Sermons

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The Road to Somewhere
Mission Sunday
October 10, 1999
Pastor Dan Baumgartner     

It’s Mission Sunday. And I want to thank you this morning…for signing up to be a missionary! Now that may surprise you …you may not remember signing that document. But I believe that entering into a relationship with Christ…means signing on to be a missionary.

 Christianity is a missionary faith, by its very nature. Now that plays itself out in different ways as God’s Kingdom is extended…in serving, reconciling, working for social justice, sharing the gospel, meeting physical needs. “But me…a missionary?” Exactly. And this morning we get to look at the fascinating story of a man who thought he had signed on just to wait tables…but was called to something much greater.

Acts 8:26-40

“Most people take this road…but that way is nice also.” It’s a line from a movie…recognize it? Here’s another from the same movie: “Click your heels together three times…” Got it? Yes…it’s "The Wizard of Oz." I didn’t even have to use my favorite one: “I’ll get you…and your little dog too.” Our family has watched "The Wizard of Oz" several times. Have you ever thought about what goes on in that movie?

It involves the girl, Dorothy, a scarecrow, a tinman, and a cowardly lion…who set out on a journey. It’s a journey that has both a geographic dimension…and a personal one. This ragtag little band of what we would probably label reasonably dysfunctional people sets out…auspiciously for the Emerald City, where all of their problems will be solved by a great and powerful wizard. They think they will receive a brain, a heart, courage and a home. What happens along the way, of course, is that the journey itself changes them.

The most important decision is the first one Dorothy makes…to obey the advice she receives to turn her face toward the Emerald City. It is a journey of obedience…Dorothy has no idea what she’s heading into…only that she needs to go.

This morning we get to walk beside this man named Philip as HE goes on a journey…an equally surprising journey. I want you to look with me at a couple of pieces of the story:

First, the man Philip. Philip appeared earlier in the book of Acts. He was one of the seven non-Jewish leaders named to help guide the early church, specifically to help serve at the fellowship meals of the church. And just as Philip was coming into leadership in Jerusalem, a severe persecution arose against the Christians, and they were scattered throughout the Middle East. As terrible as this persecution was…(people dragged from their homes and put in prison for believing that the Christ had come)…it was an amazingly effective means of spreading the news of the gospel. If there had been any tendency at all for the church to be a little complacent, that ended as they ran for their lives to other parts of the region. 

Philip was one of these who scattered, and at one point he ended up in Samaria. Now, that was actually not a bad place to go. Militant Jewish leaders were arresting Christians…and since Samaria was a place that the Jews didn’t even want to set foot in…it was probably a safe place for Philip to go. Now, the Ethiopian Eunuch. It is clear that Luke, the writer of Acts is telling us about a man who had been castrated. It was not at all unheard of at this time in history for such a thing to be done in order to provide assurance of safety and fidelity toward a queen, or in carrying out a high position…both of which this eunuch was apparently qualified for. The eunuch is a person of great power…high official to the Queen of Ethiopia, in charge of all her treasury…a cabinet member, traveling with his chariot and driver from Ethiopia, a land often used to represent “the ends of the earth.” And interested in the God of the Jews. Certainly a unique individual…from an exotic land, with wealth and power all around him.

Two years ago I went to just such an exotic land…with wealth and power all around. It’s called “Washington, DC” I went there with a team of people to visit with a couple that our church had been involved with…Ted & Karey. Ted and Karey are involved with a branch ministry of Campus Crusade. It’s a ministry to Congressmen, Senators, Pentagon staff and spouses. People in high positions of power and authority…yet people who are hurting, lonely, anxious and insecure as well. 

Ted and Karey spend their time building long-term relationships of trust with these men and women…relationships which may be the only ones some of them have that are not highly political and agenda-seeking…relationships in which they can talk about themselves, about Christ, about the stresses of life, about questions, about the Bible…a wonderful, wonderful ministry. But especially in the early years, Ted and Karey had some days…some tough days…when they said to themselves…”What on earth are we doing here? How can God really use us here? Isn’t this a desert?”

Philip must have felt this way. He thought he’d signed on to wait tables, but now things are out of his control. He’s torn out of a growing church in Jerusalem, driven out and finds himself in the distasteful area of Samaria. And as if that isn’t bad enough, now he hears God say, “Go south, young man! Go south on that busy road that goes through a desert or wilderness area.” That’s all. Go. Now, that would be enough to drive me crazy. I mean, maybe if God had told him a little of the plan, the big picture…so that it all made sense. Maybe like, “Hey, Philip, I want you down 25 miles outside of Gaza at 0800 hours to meet a man there that wants to know more about me.”

Then it would’ve been a lot easier to go. But that’s not what happens. But Philip goes, and finds himself out in the middle of nowhere. And he HAD to be asking himself, “What in the world am I doing here? Did I hear wrong? I want to do great things, I want to go somewhere, I want to be somebody…and here I am in this isolated land with no agenda, no plan, no destination…going nowhere.” 

Have you ever felt like that? Ever feel like you’re in a position where God could never use you, stuck slogging away in a job, or as a stay-at-home parent, or someplace that doesn’t seem too glamorous…and feel overcome with a feeling that you’re on the sidelines, unable to do anything? Part of what this story tells us, I think, is this: “Take heart! Act on what you know…be obedient to what you hear…and God will use you. God WANTS to use you…if you’re willing.” 

Several years ago when I was still in business, I had a time when I felt totally depressed. Felt like I was slogging away hour after hour at work, wondering what on earth marketing spark plugs and engine bearings had to do with building the Kingdom of God, feeling like God could never use me there. And I kind of cried out to God, and said, “What am I doing here?” The very next day…a salesman that I knew walked into my office, shut my door, sat down and said in a quivering voice… “Dan, my life is falling apart. Can you listen?” I didn’t need to go anywhere or anything. God was saying, "I’m at work. Here, get on board.”

Philip obeyed the call of God, and just went. No plan, no strategy, no practice, no rehearsal…just walked along and looked for what God was doing. And God was doing something big…with perfect timing, uncanny precision, unmistakable direction God brings Philip into contact with this Ethiopian official on his way home…a man ready to talk. And God does it again to Philip: “Philip, go join that chariot over there.” What? Why? What will I say? What will I do? I don’t even know that man! It’s not my gift! 

“Go join it, Philip.” So Philip jogs over alongside this moving carriage. Isn’t that a great picture? Philip in his Nike running sandals and nylon shorts…jogging alongside a carriage on the middle of a dusty highway, looks inside and says, “Hi! Name’s Philip. Do you understand that scroll you’re reading?” Still jogging. Now, the Ethiopian official could’ve said, “Buzz off,” or “Arrest him.” Instead, Philip was invited to stop jogging…and start riding. Now what’s Philip thinking? “Oboy, what have I got myself in for? What do I do now? How do I bring up Jesus? Should I start with the four spiritual laws? Let’s see, the first one is “God has a wonderful plan for your life…”

But the Ethiopian official cuts right to the heart…he’s reading one of the servant passages, from Isaiah 53, and he says, “I want to ask you…who is this prophet writing about? Himself? Or someone else?” And Philip, sitting right there beside him, tells him about Jesus Christ, and all that God had done…and the man decides on the spot to be baptized as a believer.

Now..what do we do with this story? We could undoubtedly come up with a seven-step technique for sharing faith. We could probably write a book on mission work. That’s the temptation…and that’s the temptation throughout the book of Acts…to try to develop a blueprint, a formula. But at every step in this entire book, Luke portrays the church, the missionaries, the evangelists…as falling behind what God is doing. The gospel is spread…not because of the incredible strategy of Christians…but because of God’s choosing to use people who are available and willing…to carry out his work. Or as one writer says, “Christian missionaries are constantly trying to keep up with God’s action.” 

God IS at work…the question is, how will we respond? It seems to me that the things to learn from this story have more to do with Philip…with me, and with you…than they do with a strategy or technique. There are four things I want you to notice about Philip:

First, Philip felt God telling him to do something…and he did it. Obedience. He didn’t know the whole picture, or what the outcome would be…but he did the part he knew.

God called, Philip went. Call, response. Philip was called to a desert road. You might be called to the food bank, to the street, to your neighbor’s house, to China…God does call. Will we be obedient?

Second, Philip was willing to engage in what I call “the ministry of hanging around.” Just to see what would happen. Just to see what God was doing. “Philip, go to that chariot and stay near it. I’m going to do something, “God says, “and I need someone available.” Are you available? Will you hang out? Will you stick with it, even when people think you’re silly? I remember going to high school football games when we were in youth ministry, and just hanging out, trying to meet kids, being available. And I remember feeling so uncomfortable when kids would look at us like “Don’t you have any friends your own age?” Engage in the ministry of hanging out. Here’s how Sam Shoemaker said it in a poem years ago:

“I stay near the door.
I neither go too far in, nor stay too far out.
The door is the most important door in the world—
It is the door through which (people) walk when they find God.
There’s no use my going way inside, and staying there,
When so many are still outside and they, as much as I,
Crave to know where the door is.
And all that so many ever find
Is only the wall where a door ought to be.
They creep along the wall (like blind men),
With outstretched, groping hands,
Feeling for a door, knowing there must be a door,
Yet they never find it…
So I stay near the door.”

The ministry of hanging around. That’s what Philip did…and lo and behold, he met someone from the edge of the world. Was introduced to the person who might have been the first “seeker.” Found someone open and ready…to meet God.

Thirdly…it almost goes without saying…but this story just is so obvious. Philip knew the scripture. God communicates with us through the scriptures. Philip was familiar with it, immersed in it. Philip ran alongside that chariot, hears the guy reading, and then this man asked him THE question about this passage of Isaiah… “Who is this servant, this suffering one? Who takes on the sin of others?” Philip KNEW what that passage from Isaiah was about. He knew WHO it was about. And he KNEW how it applied to Jesus.

Fourth…and probably the most basic. Philip was ready to give out the good news. That probably seems awful obvious. But we’re often reluctant to actually do that. We don’t want to offend someone. We’re not sure of ourselves. And sometimes we don’t even know if the good news is really all that good. But folks…it is. The God of the universe has this immense love for his people…so immense he came to us as a missionary…in Jesus. 

Philip knew the good news. We know it. But sometimes, especially if we’ve been a Christian for a long time…we forget how good it is. Talk to a new Christian. Let someone tell you who has just met Christ, just tasted the sweetness of knowing God, just been empowered to get rid of the baggage they’ve carried around their whole life. It’s good news…for this life. And for after this life. Last week I was with a senior citizen, one of the saints, as she was about to go into a very serious surgery. She looked at me and said, “Well, I know Who I belong to. And if I don’t make it, I know Where I’m going.” Good news…for the future.

Philip was a missionary. So are you. I wanted to commission you all this morning, but it’s already been done. When you sign on to follow Christ…you sign on to God’s mission. The two go hand in hand. And so when Christ calls…we go. We go not just overseas, but over to that person. Not just across the water but also across the street.

Not just to preach and baptize, but also to feed and clothe. You are a missionary…the only question is where you will serve.

Now that sounds so very wide open, it can paralyze us. So I want to suggest two very concrete things for you that relate to the mission work we get to participate in.

First…pick one intentional area to be involved. Just one. Wednesday Night Community dinners need prayers and cooks and helpers. Or the tutoring programs at Bethany or ECOM need folks to invest in kids. In fact, there are 28 candidates in the room next door at the Mission Fair, all of whom need supporters, prayers, hands-on workers, all sorts of different gifts. Pick one thing concrete, that maybe God’s calling you to, that you feel some passion or interest in… Go there, do it. 

Second…hang around. Be watching and open…to what God wants to do in the course of your everyday world. What conversation will you have, what new person will you meet, who will God prompt you to introduce yourself to today? This week?

God IS at work. He wants to use us. If we’ll be obedient. If we’ll hang around to see what He’s doing. If we’ll listen. If we’ll share, and care.

Philip was just walking down the road, and what happened? He met a man primed and ready to know God…told him about Jesus…baptized him…and sent him home rejoicing. 

Church tradition says that the one, solitary, single man that Philip baptized…went home to Ethiopia rejoicing, and began to share the gospel. And the Church of Ethiopia, of Africa, took root and grew from that one encounter. Remarkable, isn’t it, that 2000 years of Christianity in Ethiopia might be traced to this one meeting…on a desert road…between an exiled Christian and a government official…with a man who might have thought himself to be on a road going nowhere…but found that in the midst of his journey…God was definitely taking him somewhere.