Phillip, the Eunach, and Greece

Summary

As many of you know, Emily and I were gone last week at the Association of International Churches in Europe and the Middle East pastors and spouse conference.  The AICEME is comprised of English speaking churches in cities from Oslo to Cairo, and from London to Moscow, including Paris, Zurich, Stockholm, Berlin, Vienna and many more locales. It is an association primarily focused upon providing pastors and spouses with a time of learning, renewal, and collegiality.  It also annually hosts a youth conference in the fall.

This year we pastors and spouses met in Athens, Greece, taking two days to travel to the North to visit the ancient site of Delphi and the still active Meteora monasteries.  We had as a theme Greece and the first century church, including Paul’s time in Athens and Corinth.

I have never been to sites so ancient, and full of meaning.  Our first full day we visited ancient Corinth, walking right through the midst of the city in which Paul also walked, and to whom he wrote at least two letters.  During our tour we gathered under a tree for devotions led by our colleague from London, Pastor Jennifer Mills-Knutson and then shared Holy Communion with one another while singing together to the Lord. It was very meaningful and moving.

The next day, after touring the Parthenon, maybe the most famous ancient building in the world, we climbed the neighboring Mars Hill, like Paul did in Acts chapter 17. Again, we had devotions, this time given by our colleague from Switzerland, Pastor Scottie Williams.  Scottie was excited for Paul had preached to the Athenians on that same hill about the idol to the unknown God.

Paul said to them, “God made the nations so they would seek him, perhaps even reach out to him and find him.  In fact, God isn’t far away from any of us.  In God we live, move and exist.”

He was trying to explain to the people of Athens, a city filled with idols at the time, that the one, true God, was not created of marble, nor painted with gold or silver, but rather God was the one whom had created us, not the other way around.  Most importantly, Paul told them that they had been created by God, so as to be in relationship with God, through Jesus whom had died for them, and risen to new life.

Sitting on Mars Hill in Athens, listening to my friend preach, brought alive Acts 17 for me.  To literally walk in the footsteps of Paul was much more moving and meaningful than I had expected.  The reality of walking Athens’ living, and breathing streets, while also stirring the dust of the ancient walkways of Corinth brought home to me the enormity of the mission that Paul was given that day when he was struck blind by Jesus on the road to Damascus.

Remember when Ananias in Damascus was told by the Lord in a vision, to go and meet Paul and restore his sight.  How Ananias replied in fear telling the Lord that Paul had come to persecute him and the other Christians?  Remember, the Lord answered Ananias in this way, “This man is the agent I have chosen to carry my name before Gentiles, kings, and Israelites.  I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”

The immensity of Paul’s mission, to carry Jesus’ name to the Gentiles and kings, was brought home as we traveled from place to place.  Paul, and the other disciples too, had the entire world before them, waiting to hear Jesus’ name for the first time.  How was Paul, how were the disciples to carry out this mission?  By reaching out person by person.

As you read through Acts it become very apparent that the disciples shared about Jesus, often by creating relationships with individuals.  Paul didn’t only preach, but as much, he taught, he befriended, he helped, he assisted, he, well he did what was required in each situation, so that person after person might be able to come to know Jesus as Lord, and live in relationship with him.

It is very similar to what we read this morning in regards to the Holy Spirit leading Philip to the Wilderness road running South from Jerusalem towards Gaza, all in order that he might encounter and get to enlighten Queen Candace’s treasurer, a God fearing man from Ethiopia.  And so, Philip was given the opportunity to tell this man about Jesus and what believing in the Christ could mean to him.  It was a message so powerful that he asked to be baptized right then and there!  And so, the good news of Jesus headed South to Ethiopia, where it has resided in the people’s hearts ever since.

You see, we are all given the same mission as the apostles were in Matthew 28, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

We never know when the opportunity to share with others about Jesus and his life-giving love might arise.

For instance, on the last night of our conference, a week ago this evening actually, we went to a restaurant for our closing banquet and talent show.  This restaurant was opened by, and is run by a younger Greek man, Nikiforos.  Nikiforos has the philosophy for his restaurant to take traditional Greek food, and serve it with a twist, to make it new.  And boy, did he succeed, it was wonderful food, and a great night of fellowship, and conversation.  We were the only group in the restaurant for the night, so received all of the attention, but also were able to interact with the staff, and thank them, joke with them, and generally enjoy our interactions with them.  It was a meaningful evening for all of us.

On Tuesday, we all received an email from James, the retired pastor from Turkey whom had planned and led our tour.  He wrote:

 

I think all of us who were present would agree, however, that the banquet at the Aleria Restaurant was a highlight of our time together. It was also a highlight for Nikiforos Kehayiadakis, the owner of the Aleria. Toward the end of the banquet, he said to me, “James, this has been perhaps the best evening ever for the Aleria Restaurant” – which says a lot, since the restaurant is over 12 years old. Then, when it came time to say goodbye, Nikiforos said that he wanted to walk me back to the hotel.

“I need to know what makes you all so different,” he said to me, as he and I walked together down the sidewalk. He wanted to know if it was due to the fact that we were Protestant, instead of Orthodox. He also asked if we were all born into Protestantism. What his questions and comments led to was an opportunity for me to explain that it’s not a particular branch of Christianity or even set of beliefs that makes us “different,” but the fact that we have personal relationships with God through Jesus Christ. I also spoke of the Holy Spirit and the dynamis of God’s Word operating within us and flowing through us. We didn’t say goodbye until the steps of the Stanley Hotel, and he expressed a sincere desire to get and read a Bible in modern Greek (which he doesn’t have). Before we said goodbye, I gave him this assurance: “What makes us ‘different’ is just as available to you as it is to us.”

Today, on behalf of us all, I mailed to Nikiforos a really nice hardcopy of the Bible in modern Greek, which I bought near the Hagia Sophia in Thessaloniki. In the front cover, at the end of my ascription, I wrote some favorite passages that came to mind – Psalm 103, Matthew 11:28-30, 1 Corinthians 13, Galatians 5:22-23, Ephesians 2:8-10, and Revelation 3:20. Pray with me that not just these passages but others to which the Spirit leads Nikiforos will minister to him and draw him closer to Christ and to trust in him. And thanks to all of you who attended the banquet and who influenced – perhaps even unknowingly – Nikiforos and his staff with your Christ-like behavior and sincere gratitude.

 

Wow!  The Holy Spirit was present and moving, for these things do not happen on their own. In some way, Nikiforos encountered through his interactions with all of us, and also through his meetings with James and his wife Renata the joy that we have because we live in love with Jesus, and so have his joy.

That joy, if we let it, can fill our hearts, our lives, and our relationships, because it is the joy that comes from Jesus’ love, which cannot be contained.  This joy flowed from Paul, from Philip, and from Jesus’ disciples down through the years, and last Sunday it flowed through us.  I know that it also can, and does flow through you.

Jesus wants us to share the  joy we have because he lives in our lives, and his love flows through us.  As his agents, ambassadors, apostles, as Jesus’ people let us share our joy with the world, for in God, we live, we move, and we have our being…our very existence.

The joy of Jesus, is yours, or it can be yours, for Jesus’ love is given for everyone!

Amen

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