Fifth Sunday in Easter: First Lesson, Acts 8:26-40                      

Acts 8:26-40

When you teach God’s Word as your vocation your greatest desire, at least my greatest desire, is not that your students gain great insight from your classes. Although that is important and I hope they do, my greatest desire is that they are sufficiently moved by the Lord to desire the Word of God for themselves. Everyone knows what it’s like to attend a class that’s required and we also know the pressure of attending, say, Sunday bible class because “we should.” But that’s not what I am after. Ever. I was blessed early on in my Christian experience to sit under a number of fabulous and competent teachers. Surely, I left from sitting at their feet with treasures from their education, wisdom, and experience. But what has blessed me most is the fact that those teachers instilled in me a desire to go after God’s Word on my own. More to it.

While I apologize for the lengthy introduction, I am so thankful for those teachers. I wouldn’t have entered the field I am in if not for them. And while they inspired me to take on the Scriptures for myself, what they also inspired in me was a desire to “do it right.” In other words, I carried my love for the bible forward because they taught me to honor the text. Passing down to me the great truths of the inspiration and infallibility of the bible and the great and holy doctrines found therein, I learned the value of faithfulness to the intent and expression of the human authors. In other words, the bible isn’t a playground for my viewpoint. And in our first reading this week we find that someone else, namely an Ethiopian eunuch desired to be taught well, to be taught in accordance with the right meaning of the text. He was and the Spirit of the Lord knew and answered the desire of this traveling servant of Ethiopia’s queen.

“Do you understand what you are reading,” Philip inquired. And the eunuch’s answer is golden, “How can I, unless someone guides me.” God has gifted his servants with teachers. No two are alike and none have exactly the same gifts. But the source is the same if they are faithful to their calling. Dear reader, take advantage of the access you have to the Word of God. It is available to us in so many ways. But also take advantage of listening to or reading the work of God-called instructors who labor to bring out the treasures of the text of Holy Scripture. It’s a joy to do it, and a joy to see others reap the benefits.

Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!