INTRODUCTION

1.      So far you may have identified yourself with one of the Apostles

a.       Peter – a guy who makes very QUICK decisions

b.      Andrew – that humble behind the SCENES guy

c.       James – insensitive, ambitious guy

d.      John – very intolerant and clannish person

e.       YET, they ALLOWED God to remake them into VESSELS Jesus could use

f.       Ordinary people that God used to do EXTRA-ORDINARY work

2.      Going to look at Philip tonight

a.       No, not DEACON Philip

                                                              i.      He evangelized Samaria

                                                            ii.      He led the Ethiopian eunuch to the Lord

b.      You will NOT find anything about APOSTLE Philip in the first three Gospels other than his NAME

c.       John though gives some INSIGHT into Apostle Philip

d.      Going to look at John 1, 6 and 14

e.       Going to look at HOW Philip’s faith GREW

FIRST: GIVE JESUS AN OPPORTUNITY

John 1:43 The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.

1.      We looked at the time when ANDREW brought his brother Peter to Jesus

a.       The NEXT day Jesus prepares to LEAVE for Galilee

b.      He finds Philip and issues the SAME call to him as to Andrew and Peter

c.       Philip must have KNOWN the two brothers

                                                              i.      They were ALL from Bethsaida

John 1:44 Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.

d.      And too, like the two brothers, Philip probably was a follower of John the Baptist

e.       Would explain why he was so far south – some 100 miles – in Bethany

f.       He was there to HEAR John the Baptist preach

g.      Jesus issues the CALL to Philip

                                                              i.      After the call Philip IMMEDIATELY goes to his friend NATHANAEL

John 1:45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.

2.      Verse 45 tells us that Philip would be what we call a ‘SEEKER’

a.       He KNEW the Old Testament

b.      He KNEW the Messiah was COMING

c.       He WANTED to SHARE his GOOD NEWS

                                                              i.      The Messiah has COME

d.      But Nathanael is NOT so convinced

John 1:46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.

                                                              i.      Nathanael was a very PREJUDICE man

                                                            ii.      He looked DOWN on Nazareth

                                                          iii.      Nazareth was a SMALL town

                                                          iv.      NOT famous for anything or anyone

e.       NOTICE that Philip does NOT argue with Nathanael

                                                              i.      OR even attempt to answer the SILLY question

f.       He simply says ‘COME AND SEE’

g.      Interestingly we see these words again on Resurrection Sunday

                                                              i.      COME AND SEE

h.      Philip learned real quick that there will ALWAYS be skeptical people

i.        ONLY way around that problem is for them to meet Jesus PERSONALLY

3.      As SMART as we may THINK we are - we really DON’T have ALL the answers

a.       And we can quickly get in over our heads THEOLOGICALLY

b.      All we can do is POINT that person to the ONE who has ALL the answers

c.       All we can do is POINT that person to JESUS

d.      All we can do is POINT that person to His Word – the BIBLE

Isa 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

e.       That is WHAT Philip did - and it WORKED

                                                              i.      After Nathanael met Jesus - he too became a disciple

f.       Interesting too, that Philip was NOT afraid to tell his FRIEND about Jesus

                                                              i.      Philip gave Jesus an OPPORTUNITY to work on Nathaniel’s heart

g.      We too need to give Jesus an OPPORTUNITY to work.

SECOND: INCLUDE JESUS IN YOUR DECISION MAKING PROCESS

John 6:5 When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?

1.      We looked at this event from Andrew’s perspective a while back

a.       HOW did Philip handle it?

b.      Remember

                                                              i.      Philip saw Jesus turn the water into WINE at the Wedding in Cana (John 2:1-11)

                                                            ii.      Philip saw Jesus heal the LAME man by the pool in Bethesda (John 5:1-8)

                                                          iii.      Certainly he saw Jesus perform OTHER miracles

c.       At this particular event there was a HUGH crowd of people

                                                              i.      WORD had spread of the MIRACLES Jesus was performing

John 6:2 And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.

                                                            ii.      There was a crowd in EXCESS of 5,000

d.      NOW, Jesus asks Philip about getting FOOD for these thousands of people

e.       APPARENTLY Philip would be the bookkeeper type person

                                                              i.      Always FIGURING

                                                            ii.      Always CALCULATING

f.       Philip counting his pennies and replied

John 6:7 Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.

2.      BEFORE you can buy food you must have ENOUGH money

a.       AFTER all the MIRACLES Philip saw Jesus perform - Philip FORGOT Jesus could do it AGAIN

b.      Philip counted his PENNIES and FORGOT to count his FAITH

c.       To Philip it was DOLLARS and CENTS

d.      We remember, it was ANDREW who spoke up identifying a boy with some food

John 6:9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?

e.       We know the REST of the story

f.       YUP, there is ANOTHER miracle

g.      EVEN after everyone ate there still was A LOT left over

John 6:13 Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.

h.      The DISCIPLES learned to include Jesus in their decision making process

THIRD: PUT TWO AND TWO TOGETHER

John 13:33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.

1.      Now we see Philip in the UPPER ROOM

a.       The NIGHT that the PASSOVER becomes the LORD’S SUPPER

b.      Jesus tells them that He will be with them only a SHORT while

                                                              i.      And where HE is going THEY can NOT go

c.       The Disciples DON’T understand

                                                              i.      And WHEN you don’t understand something you do WHAT the disciples did

d.      The Disciples PANICKED

                                                              i.      Remember they are EXPECTING an earthly Kingdom to be established

                                                            ii.      NOW their MESSIAH is LEAVING

                                                          iii.      Doesn’t make SENSE

e.       To relieve their ANXIETY Jesus replies

John 14:1-3 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

2.      Philip is still NOT satisfied

John 14:8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.

a.       Philip KNOWS that Jesus is the MESSIAH

b.      Philip KNOWS that Jesus is the DELIVER of Israel

                                                              i.      BUT Philip does NOT know WHO Jesus really is

c.       Remember Philip is the PRACTICAL one

                                                              i.      Yes, Jesus can HEAL the sick

                                                            ii.      Yes, Jesus can FEED the multitude

                                                          iii.      Yes, Jesus can CALM the storm

                                                          iv.      Yes, Jesus can even RAISE the dead

d.      But Philip never put two and two together

                                                              i.      Philip never put Jesus and God together

1.      Why NOT?

                                                            ii.      It just didn’t make sense

e.       Same way with a lot of people today

                                                              i.      Jesus is God! 

                                                            ii.      It just doesn’t make sense

3.      Jesus is put out with Philip

John 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?

a.       The REAL bottom line is right here

b.      Jesus says we must believe He is WHO He claims to be

                                                              i.      OR else we are DEAD to our sins

c.       Philip asked the question that is on so many people’s mind

                                                              i.      WHO is this Jesus?

CONCLUSION

1.      Little tradition now

a.       Tradition tells us that Philip established CHURCHES in Asia Minor (Turkey)

b.      Tradition tells us that he was MARTYRED by stoning in Hierapolis (High-ur-ap-uh-lis)

                                                              i.      He death took place some 8 years AFTER the death of James

                                                            ii.      That would make him among the FIRST to die for the cause of Christ

2.      Philip, interesting guy

a.       When PHILIP met Jesus he had to SHARE the Good News

                                                              i.      He wanted to give Jesus an OPPORTUNITY to win others

b.      PHILIP learned to ALWAYS include Jesus in ones decision making

                                                              i.      We saw that at the feeding of the 5,000

c.       Finally PHILIP learned to put two and two together

                                                              i.      Jesus IS God