Engaging Scripture

What happened after Jesus died – Matthew 28, Part 1

The Reconciliation Of The Cross | internetmonk.com

We will all have coronavirus stories to share for years to come. Recently my daughter said, “This will be an event that I’ll be telling my kids and grandkids about.” And she is right. There will be so many stories. The courageous health care workers working to heal those who contracted the virus, many of whom passed away, but thankfully many more who survived. We will talk about schools and churches going all online. About businesses shutting down, about workers struggling from lack of finances, but about communities coming together to help those in need. We’ll talk about empty roads and pollution clearing. Those are the general stories.

There will also be personal ones. I’ll talk about the 9 year old girl in my church family, with lots more free time, sewing her own dress for her Grammy’s burial service. I’ll talk about the wedding under a blossoming willow tree in the church back yard, as the small group of attendees practiced social distancing, standing spread out on the lawn. I’ll talk about how the shutdown made it possible for our son and daughter-in-law to have time to purchase and train a puppy, a super playful German Shepherd named Kash. I’ll talk about how they brought their two-month old puppy to our house to meet our dog Bentley, and how strong 65 pound five year old Bentley playfully tried to wrestle tiny two month old maybe 15 pound Kash, and Kash got up limping…and I thought “oh no…” Thankfully Kash was ok!

I want to share with you that I have certainly had my moments of frustration during this time, but I have also tried really hard to start each morning by listing out 5 things that I am thankful for. It has been a good practice and one that might be helpful to you during this time too. Today I am thankful for the amazing story that we’re going to study this week. Actually, what we’re going to learn is that there are two Easter stories. Two very different Easter stories.

Turn with me in your Bibles to Matthew 28.

The context leading up to chapter 28, as Matthew writes it, is the events of Jesus’ trial and crucifixion. Look at chapter 27 verse 50. Jesus cries out in a loud voice, and dies. At this point it is almost like Matthew gives us rapid-fire snapshots of what took place next, showing quick video segments all around the city of Jerusalem.

Immediately after Jesus cries out and dies, there is an earthquake and rocks split open.
The scene quickly flashes to the temple, where the curtain separating the holy place from the most holy place, is ripped in two from top to bottom.
Then scene shifts again, this time to a cemetery where tombs open up and holy people from the past are raised to life!
Now in verse 54 he cuts back to the foot of the cross, where we see Jesus dead, hanging there limp, and the soldiers nearby are terrified because of the earthquake and exclaim that Jesus must have been the Son of God.
Then the camera pans out to show that some women followers of Jesus are watching at the cross too.
Another scene change, and this time it is to Roman governor’s palace, as a wealthy disciple of Jesus, Joseph of Arimathea, asks permission of the Roman governor Pilate to bury Jesus’ body. Pilate agrees.
Now the scene shifts again to Joseph getting Jesus’ body, preparing it with a clean linen cloth.
The next scene is Joseph placing Jesus’ body in a tomb cut out of rock, and then rolling a big stone in front of the entrance.
Still at the tomb, now the camera pans out to show Mary Magdalene and the other Mary (of Mary, Martha & Lazarus?) sitting there watching Joseph work. We see Joseph leave, but the Marys stay there, sitting, watching.
Now verses 62-66 take us to the next day, Saturday, and the scene is once again at the Roman Governor’s palace. This time, though, the Jewish religious leaders ask Pilate for permission to place security around the tomb. They remember Jesus’ teaching that he would rise after three days, and are afraid his disciples would come steal the body and claim that Jesus rose. Pilate agrees.
So the scene cuts back to the tomb where the religious leaders seal the stone and post a detachment of soldiers to guard the tomb.

Finally the camera fades to black, bringing us to Matthew 28. The story is just beginning. In the next post we’ll see how the first Easter story unfolds!

How Jesus matters during times of crisis – Matthew 21:1-17, Part 5

When I think about this coronavirus crisis, I think about how important healthcare workers are to our well-being. I think about how I pray every day for a vaccine to be developed more rapidly than medical scientists believe is humanly possible. I think about how we need to continue social distancing, even when we’re all sick of it. Earlier this week I officiated a social distanced wedding, and tomorrow I will lead a social distanced graveside burial. In both cases everyone is wishing that more people could be present, and that we could express ourselves by hugging one another. So we think excitedly about the end of the virus. In all our longing, I wonder if Jesus comes to mind. Does he matter to our view of how to live life during the virus shutdown? Of course he does, we Christians would say. But how?

This week our posts on the blog have been reviewing Matthew 21:1-17, the account of Jesus’ triumphal entry. On that momentous first Palm Sunday, the crowds in Jerusalem, including children, clearly identify Jesus as the Messianic King, son of their great King David, who was promised in the Old Testament prophetic writings. He is the one true King of the Kingdom of God. On Palm Sunday, we declared, along with the crowds that day in Jerusalem at his Triumphal Entry, “the King has come!” Furthermore, he is a Prophet King, pointing to the truth, which he himself embodies. He is the way, the truth and life. Finally, he is Priest King, pointing us to prayer. But how does Jesus, the Prophet, Priest and King, matter to our world crisis?

In these days of shutdown and shelter in place and social distancing and a stock market crash and economic recession or depression, and of course, health crisis and ventilators and masks, and over-crowded hospitals and pandemic, we can forget that Jesus has always been and still is King. Again, that does not mean that he causes all things that happen. I do not believe that he caused this virus (sometimes we hear things like that, but I do not agree with that). Just because there is a world-wide crisis, we should not make the jump to thinking that Jesus isn’t King – a King has all authority. He is a good King – he is selfless, loving, powerful, and humble, taking the messes we make out of our own free will and working them for good.

Take a few moments and think about what moved Jesus’ heart in this story. He loved seeing people’s heart to worship and prayer, and he was upset and angry by those who were disrupting that and taking advantage of people. What that means is that his heart is moved by your heart to worship and talk with him. How beautiful is that?

Can I encourage you to take time this week to read this important story as we lead up to next week, Easter Sunday? It can be found from several different perspectives. Today we read Matthew’s perspective. But also read Mark 11:1-19. And Luke 19:28-48. Finally John 12:12-50.

Does your family know that Jesus is your king?

Do your neighbors?

What will it look like for you to depend on King Jesus in the middle of this crisis? What will it look like for you to shout your own version of “Hosanna” to the King, proclaiming the joyful hope that he gives us, even in the middle of a crisis?

We have hope of not only eternal life, but also abundant life here and now!

Jesus’ classic burn of the religious leaders – Matthew 21:1-17, Part 4

I recently watched Netflix’ series Messiah. It depicts what might happen if a christ-figure entered our contemporary world. The series was intriguing because it kept you guessing. Was he Jesus? Or an imposter? Maybe a terrorist? What were his real motivations? Were his miracles tricks or real? Were his teachings good news or were they a bit off? Would I follow him?

I wonder if my reactions to the character in the Netflix show were at all like the religious leaders in Jesus’ day.

We read what Jesus did on that first Palm Sunday, and maybe we are accustomed to his actions: Jesus cleansing the temple. Jesus healing. Jesus teaching. These are classic Jesus kinds of actions. Remember, though, that Jesus is not out on a mountainside, or in a boat on the Sea of Galilee, or inside a friend’s house. The religious leaders were watching him in all those places too, but now he is on their turf, the most important turf they had. Jesus is right in their headquarters. This is happening on what they considered the center of religious life, the temple.

Because he is on their home field, is Jesus deferring to them, asking them permission? No! He isn’t caring one lick about their opinion. Jesus has walked right into the enemy’s lair, and he is taking charge as if it is was his. Furthermore he is making changes, and as he does, he is telling them they were wrong about how they did things with their concessions stand in the Court of Gentiles. He knew they were wrong, he told them so, and he took action.

Imagine being those religious leaders hearing this from Jesus. They had a hard time when he confronted them out on the mountainside and in people’s homes. Now he’s confronting them in their house. At the end of verse 15, Matthew gives us one word to describe how the leaders felt: indignant. I think that Matthew could have probably written, “They were really, really, really, really, super, deeply, angry.”

Matthew goes on to tell us how, in their indignancy, the leaders react toward Jesus there in the temple. You’d think, with rage simmering just below the surface, they’d muster the temple guards and kick Jesus out of the temple. Surprisingly, their response is very muted. In just a few days they will arrest him, beat him, falsely accuse him, and hand him over to the Romans demanding that the Romans crucify him. For now though, right there in the temple, there is a party going on, and the leaders’ hands are tied by the fact that the people are loving Jesus, wanting to enthrone him as King. Even the kids are chanting “Hosanna to the Son of David.”

All the leaders do is ask Jesus one question, as we read in verse 16, “Do you hear what these children are saying?” The leaders are looking at this party, this almost-coronation, as if it is utterly ridiculous. In their minds, Jesus, and his UNtriumphal entry, is the furthest thing from the messianic king they expected, and the children praising him are just being children. Therefore, the leaders, when they question Jesus in verse 16, are insinuating that Jesus is off his rocker to receive the praise of the people. They would say Jesus is being heretical, blasphemous. We know from our vantage point that those kids were speaking 100% truth, and Jesus was absolutely right to allow it. Jesus truly was the king of the Kingdom of God.

How the leaders did not see this truth is hard to imagine. Just looking at the miracles Jesus did should have been more than enough. But the reality is that we can be hard of heart too, doubters, pessimistic, especially when, like those leaders, our authority and viewpoint is being called into question. To admit that Jesus was right, those leaders would have to eat some serious humble pie and make major changes to their worldview and their livelihood, perhaps giving up power. That’s asking a lot of anyone who believes they are right, and who sees things one certain way for their whole lives. Yet that is what Jesus is doing. His whole life and ministry centered on the idea that God’s Kingdom was near, and it was being revealed in a new way through him. This was too much for the leaders, blinded as they were by their selfish ambition. Of course, then, they believe him to be an imposter, and their question about the children gets at his validity and authority.

Look at verse 16 to see the astounding way that Jesus answers their question with a question of his own, “Have you never read…?” Think about this. Jesus is talking to the Bible scholars, the people who knew their Scriptures better than anyone, the people who were quite willing to let it be known that they were the religious experts. To them he is basically saying, “Hey so-called Bible guys, it seems like you haven’t read your Bibles.”

If cleansing the temple was an act of war, Jesus now launches the first assault, essentially making fun of the Bible scholars for not seeing their world through the lens of the Bible. Just as he quoted Scripture to defend his actions of cleansing the temple (see previous post), he now does so again, defending the children who were praising him. He quotes Psalm 8:2, “From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise,” thus shutting down the Bible scholars, who should have applied the Bible to this situation. Jesus’ confrontation of the leaders is a classic burn. You know they are enraged, hating that they can do nothing about it.

Matthew describes no further response from the leaders. Jesus leaves the city, travels to the nearby town of Bethany (almost certainly to the home of his friends Mary, Martha and Lazarus who lived there), and spends the night there.

Might it be possible that your impression of Jesus is incorrect, like the religious leaders? If he were standing in front of you, would you know it was him? If you want to have the correct understanding of Jesus, I encourage you to start learning about him by reading the four stories of his life, the books that a traditionally called the Gospels in the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. As you read, take notes about how these four writers describe Jesus. What surprises you? What didn’t you know? Philip Yancey’s book, The Jesus I Never Knew, is also a helpful guide.

Would Jesus say Christianity is polluted or pure? – Matthew 21:1-17, Part 3

Have you ever wondered if Christianity in our day and age is polluted? Or is it pure? These are wide statements, and Christianity is so diverse that one word, like “polluted” or “pure” cannot possibly describe the whole of it. But take a look at trends in the faith. Consider the larger movements within the faith in our day. And when you do that you can apply words like “polluted” and “pure,” and a great many other words, to how we contemporary Christians practice the faith. Of course these designations will not apply to all Christians, and that is not the purpose of this thought project. Instead, I raise these questions to help us envision how Jesus might evaluate us, and if he might take action against us, like he did against the religious practitioners of his day. Why? Because the faith of his day was polluted.

This week we have been reflecting on the story of Jesus’ Triumphal entry into Jerusalem, as told in Matthew 21:1-17. After arriving in the city to the cheers of the crowds who wanted to crown him king, Jesus heads to the temple, and he was not happy. Instead of a place of worship, in the temple courtyard designed for Gentiles to worship, he found a market. The leaders of the temple allowed two specific businesses to set up shop there.

The first business was Money-changing. If that seems like an odd business to set up at a temple, there was a reason. Money-changing was necessary because Jerusalem was the Jews’ holy city, precisely because the Temple was there, and Jews from all over the world would regularly make pilgrimage to worship there. On their journeys, of course they brought currencies from their homelands. At the temple, Jews all had to pay a tax to worship, but there was only one kind of currency that the priests allowed for payment of the temple tax. Jews with different currencies from their homelands had to exchange their money for temple tax money.

While money-changers operated throughout in the city, it was very convenient to set up money changers right there in the temple. In our day and age, we can use credit cards very easily internationally, but if you’ve ever had to exchange money in another country, you know how handy it can be to have an exchange right there in the airport. So on one level, the priests just wanted to make worship more accessible, except that’s not all they were doing. Scholars tell us that they were profiting off of this business, as were the money-changers. Commerce and greed infringed upon the purposes of the temple.

What about the other business at the temple, the Sellers of Doves? This, too, can be viewed as a necessary and helpful business because some people came from long distances to worship at the temple, and it would have been very inconvenient for them to bring their animal sacrifices from far away. So the priests invited merchants into the temple to sell offerings for sacrifices. Like the money-changers, these merchants were helping people worship. Sadly, this business also had a dark side. The priests and merchants were making handsome profits off people, selling animals at premium prices. Unless you go to dollar dog nights at the stadium, you know that your food and beverages are going to be astronomically priced at the stadium concessions stand, right? The same thing was happening at the temple.

The rates the money-changers offered were terrible, and the prices of sacrificial animals were way inflated. All this was happening right in the temple courtyards. Under the guise of facilitating worship, the priests had allowed commercial enterprise to fleece the people as they came to meet God.

Jesus wasn’t having it. He drove them out, over-turning their tables and benches.

This is not the normal picture of Jesus, right? He wasn’t saying, “Excuse me, sir, will you please leave the premises? Allow me to remove your items from your table top and stack them neatly on the ground here while I gently tip your table over.”

No way. One of the other gospels tell us he made a whip! We can see Jesus, filled with righteous anger, getting a bit wild.

Why does he do this? Thus far it might be obvious, but just to make sure there is no doubt about his motivation, Jesus himself declares to the people watching him the reason for his actions.

Look at verse 13 where he quotes two passages from the Old Testament prophets that explain his motivation. First, Isaiah 56:7, “My house will be a house of prayer for all the nations.” Matthew doesn’t depict Jesus as adding that last bit (which I placed in italics), but Mark does. Jesus’ use of this quote insinuates something very insightful. God’s heart desire was that the Court of Gentiles was supposed to be a place where non-Jews could worship, but the leaders of the temple had made a mockery of that. The Gentiles couldn’t worship and pray in a courtyard that had been repurposed into a noisy, concessions area.

We also learn Jesus’ motivation in his quote of Jeremiah 7:11 which even further indicts the leaders, because that prophecy refers the temple as a den of robbers. That’s exactly what the leaders had become, as they allowed the money-changers and sellers of sacrifices to rip the people off, profiting off worship in the process. Jeremiah 7:11 concludes with a warning to temple leaders: “The Lord is watching.” Jesus was watching that day in the temple, and his heart for the Lord and for the people, moves him to action.

Jesus, in other words, steps into what might be called a priestly role. He does what the priests should have done. He cleanses the temple, recapturing the essence of what the court of Gentiles was always supposed to be, a place of prayer for the nations.

By telling us this story about Jesus, Matthew is now not only declaring that Jesus is Prophet and King, but Prophet, Priest and King.

Verses 14-16 put an exclamation point on this whole episode. Right there in the temple, Jesus heals many, clearly displaying the victory of the Kingdom of Light over the Kingdom of Darkness.

Have commerce and greed corrupted our practice of faith in Jesus in our day? I’d be interested in hearing your thoughts. How would Jesus view American Christianity? Are we at all like the religious leaders, allowing consumerism to infect our discipleship to Jesus, perhaps more than realize? Maybe our practice of Christianity is polluted?

Jesus’ first kingly act? He goes to the market! – Matthew 21:1-17, Part 2

In my county, we have many farmers’ markets and bazaars, places where people can rent space, set up a stand and sell their produce or wares. The three most popular and busy are probably Central Market in the city, Green Dragon in Ephrata, and Root’s in Manheim, though there are others. They are incredibly fun places, filled with people walking the aisles of stalls, looking for meats and vegetables, and antiques, crafts, and delicious food. If you visit Lancaster County, these three markets are stops you’ll want on your intinerary.

One time Jesus visited a place like these, and it made him react in a way that was quite surprising. If you want, you can open your Bible and turn to Matthew 21, one of the chapters that tells this story. We’re studying Matthew 21 this week because, as we saw in the previous post, it describes what is traditionally called Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into the city of Jerusalem. Riding on a lowly donkey, the crowds that day proclaim Jesus as the embodiment of the messianic king, of the line of the great Israelite king David.

We read in verse 10 that news of this momentous event spread like an earthquake through the city. Everyone was talking about it.

It is interesting that in verse 11 Jesus is also identified as a prophet. God, through Moses, in Deuteronomy 18, had predicted that a great Prophet would one day come to Israel. Over the years, of course, many prophets did minister the word of the Lord in Israel, and Jesus was by far the epitome of them all. So both designations are correct, as he is Prophet and King. What would this prophet king do?

In verse 12 we read that Jesus enters the temple. The temple area Matthew refers to is an outer court that was used almost like a concessions area in a stadium. Imagine you’re going to a baseball game when the virus is finally past us. You enter the stadium and all around the field is the seating area, but underneath or behind the seating areas are concessions where you can buy food and memorabilia. It was very similar at the temple in Jerusalem.

The temple complex was massive. It had various courtyards around the main temple building, and these courtyards were restricted based on who you were. Almost like security clearances.

If you were the high priest, you had access to every part of the temple complex. If you were a regular priest you could go everywhere but the holiest place deep inside the temple building itself. If you were a Jewish male, you could go to all the courtyards. If you were a Jewish woman, you could only go to the women’s courtyard. If you were non-Jewish, you could only go to a place called the Court of Gentiles.

The heart behind all this, even though it is culturally different from the “open to all” approach of the New Testament church, was still that there would be a place for all to worship. But in that Court of Gentiles, the priests had set up a kind of concessions area, and people would come to buy and sell there. What did it look like? Think of a farmer’s market, with many different stands, busyness and business all around, with lots of noise and hustle and bustle. As we’ll see, there was especially lots of hustle going on.

Why did they set up a concessions area in the temple? The priests weren’t just outright saying, “Guys, we have all this space, let’s set up a market and make cash.” No, in that area they allowed two kinds of businesses specifically supporting to the sacrificial system of the temple. Check back in to the next post as we learn what these businesses were about, and why Jesus reacted so strongly against them.

The UNtriumphal entry of the unexpected king – Matthew 21:1-17, Part 1

Picture an inauguration or coronation ceremony. What images come to mind? Grand balls. Flashy banners and decor. Lavish parties with bountiful plates of food and dignitaries dressed to impress. The goal is a display of power, wealth, and victory. Today I want to give you a totally different picture of a coronation that would ultimately have far greater influence and meaning, one that features, believe it or not, a donkey.

Travel with me 2000 years backwards in time, and nearly halfway around the world to a dusty corner of the Roman Empire. The time is right around 30 AD in the nation of Israel.

For about three years, Jesus has been ministering all over the nation of Israel. His public ministry is marked by miracles and authoritative teaching, with a special focus on parables. Huge crowds gather around him, both because of his miracles and his teaching. He regularly confronts the religious leaders who suspiciously watch his every move, pointing out their hypocrisy and fraud, and how they took advantage of the general populace. Finally, he spends plenty of time with a smaller group of followers, comprised of men and women, but it is his 12 disciples that are his closest companions. He mentors and trains them to live like he lived, so that one day they be ready to take over for him.

Toward the end of the three years, the tension between Jesus and the religious elite is like static in winter, sparking every time you make contact with metal. These priest and bible teachers regularly attempt to undermine his teaching, seeking to trap him theologically. But Jesus’ wisdom is unparalleled, his responses revealing errors in their thinking. Often he reveals the flaws in their arguments, trapping them! Anger and jealousy grow inside them, and they secretly plot to eliminate him.

Also at end of his third year in ministry, Jesus starts traveling toward Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover. Passing through town after town along the way, burgeoning crowds join him, as Jesus continues healing and teaching. The days pass, his entourage gradually winds their way closer and closer to Jerusalem, and the week of Passover arrives.

Passover is a major Jewish celebration, marking the events of the nation of Israel’s freedom from slavery in Egypt. Jewish families gather to tell the story of how God protected them from the plague of death, and how God launched them, under the leadership of Moses, into the desert, through the Red Sea, and on a journey back to the Promised Land of Canaan, the land of their forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Every year many Jews would travel to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover, just as Jesus as his followers were doing.

That brings us to Matthew 21.

Verses 1-3 simply set up the story. Jesus, the disciples and crowds walk toward Jerusalem, arriving just outside the city on the Mount of Olives, where Jesus instructs the disciples to go into the nearby village of Bethpage and bring a donkey and her colt to him.

Matthew tells us in verses 4-5 that what is about to happen next fulfills Zechariah 9:9, a Messianic prophecy about the entrance of the Messianic King riding into the city on a donkey. This is the first reference in this account to Jesus as King. But the kind of king revealed that day in Jerusalem is quite unexpected. Everything about this king is humble, which is symbolized through his choice of a donkey. He’s not riding a warhorse, decked out in armor and weapons, like a victorious king. Instead he is riding a humble donkey. Scholars tell us that in the Triumphal Entry Jesus finally reveals to all that he is the Messianic King long ago promised in their people’s prophetic writings. Prior to this he had often told people to keep quiet about him. But now, notice how he reveals himself: with humility. He is the humble king.

In fact, it hard to see what is triumphal about this king. It seems UNtriumphal. And that is on purpose. Jesus wasn’t a warlord king, he was a king who had come to serve, to give his life. In contrast to the narcissistic, power-hungry rulers so prevalent in their day and ours, the one true king shows us that godly leadership is humble.

The untriumphal entry into the city transpires just as Jesus directs, and as the prophecy foretells. We read in verses 6-11 that a very large crowd gathers, shouting of “Hosanna,” which means “save!” and was a shout of praise, and quoting Psalm 118:26 which mentions the coming of a future messianic king in the line of David, thus making a connection between Jesus as the son of David. This is the second reference to Jesus as King.

The untriumphal entry of the humble king. In our world that lauds brash, arrogant leadership, Jesus shows us a very different way. How does Jesus challenge your view of leaders and leadership?

White evangelical church, it’s time to get woke – Acts 8:4-40, Part 5

This week we’ve watched the Holy Spirit help the first Christians get woke. What is “woke”? Is it “awake”? If this is the first post you’re reading in this five-part series, I encourage you to pause and start with the first one here.

As we studied the amazing events of Acts 8:4-40, which tell the story of the ministry of Philip, we saw what the Spirit of God did in Samaria and with the Ethiopian Eunuch. What did we learn?

1^st – We need to be aware of our relationship with God. Are we in the kind of relationship where we are just talking to him? Or are we digging into his words, are we sitting still and learning his voice? Are we able to see where he is moving within our lives, our families, our communities?

2^nd – How well do you know your community? At a time like this do you know who around you might be in need? Who might need encouragement? Who might need to see Jesus and his love for them?

3^rd – We aren’t all going to go out and move across the globe, especially now when we can’t really leave our homes because of the virus. But do you know what is going on in different countries? In different cultures? Even in ones that we might consider our “enemies.” Are you “woke” to those things?

4th – Pray for God’s love and mercy to be with them just as much as you want it for yourself. He loves deeply, across all cultural, ethnic, and economic barriers. Ask God to grow that in you. During this time when you are a bit more “stuck,” use it to study his heart in this and to ask him to grow your heart to be more and more like his in this area. The more we look like him the more beautiful and hopeful the world will be. Certainly not without trial and struggle, but with hope, joy, and the movement of God. Here are some suggestions for further study:

Read Eric Mason, Woke Church. Read James Cone, The Cross and the Lynching Tree.

Listen to the “Seeing White” episodes of the podcast Scene on Radio. Listen the the podcast 1619.

When it comes to the Kingdom of God, all are welcome – Acts 8:4-40, Part 4

Does your church welcome all ethnicities? All races? Does your church’s ethnic demographic resemble that of the community around you? If not, why not?

This week we’ve been reading Acts 8:4-40, learning how the Spirit has been pushing the church to get woke. So far the Spirit, through the ministry of Philip, has taken the good news of Jesus to a new ethnic group, the Samaritans. But the Spirit is not done. When it comes to helping the early church get woke, the Spirit is only just getting started.

We see this in verses 26-40, as the story returns to the ministry of Philip. First, in verses 26-29, an angel directs Philip travel to southwest on the road from Jerusalem to Gaza. I want to give you a sense of what kind of travel we’re reading about. When Philip first went north to Samaria, he might have traveled 20-30 miles. Now he is heading south. First he has to backtrack the 20-30 miles to get to Jerusalem, and then he’ll get on the road from Jerusalem to Gaza. Based on what we read here, it seems that Philip is somewhere southwest of Jerusalem when he has another fascinating encounter.

Heading toward Gaza, Philip comes upon an Ethiopian eunuch who had been in Jerusalem to worship, but was now on the long journey back to Ethiopia. Think about what the Spirit has done here. We’ve been talking all along about the outward movement of the Spirit, pushing the earliest Christians to spread the good news about Jesus. And now Philip meets an Ethiopian.

Do you know where Ethiopia is? It is in East Africa, right above Kenya. We don’t know how much territory the Ethiopian kingdom covered in the first century. The boundaries were very different from what they are today. Some scholars believe that this man was from an area in modern day Sudan which is immediately to the west of Ethiopia. My point is that this man is African. He’s not Jewish. He’s not Middle Eastern or Arabic, but African. Consider the skin color of this man.

You might think, “Wait a minute, Joel…aren’t we supposed to be colorblind?” We are not to be colorblind. I know the idea of colorblindness is out there in our culture, but the reality is that there are different skin tones and God creatively wonderfully made them that way. This man’s skin was likely a shade of brown, and God specifically sends Philip to him.

The man was also a eunuch, meaning that he had likely been castrated in order to serve the Ethiopian Queen without fear for any indiscretion. He could be trusted and was an important official, in charge of the Queen’s treasury. At this time the Ethiopian kingdom was powerful. So not only is the Spirit leading Philip to a diverse audience, but to one that could take the Gospel to a center of power in the ancient world.

The Ethiopian official, because he was a eunuch, would have been barred from worship in the temple, with its regulations against those who had some kind of mutilation. Having just attempted to worship in Jerusalem, the man is reading Isaiah, but not understanding. The Spirit directs Philip to talk with the Ethiopian. Side note here: do you see how much the Spirit is talking with Philip? And Philip is listening. He is attentive and aware of what Holy Spirit is asking him to do and it is 100% in line with the heart of God and he is obedient.

What happens? In verses 30-38, Philip and the Ethiopian discuss Isaiah 53:7-8, and Philip shares the Gospel, explaining that the passage in Isaiah was fulfilled by Jesus, the Messiah. While we don’t read the words, “the Eunuch believed,” we can assume so because he asks Philip to baptize him. Not only is this an instance of the Spirit reaching one who is of a different ethnicity, but also one who was not allowed access to worship at the temple. The message in Acts 8:4-40 is clear: when it comes to the Kingdom of God, all are welcome!

Once again, through the Spirit leading outward, the Kingdom of God is expanding across ethnic boundaries, across international boundaries, giving us an illustration of the outward, missional mindset we too must have.

This wonderful story concludes in verses 39-40 as the Spirit miraculously takes Philip away to Azotus, which is just north of Gaza on the Mediterranean coastline, and Philip preaches the Gospel in all the towns, continuing north, until he arrives in Caesarea which is about halfway up the coastline of Israel.

Again and again in this passage, what have we seen? We have seen Spirit guiding Philip to preach the Gospel to those of non-Jewish descent. The Spirit is pushing the outward movement of the Gospel, fulfilling the words of Jesus that the disciples were to be his witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. The Spirit continues to lead us today to include all people of all races and ethnicities. We need to think outwardly about the mission of God’s Kingdom.

Tomorrow we conclude this week’s study of Acts 8:4-40 with some practical ideas of how to apply this outward principle, that we, the church of 2020, might follow the Spirit’s lead in getting woke.

Simon the Sorcerer vs the Holy Spirit – Acts 8:4-40, Part 3

There was a powerful man in Samaria. Simon the Sorcerer. All week long we’ve been studying Acts 8:4-40, learning about how Christians should get woke like the early church. One of those earliest Christians, Philip, had traveled to Samaria and started demonstrating the power of the Holy Spirit. But there was already a man with great power in Samaria, Simon. Are we about to have a showdown? Simon the Sorcerer versus the power of the Holy Spirit?

If you’re reading verse 9 in the ancient Greek language Acts was originally written in, the word for sorcery is “mageo.” I mention that because you can see that this is where we get our English word “magic.” Simon was a mage, one who practiced magic. His magic, or sorcery, could involve both magic tricks like sleight of hand, and possibly supernatural ability like witchcraft. As you can see in verse 10, he was very well respected by the people in Samaria because he had impressed them for many years with his abilities. But that is all about to change when Philip shows up. Let me ask you this: how does it often go when one person in power is upstaged by a new guy? Not well. This is a classic human story, so keep reading to see how it unfolds.

In verses 12-13 we read that the response of the people to Philip’s ministry is that “they believe and are baptized.” I suspect Simon was even more astonished than the average person in Samaria because he knew that the miracles Philip was performing, he, Simon, was unable to replicate. Simon had some cool tricks, but nothing like the power of the Holy Spirit that was flowing through Philip. Simon believes too, and is baptized, and starts following Philip everywhere.

I wonder what Philip thought about that. Did Philip respond by entering into a discipling relationship with Simon? Or is Simon just a consumer here, asking Philip to “do more tricks”? What is Simon’s motive? No doubt he is entranced by the miracles Philip is doing. But stay with the story because it’s about to get even more interesting.

In verses 14-17 the apostles who were still in Jerusalem hear that people in Samaria have become followers of Jesus, so they send Peter and John to Samaria to lay hands on the converts and give them the Spirit. It is fascinating to me that through Philip’s ministry the power of the Spirit is clearly evident, but though the people of Samaria have believed in the Gospel and been baptized, the Spirit had not been given to the Samaritans. Some apostles had to come, pray for them, and lay hands on them before those Samaritans received the Spirit.

What we will see in the book of Acts is that there is a varying order of the process of salvation in different accounts. The writers of the New Testament don’t clearly explain why this is the case. You might remember a few months ago in the Identity sermon on the Holy Spirit, we talked about how we are temples of the Holy Spirit, and we receive the Spirit at the moment of our salvation. We call that the indwelling of the Spirit. The Spirit is living with us. But that is different from the filling of the Spirit. I know those terms are very similar, but there is a difference. While we are indwelt with the Spirit at the moment of our salvation, that does not mean we are always filled with the Spirit, giving him control of our lives.

It seems that at least in this instance, the apostles needed to be present to pray for and lay hands on the Samaritans so they might experience the indwelling of the Spirit. Here’s a key question: does the racial and ethnic animosity between the Jews and Samaritans give the apostles pause? They could have concluded that the Spirit didn’t indwell the Samaritans because God was disapproving of the Samaritans. Those apostles could have perpetuated the segregation that was already deeply entrenched in the Jewish mindset. In fact, they did the opposite. They traveled to Samaria, breaking down the wall of injustice, proclaiming that all are equal in God’s eyes, just as Jesus had taught and demonstrated for them. The apostles finally got woke.

That day in the Samaritan city, as the Apostles pray and lay on hands on the Samaritans, the Spirit of God indwells the Samaritans, and someone is watching them very intently. Was it Saul or his henchman, spying on them? Nope.

It’s Simon the Sorcerer. And he is blown away. The guy with a decades-long reputation for impressing people with acts of power is watching as a whole new power, a very real power, is just being given away. Is he threatened? Is his position and financial income about to be eroded? Or does he just want more power?

Look at verses 18-24. He wants this power so badly, he offers to pay the apostles to receive the Spirit. His explanation to them is that he just wants to be able to give the Spirit like Peter and John were doing. It seems, though, that Simon likely had ulterior motives. Peter knows this and rebukes Simon. When Peter reveals the truth about Simon’s true motivation, Simon changes his tune quickly. Maybe his is a genuine confession and repentance in verse 24. Notice how he changes from wanting power, to humbly submitting to those in whom God’s power resides, asking Peter to pray for him. But is Simon at this point still focused on himself, saying that he doesn’t want anything bad to happen to him? It seems so.

This is a wonderful reminder to us that the mission of the Kingdom is not about our prestige, not about getting ahead. The mission of the Kingdom is about Jesus, about being disciples to him, and living like he said his disciples would live, denying ourselves, taking up our cross and following him. It is all about Jesus. Sadly, we don’t know if Simon the Sorcerer ever made that turn away from himself toward Jesus.

As we know, the disciples had made that turn, and they wanted everyone to join them. They can’t stop talking about Jesus! The story of Simon and the Samaritans concludes in verse 25 as Peter and John return to Jerusalem preaching the Gospel to many more Samaritan villages along the way, again showing their new commitment to follow the method and message of Jesus to invite all ethnicities into the Kingdom.

But the Spirit is not done. When it comes to helping the early church get woke, the Spirit is only just getting started. Check back tomorrow to see the surprise that the Spirit has in store for Philip!

Jesus’ example of wokeness – Acts 8:4-40, Part 2

The church should be woke because Jesus was woke.

As I mentioned in the previous post, in the section of Acts we’re studying this week, Acts 8:4-40, we meet a man who had some fascinating encounters as he preached Jesus along the way, and his name was Philip. Today we’re going to learn how Jesus’ example and teaching of wokeness impacted Philip.

There was also a disciple of Jesus named Philip, but the Philip we read about here in Acts 8 is not one of the disciples. The Philip is Acts 8 a different man with the same name. He is Philip the deacon, sometimes called Philip the evangelist. Look back at Acts 6:5, and you’ll see that this Philip was one of the seven men chosen as a deacon or servant to help with the food distribution problem. Just as Stephen, who we studied last week, was not chosen because he was certified for handling food distribution, but for his maturity in Christ, Philip was also chosen because of his character, wisdom and example. Also just like Stephen, we’re going to see that Philip declared the good news about Jesus in word and deed. We’re also going to see how the Holy Spirit helped Philip get woke! (What is “wokeness”? Pause here and read the previous post to learn more.)

If you’d like, read Acts 8:5-8. To summarize it for you, Philip goes to an unnamed city in Samaria, proclaiming the good news about Jesus and doing miracles (exorcisms and healings), and a crowd formed.

There is so much of interest in these first few verses. First of all, Philip goes to Samaria, which was a major step, considering the animosity between the Jews and the Samaritans. Jesus had not only told the disciples that they were to be his witnesses in Samaria, but also Jesus himself had gone there to minister many times, which was a radical move showing God’s heart.

This was such a radical move because the Jews and Samaritans hated each other for centuries. The history of their ethnic segregation goes back to the time when the nation of Israel had been divided in two, with the Kingdom of Israel in the north, and the Kingdom of Judah in the south. Samaria was the capital of the Northern Kingdom, and Jerusalem was the capital of the southern Kingdom. As time went by, some Jews from the North intermarried with people from surrounding nations, creating a new ethnic group, the Samaritans, and by the time of Jesus and the early church, Samaria was a large territory right in the middle of the nation. Through the years, the Jews considered Samaritans impure and, because the Samaritans practiced an altered version of the OT Law, which the Jews considered a polluted version, they discriminated against the Samaritans.

Jews and Samaritans even led guerrilla or terrorist attacks against each other’s holy places over the years. They hated each other. So when Jesus ministered in Samaritan towns, it was a radical move toward ethnic and racial integration – towards love being shown to all people. His parable of the Good Samaritan was another example of how Jesus showed us God’s heart for all people. Now a few years later, Philip went to Samaria, and once again we learn that Christians are called to break racial, ethnic, and culture barriers for the mission of the Kingdom. God loves all. All are made in his image. Just as Jesus had been woke, embracing racial or ethnic diversity, so Philip was as well.

Keep that thought in mind, and take notice of the flow of activity through Philip’s combo of preaching the Gospel in both word and deed. The people: 1. Saw his miracles, 2. Paid close attention to what he said, 3. Many were healed, and 4. There was great joy.

The miracles caused people to pay attention to what Philip said, and gave them great joy, as of course there would be when people are getting healed and freed from oppression. What we see thus far from Philip was clearly a demonstration of the deeds of the gospel. Healings and exorcisms are signs of the Kingdom of God having victory over the forces of darkness. God’s Kingdom was at work here. Obviously through Philip’s ministry we see the deeds of the Gospel, but what about the words of the Gospel? Did the people decide to choose Christ as the one they wanted to live their lives following?

The author, Luke, doesn’t tell us just yet. Instead he reveals to us that someone in those crowds in Samaria has been watching Philip’s ministry very intently. Was it Saul, who had been rounding up the Christians and throwing them in jail? No. Was it one of Saul’s henchmen, there to spy on the Christian movement? No. It was a guy named Simon, who was a sorcerer! It is not often in the Bible that something like sorcery occurs, especially in the New Testament, so what is going on here?

Check back to the next post to learn more!