Pastor A

Philip was not quick to understand spiritual things or attempt to live by faith. In fact, he was probably the “slowest” mentally and spiritually of all the disciples. At the feeding of the five thousand, when Jesus asked him where they could get enough bread to feed the people, Philip did not respond in faith. He did not say, “Why, You can provide bread for them, Lord. We saw You turn water into wine. This should not be too hard for You.”

No, all Philip could say to the Son of God is found in John 6:5-7, “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? 6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. 7 Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.” When the searching Greeks came to him at the feast, wanting to find Jesus, Philip did not even have the spiritual boldness to deal with them himself. He had to take them to Andrew, who helped him introduce them to Christ.

John 12:20-22, “And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast: 21 The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. 22 Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.“

But, Philip never gave up. Every day he stayed close to the Master, getting to know Him more perfectly, obeying His teaching as it became plain to him. And before too long, it all fell in place for him. Philip found the will of God… not because he was full of faith, abundantly talented or spiritually brilliant. Because Philip’s heart was right and because he daily obeyed and learned more from the Master, Philip found God’s will for his life.

You may not be the outstanding Christian in your church. You may never be recognized for your talents or abilities. You may even share with Philip the reputation of being “slow”, and “underachiever.” But when it comes to knowing and doing the will of God, you have the same opportunity and capability as anyone. God’s will does not belong to a favored few; it belongs to all who from the heart of trust and obey the Master completely.  

Philip was a Jew with a Greek name. Historians suggest that he was probably given his name in honor of Philip the Tetrarch, a Greek king who had ruled the region where the disciple was born. Understandably, there had been a strong Greek influence in Philip’s life, and this was to play an important part in God’s will for Philip’s ministry. One Bible passage illustrates this fact:

John 12:20-21, “And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast: 21 The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.“

Was it coincidental that these Greeks came to Philip and not to Peter or John or some other disciple? No. It was a part of God’s plan for Philip’s life. The Gospel was to be shared with all people (Greeks included) and Philip was to be instrumental in spreading the good news throughout the Grecian world. God used Philip’s knowledge and understanding of the Greek culture to accomplish this vital mission. The most reliable records of Philip’s later life show that his ministry was centered in the areas populated with Greeks. The life of Philip is a simple yet significant example of the way God directs His children into His will.

God has a wonderful plan for your life. To say that He does not is to insult His character. It is ridiculous to question whether the God Who so masterfully created and redeemed you would fail to also provide a plan for your life. The simple truth is that the primary reason for your existence is to live according to His plan, which is called, “the will of God.”

Jesus Himself said, “My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me.” John 4:34. So, the purpose of your life is identical to the purpose of Jesus’ life – to do the will of God. But perhaps you are confused about how the will of God is revealed. Certainly there are a lot of wrong ideas about this; but it is safe to say that much confusion can be cleared away by understanding the two aspects of God’s will: written and unwritten.

Tomorrow we will have a few thoughts regarding God’s written will.