A Wonderful Conversion Story
Sermon
The Courage to Carry On
Sermons for Lent and Easter During Cycle B
Object:
In our first lesson today, we hear yet another Easter faith story. It's the story of the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch, a God-fearing minister of Queen Candace. The eunuch had just been to Jerusalem to worship. Now he was returning home. As he sat in his chariot reading the prophet Isaiah, Philip introduces himself and upon invitation begins to interpret the Isaiah text. It turned out to be a witnessing opportunity to the good news about Jesus. The eunuch responds to Philip's teaching and also to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Eventually, a baptism occurs that solidifies the faith of yet another convert.
It's a beautiful story.
The first thing that is so impressive about the story is the eagerness of the Ethiopian eunuch to learn about God, to discern what God's plans might be for him to grow in faith and truth. He was very eager to have Philip explain the scriptures so he could better understand the truth and will of God.
Sometimes our lives become so helter-skelter that we become disoriented in our faith journey. So many things compete for our time and priority. Sometimes we end up devoting most of our time to entities that are counterfeit and unimportant.
Once upon a time, Fred Craddock, a popular preacher and storyteller, told of an incident he swears to be true.
Dr. Craddock was visiting in the home of one of his former students. After dinner, the young couple cleared the table and went to the kitchen, leaving Fred in the living room to visit with the family dog, a sleek greyhound. While getting acquainted with the dog, the dog turned to Fred and asked, "Is this your first visit to Connecticut?"
"No," answered Dr. Craddock, "I attended school in New England years ago."
"Well," responded the greyhound, "I guess you heard I came up here from Miami?"
"I did," said Dr. Craddock. "You are retired, aren't you?"
"No, no," said the greyhound. "I didn't retire. I must tell you, I spent ten years as a professional racing greyhound. That, of course, means ten years of running around a track day after day, seven days a week with friends and relatives, chasing a rabbit. You know what I'm referring to. Well, one day, I got up really close to that rabbit to discover it was a fake! Can you believe it? I had spent my whole professional life chasing a fake rabbit! Let me tell you, I didn't retire. I quit."1
The Ethiopian eunuch appeared to have a passion for the scriptures and an eagerness to keep his faith walk a priority. Luke goes into great detail to explain the circumstances that led up to his conversion.
His relationship and his understanding of the Lord were top priorities.
As we hear the story and reflect about our own faith journey, we recognize there may be times when we chase the fake rabbits instead of devoting more time and energy to the truth and the life that is in Jesus Christ.
Dag Hammarskjold said it so beautifully in his work titled, Markings. "The best and most wonderful thing that can happen to you in this life, is that you should sit silently and let God work and speak."2
Our eagerness to pursue many things in life can often lead us down empty paths. Many of the perceived rainbows end up being fruitless. We wind up exhausted and disoriented. But it doesn't have to be that way.
The second notable aspect of our story is the Ethiopian eunuch's openness to the Holy Spirit. Luke refers to the prompting and work of the Holy Spirit over and over again. He wants his listeners to recognize how important God's activity through the Holy Spirit really is. Through the faithful witness of Philip, the Ethiopian eunuch was converted to Christianity by the Holy Spirit.
We have God's gifts, too, in our own baptism. The Holy Spirit will always be a conduit to a life of faith, purpose, and fulfillment. Sometimes, however, the energy is not as strong and recognizable as we would like.
Once upon a time, a missionary in Kenya was given a car to help him in his missionary rounds, going from village to village to preach and teach the Bible and so forth. After he had the car a few months, it refused to start. He looked under the hood, but not knowing anything about engines, he presumed the battery was worn out. He found, however, that he could get his started by getting some boys from a local school to push the car fifty feet or so, or he could park it headed down hill, and roll it off, engaging the clutch. For two years, he endured this routine. Then the time came to talk his family back to the United States. Before he left Africa, his replacement arrived. The old missionary showed his replacement his car, and described the ways to push it or roll it off to get it started. The new missionary looked under the hood for a moment, then said, "Doctor, I think that the battery cable has come loose from the starter." The new missionary reconnected the loose cable, got in the driver's seat, turned the key, pressed the starter, and the engine roared to life.3
Our story today reminds us how faithful God is in providing us with the resources we need for faithful living. It is all a gift. May God continue to work at keeping us connected to his love and mercy in Jesus Christ. May we be sensitive to the Holy Spirit among us to provide the energy, courage, and strength to be God's people.
____________
1. www.day1.net/index.php5?view=transcripts&tid=507.
2. Dag Hammarskjold, Markings (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1964), p. 106.
3. www.st-matthew.org/audio/co2007056.pdf.
It's a beautiful story.
The first thing that is so impressive about the story is the eagerness of the Ethiopian eunuch to learn about God, to discern what God's plans might be for him to grow in faith and truth. He was very eager to have Philip explain the scriptures so he could better understand the truth and will of God.
Sometimes our lives become so helter-skelter that we become disoriented in our faith journey. So many things compete for our time and priority. Sometimes we end up devoting most of our time to entities that are counterfeit and unimportant.
Once upon a time, Fred Craddock, a popular preacher and storyteller, told of an incident he swears to be true.
Dr. Craddock was visiting in the home of one of his former students. After dinner, the young couple cleared the table and went to the kitchen, leaving Fred in the living room to visit with the family dog, a sleek greyhound. While getting acquainted with the dog, the dog turned to Fred and asked, "Is this your first visit to Connecticut?"
"No," answered Dr. Craddock, "I attended school in New England years ago."
"Well," responded the greyhound, "I guess you heard I came up here from Miami?"
"I did," said Dr. Craddock. "You are retired, aren't you?"
"No, no," said the greyhound. "I didn't retire. I must tell you, I spent ten years as a professional racing greyhound. That, of course, means ten years of running around a track day after day, seven days a week with friends and relatives, chasing a rabbit. You know what I'm referring to. Well, one day, I got up really close to that rabbit to discover it was a fake! Can you believe it? I had spent my whole professional life chasing a fake rabbit! Let me tell you, I didn't retire. I quit."1
The Ethiopian eunuch appeared to have a passion for the scriptures and an eagerness to keep his faith walk a priority. Luke goes into great detail to explain the circumstances that led up to his conversion.
His relationship and his understanding of the Lord were top priorities.
As we hear the story and reflect about our own faith journey, we recognize there may be times when we chase the fake rabbits instead of devoting more time and energy to the truth and the life that is in Jesus Christ.
Dag Hammarskjold said it so beautifully in his work titled, Markings. "The best and most wonderful thing that can happen to you in this life, is that you should sit silently and let God work and speak."2
Our eagerness to pursue many things in life can often lead us down empty paths. Many of the perceived rainbows end up being fruitless. We wind up exhausted and disoriented. But it doesn't have to be that way.
The second notable aspect of our story is the Ethiopian eunuch's openness to the Holy Spirit. Luke refers to the prompting and work of the Holy Spirit over and over again. He wants his listeners to recognize how important God's activity through the Holy Spirit really is. Through the faithful witness of Philip, the Ethiopian eunuch was converted to Christianity by the Holy Spirit.
We have God's gifts, too, in our own baptism. The Holy Spirit will always be a conduit to a life of faith, purpose, and fulfillment. Sometimes, however, the energy is not as strong and recognizable as we would like.
Once upon a time, a missionary in Kenya was given a car to help him in his missionary rounds, going from village to village to preach and teach the Bible and so forth. After he had the car a few months, it refused to start. He looked under the hood, but not knowing anything about engines, he presumed the battery was worn out. He found, however, that he could get his started by getting some boys from a local school to push the car fifty feet or so, or he could park it headed down hill, and roll it off, engaging the clutch. For two years, he endured this routine. Then the time came to talk his family back to the United States. Before he left Africa, his replacement arrived. The old missionary showed his replacement his car, and described the ways to push it or roll it off to get it started. The new missionary looked under the hood for a moment, then said, "Doctor, I think that the battery cable has come loose from the starter." The new missionary reconnected the loose cable, got in the driver's seat, turned the key, pressed the starter, and the engine roared to life.3
Our story today reminds us how faithful God is in providing us with the resources we need for faithful living. It is all a gift. May God continue to work at keeping us connected to his love and mercy in Jesus Christ. May we be sensitive to the Holy Spirit among us to provide the energy, courage, and strength to be God's people.
____________
1. www.day1.net/index.php5?view=transcripts&tid=507.
2. Dag Hammarskjold, Markings (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1964), p. 106.
3. www.st-matthew.org/audio/co2007056.pdf.
