Reflections on "Philip: Stepping Out" John 1: 43-51; John 12

The final sermon of the "Minor Characters" sermon series.  It went well, particularly in the Chapel service.  My timing was a bit off in the Sanctuary service.  I also added a connection to the baptism we were having in the Sanctuary service in the sermon I preached in that service. The third point about Jesus knowing their names could be the basis for a full sermon.

“Philip: Stepping Out” August 28, 2016; FPC, Troy; John 1; 43-51

(John 1:43-51) The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Follow me." Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth." Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, "Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!" Nathanael asked him, "Where did you get to know me?" Jesus answered, "I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you." Nathanael replied, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" Jesus answered, "Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these." And he said to him, "Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man." (NRSV)

Introduction: Philip is one of the disciples. although not one of the key leaders like Peter.

He would be in that group of disciples who are mentioned a bit -- not as much as some, but more than others.

If you search for all the stories in which Philip is mentioned, however, it might surprise you how often he is mentioned.

We even had a story about Philip a few weeks ago -- Philip was the one who met the Ethiopian eunuch and talked to him and baptized him.

But, perhaps to give credence to his minor character status, I accidentally referred to him as Peter a couple of times in that sermon.

Peter rolls off the tongue rather easily in a sermon; Philip not so much.

Look at a couple of stories that include Philip – in fact, we'll even run into Nathanael, another of the lesser known disciples, as well.

Move 1: Philip goes with Jesus.

a. The Bible is full of great call stories.

1. Abram and Sarai have a baby at Sarai's old age. They pack up their bags and go when God calls.

2. Samuel hears a voice in the night.

3. Jonah gets swallowed by a fish.

3. In the gospels we have stories of Jesus calling out to disciples fishing in a boat and calls out to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people!” A great line, right?

4. Saul is struck blind on the road to Damascus, hears the voice of the risen Lord, and has a dramatic turn to his life.

5. Great call stories.

6. We love to hear and tell call stories.

7. One of the reasons I invite people to explore their own faith journeys is to allow them to discover how to tell their story.

7. And it is not uncommon as people give voice to their call stories that they add a dramatic moment or serendipitous moment when everything fell into place.

b. “When I'm honest, it irks me that God called Moses through a burning bush, and God has sent nothing of the sort in my direction as far as I can tell.” The Godbearing Life: The Art of Soultending for Youth Ministry, Kenda Dean and Ron Foster (74)

1. Philip could probably relate to that perspective.

2. He does not have much of a call story.

3. Jesus says “Philip come on with me,” and Philip goes.

2. Nothing dramatic.

3. Philip simply steps out and follows Jesus.

4. If he told a group of people his call story, the people listening would be like, “Ok, now Paul tell us again about what happened to you on the road to Damascus.”

b. In similar fashion, Philip goes and finds Nathanael.

1. No miracle.

2. No grand speech.

3. He merely tells Nathanael that he has found the person for whom they had been looking.

c. That's what it comes down to for each of us.

1. Are you going to go and follow Jesus?

2. Maybe you will be one of those people who has some dramatic experience, but I suspect for most of us it will be more like Philip.

3. Simply a willingness to follow.

3. Not something we have to figure out. Just go.

5. I am not saying that disicpleship will be easy or that there will not be challenges.

             6. But I am inviting you to look at how Philip just goes when Jesus calls and then ask yourself – are you willing?

Move 2: Ask the question - what happens to the Greeks?

a. Sort of an odd transition in the story, or maybe no transition.

1. Philip runs into some Greeks who want to know Jesus.

2. On Philip's part, this could have been an instructive moment.

3. he could make a grand statement about how anyone can be a follower of Jesus.

4. or he could have gone the other direction and not included the Greeks and made a statement about who was not included.

5. He just goes and finds Andrew, and then they go to Jesus.

             6. again, Philip not making it complicated – just going to Jesus.

b. Then there is this abrupt shift in the story.

1. Jesus never says what to do about the Greeks.

2. Instead Jesus wants to talk about the demands of discipleship.

3. We do not know what Jesus thinks about the Greeks wanting to meet him. AT least not specifically.

4. Maybe the clue to what is important in found in the abrupt shift in the story.

5. It gives the impression that Jesus does not care if you are a Jews, a Gentile, a Greek, or whatever.

6. all Jesus wants is people who will follow him.

B. Martin Luther King, Jr. “How often are our lives characterized by a high blood pressure of creeds and an anemia of deeds! “Strength to Love as quoted by Sharron R. Blezard, January 15, 2015; http://www.stewardshipoflife.org/2015/01/the-call/

1. the point is not who you are or what you know.

2. All that matters is a willingness to follow Jesus.

Move 3: Jesus knew Nathanael and Philip.

a. Sort of an interesting irony of this story.

1. Philip and Nathanael, much like Pewter and Andrew, have apparently been looking for the Messiah.

2. They have some type of description in mind, but they do not know who he is.

    b. Jesus knows who they are.

1. He calls Philip by name.

2. When Nathanael approaches, Jesus greets him with familiarity.

2. These guys may have just found Jesus, but Jesus knows who they are.

      c. When we speak of following Jesus, or just going when Jesus calls, it is not an invitation to follow someone who does not know you.

               1. Jesus already knows you.

2. Jesus already desires to have a relationship with you.

3. Jesus already has plans.

Conclusion: The Greeks ask if Philip can show them Jesus. Are you willing to step out and show them?