Bible Verses for Strange Representation “Stars” and “Influencers”

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Once again, a representative of a church institution presents how you can quickly put together a completely unique context using just a few verses from the Bible. Anyone who is not on the lookout and reads for themselves will one day find themselves in a thicket of confusion.

Made your own story

A few verses, just telling one of them and using it to create your own story that suggests something completely different from what the gospel wants to communicate. Some representatives of the former Protestant churches seem to have specialized in this. Added to this is the belief that there is a very young readership whose everyday language one would like to curry favor with, and an infantilized adult world.

The “media preacher” of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) regularly appears on social media with a “micro-sermon”. This Sunday, the “micro-preacher” is obviously trying to instill the modern aspect of “superstars” and their quiet but appreciable exit from the stage. For this purpose, the “theologian” uses the excerpt from Acts 8:26-39 and boldly quotes verse 26 with the following words:
“But the angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, Arise, and go south to the desolate road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.”

The idiosyncratic story

Philip is a missionary for Jesus Christ and has had extremely great success, as can be seen through other “Expertise” conspicuous “micro-preachers”. The community he led in Samaria grew very large within a very short period of time. This success is primarily due to Philip’s ability to heal and drive out evil spirits. An angel spoke to Philip and sent him into the desert. To where it is desolate. “The influencer has to go offline,” says the “micro-preacher.”

It is astonishing that Philip even heard this order. Because this order was given through the applause given to Philip. “And then he goes too. Respect!”.

Short and sweet and wrong

That’s it! What teaching or message did the “micro preacher” convey to his readership? The possible image created depicts Philip standing on stage, thunderous applause for this “influencer” and “superstar”. Through this deafening applause, Philippus can even hear his mission. He was told to go into the desert and he did. An action that demanded all of our respect.

What the Gospel actually says

Anyone who only bothers to open the Bible to check what the “micro-preacher” is preaching will quickly come to a different conclusion. It starts with the fact that Philip was not sent into the desert, but that the path described was lonely. The destination was not the desert, but rather meeting a servant of the Ethiopian royal family in his car. He was on his way to Jerusalem to worship God there.

However, this Ethiopian still lacked a proper understanding of the written word. The servant was studying the writings of the prophet Isaiah. The passage, “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.”” was a mystery to the Ethiopian.

Philip sat with him, rode along, and explained the saving work of Jesus Christ. The Ethiopian understood the words and then, when they arrived at a body of water, was convinced that he wanted to be baptized. Philip simply acknowledged that baptism is only permitted if one believes with all one’s heart. The Ethiopian confirmed that he believes that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Philip then baptized the servant of the Ethiopian royal family. Immediately afterward, Philip disappeared, Acts 8:39-40:
“And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.“

Small but subtle difference

This expounded passage in Acts chapter 8 of the Gospel tells something about Philip’s abilities, his sending to meet the Ethiopian (an already “very interested” Gentile), the confession that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the necessity of faith before baptism and the constant companionship of God in the ways of the righteous.

The “micro-preacher” suggests something about a Philippus, a “superstar” among the influencers, who disappears into the desert with no song or sound.

Instead of highlighting the essentials, such as the senseless infant baptism (Info), the witness of Jesus necessary for salvation and God’s purposeful sending of His chosen followers, these extremely important aspects are simply ignored and replaced with modern ideals of self-realization and ego care.

Nevertheless, draw insights from it

Such “micro-sermons” from the EKD are nevertheless very suitable for showing that, firstly, these church-like institutions no longer have anything to do with the Gospel, secondly, that they should therefore no longer be taken seriously and, thirdly, knowledge about the Gospel can only be acquired through responsible self-reading of the Bible (the right Bible! – Info). Otherwise, you fall into exactly the trap that Jesus Christ warned about in Matthew 24:4:
“Take heed that no man deceive you.“

Paul saw it coming and that’s how it happened. First by the Roman Catholic Church, and now also by the returned daughters hanging by their coattails (Info):

Bible verses from King James Version