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No Preventions to Beloved-ness

Acts 8:26-40. Read this Biblical account of belonging.

Last week we were challenged to ask some tough questions: Who needs a place to belong? Who are the marginalized in Farmersville today? Where do we need to be present in our community where people are hurting?  

Eunuchs were among the most marginalized of society in Biblical times. Acts 8:26-40 is one of several powerful narratives of inclusion in the history of the early church. However, this text is sometimes overlooked by the lectionary-the assigned scriptures for each Sunday. Our readings in Acts do skip over this story, therefore we are discussing it in this blog. About 15 years ago I utilized this scripture to illustrate my understanding of an ordained Elder’s role in the individual’s discipleship journey in my paperwork to become ordained.

It is a very interesting story in Acts. It starts by bringing together two types of people who normally would not have an opportunity to visit with one another; a studious slave of the Queen of Ethiopia and an educated Galilean disciple who both find themselves on the wilderness road to Jerusalem. The eunuch would not have been allowed in the temple, and so after traveling all the way from Ethiopia, was waiting for their queen in the chariot outside of town. While the unnamed person is waiting, they are reading from the prophet Isaiah. Although outcast from the temple as a eunuch, they were the queen’s slave so they were literate.

Can you imagine having the curiosity to study scripture but not be allowed to worship in the temple? Have you ever been excluded from church? Then I hope this Biblical story gives you some solace and hope. The eunuch was excluded from institutional worship based on anatomy and gender identity. It deeply saddens me that countless folks can painfully relate to this unjust situation. There has been egregious harm done in the name of organized religion to members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and it goes all the way back to Biblical times.

So imagine how eager this studious curious unwelcomed person was to have a disciple whom Jesus Himself recruited, offer to sit with them and discern scripture together! Philip asked permission first, then joined the eunuch in reading the prophet Isaiah. By asking permission to join, Phillip is humbly giving the reader the power to choose whether to receive guidance or not. Philip is ensuring he is welcome to join this stranger on his journey of discipleship. Wow! What a totally different scene than what would have transpired if this person would have attempted to enter the temple. Phillip instantly helps level the playing field. What a powerful example for today’s evangelism efforts to study. The disciple went to where the person new to the faith was. Phillip was sent by the Spirit of Truth out into the isolation of the wilderness. What wilderness are we being beckoned too? Who is isolated in the wilderness? Who desires guidance to understand their faith?

The beloved kin-dom where all are siblings in Christ is manifested in this story! The enslaved, queer, avid-reader asks if it is possible to be baptized. Is it possible for me to be welcomed in the church, will any congregation accept me for who I am??? Ultimately is the question really: Am I worthy of God’s love?! Philip does not hesitate, a person asks to be baptized, and they are baptized, no questions asked, grace is freely given! The disciple does not fall into the temptation of the Pharisees and religious leaders today who vainly believe they somehow have personally been mandated by God Almighty to proclaim that God just so happens to hate the same type of people Pharisees do! To promote hate in the name of God is blasphemy. To exclude anyone or any group of God’s Beloved is sin. It is outrageous that I even have to type those previous sentences when the Bible testifies to us from beginning to end that God is Love! And as I wrote about last week, God is community. When we cut off a group of God’s “very good” Creation from the full affirmation of their beloved-ness, we are doing the Devil’s work. Exclusion is adversarial; the literally definition of Satan is Adversary. (which adds more meaning to the opposing term for the Holy Spirit: Advocate.)

 Matthew 19:11-12 “Not everyone can accept this teaching, but only those to whom it is given. For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let anyone accept this who can.”

If that teaching of Jesus is new to you, read it again. Yes indeed, Jesus is recording saying this in the Holy Bible. This is possibly one of the least heard, least studied teachings of our Lord and Savior Jesus the Word made Flesh. And Jesus being Jesus already knew way back then that this teaching was not going to be accepted by everyone. I know the Queen’s slave is overjoyed that Philip did accept this teaching of Christ.

We of the faith community of FUMC Farmersville strive to welcome all people and affirm their unique beloved-ness. And we have plenty of fresh clean water. I’d be thrilled to talk to you about baptism, I’d be overjoyed to preside over your baptism. We celebrate new members joining our church family, the more diverse we are the more we reflect the inclusive kin-dom of God, the Beloved Community that Isaiah prophesizes!

Let us make the testimony of the prophet Isaiah true: Isaiah 56. Isaiah 58:6-14. Isaiah 65:17-25.