Yesterday, I had the experience of being catapulted. It was both disconcerting and exhilarating at the same time. I was helping a friend take his boat to the marina so they could store it for the winter. He was trying to park the boat in a slip and I was out on the front of the boat, ready to jump on the dock and help steer the boat in. All of a sudden, the boat hit the edge of the slip and I was catapulted into the water. I didn’t see it coming and after I caught my breath and climbed out, took stock that I wasn’t hurt, I started to laugh. I so wish someone had a video of the event, because I would have loved to see the look on my face!
After we returned home, and I had changed into some warm, dry clothes, I reflected on this experience. I absolutely love riding roller-coasters, and even though some of the elements were the same physically, this experience was different. When you ride a roller-coaster, you can see what’s coming for the most part. In this situation, I was totally taken by surprise – this was the disconcerting and disorienting part of being catapulted. I had absolutely no idea I was going to be thrown from the boat and land in the water (The water, which be the way, kept me protected and uninjured – Thank you, Lord). However, as I was on the sofa warming up, I was reminded of Philip who preached to the Ethiopian eunuch. In a sense, he also was catapulted by God from the road to Gaza up to the city of Azotus, otherwise known as Ashdod.
Philip the Evangelist
Philip was one of seven men who were voted to distribute food equally to widows. He was chosen by the disciples, that is, not just the twelve, but all those followers of Jesus, which according to MacArthur (2007), could have numbered up to 20,000 at this point in the development of the church. However, Philip was also called by God to be the first evangelist. Luke stayed with him while he and Paul were in Caesarea (Acts: 21:8).
Before Luke and Paul stayed with him, though, Philip was sent to the city of Samaria to preach the Gospel. He was an effective evangelist, healing and casting out evil spirits. While there, an angel appeared to him and told him to go to the desert road between Jerusalem and Gaza. Philip wasn’t told why, he just went because he had such trust in God, that if God said “go,” he went. On the road, Philip sees a eunuch sitting in his chariot, reading from Isaiah. Philip asks if he can join him, and then teaches the eunuch that Isaiah was talking about Jesus. Philip continues to tell him about who Jesus is and when the chariot is passing by some water, the eunuch points it out to Philip and says, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized? (Acts 8:36).” Philip asks him if he believes with all his heart that Jesus is his savior, then, why not? So the eunuch is baptized and when he and Philip come out of the water, Philip was no longer there. The eunuch continued on his way, so excited that he had given Jesus his life.
Philip, Catapulted
This is where Philip’s story is unforeseen by him. Acts 8: 39-40: When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he kept preaching the gospel to all the cities until he came to Caesarea. In other words, Philip was catapulted from baptizing the eunuch to Azotus. He doesn’t seem to have lost a beat. He had a singleness of mind, that is, to preach the Gospel. To his credit, no matter what situation he found himself in, he knew what to do –preach Jesus as Savior.
After I was catapulted into the water, I still had to help my friend get his boat docked and the canopy and seat coverings off the boat. There wasn’t time to think about the what ifs – like, what if my head had hit the dock, what if the water was so cold I stopped breathing, what if there was no ladder nearby for me to climb out of the water? In fact, I really didn’t think about the what ifs until my sister brought them up when I came home dripping wet and she asked what had happened.
Philip didn’t ask what ifs when he was transported (for the lack of a better word) to Azotus. He just continued doing God’s will for his life and kept preaching the Gospel. When life catapults us into unforeseen situations, we can ask tons of what ifs or we can just take it in stride and keep doing God’s will for our lives. We can continue to live for Jesus and tell as many people as possible about our living God and His Savior Son, Jesus.
I raise my hands in celebration to getting catapulted. God has taught me to be singular in mind, and continue to share His word with anyone who will listen and read what I share about my risen Savior. I pray that God will fill your life with joy and unexpected excitement as you journey through life living for Him.
Resources
MacArthur, J. 2007. The MacArthur Study Bible. Thomas Nelson Publisher.
Photo credit: Sager, J. 2014. Caters News. 2020 Caters News Agency Ltd., in 2020 NYP Holdings, Inc., https://nypost.com/2014/08/29/see-a-human-catapult-in-action/#3.
Photo credit: Conforming to Jesus Ministry. 2014-2019. MAP OF ISRAEL AT THE TIME OF JESUS CHRIST: History of Israel at the time of Jesus Christ.
