January 17, 2022 -- Acts 8:26-31 -- Who will guide you?

People loved by the Father, in the power of the Spirit: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. 27 And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship 28 and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” 30 So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
Acts 8:26-31 ESV

Jesus said that His disciples would be His witnesses in Judea, Samaria and "to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8). Jesus' word is being proved true in this short reading today. This Ethiopian man, representing people who are in the category "to the end of the earth", is reading the bible and not understanding what he is reading. The Spirit of God prompted Philip to speak to the Ethiopian. The Spirit of God had prepared one to speak and answer the question of one who was in need of understanding. The Ethiopian knew he needed someone to guide him in this. Look at the kindness of God and His glorious humour. This Ethiopian was in charge of Queen Candace's treasure. When the Ethiopian, now filled with new life in Jesus Christ, speaks to his queen of Jesus--she will have riches beyond compare! Her treasury will be replaced with the greatest treasure of heaven--the Savior!

Who are you called to guide? Who is the Spirit of the Living God prompting you to pray for, to explain Scripture to, and to spend time with so that in the natural ebb and flow of conversation the Good News of Jesus Christ wells up to eternal life within that person? Who can you write an email to? In these pandemic days of lockdowns and so on, who can you write a letter to, which declares the love of Jesus?

So many evangelism courses seem to force unnatural means of reaching out—going door to door with a script. Can God bless this? Yes He can. Notice, however, how often in Scripture what appears to be a chance encounter is actually a divine appointment. The Spirit of God will bring, is bringing, people into your life who need your experience, your awareness of the goodness of God, so that they too will believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

A dear prayer partner of yesteryear used to say to me: think of a compass. A godly man needs a mentor to the North—someone more experienced in the faith or an aspect of the faith so that he in instructed by him. Then, godly men need to mentor one another and be held accountable in the faith East to West—that is, by peers in the faith who share the journey and the struggles. A godly man will also have someone he mentors, a person “to the South”, someone younger in the faith who can grow in the faith. It is fascinating how instructing someone in the faith--answering basic questions about what you believe--reignites  in you a joy and a deeper zeal for the things of God as you see the person you are mentoring have "aha" moments.

Who is teaching you? Who is directing your walk with God? Who are your East and West peers in believing? Who is the Spirit of God directing you to teach and train up in believing. Such relationships may be very brief (the Ethiopian’s mentor to the North is Philip). Some relationships will be long lasting, think of a mom teaching her daughter to walk in the way of Jesus Christ. A mom who intentionally mentors her daughter, is teaching one who is “to the South”, hungry to grow and learn. Think of how many people in the world are ready to be mentored. A new employee at work is prepared to learn a new skill--that is mentoring in the worldly sense. A January "New Year's Resolution" to "get fit" might mean having a coach at the gym in order to learn how to do appropriate work-outs. If you think about it, our lives are filled with mentoring moments. So the question set before you today is this: Are you prepared to seek out a mentor to the North in order to be challenged to grow in your faith and to mentor others so that you continue grow in spiritual fitness? Will you hold Christian peers accountable so that together you will grow in faith and faithfulness to God? 

Spirit of the Living God, thank You for the mentors You already have brought into our lives. Thank You for Sunday School teachers who reinforced what faithful parents taught. Thank You for praying friends. Thank You for those who took a chance and just began to tell us of Jesus' goodness and love. Help us, Spirit of God, to be humble and receptive to the people to whom You are directing us this day or this week. Spirit of God, keep us deeply and truly connected to Jesus Christ, so that our lives will shine as a lighthouse for those whose lives are floundering on the rocks pounded by waves of troubles. Thank You, Father in heaven, that You do all things well and give to us every opportunity to speak thanks and praise and blessing for all the rich gifts You have have given us in Jesus Christ, through Whose work we are called Your beloved sons and daughters. Amen.

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