A Famine Not of Bread

"The Baptism of the Eunuch" by Rembrandt Click here to listen to this sermon. An angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza” (Acts 8:26-40). Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Jerusalem and Gaza. They’ve been in the news quite often lately. They are the center of a conflict that could potentially change the direction of global and U.S. politics or ignite World War 3. The encounter between Philip and the Ethiopian is not nearly as potentially dangerous for the primary characters. Still, it certainly was no less world-changing or life-changing for the one who became a beloved baptized child of God that day on the road from Jerusalem to Gaza.  Philip was one of the deacons chosen to assist the apostles in Acts 6. When the believers were scattered after Stephen’s martyrdom, he preached the Gospel in Samaria, and it was received with “much joy.” The angel of the Lord gave Phi...

"The Baptism of the Eunuch" by Rembrandt van Rijn Click here to listen to this sermon. “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” (Acts 8:26). Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! You’re probably familiar with the idiom, “a window of opportunity.” “A window of opportunity” is a phrase used to describe a limited time when things are especially ripe to accomplish a particular task or achieve a particular goal. For example, many early childhood development experts speak of “windows of opportunity” when the brains of infants and toddlers are more open to learn skills like foreign languages and mathematics. Medical researchers use “window of opportunity” trials in which patients receive one or more new compounds between their cancer diagnosis and standard treatment to try to gain further insights into the disease and potential treatments. You and I come acr...

Click here to listen to this sermon. “Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus” (Acts 8:35). Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! My fellow evangelists! That’s right. I called each of you an evangelist. Now, I know, when they hear the word evangelist, most people today will think of a traveling missionary, someone like Billy Graham, who goes from town to town holding revivals and preaching in huge stadiums. Or perhaps, they’ll picture someone who goes door-to-door, seeking to win lost souls for Jesus one at a time. But that understanding is far too narrow. The word “evangelist” comes from the Greek word, which literally translates as “Gospeler” someone who preaches or speaks the Gospel. The Lutheran Cyclopedia defines evangelism as “the activity of Christians which tries to bring unregenerate mankind under the influence of the Gospel and to win and keep souls for Christ.” That makes...

The Baptism of the Eunuch by Rembrandt The text for this morning is our First Lesson, Acts 8:26-40, which has already been read. Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God the Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It was a big moment, the biggest day of his life, and a defining moment of the young Christian Church, when this Ethiopian eunuch is baptized.   In modern terms it might be considered a victory for ethnic diversity and multiculturalism.   Certainly in its own day it demanded a significant shift in thinking, a realization that God chooses men and women for Himself from every nation, tribe, and people.   But for this man it was the difference between hell and eternal life. That’s good news.   But Baptism happens so often that it’s easy to take for granted just what a miracle it really is.   So let’s take some time to consider the whole process, to think about everything that had to happen in order for this man’s Baptism to occur in...