Jesus' Close Friends - Philip - Part 5

The final picture (the fourth) we have of Philip is when he and the other disciples have joined Christ for the Passover meal during Christ's final hours before the crucifixion.

During these last hours Christ explains to His disciples:

     My command is this: love one another as I
     have loved you.

     [Note: in the verses before he said 'As
     the Father has loved me, so have I loved you'
     and now he commands that they love each
     just as much (1) as God loves His Son
     (2) because that is how much God's
     Son loves them.
    
     The friends of the King must not only love him,
     they must love one another....a joyous
     everlasting circle of love.]

     Greater love has no one than this, that he
     lay down his life for his friends.

     You are my friends if you do whatever I
     command. I no longer call you servants,
     because a servant does not know his master's
     business.

     Instead I have called you friends, for everything
     that I learned from my Father I have made
     known to you.

     You did not choose me, but I chose you....
                                            - John 15:12-16

The Perfect Friend

These verses summarize what it means to be a 'friend.' A friend in general, but also specifically a friend of the "Lord of lords and Kings of kings."

It is a humbling experience to be His friend, and we can remind ourselves each day that He chose us, we did not choose Him.

A friend keeps in touch. A friend is aware of what
each one needs. A friend listens and responds in
kindness. A friend shares what is on his heart and
does not refrain from loving counsel.


A text or e-mail might come to me: 'Please call' and I do. Because it is a plea from my friend!


A friend shares his plans and confides his secrets.


     The LORD confides in those who fear him;
     He makes his covenant known to them.
                                  - Psalm 25:14


And Christ is sharing His plans right there in that
Upper Room where He is sharing the last Passover.

Christ, by example, is the perfect friend!

The Perfect Helper

It would not be easy for the disciples to take it all in -- after all, that week began with Christ's Triumphal Entry (Palm Sunday) into Jerusalem, and would end with His crucifixion and resurrection - but Christ promises the gift of the Holy Spirit to comfort them and to bring them remembrance and understanding:

     I will ask the Father and he will give you
     another Counselor to be with you forever -
     the Spirit of truth.

     The world cannot accept him, because it
     neither sees him nor knows him...

     All this I have spoken while still with you.
     But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom
     the Father will send in my name, will teach
     you all things and will remind you of
     everything I have said to you.
                             - John 14:16-17, 25-26

(What an exciting promise -- they didn't even have to worry that they would forget some of His teaching!
So their past months of being in the presence of the God-man could be, like gleaming treasures, moment by moment, retrieved and savored for the rest of their lives!)

    

 What Was Bothering Philip?  

Jesus had already given his command to 'love one
another' to His disciples in John 13 (verse 34).
Jesus repeats it several times. (John 15:12 and 17 for two examples.)

And it is stated again and again throughout the New
Testament.

Philip, along with the rest of the disciples, listened
to all this and tried to put it all in context.

But something else had been bothering Philip.


See Jesus' Close Friends - Philip - Part 6

Jesus' Close Friends - Philip - Part 4

Our next picture (the third) of Philip brings us to John 12.

    Now there were some Greeks among those who
    went up to worship at the Feast. They went up
    to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee,
    with a request, "Sir," they said, "we would like
    to see Jesus."

    Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in
    turn told Jesus.

    Jesus replied, The hour has come for the Son of
    Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a
    kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it
    remain only a single seed. But if it dies it produces
    many seeds....
                         -- John 12:20-24


We looked a these verses in our study on Andrew (See Lesson 1) but here are just a few more thoughts:

 Why did Jesus say, "The hour has come"?

Several times earlier in His ministry He said, "My hour has not yet come." But now it has.

Is it the appearance of the Greeks? Is this a turning point? We notice in the preceding verses that the
Pharisees had rejected him again, and were, in fact, planning to kill Lazarus also -- he was the greatest living example of Christ's miraculous power -- so it would make sense to "erase" both of them.

     Now the crowd that was with him when he called
     Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the
     dead continued to spread the word.

     Many people, because they had heard that he
     had given this miraculous sign, went out to
     meet him.

     So the Pharisees said to one another, "See this
     is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole
     world has gone after him!"
                                                            
                           -- John 12:17-19

Strangely prophetic words: the whole world has gone
after him.

John tells his story with such contrast and irony.

 The Pharisees, the respected religious leaders and "establishment," had rejected Jesus and were, in fact, planning to kill him.  But here come the Gentiles, not of the house of Israel, seeking him.

And were the Pharisees also thinking about the recent welcome Jesus received when he entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday?

The Pharisees were speaking true words - more true that they realized. Literally, the whole world was now going to come seeking Jesus.

The Greeks came to Philip because they wanted to see Jesus.

Do people come to us in order to "see Jesus"?

Jesus is Glorified When the Doors are Open

So often we spend our energies trying to be in the Inner Circle - close to the seat of power -  next to the rich and influential.

This involves excluding others - for obviously we can't become part of the elite unless we bar others,
the "less worthy," from being in that group.

Jesus didn't think that way. His glory consists in opening the doors wide and wide, including all who want to enter in. So that people from every race and tribe can be part of that final group around his throne.

No one is cast out.  One of our last pictures of Jesus,
recorded for us also by John, shows us this image:

     You are worthy to take the scroll and to open
     its seals,

     Because you were slain, and with your blood
     you purchased men for God from every tribe and
     language and people and nation.

     You have made them to be a kingdom and priests
     to serve our God, and they will reign on earth.
                    --- Revelation 5:9-10



I remember a youth leader, many years ago, who
cautioned us, "Hate draws a line to keep people out,
but love makes a circle to draw people in."

Christ died to open doors - not to close them.

Why should we be different?

    


    




    

  

Jesus' Close Friends - Philip - Part 3

We learn a lot about Philip at the Feeding of the Five Thousand...

This is the second picture we have of him in scripture.

We read about it in John, chapter 6, verses 1-13.


     When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd
     coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where
     shall we buy bread for these people to eat?"

     He asked this only to test him, for he already
     had in mind what he was going to do.

     Philip answered him, "Eight months' wages
     would not buy enough bread for each one to
     have a bite."


This is an insightful picture of Philip. We can see
his inner personality here. He is certainly practical.

I enjoy imagining him stand there on the grassy
slopes, maybe his robes flapping a little in a gentle
breeze, focusing his attention in a small cluster of
people, counting them -30? or 40? there in that
group - then quickly glancing over the whole crowd
and calculating how many such groups made up the whole - figuring a total approximate number - (like we might do in a crowded assembly hall or arena) multiplying the cost of bread per person - and coming up with an answer! A hopelessly human answer - but certainly an accurate assessment of the problem.

Philip had a lot to learn. He got caught up in all his mental calculation and mathematical knowledge - his expertise.

And he got caught up in the immediate crisis. Much like we do when we get an unexpected bill in the mail - we wring our hands and quickly figure how short we are in our account-- maybe decide, "I need to get a
parttime job, to earn x-amount of dollars to pay this," or "how can I get out of this?" Or, "well, there goes our vacation!"

We will have learned a lot about our heavenly Father when we have learned to take each crisis, each difficulty, before Him and ask for His help and wisdom, as soon as it arises.

Philip was probably proud of his mental abilities and maybe enjoyed showing off his knowledge. But in so doing, he really showed off his ignorance, because when he made his calculation, he neglected to figure Christ into his equation!

Philip had a head for figures, but his heart for Christ still needed some work.

I understand Philip very well.

Jesus' Close Friends - Philip - Part 2

Jesus' Close Friends - Philip - Part 2

The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee.
He found Philip and said to him, "Follow me".

                           -- John 1:43

God chooses us. We do not choose Him.

The Last Passover

Some months later Philip was present with Jesus

and the other disciples in a small room in Jerusalem

sharing their last Passover meal with Him.

     Jesus knew the time had come for him to leave

     this world and go to the Father. Having loved

     his own who were in the world, he now shared

     with them the full extent of his love [that he

     loved them to the last.] 

                               -- John 13:1

During Jesus' teachings at this meal, he said to his close followers:

     You did not choose me, but I chose you to

     go to bear fruit -- fruit that will last.

                               -- John 15:16

Was Philip, upon hearing these words, remembering that day when Jesus found him and said, "Follow me"?

The Bigger Picture

The idea that we are chosen is cause for great humility.

     Not by works of righteousness that we have

     done, but according to his mercy he has saved

     us.                      -- Titus 3:5

     Who has saved us and called us with a holy

     calling, not according to our works, but

     according to his own purpose and grace

     which was given us before time began.

                             -- 2 Timothy 1:9

We see another aspect of being "chosen" in Ephesians 1:3-4 when Paul gives us a clear view of the bigger picture:

     Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord

     Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly

     realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

     For he [God] chose us in him before the

     creation of the world to be holy and blameless in

     his sight.

This "choseness" occurred before the creation of

the world!

Just think - we were in God's plan right from before anything else! WE -- you and I and all the others in God's family!

    ... according to his own purpose and grace....

Is this the giant thought with which to start every day?  Is there anything more delightfully mysterious and astonishing than this?

Is this the single truth that should get us through every day, no matter what "danger, toils and snares" come at us?

It's like we were close to him all along - on his heart - his intention - he planned for us - he prepared the way for us.

Every generation, every great great great great grandparent that brought us into the world was being used as part of the plan that finally brought us into his kingdom! And they could say the same thing!

(I know, that's sounds pretty self-centered - but it's true and somehow very humbling also!)

It's too much for us to comprehend.

What Does "Chosen" Mean?

Paul, in Ephesians 1:3-4 (see above) traces "every spiritual blessing" to its ultimate source in the inexplicable purposes of God.

The Greek word for "chose" used here in Ephesians is the usual one used in the Old Testament (we know that from the Greek Septuagint, the translation of the Old Testament from Hebrew in the 3rd century BC) describing God's choice of Israel as his own people.

It pictures taking a smaller unit out of a larger.

Just as Israel was chosen - a small, insignificant country, out of all the more powerful countries - to

be God's inheritance and his tool for changing the world, so the Church - small and meager as we may sometimes appear - is his workmanship for bringing in his kingdom.

God determined, before creation, that all who believed on his Son should be saved.

What Does That Say To Us?

There is a moral purpose in all this. To be "holy" means to be set apart for God in order to reflect His purity. It is not just imputed (to bestow upon another) righteousness, but actual righteousness.

Blameless is "free from blemish" like the sacrificial animals presented at the altar in the Old Testament under the old covenant.

When we remember the basic meaning of the Greek word choose (taking a small unit out of a larger one) we can see how history moves along.

We in God's family are a remnant, a small group, a minority (though powerful with God's mighty power).

A small group, not ever the majority.

In viewing history we must always remember this: we are now a minority - a small portion taken out of the whole - we are not supposed to be "popular" and "trend-setters" and "oh so hip" and all the phrases that describe the "movers and shakers" and their groupies of each generation.

But It Will Not Always Be That Way....

When the final curtain comes down:

     They will make war against the Lamb, but the

     Lamb will overcome them because He is Lord of

     lords and King of kings - and with Him will be

     His called, chosen and faithful followers.

                          -- Revelation 17:14

And He shall reign forever and ever, and we will be with im because we are His "called and chosen followers."

Jesus Christ chose Philip and said to him, "Follow me" and he did.

He is chosen you. And He says to you, "Follow me."

Say "yes" right now and start the journey. 

When we looked at Andrew's life we had 3 portraits of him presented in scripture (besides those "group pictures" of him with the other disciples).

With Philip we have four personal pictures: The first was here in John 1:43 when Jesus sought him out and told him to "Follow me."

The second is at the Feeding of the 5000 (where we see him with Andrew),  the third is when the Greek Gentiles come to him asking to see Jesus (also with Andrew) and then the fourth is at the last night before Christ's death and Philip asked Jesus to "show us the Father."

To be concluded....



Jesus' Close Friends - Philip - Part 1

                                   JESUS' CLOSE FRIENDS - PHILIP - PART 1

          The next day Jesus decided to leave for

          Galilee.

          He found Philip and said to him, "Follow me."

          Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the

          town of Bethsaida.

          Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have

          found the one Moses wrote about in the Law,

          and about whom the prophets also wrote --

          Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."

                                  -- John 1:43-45

This is the day after Jesus met Simon, son of John (Jonas) and brother of Andrew, and renamed him "Peter."

Jesus had been at the area where John the Baptizer was preaching by the Jordan River.

Now we see Jesus leaving that area for Galilee.

And He finds Philip. The text tells us Jesus "found" Philip, just as Philip "found" Nathanael.

Not a Chance Encounter

It shows us that Jesus did not just "run across" Philip. He was searching, looking intentionally for him, just as Philip sought out his friend Nathanael.

It reminds us that God initiates His contact with us. We do not seek Him unless He first fills our hearts with the desire for Him.

Andrew and John went to hear the preaching of John the Baptizer because they were drawn there by the Holy Spirit.

The angel Gabriel, who appeared to Zechariah, the father of John the Baptizer, announced John's miraculous birth and told Zechariah that his son would:

 "be a joy and a delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord...he will be filled with the Holy Spirit from the womb. Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God...to make ready a people prepared for the Lord"  (Luke 1:11-17).

Later Jesus told a crowd: "I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist." (Matthew 11:11)

John the Baptist did bring great joy -- he was the announcer, the herald, of the arrival of the Messiah.

What was John the Baptist's Message?

But look at his usual message: he was critical, he called the religious leaders nasty names, he dressed oddly, and talked about "repentance" and "judgment" - not grace and mercy and comforting things like Jesus did.

John in his camel hair clothing out on the desert told people they were sinful and announced fearful judgment.

Herod finally had enough and placed him in prison, later killing him.

John the Baptist was irritating and annoying to most people. So who would go out on the desert to hear the man's preaching?

Who would Go Hear John the Baptizer?

Likely no one, unless the Spirit of the Lord was moving in their hearts and urging them to go out and hear God's message, no matter how painful.


Then, also, was that particular Old Testament prophecy that the "voice in the wilderness" would be the voice of the one who would announce the arrival of the Messiah.

The synagogues taught the Old Testament, and so every Jew knew some one would come to usher in the Messiah.

When Andrew went to John the Baptizer he was already grounded in the Spirit inspired-scriptures relating to the strange "voice in the wilderness" and  when the Holy Spirit led him, he obeyed.

Jesus went to Philip and said, "Follow me." And he did.

Jesus called out to Zacchaeus to come down out of the tree. And he did.

Months later Jesus said to his disciples: You did not choose me, but I chose you (John 15:16).

Did Philip then think back on that day when Jesus came to him and said, "Follow me?" I think he probably remembered it very clearly.

God chooses us. We do not choose Him.

Jesus chose Philip, sought him out and said, "Follow me." And Philip did.

Jesus is the "Hound of Heaven" that pursues us relentlessly, desiring our salvation and our restoration to His family.

He has chosen you, too and now pursues you. He says to you, "Follow me."

If you have not said "Yes," then do so now and begin the journey!

God chooses us. We do not choose Him.