Acts 8:26-40br...
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Acts 8:26-40
"Blood is thicker than water." That's what they say. The family ties that bind us one to another are among the strongest forces in the world.
Yet, it's also true that water is thicker than blood. And, pray tell, which water is that? Why, the water of baptism, of course!
As Philip demonstrates with the Ethiopian eunuch, Christian baptism is available to all who call upon the name of Jesus Christ in good faith -- no matter what their color, national origin, or other distinctive differences. What is to prevent such a one from being baptized?
Acts 8:26-4
Ted and Penny looked forward to their first short-term mission trip to Haiti. Penny had been involved with the mission program for a couple of years. Once Ted retired he, too, became involved. They asked church members to donate old suitcases that they would fill with clothing, medical supplies, and anything else they could take with them. The congregation responded with glad and generous hearts.
As their departure date approached Ted and Penny were filled with apprehension not knowing what to expect. It would be the first time either one of them had traveled outside of the United States.
An open-air church would be the place where they would minister to the people. On the first night, members of the team were leading a worship service. Ted was standing outside when a local sheriff stopped. He asked Ted what was being taught inside. Ted replied, "The word of God." "Well, that's all right then," the sheriff replied.
The sheriff noticed a bracelet Ted had on his wrist. He asked the significance of the beads. Ted explained that the bracelets were made to teach the children about God and Jesus. The first bead represents our human sin, the next how Jesus forgives us, the next how God is the creator of all the world. On his first night in Haiti Ted had an opportunity to teach about God's love in Jesus Christ that is available to all.
Later that night Ted realized the potential danger he placed himself in while sharing his faith. He spoke from his heart. The rest of the week was rewarding for Penny and Ted. Once back at their church they told of their experience and showed pictures. What stood out in every picture was Penny's big smile.
The apostle Philip seized an opportunity to tell someone about Jesus. The Ethiopian eunuch was reading the prophet Isaiah when Philip engaged him in conversation that led to him accepting Jesus. "Then Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture, he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus."
Acts 8:26-40
The Ethiopian eunuch was struggling to understand the difficult passage from Isaiah. His response to Philip's question reveals his frustration. How many high school or college students can empathize with him? When the teacher plunks down a William Shakespeare text and asks for an essay on it, who hasn't said, "How can I understand unless someone guides me?" We may not have a personal guide like the eunuch had with Philip but we have Cliff Notes (or Coles Notes in Canada). Thank goodness for those! They may not lead us down to the water for baptism, but they do point us on to the narrow road of understanding literary texts.
1 John 4:7-21
James Leigh Hunt's poem Abou ben-Adhem tells the story of a Muslim man who has a visit from an angel in a dream. In this dream, the angel is writing a list of men who love the Lord.
"And is mine one?" said Abou. "Nay, not so,"
Replied the Angel. Abou spoke more low,
But cheerily still; and said, "I pray thee, then,
Write me as one who loves his fellow men."
At the end of the poem, Abou sees the angel once more:
And showed the names whom love of God had blessed,
And, lo! Ben Adhem's name led all the rest!
Leigh Hunt's poem is direct and to the point, and fits perfectly with today's passage from 1 John. If we love our neighbors, we actively love the Lord.
1 John 4:7-21
The centrality of love in the Christian message matches the proven need for love in human life. Leo Buscaglia, in his book, Love, cites research of Howard Skeels in the first half of the last century. Skeels studied children in orphanages. As opposed to orphans left unattended in the orphanage, children who were attended by women with mental retardation fared well in developing life and relational skills. Skeels' research was carried out over twenty years. Buscaglia concludes that being able to love is the central human capacity that in any setting most positively affects others.
In the New Testament Jesus is our example of loving and also is our Lord. He encourages and commands us to love one another. Supremely in his life, ministry, death, and resurrection we are taught by and inspired by love.
1 John 4:7-21
Julian of Norwich believed that "love" was the only word that could be used to describe God. God is totally love. We are called to love everyone whose lives we touch. "But God," we moan, "If we are to love everyone, why on earth didn't you make everyone lovable?" And how are we to love if we are called to love those whom we don't even like very much and would prefer not to spend time with?
It's all in how we treat them, how we act in their presence. In this instance, love is a verb. Acting in a kind and loving manner may make all the difference in those relationships, even if it doesn't happen overnight. Then there are all the people of the world who are so easy to love in an abstract sense, but without involvement. The greatest commandment is all about loving God with everything we've got, and loving our neighbors as we love ourselves.
John 15:1-8
Pruning a tree isn't easy. It's an acquired skill. Cut off too little, and nothing happens; too much, and you risk killing the tree.
More than the horticultural skill involved, pruning is difficult because it seems so unnatural. The nature of trees is to grow, right? Wouldn't it stand to reason that in order to produce the most fruit, you ought to let the tree grow as tall as it wants to? The bigger the tree, the more fruit -- right?
Not so. It is only a carefully pruned plant that delivers the maximum yield.
It's hard to know exactly what Jesus means by this saying, in all its poetry and passion -- although, judging from the fact that he speaks it at the Last Supper, the very night of his arrest, he's probably thinking about his own suffering. Jesus' own vine would be pruned the very next day on Calvary.
John 15:1-8
One Saturday Mike set out to remove some vines that were growing too close to the house. He was amazed that the vines had grown up a pine tree. He began cutting and pruning the vines. He pulled vines from the side of the house and out of the tree. Mike soon realized that this was a bigger job than he had anticipated. It took much strength and effort to pull out the vines. Not only did the vines have long roots but were also intertwined.
As he worked, Mike thought of his father who died the summer before. It was a rough couple of months dealing with his sudden illness. He thought of all the people from church who were praying for his dad. The Caring Connection Team sent cards and notes of encouragement for several months. He remembers how the Care Team brought his family meals. The day of the funeral the women from the church provided a luncheon. Mike and his family were thankful for all the love and concern they felt.
Mike realized that without the love and care of others from his church it would have been much harder to deal with his dad's illness and death. He wondered what people do who are not connected to a church family. The next day he again thanked the congregation for their love and support.
Jesus said, "Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me." We abide in Jesus, and we are connected with other believers.
John 15:1-8
Pruning trees has several important benefits. First is safety. Trees with branches and limbs, which are damaged or in danger of breaking off should be pruned. Second is increased fruit production. Third is health. Removing dead or deceased branches and bark reduces the chance of the spread of the disease and increases the life of the tree. Fourth is aesthetics. A pruned tree looks better, keeping in mind that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Fifth is increased property value. When prospective buyers visit a home with a yard of trimmed trees, the impression is that this homeowner takes care of his/her property. Sixth is increased wood production. If the trees you are pruning are for wood production, pruning off suckers and dead wood forces the tree to produce stronger wood.
Jesus prunes every branch that does not bear fruit so that we may be healthier, stronger, more fruitful disciples.
