Something Happened on the Way to Gaza
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My most vivid memory of the Ethiopian eunuch is a mini-series that aired on network television in the early 80s. It told the story of Phillip and the Ethiopian eunuch, with the actor Ben Vereen playing the eunuch. I remember watching this with wonder. You see Phillip and the eunuch interact and then we see Ben Vereen getting baptized by the actor playing Phillip. Maybe I didn’t know back then, but I realized that this faith was for me as much for anyone else. I knew that for years, but when it is fleshed out, there is something special.
The story we hear today is an important one, especially as we talk about being a Sent people a people sent by God. There are three main points to this story: first, this story talks about reaching beyond our comfy boundaries to meet new people from different cultures. We learn that no one is beyond God’s love and grace. Second, is that this is a story about evangelism, about telling the story of Jesus to others that we meet. Finally and most importantly,, this is a story about what it means to be empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Continue reading this week’s devotion
-Dennis Sanders, pastor