Philip, a young personal worker for Christ
Some people seem to think that the answer to the church’s problems is to be more modern and use modern technology. Let’s get into the twentieth century; let’s computerize is the cry.
A vicar decided to use a word processor for his work. In his service sheets for funerals he used the ‘Find and Replace’ instruction to change the name of the deceased. He did this for funeral after funeral and was pleased with the time he was saving. One week he changed the name from Mary, who had been buried the previous week, to Edna and printed out the service sheets. All went well in the service until they came to the Apostles’ Creed. Everyone was aghast when they read,
“Jesus Christ, born of the virgin Edna.”
Technology certainly has its place but there are no easy ways to be effective for Christ, and win others for him. It is personal work and personal workers that are needed. God could achieve his ends through a whole variety of means but he has chosen to use his people, acting as His representatives. We are His body, our feet are His feet and our tongues are His! As Paul said,
“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though Christ were making his appeal through us.” (2 Cor. 5 v. 20).
Philip is a beautiful example of a young but well trained personal worker in the Bible.
Background
After Pentecost the early church hardly stopped in their efforts to share the gospel with others. They were flogged and ordered not to speak about Jesus by the civil authorities but nothing could restrain them.
“Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.” (Acts 5 v. 42)
The apostles found this ‘ministry of the word of God’, the preparation and the teaching so time consuming that they needed others to help them organise the day to day running of the church. So they chose seven people, ‘full of the Holy Spirit’. (Acts 6 v. 3)
Today there is a lot of misunderstanding about what this means - to be full of the spirit. Surely it is a shorthand way of saying that their spirits were completely under the control of God’s Spirit and consequently their words were his words and their actions were for him. “Those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires” (Romans 8 v. 5)
The chosen seven were therefore recognised as being men who were ‘living for God’ but were also wise, having the sense that was needed to organise a church. Stephen and Philip were the first two on this list.
Isn’t this a lovely example of senior people in a church longing to be free for Bible teaching and evangelism, leaving the more junior deacons to do the administration. So often today it is the opposite. Today all too often the Bishops choose to do the administration leaving the less experienced and often less trained to do the Bible teaching and evangelism. In some ways the bishops have become the deacons and the deacons have become the bishops!
Then came the martyrdom of Stephen and the subsequent persecution of the young church in Jerusalem by the Jewish authorities. (Acts 8 v. 1)
The Christians were scattered, ousted from their homes and jobs. The Milosevic of those days was a man called Saul! The effect must have seemed to be disastrous to the early church leaders. The church structure was destroyed. People could no longer attend the Christian training sessions safely. The organisers were no longer needed as there was no longer a church structure to organise. But wait a moment, God changed this seeming disaster into something wonderful. It is thrilling to see how He could turn an apparent defeat and make it into a victory! The key was simple, those scattered “preached the word” wherever they went.
What a church! They were truly ‘full of the Spirit’, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ. The evidence for this was that they were primarily about the Lord’s business. Jesus himself faced such tensions over priorities. People came to him in their hoards to be healed, and this would undoubtedly make him very popular with the masses but that was not his priority. He told his disciples that he must move on,
“So that I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” (Mark 1 v. 38)
Philip was in all likelihood one of those church members who were scattered by the persecution. He also ‘preached the word’ wherever he went (Acts 8 v. 4). The next verse says that he went up to Samaria to do this. What does this shorthand phrase ‘preach the word’ really mean? The answer is in verse 12.
“He preached the good news of the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ.”
In other words he was teaching what we have described as the ‘potted gospel’, saying that no-one need remain in the ‘kingdom of Sin’ but they could transfer to become God’s people, in God’s Kingdom, by putting themselves under the authority of Jesus.
Something else was interesting about his approach. He obviously taught that a public response to Jesus was necessary. He didn’t leave them feeling comfortable by just telling them about the love of God. No, he explained that the only way they could be comfortable before God is to respond positively and openly to his Son, Jesus. He did not worry who he talked to, both men and women needed to respond to God’s Son. Both men and women responded and were baptized (Acts 8 v. 12). The phrase ‘both men and women’ is very striking, it was surely included because it was so remarkable. (If you read John the Baptist’s Sermon in Luke chapter 3, the illustrations are all to do with men, see verses 11,12 and 14)
Philip obviously longed for and expected both men and women to respond to this gospel. It is interesting what criteria Philip looked for in those he baptized. In Acts 8 v. 14 it says that “they had accepted the word of God”. This would have meant accepting both the divine authority of Jesus, the ‘Word of God’ and consequently the teaching of Jesus. A person is not yet a Christian until they have accepted this authority over their lives.
So far so good. Philip understood,
That the written word of God was central.
The significance of Jesus for everyone.
That a response to Jesus was needed.
It is interesting however that although he knew all about the empowering of the Holy Spirit, he did not stress that the Samaritans could also be gifted in the same way, to empower them to live for Jesus. Possibly this was because they were Samaritans, and he was unsure whether such people could be fully accepted by God as equal members of His church. This was remedied when Peter and John came and accepted the new Christians as their equals and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit in the same way that they had.
It is encouraging that in spite of this misunderstanding in doctrinal matters, God used Philip mightily.
Now let us see from Acts chapter 8 what happens next, and learn from the story how we also can be effective for Christ even when there are many pressures on us.
Philip saw the example of the church leaders
How important this point is. If the leaders are not living examples of people who are all out for Christ, it is unlikely that their churches will be. Acts 8 v. 25 shows that these church leaders were open examples of men who,
Testified, that is they told others what they knew,
Openly taught others the ‘Word of God’.
It is probable that Philip was still young and single, yet he was a man of the Spirit. He was a great man because he trusted and obeyed a great God. He, like his teachers, longed that others should hear and respond to the gospel.
There was an Anglican Church in London that was growing very fast. Its services were full. They had the choice of expanding their own church building, having additional services, planting another church nearby. They decided to plant a church on an estate one and a half miles away. Unfortunately this was in another parish. The news got out and the local bishop received complaints. The vicar and his churchwarden, a retired army Brigadier were summonsed to a meeting with two local bishops. The Brigadier kept calling the bishops ‘General’, but even this approach did not prevent the bishops expressing their concerns forcefully. In the end the Brigadier said to the senior bishop,
“General, let me get this clear. We are trying to preach the gospel.” He paused momentarily, “And you are trying to stop it.”
Mouths dropped, but the church plant went ahead.
How desperately we need the senior people in our churches to have this passion for Christ, this passion for sharing the gospel with others and teaching them God’ word, just as those early church leaders did. This is how to set the standards for the next generation. I have been greatly influenced by Leith Samuel who was a great Christian leader of the last generation. At his funeral today David Jackman said of him,
“Whether in the pulpit, or in the train going up to the Westminster Fellowship, in the open air, or one to one in the arm chair at home, it is my conviction that Leith was never happier than when he was sharing the gospel and declaring the unsearchable riches of Christ.”
Philip was open to God’s leading
We are not told exactly how the angel spoke to young Philip. It could have been in a dream or vision, it could have been through other Christians or church leaders, but he recognised it as coming directly from God. I love the association between verses 26 where Philip is told ‘GO’, and verse 27 where it says ‘SO’. God directs so Philip immediately responds. (If you look at the early chapters of Mark’s version of the gospel, you will note how often it is stressed that people responded immediately to Jesus.)
The proof that Philip lived to please his Lord is his obedience to the commands of God. If you want real proof that someone is full of the Spirit look to see if they are obedient to the ‘word of God’.
When I first read this story it appeared that God had lead Philip into the wilderness and Philip was uncertain what it was all about, perhaps waiting for something to happen. Further study makes it seem more likely that Philip was on his way to Gaza, where the Palestinians (then called Philistines) lived, in order to teach the gospel to them. In Acts 8 v. 40 he arrives at Azotus, which was the contemporary name for the Old Testament city of Ashdod. This was one of the five great Philistine cities, which was only 15 miles from Gaza.
There are some Christians who seem to be active Christians for their own sakes. They make good friends, they are respected and admired in the church fraternity. Philip was not like that. He was willing to put himself out to please his Lord, even if it meant doing things for God that others might not notice. It is people such as Philip that God uses.
A Coincidence Happens!
Philip was walking along the road that leads down from Jerusalem to Gaza when he is overtaken by a slow moving chariot. Contemporary pictures show these chariots as having four wheels. Can you imagine the scene as Philip looks up and sees an important man behind his charioteer, probably wearing fine clothes. There might also have been some outriders. It is likely that this Ethiopian eunuch was a man of integrity. He appears interested in knowing God’s ways and he was trusted enough to be the official in charge of the Candace. Candace was the traditional title of a Queen Mother, who used to run the country on behalf of her son, the king, as he was reckoned to be too sacred for such mundane tasks. It was at this point in the story that the coincidence happened. Was it just a coincidence? A Christian leader once said,
“I find it strange that when I pray, coincidences happen, when I don’t pray coincidences don’t happen.’
Philip hears the man in the chariot reading a scroll. You might think that the chariot would be standing still in a layby, as it would be difficult to read racing along and scrolls were rather too expensive to risk being torn when they went over a bump, but further investigation makes this unlikely. Verse 30 says that Philip had to run to catch the chariot up and verse 38 says that the Ethiopian ‘gave orders to stop the chariot’. It seems likely therefore that the chariot was moving along at walking speed.
You and I might be overawed by such an important person, but not young Philip. He recognised that people such as this also need to hear the gospel. They are only human after all. A rector was driving in an undertaker’s car to take a funeral. They drove past a very rich house in his parish and were admiring it when the undertaker exclaimed,
“You know vicar, they all look the same when they come to us!”
Philip was alerted when he heard what the Ethiopian was reading. In those days all reading was done out loud.
“He was led like a lamb to the slaughter and as a lamb before his sheerer is silent, so he did not open his mouth.”
Can you imagine the excitement that Philip felt as he recognised that passage from the word of God, from Isaiah 53?
In those days there would not have been a vast choice of scrolls that the eunuch could have bought in the Jerusalem bookshop, as everything had to be written out by hand, but it was still an amazing coincidence. Philip obviously knew Isaiah 53 well. He probably also knew that Jesus had taught that that chapter was about himself. Jesus had said,
“It is written, ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors’ and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me.” (Luke 22 v. 37)
The Ethiopian was reading about Jesus! No wonder Philip was excited. This coincidence was too strange for words. He must have felt that God was behind this.
Do you ever feel like that, when something that someone says or does, demonstrates that they have an interest in the things of God, and you are prompted to stay around as an opportunity to speak for Christ may appear? Philip could not restrain himself. He runs up to the chariot. It seems likely that his boldness came from his recognition that God was in this coincidence.
The next point in the story is very important for us if we are to learn to be really effective for Christ.
He asked a direct question
If we have not learnt to do this we will miss out on so many opportunities. As Philip runs up to the chariot he asks the eunuch,
“Do you understand what you are reading?”
Some may think this rather forward and rather risky. It could result in his being snubbed or ridiculed by this important man. The ruler could have said,
“Who are you, you young Jewish man to approach me in this manner whilst I am relaxing?”
Philip’s motto seems to have been,
‘Nothing venture, nothing gain.’
The question he asked is brilliant. He did not say a casual “Good scroll that!” or “I’ve read that”. Instead he asks a personal question,
“Do you understand what you are reading?”
An urgency is also implied in this question as if he were asking “Do you understand that – it really does matter!”
How important it is for all of us to learn to ask polite but real questions. When we meet people who are going through problems we can sensitively ask, “Do you have a faith that helps you at a time like this, or aren’t you sure?” When talking to someone about religious matters you can ask,
“Are you a Christian yourself, or are you still uncertain?”
“Are you certain you are right with God and going to heaven or are you a bit unsure?”
There are many such questions. Giving people alternative answers does prevent us from cornering people and allows them to admit that they are uncertain and so lead on to further conversation. If you have not learnt this secret of effective personal work, do learn it from Philip.
“Do you understand what you are reading?”
As so often happens after asking a direct question, the reply opens up a very profitable conversation. “How can I, unless someone explains it to me.” How Philip must have been thrilled as the Ethiopian asked, “Would you mind explaining to me who the prophet is talking about?” “Come up and join me in my chariot.” Do you know this thrill of being in such situations?
Let us be clear, evangelism is explaining the story and significance of Jesus. We are not evangelising if we are not talking about him! Some people think that talking about their religious experiences is enough, but this is not true. My role is to explain to others who Jesus is and what he has done.
He knew his Bible well
Firstly he was able to recognise those verses from the prophet Isaiah and was able to explain the significance of that chapter to an inquirer. More than that he was able to show from multiple passages in the Old Testament that these books were all about Jesus. (Acts 8 v. 35) How many young Christians today could do that?
The interesting question to ask is how did he learn to do this?
The answer must be that he had been to training Bible Studies where the emphasis was to learn what a passage means and be able to explain and apply it to people we meet. They would not be studies where leaders were content to ask, “What do you most like about this passage?” They must have spent considerable time learning the words and meaning of God’s word to us. It is relevant that after Pentecost, when 3000 people were converted, the new Christians, “devoted themselves to the apostles teaching”. Surely this is how he knew that Jesus had said that Isaiah 53 was about himself, because Peter and John and the other apostles had taught them what Jesus had said at the last supper.
Those early Christians were undoubtedly ‘people of the Word’. They expected Christians to do some prep! Thus Peter taught “Always be prepared to give an answer . . . ” (1 Peter 3 v. 15) and Paul said to Timothy “Be prepared in season and out of season . . .” (2 Tim 4 v. 2). “Be Prepared” may be the motto for the scout movement, but it should also be that of the church. Let us all encourage each other to spend time doing our Christian homework or prep, learning the Bible well and learning how to explain these things to others.
There is a hint of something else important in the manner in which Philip talked to the eunuch. He did not immediately jump up and recite a sermon to him that he had learnt by heart. He appears to have entered into a two-way dialogue with question and answer. There is an inference of this polite relationship in verse 34 – “Tell me please, who is the prophet talking about?” Philip had obviously learned to “Be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3 v. 15)
Just as Philip had been taught the ‘Word of God’ as part of his early Christian training, so now he is teaching it to others. This is the essential cycle of the church. As in a relay race, we pass on the baton of knowledge of God’s Word to others. After his resurrection Jesus met his disciples in the upper room and what did he do then? “He opened their minds so that they could understand the Scriptures” (Luke 24 v. 45). In Samaria, Peter and John “proclaimed the word of God” (Acts 8 v. 25). When Philip was talking with the Ethiopian, he “began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus” (Acts 8 v. 35)
Chris Richardson gave up a very good job, with excellent prospects for promotion, in order to share this gospel with others full time. He now works with overseas students in Sheffield. He met a Chinese scholar who appeared totally ignorant of the Christian gospel. After a discussion he and his friends were invited to a Bible study. They had never seen a Bible before that week. Chris asked for them to prepare by reading the first three chapters of Genesis and the first chapter of John’s gospel. At the study, after looking at the Genesis chapters for half an hour Chris asked this Chinese man, “How does God communicate with humans?” After a pause he replied, “I think God communicates with humans by sending Jesus”. In such a short time he had grasped that the message of the whole Bible is essentially about Jesus.
He taught that an open response to Jesus is needed
Philip was not satisfied to tell the message about Jesus, he explained that a response must be made to this message. This response can only be “Yes, I accept him” or “No, I don’t want him”. A response of “I understand” may be encouraging but it is inadequate. The only response that God finds acceptable is “Yes, I want to be committed to Jesus”.
The Ethiopian obviously understood this. “Why shouldn’t I be baptised?” he asked (Acts 8 v. 37). There and then that is what happened. He symbolically died to his old life by going under the water and rose again from it to live a new life. It is also a picture of his being washed of the sin of his old life and the beginning of a new holy life, lived with and for Jesus. Philip must have taught him that the prime object of life was to become right with God and then live close to him. It is not primarily ‘join the church’ and live in harmony in the Christian community – these things are secondary. It is possible to be involved with a church and not have a personal relationship with Jesus for ourselves. It was Martin Luther who stressed that Christianity consists of personal pronouns. Many religious people can say, “Jesus is Lord”. Only those right with God can say “Jesus is my Lord”!
After his meeting with the Ethiopian, God took Philip away. They probably never met up again in this life. Yet it is said that the Coptic Church developed from that one man. How could that happen? What did the Ethiopian have to help him after his conversion? There were probably few other Christians around. The answer must be that he had the Bible and God’s Spirit to help him. There is certainly no indication that the Ethiopian was daunted over the possible problems he would face. Verse 39 says, “he went on his way rejoicing”. He had understood the answer to life. He was right with God because of Jesus. This joy is a common mark of true conversion. A few chapters later the jailer of the prison in Philippi became a Christian. “He was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God – he and his whole family.”
His circumstances changed but not his priority
It would be easy to think that this is the story of an idealistic young man who was able to behave in this way because he had the enthusiasm of youth and few responsibilities. There is evidence however that Philip did not change in later years. This is slightly speculative but Acts 8 v. 40 states that Philip “traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea”. Caesarea was sixty miles north of Gaza. What is it that normally causes a young man to settle down like this? It is likely that he met a young lady and got married. There is some evidence to support this. Twenty years or so later, the apostle Paul was returning from his second missionary journey and he arrived by boat at Caesarea. “We reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied” (Acts 21 v. 8,9). This means that Philip’s daughters were probably in their late teens. It therefore seems probable that, in spite of his responsibilities of a wife and large family he still longed that others should come to know Jesus. It is only at this time that he is given the title ‘Philip the Evangelist’. This is so encouraging, a different situation, a large family but Jesus is still his priority. That is the mark of a Christian.
BVP
May 99
