He allowed his body to be beaten and battered and crucified. He let his life be taken from him by those whom he had given life. There were no excuses on the cross. There were no fears or apprehensions about doing what needed to be done. There was only love. Love for you. Love for me. And love for the rest of this sinful world that didn’t deserve it. Jesus didn’t make any excuses - even though his excuses would have been perfectly acceptable. Instead of making excuses Jesus made forgiveness free; he made salvation sure; he made our eternal life guaranteed. This is what the Ethiopian was reading that day in the chariot. This is what Philip used to show him the glories of the cross and the joy of the forgiveness won there. This is what moved Philip to be right there at that right time for that right reason. And this is what moves us to do the same. Christ’s suffering and his sacrificial death and his never-ending love motivate us to share that love with others. It is really the only thing that can convince us to go, look, listen, and speak.
Philip didn’t hesitate to go. The Lord told him to go to a road leading away from Jerusalem and Philip didn’t give it a second thought: he just went. He went out with confidence knowing that the Lord would supply him the opportunities - as well as the words to say when those opportunities arrived. And he will do the same for you. And so go. Not necessarily down a road, but at least go out of your way! Take your Lord’s directives and go with confidence to those around you, knowing that the Lord will provide you with open doors and eager hearts. Go, not worrying about where you’ll end up. Go, not thinking about how long it’ll be. And make a conscious effort to look for the people and the moments that the Lord puts in front of you.
There were surely a number of people on that road the Ethiopian happened to be traveling down. There were any number of travelers that Philip could have talked to. But the Lord had his eye on a specific person for a specific reason. And the Lord led Philip to him. And so keep looking. Everywhere you go, every place you’re in, every person you see… look for those chances to share with them the Word of God. Look for those moments in which you can offer them the only thing that they really need. Because you may be their only connection to Christ. You may be the only one who cares enough to say anything about it. And once you find these open doors, listen first.
Notice that Philip didn’t run up to the chariot and instantly start telling the Ethiopian everything he knew and everything he should believe. He asked a simple question and then he listened. He listened to the Ethiopian speak, he listened to the situation the Ethiopian was in, and he listened to the dilemma the Ethiopian faced. Take that procedure to heart. When it comes to the mission of spreading the Word, your ears are more important than your mouth. You cannot give them what they need unless you listen to what they need. And they will not care about what you have to say unless you have shown them that you care about what they have to say. And so listen closely. Listen intently. Listen lovingly. And then you can speak like Philip spoke.
After Philip listened, he spoke the beautiful truths of the gospel starting with the very passage of Scripture the Ethiopian eunuch was reading from Isaiah 53. Of course, that doesn’t mean you have to repeat the entire scope of Scripture to everyone you meet! Speaking to others about the Word of God could include that wonderful gospel message about Christ and his cross, but it doesn’t have to. Speaking to others can also be inviting them to a Bible study or a worship service. Encouraging them with a simple comfort of Scripture. Leading them to see a problem from the Lord’s perspective. Offering to get them in touch with your pastor who can help. Lending them a book or a magazine or a devotion or a sermon that would be beneficial for their situation. Reminding them again and again about what is really important in this life and those other things that are really inconsequential. There are many different ways to speak to others about the Word of God. But they all require you to open your mouth. You must give them a chance. You cannot let silence reign when the sweet sounding gospel is the only thing that person needs to hear.
Go. Look. Listen. Speak. Methods of Philip the Evangelist. Methods of any evangelist. A pattern that does not have to be followed in every instance, but basic truths that are good to keep in mind. Because there will never be a shortage of work for us to do. There will never be a lack of unbelievers to whom we can go. There will never be a moment where the gospel doesn’t apply. Share it. Spread it. Give it. Offer it. Hold it out and don’t bring it back in. This is your mission! This is Christ’s mission. And he is pleased to carry it out through you.
Amen.