But an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Get up and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a desert road.) So he got up and went. And there was an Ethiopian Eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship, and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. (Acts 8:26)
The first Links letter was published in 1980 with an article entitled “ Winning Means Serving a Higher Purpose” by Gary Player. PGA tour players are listed as leaders, including Wally Armstrong, Rik Massengale, Larry Nelson, Kermit Zarley, and Don Pooley.
These men found that golf, their platform, could be used to promote the Good News of Jesus while traveling on the tour. PGA tour players are constantly traveling during the competitive season or “sojourning,” staying in a place for a short period of time.
This Hebrew term conveys the basic idea that a person (or group) is residing, either temporarily or permanently, in a community and place that is not primarily their own and is dependent on the “goodwill” of that community for their continued existence.
Philip was called by the Holy Spirit to travel to a location where he met the Ethiopian eunuch who was reading the book Isaiah and did not understand the passage.
Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, “Well, How can I unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Now, the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this:
“He was led as a sheep to slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth. In his humiliation, his justice was taken away. Who can describe his generation? For his life is removed from the earth.”
The eunuch answered Philip, “Please tell me, of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself or about someone else?” Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him. As they were going along the road, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?
And Philip said, “ If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said “I believe that Jesus is the Son of God.” And he ordered the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, and the no longer saw him, and went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the cities until he came to Caesarea.
We can learn from Philip to go where we are told and be ready to share the gospel. Every day is an opportunity to wake up and ask God what he wants us to do, where we should go, and how to get there. And then listen.
Prayer: Lord, you have given us a platform to influence our world. Help us to hear you through the Spirit, listen, and go in faith.