"Why shouldn't I be baptized?" (Acts 8:26-40) - Booty and Treasures fer All!
“Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem.” – Acts 8:26 (Acts 8:26-40)
An angel of tha Lord told Phillip ter go south on tha desert road. Right off that seems like a tall tale —an angel giving one of tha apostles walking directions. Only this not be tha first time angels appeared ter folks after tha Son rose from tha grave. Angels helped break out Old Pete and Loving John from jail (Acts 5:19). Another assassinated Herod Agrippa (Acts 12:23). An angel predicted Saul Paul would arrival safely in Rome (Acts 27:23).
Once Phillip be on his way, he happened upon an Ethiopian eunuch, a feller in tha service of a queen. In those days a eunuch be a feller who could not father children. This chap whar sitting in his carriage reading from tha scroll of Isaiah and like a good many, he struggled ter make heads and tails out of what that old prophet’s words meant.
Tha Holy Ghost of Truth piped up and told Phillip ter go stand near tha Ethiopian’s carriage. Soon as Phillip heard tha feller reading, he said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
“How can I unless someone explains it to me?” This be our response a good many times as well: how kin we understand Skipper’s Code of Conduct unless someone explains it to us?
Right off Phillip commenced ter explaining how tha Son be mentioned in tha old scrolls and how he done come and lived and died fer our sins and then come out of tha grave and gone in ter heaven so he kin prepare places of welcome fer us. After hearing such good news, tha Ethiopian asks, “Why shouldn’t I be baptized?”
Now this be a fine question, on account of, A: he whar unfit ter be in tha temple on account of his physical condition and B: he be of a darker skin color than Phillip whar used ter seeing. Only in God’s kingdom all be welcome, regardless of skin color, physical condition, mental state, and all. In Skip’s kingdom all be received with open arms when they pass through tha shining glory of his Son.
So tha pair went down in ter tha water and Phillip baptized tha Ethiopian. With that tha Ethiopian went away rejoicing and I reckon so, fer ter get taking in by tha Son always be a grand event and worth celebrating.
Even at that risk of being seen as loopy in tha head, we must obey Skipper and celebrate his grace in taking us in ter his kingdom. Only think on this a wee little bit: our confusion ’bout spiritual matters and Skip’s Code most often be tha result of sin or us refusing ter do a thing Skip told us ter do. Skipper’s Holy Ghost of Truth pricks our hearts so we be tender ter such things we ‘ave never thought ’bout be fer. Phillip heard tha Holy Spirit’s whisper and obeyed. Tha Ethiopian heard Skipper’s words in a new way and believed. If either of them fellers had shrugged and moved on without responding ter Skip’s nudge, his whisper, no telling whar tha Ethiopian might ‘ave ended up.
Most likely in hell.
Ne’er ignore tha call of Skip when it comes ter ya. Always be anxious ter share tha good news with all, regardless of how they look or act. Could be yer obedience be tha reason Skipper put ya in a place at a certain time with certain folks.
And that be a right fine calling ever time.
