Weekly News & Happenings
Philip’s Mission
The Old Testament Lesson for tomorrow is from Acts 8:26-35. It is about the Apostle Philip and an Ethiopian eunuch.
The Apostle Philip was the brother to Bartholomew or Nathanael. Scholars believe that Bartholomew and Nathanael were the same person. Philip was told by an angel to “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza” (8:26 ESV). Most of you know a lot more about Gaza now than you did last year at this time. Philip went immediately, and upon arrival, when the Holy Spirit spoke to him, he ran to the Eunuch. The Ethiopian Eunuch was passing through on his way back to Ethiopia. (Eunuchs were the servants of royal women in some courts.) This gentleman was a minister of Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians. He “was in charge of all her treasures” and “had come to Jerusalem to worship” (v. 27). The Eunuch, who was not given a name in scripture, was returning home. He was “seated in his chariot,” reading from the prophet Isaiah, when Philip arrived. Philip was told to approach the Eunuch, which he did. Philip heard him reading from Isaiah. This becomes Philip’s way of establishing a rapport. Philip asked the Eunuch if he understood what he was reading (vs. 28-30).
The Eunuch responded, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip “to come up and sit with him” (v. 31). The passage of the scripture which he was reading was this: “As a sheep led to the slaughter or a lamb before its shearer is dumb, so he opens not his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken up from the earth.” The Eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, pray, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” and “then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this scripture he told him the good news of Jesus” (v. 35).
The two traveled together for a little while. And as they went “along the road they came to some water, and the Eunuch said, “See, here is water! What is to prevent my being baptized?” and “he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the Eunuch, and he baptized him.” Then “when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught up Philip; and the Eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing” (vs. 36-39).
Philip baptized with water as John the Baptist did. Even though the Holy Spirit led them there, it was not a baptism of the Holy Spirit, but only water. At least in this case, it appears that way. In Acts 19:1-6, when Paul went to Ephesus, he was preaching and asked how the people were baptized, and they said in the Baptism of John the Baptist. Paul then baptized them in the Holy Spirit. There is no mention that this was the case with the Eunuch.
Philip’s mission was accomplished, and for those of you who remember a show called, “Quantum Leap,” Philip leaped again, to another place where the Holy Spirit was calling him to go. It was to the town of Azotus, and passing on “he preached the gospel to all the towns till he came to Caesarea.” The distance was about 30 miles. We are told that Philip was caught up in the Spirit (Acts 8:40).
The Eunuch went home rejoicing and praising God (Acts 8:39). How about you? If God called you, how quick would you be to respond to a calling by an angel or the Holy Spirit? When you arrived, would you run or walk to tell someone you did not know about Jesus the Christ?
-Pastor Kathy Behrens, serving Picture Rocks and Tivoli United Methodist Churches
Recent Articles
The Gear Effect
I am a golfer. I enjoy the thrill of a “straight down the middle” drive, a good 7 wood second shot off the turf, a crisp chip onto the green followed by a steady putt into the cup.
Golf is an interesting game. It can be rewarding, frustrating, invigorating, generate defeat and euphoric victory – all in one hole.
I tell you this because it is a sport that involves skill and correct movements, from the tee box to the putting green.
I used to just pound at the ball, sometimes hitting it well, and more often than not, topping it or duffing it right or left. Then one Christmas I was gifted with a set of lessons. My game began to solidify as I was shown the correct grip, the proper path of the club, both in the backswing and the forward strike of the ball, and the accepted technique when I putt. My teacher was Rick Musselman, who writes a weekly golf advice column for this newspaper. A few weeks ago, the topic of the print lesson was the “gear effect,” which is an inverse law.
In golf, you must hit down on the ball to make it go up. It doesn’t sound like it makes sense, but it is true. The angle of the club face is the key; it puts loft on the ball as you strike down on the backside.
In keeping with this practice, if you slice the ball (it goes left as you hit it), you need to correct your grip and stance. Do not try to hit to the right to compensate.
This does not work in baseball or tennis; if you hit down, the ball goes down.
In perspective for the non-athlete, when your car goes into a skid, you should steer in the direction of the skid. Do what is opposite of your logical thinking.
Now for the tie-in to Christianity: do the opposite of human nature.
Jesus said, to defeat the human urges, do what we consider the opposite.
In the lessons from Matthew 5, which we call The Beatitudes, He states that “The meek…shall inherit the earth” (v. 5 ESV). In our human thinking, the most powerful or richest should inherit and rule the earth, controlling via strength, not meekness.
One Old Testament law stated “an eye for an eye,” but Jesus stressed that we are to take an opposite, passive action and “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer the other also…” (Luke 6:27-29 NASB).
We are not just to tolerate our enemies. Now that is clearly opposite to how we think. We wonder where He comes up with these ideas. Doesn’t He know what our enemies have done to us? They cheat, take away promotions and jobs, collaborate with those who mean us harm, and cause us physical, emotional, and spiritual pain. Shouldn’t we plan revenge; after all, you know what they say about paybacks. That is not how God works. He so loved us that He sent His Son to die for us. He did this “while we were yet sinners” (Romans 5:8 KJV). He did the opposite of getting back at us.
Jesus calls us to do the unreasonable (bless our enemies), not the reasonable (ignore our enemies). Jesus calls us to do the improbable (do good to our enemies), not the probable (do nothing for them).
It is the “gear law.” Do the opposite correctly, and the proper result will occur.
In life, love everyone – especially your enemies, and the world will spin a little better. In golf, hit down to make the ball go up. Fore.
-Richard DeMarte, Second Vice President, United Churches of Lycoming County
The following institutional services are arranged for, and reported by, United Churches of Lycoming County:
Sunday:
Lycoming County Prison, 1:30 and 3:15 p.m.,
Mr. Richard Hess, Revival Tabernacle Church, Watsontown.
Williamsport South, 2 p.m.,
Mrs. Debra Buckman, St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, Williamsport.
Valley View Nursing Home, 2 p.m.,
Mrs. Lenora Georges, Holy Cross Orthodox Church, Williamsport.
We Care of Loyalsock, 2 p.m.,
Mrs. Patricia Burket, State Road United Methodist Church, Linden.
Williamsport North, 2:15 p.m.,
Dr. Shelley Litz and United Campus Ministry, United Churches of Lycoming County.
Rose View Center, 2:15 p.m.,
Mr. Jerry Webb, Maple Street AME Zion Church, Williamsport.
Williamsport Home, 3 p.m., None scheduled.
The Meadows, 3 p.m., None scheduled.
Pre-Release Center Women, 3:30 p.m.,
Mrs. Gail Slocum, Yokefellows Prison Ministry.
Pre-Release Center Men, 3:30 p.m.,
Mr. Don Slocum, Yokefellows Prison Ministry.
Services during the week include:
Heritage Springs, 10 a.m. Tuesday, None scheduled.
Leighton Place, 2 p.m. Tuesday, None scheduled.
Hillside Senior Living, 2 p.m., Wednesday,
Mrs. Carol Hetler, United Churches of Lycoming County.
Presbyterian Home, 11 a.m. Thursday, None scheduled.
On the Radio:
Radio Services are provided by the following congregations:
8:30 a.m. (Saturday) Jersey Shore Assembly of God, WJSA 96.3 FM.
9:30 a.m. (Sunday) Community Baptist Church, Montoursville, WJSA 96.3 FM.
9 a.m. (Sunday) Pine Street United Methodist Church, Williamsport,
WWPA 1340 AM/101.7 FM., WILQ HD3
“The Joys Of Giving During The Advent Season”
This year at St. John Neumann, the students decided to help those in need by organizing an Advent Food Drive. They had a different designated food item every day to bring in for a week.
The Twelve Days of Service food items included canned fruit, boxes of cereal, ketchup and mustard, peanut butter, canned cranberry sauce, boxed dessert mixes, boxed crackers, boxed pancake mix, spaghetti sauce, boxed pasta, canned soup, and canned veggies.
The students ended up bringing in a lot of donations and volunteers from different grades of the school unloaded the donations at the United Churches of Lycoming County’s Food Pantry. In addition to unloading the food at the Pantry, the volunteers cleaned and stocked the shelves.
Neumann’s Director of Religious Formation, Andrew McCarroll, organized the drive. When asked what inspired the Food Drive, McCarroll said, “For Advent, we prepare for Christmas and gifts. What better way to give back to our community than by giving them the joy of Christmas as well?”
The Food Drive was a success, and it was truly an experience to be able to give back to the community and help those in need.