Acts 8:26-40
John 15:1-8
Several journeys are described in today’s first reading from Acts. Philip is whisked hither and yon by the Spirit of the Lord. The Ethiopian is on a journey home from Jerusalem. But the most important journey is the Ethiopian’s journey of conversion. It is a journey that begins, metaphorically at least, beyond the ends of the earth. It ends in joy. We are told after his baptism, the Ethiopian goes on his way “rejoicing.” The journey of conversion is a long journey. To get to the joy of conversion takes a long journey.
There’s a phrase commonly used in the State of Maine to describe people who are born elsewhere. Those people are “from away.” The sentiment is not unique to Maine, but as far as I know the phrase is. From away. The phrase is powerfully descriptive. There is here, and then there is every place else. And a vast distance separates Maine from “away.” Even if “away” is only a mile away in New Hampshire, it is still a vast distance from “away” to Maine.
The Ethiopian was “from away.” In New Testament times to describe someone as an Ethiopian was to describe them as exotic and mysterious. The Ethiopian had come seemingly from beyond the ends of the known world. He had traveled an unimaginably long journey to come to the place where this story begins.
We are told quite a bit about him. He was probably a man of means and power, given his position at court. Maybe he was a God-fearer (non-Jews who believed in the Hebrew God.) Scholars debate the meaning and significance of the fact that he is described as a eunuch. It may simply refer to his position as a servant of the court of Candace. And, of course, we are told he is an Ethiopian, “from away.” He has come a great distance, almost from another world.
There are several reasons other-worldliness of his origins may be important to the telling of the story in Acts. First, it speaks to the expansiveness of the Gospel’s saving power. No longer is the debate whether Jesus came just for the Jews. No longer is the efficacy and saving power of the Gospel just for the Jews and the Gentiles of Palestine. The Good News of the Gospel is for all people.
Second, this story reminds all of us of the length and significance of the journey from wherever we begin our own journey of conversion to the place where we come to know the saving joy of Christ. For all of us the journey to conversion begins in a remote and distant world.
Writing about this portion of Acts, William Willimon (Interpretation Commentary on Acts) suggests that part of what the author of Acts is trying to convey is the power (and strangeness) of the Gospel. The Gospel is not a casual or natural part of life. It is strange. The difference between the secular world and the world of the Gospel is profound. The distance from a life lived without Christ to a life lived in union with Christ is a great distance. The journey of conversion is a long and significant journey.
The contemporary writer C. S. Lewis writes about his own journey of conversion—it takes him a whole book to tell the story. It’s a long journey. The book is called Surprised by Joy. Like the Ethiopian, Lewis’ journey of conversion ends in joy.
The length and significant of the journey of conversion is important for us to ponder. Many of us were offered membership in the Body of Christ through baptism as infants. We define our life of faith as relatively comfortable, relatively regular church attendance. It does take some purpose and commitment to come to church regularly. But it is possible to be baptized, even to come to church regularly, and never make that profound journey of conversion. It doesn’t just happen. It is a long and significant journey.
For the Ethiopian conversion led to baptism. But baptism and conversion are different things, not always linked, regardless of whether you were baptized as an infant or an adult. Basically, baptism is God’s promise to us that we are God’s beloved children, and God will never abandon or forsake us.
But we must still make the journey of conversion. Conversion is what Jesus is talking about in today’s Gospel. When our hearts and souls abide in him and he in us. When we know the joy of union with God. When God’s own life suffuses ours and we share in God’s peace and purpose.
It’s a long way from the ends of the earth to joy, to this sort of union with God. It’s a long journey from a world without the grace of the Gospel to the place where we actually participate in eternal life. To make that journey takes work, perseverance and help. Our journey of conversion takes the help of others.
Philip was sent by the Spirit of the Lord to help the Ethiopian complete his journey of conversion. That’s the other important part of this story. The Spirit of the Lord sent Philip to help the Ethiopian. The Ethiopian’s journey of conversion in this story begins with reading the Scriptures. That’s one great place to begin the journey of conversion. There are other starting points… acting with compassion in outreach to others… participating in a small group dedicated to exploring spirituality. There are different roads to conversion and different starting places, but we all need help to complete the journey.
And the Spirit of the Lord will send us help. So look for it. Look for those whom the Spirit is sending to help you. You need their help on your own conversion journey.
At the risk of descending to the really trite, I want to share a joke that some of you may have heard. I’m sure there are different variations, but you’ll get the point.
There is a great flood taking place. A man is driven to the roof of his house to escape the rising water. As the waters are beginning to rise a fire fighter comes by with a ladder and offers to save the man. But the man says, “No. My trust is in the Lord. I am praying to the Lord to save me, and I know he will. I do not need your help.” So the firefighter leaves.
The waters continue to rise. A neighbor floats by in a little dinghy and urges the man on the roof to get into the boat so they can get to safety. But the man says, “No, my trust is in the Lord. He will save me. I do not need your help.” So his neighbor leaves him there on the roof as the waters continue to rise.
Finally, the Coast Guard arrives with a helicopter and they offer to drop a rescue basket and lift the man off the roof. The waters are lapping at his feet, but he says, “No, my trust is in the Lord.” He refuses the Coast Guard’s help.
The floodwaters continue to rise and pretty soon the man is swept away and drowns. He finds himself in heaven and he is pretty put out with the Almighty. So he says to the Lord, “Lord I trusted in you. Why didn’t you save me?” And the Lord replies: “I send you a ladder. I sent you a boat. I sent you a helicopter…”
Our lives are at stake. Our participation in the joy and peace of eternal life shared with God is at stake. Even for folks brought up in a Christian family and who may be regular in church attendance, the journey of conversion is still a long and often difficult journey. We can complete that journey of conversion only with the help of others. The Spirit of the Lord will send us that help. But we do have to accept it.
