Pastor's Corner: The Rule of 99:1

By Paul Hathcoat

In all aspects of life, there are little lessons that we learn that shape our worldview and, in turn, our future. These lessons and personal revelations can come from a plethora of different sources, but they all have one thing in common: They open our eyes to see things from a different and more informed perspective. My hope today is to share with you readers a lesson that God brought to me this week. This lesson spills out into the special needs ministry that I shepherd and informs my team as individuals, evangelists, and everyday advocates. Let’s talk about that, from a pastor’s perspective.

The journey to uncovering this truth and lesson began in the Book of Acts. The work and the message of Jesus had spread out from Jerusalem and came to the region of Samaria at this time. A young and faithful leader named Philip was the major catalyst for the wonderful period of spiritual awakening in Samaria. In chapter 8 we read that “spirits were cast out,” “the lame were healed” (Acts: 8:7), and “there was great joy in the city” (v.8), as “many men and women were baptized” (v.12). In essence, the city and its people were hearing the good news, turning away from their evil and selfish ways, and accepting Jesus as their Lord and Savior through Philip’s influence. I am imagining what it must have felt like for Philip to lead so many people to faith. That seems like a genuine Billy Graham moment!

As we get to the end of chapter 8 though, we see that the glory, excitement, and grandeur of this huge faith movement and outreach quickly faded as God called Philip to “go south, down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza” (v.26). Philip was literally called out of the busy and bustling city, to go to where the desert meets the end of that region. Let me tell you that almost nothing was there for Philip to encounter. What must he have been thinking and feeling? One moment he was leading masses of people to faith and seeing a huge spiritual awakening, and the next, he found himself at the end of a 50-mile road out of the city that led only to an enormous wasteland of a desert.

Why does God do this? Why are we often pulled out of the joyful and comfortable places and times in our lives to taste the dust of loneliness and uncertainty once again? I asked myself, as a special needs pastor, how many families that I support feel like they are walking toward a desert right now, away from where they thought they were headed, feeling alone and not understanding? Are you?

Well, as He does time and time again, God had a plan for Philip. We read in verse 27 that “he (Philip) met the treasurer of Ethiopia” (v.27) on that desert road, and that “Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the book of Isaiah” (v.30). We continue to read that the Ethiopian man asked Philip to come and explain to him what he was reading from the book of Isaiah because he did not understand. Next Philip “beginning with this same scripture, told him the Good News about Jesus” (v.35).

Do you see yet what this story is telling us? It took me a while to piece it together but when I did, it changed my worldview, my pastoral view, and my personal view of God and how my life works. Philip went to Samaria early in chapter 8 and did massively influential works to bring thousands of people to know Jesus. Then, immediately after, God called Philip to the desert road where only one person was waiting to hear the good news of Jesus Christ. What a contrast!

God cares about us all. God has a plan for each of our lives. God’s plan for us is DIFFERENT but equally important in the Kingdom. Whether we have a whole city around us of supporters and fellow think-alikers, or we are isolated and struggling to understand what we are supposed to be getting out of life like the Ethiopian man, God will send us helpers. God will reach out to us one way or another because he knows and cares about every single person he ever created. He even asks His Kingdom workers to leave the 99 and go find the one. May you be blessed by His word.

Do you have a thought, idea or information that you would like to see in this section in an upcoming issue? Email Paul Hathcoat – phathcoat@wrcc.org.