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 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.
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