There aren’t a lot of Bible passages that mention Philip, but the ones that do create an interesting image of the disciple. Philip was from Bethsaida and when Jesus saw him, He said to Philip, “Follow me.” The first thing that Philip did after that was to find Nathaniel and tell him to come and follow Jesus. When the early church was growing in numbers, there was a disagreement over how the widows were being cared for. In the distribution of goods to help the widows, the Gentiles felt that their widows were not getting the same treatment. To put an end to the argument and to carry on with caring for the widows and the work of growing the church, the leadership decided on choosing seven men to organize and carry out the missional distribution.
Stephen was also chosen and is perhaps the most remembered of the seven due to the fact that he was martyred for his faith. Philip would then go to Samaria and preach the Gospel. There were so many who responded to his message and the signs that were done, that Peter and John came to assist in the ministry. After they arrived, an angel of the Lord appeared to Philip and sent him to stand by the road that went from Jerusalem to Gaza. A eunuch who served the queen of Ethiopia came by in a chariot. He was reading the prophet Isaiah. The Holy Spirit told Philip to go to the chariot. Philip then explained the meaning of the text to the man. The eunuch asked to be baptized and after Philip baptized him, the Holy Spirit took Philip to another area to preach. The final account of Philip occurs toward the end of the book of Acts. The apostle Paul was returning after one of his missionary journeys and came to the town of Caesarea. It reads, “On the morrow we departed and came to Caesarea; and we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.”
Years had passed since Philip had heard the call from Christ. He had settled down, raised a family. And the author of the book of Acts called out his achievements – he called him “Philip the evangelist” and reminded the reader that Philip was “one of the seven.” Philip was an older man and was given the titles of what he had accomplished in life.
Perhaps the best known scripture involving Philip was the exchange he had with Jesus after Jesus told the disciples that if they knew Him, they knew His Father. Philip replied, “Lord, show us the Father, and we shall be satisfied.” While his reply earned a rebuke from Jesus, it does show that Philip was searching for more information. He was hungry to know more about Christ. Are you committed to growing in your faith? What are you doing to achieve that goal?
This week:
Spend time seeking more information about Christ. During your daily devotional time, make sure to include time to read the Bible. Be hungry to know more about Christ; it will bless and enrich your life in ways you can’t imagine!
Questions to Consider:
- How would you describe your desire to know more about God?
- Are you currently involved in a Bible study or class to grow in your faith?
- How much time do you give each day to reading the Bible and devotional books?
Focus for the Week:
Make sure to read a portion of the Bible each day. This week, make a commitment to read through a book of the Bible; one of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John) would be an excellent choice during Lent. You can also join in one of the online classes or re-watch a sermon or class at stlukesokc.org/studios.
