Open wide!

Philip the Evangelist follows a command from the Holy Spirit to go to the road between Jerusalem and Gaza and catch up with a chariot carrying a eunuch from the Queen of Ethiopia’s court. He hears the eunuch reading from Isaiah, and when he reaches the chariot, asks him if he understands what he’s reading.

“He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so He opened not His mouth. In His humiliation His justice was taken away, and who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth.”

— Isaiah 53:7-8

Philip asks the eunuch, “Do you understand what you are reading?” and when the eunuch tells him he needs someone to explain it to him, Philip takes the plunge.

So the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?”

Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.

— Acts 8:34-35

Philip opened his mouth and preached Jesus. In the same way that Jesus opened his mouth and began teaching what we call the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:2) or that Peter opened his mouth and started preaching to the Roman Centurion, Cornelius (Acts 10:34).

They all just opened their mouths and let the words flow.

Recent remarks by Canada’s Governor-General, Julie Payette, in which she appeared to disparage people who believe in God (and believe the Biblical account of how things came into existence), have re-kindled the “God versus Science” debate and brought atheists out of the woodwork, attacking faith in the Almighty.

Now, I hate the idea of such a debate, because there is always the danger that it could turn from a question of “what’s right” to “who’s right” — the argument becomes personal, Pride comes into play and nobody wins. Remember, too, that when Jesus was tempted in the wilderness and the devil began two of his challenges by saying, “If You are the Son of God …”, He didn’t even respond; to do so would have been to admit the possibility that He wasn’t the Son of God, and that would have taken the argument onto the devil’s turf.

There are some snappy comebacks that you could employ, if challenged:

• Ah, science! Would this be the science that brought us nuclear warfare, nerve gas, climate change and spending billions of dollars shooting people into space when billions of people on earth are starving and sick?
• Ah, human intellect! Would this be the same trait responsible for racism, war, sexual assault and turning the Word of God into a means of manipulation and control?
• Prove to me that God doesn’t exist.

Now that I have those off my chest, let’s remember that any kind of discussion with a non-believer needs to be the sort of talk that brings that person to a knowledge of God. We have to keep in mind Noel Jones’ caution, “You could win an argument but lose a soul.”

This is why Jesus advises us not to worry about what to say.

“But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them. And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations.

“But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that: for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.”

— Mark 13:9-11

Getting into a discussion with an atheist or a mistheist is, Lord willing, the closest thing any of us will come to being “beaten in the synagogues” for our faith, so Jesus’ instruction holds true. We don’t worry about what to say: we trust that the Holy Spirit will give us the words we need when we need them, which means all we have to do is

open our mouth

Philip didn’t “get his head around” the subject: he opened his mouth. Jesus was moved with compassion for the multitudes, so He opened His mouth. Peter had his revelation from God — seeing truly that God is not a respecter of persons, so he opened his mouth. The Spirit did the talking.

One more thing: in the midst of talking about believers being hauled in front of councils and forced to defend or explain their faith, Jesus says “the gospel must first be preached to all the nations.” That is the Great Commission and no matter what situation we find ourselves in, that has to be first and foremost on our agenda. The words have to be spoken, and do you see anyone else to do it, besides yourself?

But it’s not really you, anyway.

So open wide — and let the Holy Spirit loose!