Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch and today's problems of race

Our sermon today focused on the apostle Philip (feast day May 1) and the Ethiopian eunuch who was an important government official, who was baptized after Philip explained to him the meaning of the Prophet Isaiah's words. Our pastor mentioned that the Lutheran Church of South Sudan which our church supports was no longer in South Sudan, but in refugee camps in Ethiopia, the oldest country to officially be Christian, and home of the largest Lutheran church in the world. That wasn't the topic of the sermon, but my mind went to the trouble makers in the U.S. who would have you believe that color (white) is the problem. That's just to raise money from guilt-ridden, virtue signaling whites and woke corporate CEOs who see an opportunity for a profit. Not so, if you follow the civil wars and unrest in Africa. If race were the problem, then the Irish and English would never have had a war, the Germans and French would have never had a conflict, nor the Ukrainians and Russians and the Japanese and Chinese.

In Sudan, there was a long civil war (about 50 years, 2 million dead) which included black Muslims (backed by Arab Muslims), indigenous peoples and black Christians tribes. After the South Sudan was created in 2011 and that civil war ended, then the politicians in South Sudan (which is 60% Christian) began to fight each other based in tribalism and the churches as peacekeepers were overwhelmed.
https://www.meforum.org/22/sudan-civil-war-and-genocide

I looked through the centuries of history for this area and it's terribly complex involving languages, cultures, tribes and religions, but skin color is the least of their worries. Anyone who believes the BLM and Democrats' lies about race (which is a Marxist ploy) just needs to look at the on going wars and power strubbles in Africa.

Stand up!

Acts 14:10: Paul called out in a loud voice, "Stand up straight on your feet." He jumped up and began to walk about.

In context, this passage is about Paul and Barnabas fleeing persecution and going to Lystra to share the Good News of Jesus. There's nothing like a healing miracle to get people's attention. There's a lot of detail given in this story--the people spoke Lycaonian and worshipped the Greek gods. They thought, witnessing the miracle, that Barnabas was Zeus and Paul was Hermes. There was a priest of Zeus near by ready to sacrifice some oxen at a temple. Paul used their stunted knowledge about their own religion and the natural world to tell them the Good News.

Do you ever see anything in Scripture that you've never noticed before? I read this as a message to us and the churches in this time of fear and weakness that has crippled us.  Not just stand up, but stand up straight. Not on your knees begging for permission from the government, but stand up on your feet ready for business! Let’s kick butt; we’ve been crippled long enough.

A busy Bible week

From January 6-13, I attended 4 Bible studies!  That must be a record. 

On January 6 our small group from church had an Epiphany lunch at our home after services on Sunday afternoon.  We’re studying Hebrews, and the leadership rotates with the host.

On  January 10 after doing the mail run for the church, I sat in on the Thursday morning class for (mostly) retirees at 10:30, studying Revelation led by pastor Jeff Morlock.  That was followed by a wonderful luncheon with guest speaker John Kohan of Delaware, Ohio, talking about his sacred art collection (some of which is on display at our Mill Run location, and will change during Lent).  http://sacredartpilgrim.com/  http://sacredartmeditations.com/news

Then on Saturday January 11 I returned to the Women of Word group I’d been a part of for many years, but had  stopped going about 4 years ago.  The leader Mary Jo is the same as are many in the class, and I was warmly welcomed “home.” They are participating in a video class Bible study of Genesis 1-11 led by Jen Wilkin, “God of Creation.” https://www.lifeway.com/en/product-family/god-of-creation  

On Sunday January 12 while Bob was busy with the quilt show at our other location, Mill Run, I rejoined the adult Sunday School class after the 9 .m. worship at Lytham Road.  We had attended for many years, but several years ago while they were struggling through Romans at the speed of a snail, we found other things to do.  Charlie, the leader is doing an excellent job of working through Acts with a good study book and handouts. He’s very good at reining in the diverse, and very well educated, members who love to expound on not much at all.  I even met a new member named Dotty who joined the church last fall. This is the only Sunday School class for adults and is open to all, although it definitely leans to the over 50 crowd. 

Continuing through Turkey, Aspendos Theatre and Perga

On Sunday March 8 we docked at Antalya, a city on the Mediterranean coast of southwestern Turkey and the capital of the province. It's a blend of Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman cultures and architecture. This area corresponds to the Biblical lands of ancient Pamphylia to the east and Lycia to the west. Here we boarded our buses and drove to the Aspendos Theatre, where we enjoyed an actor performing as Paul, and the beautiful ruins of Perga.

The Book of Acts in the New Testament really comes alive after a visit to Turkey.

13Then Paul and his men set sail from Paphos and arrived in Perga in Pamphylia. But John left them and went back to Jerusalem. 14They left Perga and arrived in Antioch in Pisidia. On the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. 15After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue leaders asked them, “Brothers, if you have any message of encouragement for the people, you may speak.”

16Then Paul stood up, motioned with his hand, and said:

“Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen! 17The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors and made them a great people during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with a public display of power he led them out of there. 18After he had put up with them for 40 years in the wilderness, 19he destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan. Then God gave their land to the Israelites as an inheritance 20for about 450 years.

“After that, he gave them judges until the time of the prophet Samuel. 21When they demanded a king, God gave them Kish’s son Saul, from the tribe of Benjamin, for 40 years. 22Then God removed Saul and made David their king, about whom he testified, ‘I have found that David, the son of Jesse, is a man after my own heart, who will carry out all my wishes.’ 23It was from this man's descendants that God, as he promised, brought to Israel a Savior, who is Jesus. 24Before Jesus’ appearance, John had already preached a baptism of repentance to all the people in Israel. 25When John was finishing his work, he said, ‘Who do you think I am? I am not the Messiah. No, but he is coming after me, and I am not worthy to untie the sandals on his feet.’

26“My brothers, descendants of Abraham's family, and those among you who fear God, it is to us[l] that the message of this salvation has been sent. 27For the people who live in Jerusalem and their leaders, not knowing who Jesus[m] was, condemned him and so fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. 28Although they found no reason to sentence him to death, they asked Pilate to have him executed. 29When they had finished doing everything that was written about him, they took him down from the tree and placed him in a tomb. 30But God raised him from the dead, 31and for many days he appeared to those who had come with him to Jerusalem from Galilee. These are now his witnesses to the people. 32We are telling you the good news: What God promised our ancestors 33he has fulfilled for us, their descendants, by raising Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm, ‘You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.’ 34God raised him from the dead, never to experience decay, as he said, ‘I will give you the holy promises made to David.’ 35In another Psalm he says, ‘You will not let your Holy One experience decay.’ 36For David, after he had served God's purpose in his own generation, died and was buried with his ancestors, and so he experienced decay. 37However, the man whom God raised did not experience decay.

Aspendos on the river Eurymedon could be reached by ship and is famous for its theater with magnificent accoustics.

The actor who played Paul performed monologues based on his writings at various places along our tour.
Perga was apparently on the sea in ancient times, but is now inland. It had been under control of the Persians, then Alexander, then later Rome. Artemis was an important goddess (Pergaia) there appearing on coins. Paul journeyed to Perga from Cyprus continuing on to Antioch, returning later. During the reign of Constantine, Perga became an important center of Christianity.



Although I don't have a photo of her, that's our Muslim guide, Tuba, with the white umbrella. She was outstanding--excellent English and great sensitivity for our faith and always holding to the Biblical text for her script.

Perga has been under excavation by Turkish archaelogists since 1946--at least I think that's where this was taken. Hmm--almost as long as me.