Bulletins - Jubilee Ministries

SESSION 8 — PHILIP: “COME AND SEE”
FROM FOLLOWING JESUS TO TRULY SEEING JESUS
Primary Scripture Reading: John 1:43–46
John 1:43–46 ESV
43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”
INTRODUCTION — THE MAN JESUS FOUND
As we continue our series ORDINARY MEN, EXTRAORDINARY CALLING, we come to a disciple who does not receive nearly as much attention as Peter, John, Thomas, or Matthew.
His name is Philip.
Yet Philip appears at several strategic moments in the Gospel of John.
And there is something fascinating about every one of those appearances:
Philip is learning how to see beyond what is naturally possible.
Philip appears to have been practical.
Analytical.
Logical.
He calculated.
He evaluated.
He asked questions.
And sometimes his natural reasoning prevented him from immediately seeing what Jesus was trying to reveal.
But Jesus never discarded Philip because Philip had questions.
Jesus discipled him through his questions.
Philip teaches us that Jesus does not only call fiery personalities like Peter.
He does not only call contemplative personalities like John.
He does not only call skeptical personalities like Thomas.
Jesus also calls the person who wants to understand how everything works.
And Philip’s journey teaches us something powerful:
Faith does not require us to stop thinking. Faith requires us to stop allowing what we can calculate to determine what God can do.
PHILIP THE APOSTLE — NOT PHILIP THE EVANGELIST
Before going farther, we need to make an important biblical distinction.
There are two prominent men named Philip in the New Testament.
The Philip we are studying is:
PHILIP THE APOSTLE
He was one of the Twelve.
Later in Acts we meet another Philip:
PHILIP THE EVANGELIST
Acts 6 identifies him among the seven chosen to serve the growing church.
Acts 8 records his ministry in Samaria and his encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch.
Acts 21:8 specifically calls him:
“Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven.”
These are two different men.
Our study tonight concerns Philip the Apostle, one of the original Twelve.
1. JESUS FOUND PHILIP
John 1:43
“The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, ‘Follow me.’”
Notice the language.
Jesus found Philip.
Andrew heard John the Baptist identify Jesus.
Andrew brought Peter.
But when Philip enters the story, Scripture emphasizes that:
Jesus found him.
The Greek word translated “found” is:
HEURISKŌ — εὑρίσκω
Strong’s G2147
Meaning:
to find
to discover
to encounter
to find after searching
There is something beautiful here.
Before Philip ever went looking for Jesus,
Jesus came looking for Philip.
Then Jesus gives him only two words:
“FOLLOW ME.”
Greek:
AKOLOUTHEŌ — ἀκολουθέω
Strong’s G190
It means:
to follow
to accompany
to become a disciple
to join someone as their attendant
Jesus was not simply saying:
Walk down this road with Me.
He was saying:
Attach your life to Mine.
Philip’s life was about to change because Jesus had called him into discipleship.
2. THE FOUND MAN BECOMES A FINDER
John 1:45 says:
“Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.’”
Watch what happens.
Jesus finds Philip.
Then:
Philip finds Nathanael.
That is discipleship.
FOUND PEOPLE FIND PEOPLE.
Philip had barely begun following Jesus.
He had not attended seminary.
He had not heard the Sermon on the Mount.
He had not witnessed the resurrection.
He had not received the Great Commission.
Yet Philip already understood something fundamental:
If I have found the Messiah, somebody else needs to know about Him.
But notice what Philip says:
“We have found him…”
From Philip’s perspective, he found Jesus.
But John has already told us what actually happened.
Jesus found Philip.
That is the testimony of every believer.
We may say:
“I found Jesus.”
But when we look back over our lives, we realize:
He was pursuing us long before we understood what was happening.
3. PHILIP KNEW THE SCRIPTURES POINTED TO JESUS
Philip tells Nathanael:
“We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote…”
That statement tells us something about Philip.
Philip knew the Scriptures.
He understood that Israel was waiting for Someone.
The Law pointed toward Him.
The prophets spoke about Him.
The promises anticipated Him.
And Philip believed:
WE HAVE FOUND HIM.
Consider the prophetic trail Philip may have known:
Genesis 3:15 — the seed of the woman.
Genesis 22:18 — the promised seed through whom the nations would be blessed.
Deuteronomy 18:15 — the prophet like Moses.
Isaiah 7:14 — Immanuel.
Isaiah 9:6 — the child who would be called Mighty God.
Isaiah 53 — the suffering servant.
Micah 5:2 — the ruler coming from Bethlehem.
Philip’s excitement was not merely emotional.
He believed Jesus fulfilled the Scriptures.
4. “CAN ANYTHING GOOD COME OUT OF NAZARETH?”
Nathanael responds:
“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”
Philip could have started an argument.
He could have tried to defend Nazareth.
He could have produced theological arguments.
Instead, Philip gives one of the greatest evangelistic invitations in Scripture:
“COME AND SEE.”
Philip essentially says:
Don’t take my word for it.
Meet Him yourself.
There are times when people will debate our theology.
They may question our doctrine.
They may challenge our testimony.
But there is something incredibly powerful about saying:
COME AND SEE JESUS.
Because Christianity ultimately rests upon the revelation of Jesus Christ.
We are not merely inviting people to church.
We are not merely inviting them into a denomination.
We are not merely inviting them into a religious system.
We are bringing people to Jesus.
5. PHILIP AND THE IMPOSSIBLE MATH PROBLEM
The next major scene involving Philip occurs when Jesus feeds the five thousand.
John 6:5–7
“Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, ‘Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?’ He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, ‘Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.’”
This is where Philip’s personality becomes visible.
Jesus asks:
“Where can we buy bread?”
Philip immediately starts calculating.
Five thousand men.
Women and children may also have been present.
Two hundred denarii.
Not enough money.
Not enough bread.
Not enough resources.
PHILIP SAW THE NEED THROUGH THE LENS OF AVAILABLE RESOURCES.
But Scripture gives us information Philip did not have.
“He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.”
Jesus already knew the answer.
Philip was calculating while Jesus was preparing a miracle.
How many times have we done the same thing?
God gives us a situation.
We immediately calculate:
How much money do we have?
How many people do we have?
How much time do we have?
What resources are available?
And after calculating everything, we conclude:
“IT IS NOT ENOUGH.”
Philip’s math was correct.
His conclusion was understandable.
But his equation was missing something.
HE DIDN’T INCLUDE JESUS.
Five loaves plus two fish is not enough.
But:
FIVE LOAVES + TWO FISH + JESUS = MORE THAN ENOUGH.
The lesson Jesus was teaching Philip was:
Never calculate your ability without including My authority.
6. JESUS WILL SOMETIMES ASK QUESTIONS HE ALREADY KNOWS THE ANSWER TO
John tells us:
“He said this to test him…”
The Greek word is:
PEIRAZŌ — πειράζω
Strong’s G3985
Depending upon context, it can mean:
to test
to try
to examine
to prove
Jesus was not asking Philip because Jesus needed information.
Jesus was exposing Philip’s perspective.
God sometimes allows circumstances that reveal how we think.
The test does not always reveal something to God.
Sometimes:
THE TEST REVEALS SOMETHING TO US.
Pressure exposes our assumptions.
Difficulty exposes our dependency.
Impossible circumstances reveal whether our confidence rests in:
our resources
or
His sufficiency.
7. PHILIP BECOMES A BRIDGE TO JESUS
Another fascinating event occurs shortly before the crucifixion.
John 12:20–21
“Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus.’”
Gentiles approach Philip.
Their request is simple:
“SIR, WE WISH TO SEE JESUS.”
Why Philip?
Scripture does not explicitly tell us.
His Greek name and his background in Bethsaida may have made him approachable to Greek-speaking visitors.
But whatever the reason, they believed Philip could help them get to Jesus.
That raises a tremendous question for every believer:
WHEN PEOPLE WANT TO FIND JESUS, DO THEY THINK THEY CAN COME TO YOU?
What a reputation to have.
Not:
“Go ask Philip because Philip knows everything.”
But:
“Go ask Philip because Philip knows how to get to Jesus.”
Church, that is what we should become.
BRIDGES THAT LEAD PEOPLE TO CHRIST.
8. PHILIP STILL DOESN’T FULLY UNDERSTAND WHO JESUS IS
Perhaps Philip’s most revealing moment occurs in the Upper Room.
Jesus has been teaching His disciples about the Father.
Then Philip speaks.
John 14:8
“Philip said to him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.’”
Philip wants revelation.
“Show us the Father.”
Then Jesus gives him an extraordinary answer.
John 14:9
“Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.’”
Notice that Jesus addresses him personally:
“PHILIP…”
There is almost a tenderness in the correction.
“Have I been with you so long?”
Philip had watched Jesus heal.
Philip had watched Him multiply bread.
Philip had heard His teaching.
Philip had witnessed His authority.
Yet Philip still had not completely comprehended who was standing in front of him.
He wanted Jesus to show him something beyond Jesus.
Jesus redirects his attention:
LOOK AT ME.
“Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.”
Philip was asking for revelation.
Jesus was telling him:
THE REVELATION IS STANDING IN FRONT OF YOU.
9. “HE THAT HATH SEEN ME HATH SEEN THE FATHER”
This deserves careful attention.
Jesus does not merely claim to know the Father.
He does not merely claim to represent the Father.
He tells Philip:
“Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.”
Compare this with:
John 10:30
“I and the Father are one.”
John 12:45
“And whoever sees me sees him who sent me.”
Colossians 1:15
“He is the image of the invisible God…”
Colossians 2:9
“For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.”
Hebrews 1:3
“He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature…”
Philip says:
SHOW US THE FATHER.
Jesus responds:
LOOK AT ME.
This is one of the great revelations of the identity of Jesus Christ.
God, who is invisible, has made Himself known in Christ.
The One Philip had followed from Galilee was far greater than Philip initially understood.
10. YOU CAN WALK WITH JESUS AND STILL NEED A DEEPER REVELATION OF JESUS
This may be the greatest lesson from Philip’s life.
Philip had followed Jesus for years.
Yet Jesus asks:
“Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip?”
That question should challenge every mature believer.
HOW LONG HAVE I BEEN AROUND JESUS?
It is possible to know:
church language,
Bible terminology,
worship songs,
doctrinal statements,
Christian culture,
and still need a deeper revelation of Jesus.
Paul expressed this hunger even after years of ministry:
Philippians 3:10
“That I may know him…”
The Christian journey is not simply knowing more about Jesus.
It is continually coming to know Jesus more deeply.
11. PHILIP AFTER THE RESURRECTION
The final explicit biblical reference to Philip the Apostle occurs in Acts.
Acts 1:13–14
Philip is among the apostles gathered after Christ’s ascension.
Then Scripture says:
“All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer…”
Think about Philip’s journey.
John 1:
“FOLLOW ME.”
John 6:
“HOW ARE WE GOING TO FEED THEM?”
John 12:
“SIR, WE WISH TO SEE JESUS.”
John 14:
“SHOW US THE FATHER.”
Acts 1:
PHILIP IS STILL THERE.
That may be one of the most beautiful things we can say about him.
After the questions…
After the misunderstanding…
After the correction…
After watching Jesus die…
After seeing the resurrected Christ…
PHILIP WAS STILL THERE.
He was praying.
Waiting.
Believing.
Obeying.
12. WHAT HAPPENED TO PHILIP?
The Bible does not tell us how Philip died.
Later Christian traditions associate Philip with ministry in regions of Asia Minor and particularly with Hierapolis, in what is now modern Turkey.
Ancient Christian writers preserve traditions connecting Philip with Hierapolis, although the details surrounding his later ministry and death vary and should not be treated with the same authority as Scripture.
Some traditions describe him dying as a martyr.
Whatever precise details we accept from later tradition, Scripture itself gives us the most important fact:
PHILIP FOLLOWED CHRIST.
The man Jesus found in Galilee became one of the men Christ entrusted with carrying His witness into the world.
THE PROGRESSION OF PHILIP
Look at Philip’s entire story.
JOHN 1 — JESUS FINDS PHILIP
“Follow Me.”
Philip becomes a disciple.
JOHN 1 — PHILIP FINDS NATHANAEL
“Come and see.”
Philip becomes a witness.
JOHN 6 — JESUS TESTS PHILIP
“Where shall we buy bread?”
Philip learns that human resources do not limit divine power.
JOHN 12 — PEOPLE COME TO PHILIP
“Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”
Philip becomes a bridge between people and Christ.
JOHN 14 — PHILIP ASKS FOR REVELATION
“Show us the Father.”
Jesus reveals His identity more deeply.
ACTS 1 — PHILIP WAITS IN PRAYER
The student is becoming a witness.
APPLICATION — FOUR LESSONS FROM PHILIP
1. WHEN JESUS CALLS YOU, FOLLOW HIM
Philip did not know everything when Jesus said:
“Follow Me.”
You do not need to understand everything before obeying the next thing God has told you to do.
2. WHEN YOU FIND JESUS, BRING SOMEBODY ELSE
Philip immediately found Nathanael.
Evangelism does not have to begin with a theological argument.
Sometimes evangelism is simply:
“COME AND SEE.”
3. DON’T LET YOUR CALCULATIONS LIMIT YOUR FAITH
Philip calculated the cost of feeding the multitude.
His calculation was accurate.
But miracles cannot always be calculated.
Some of us are staring at situations saying:
“There isn’t enough.”
And Jesus is saying:
“YOU ARE CALCULATING WITHOUT INCLUDING ME.”
4. NEVER STOP SEEKING A DEEPER REVELATION OF JESUS
Philip had been with Jesus for years when Jesus asked:
“Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me?”
Never become satisfied with yesterday’s revelation.
There is always more depth in knowing Christ.
THE GREAT QUESTION
There is a phrase running through Philip’s story that captures his entire life.
First Philip tells Nathanael:
“COME AND SEE.”
Later the Greeks tell Philip:
“WE WISH TO SEE JESUS.”
Then Philip tells Jesus:
“SHOW US THE FATHER.”
And Jesus essentially responds:
“PHILIP, LOOK AT ME.”
Do you see the progression?
Philip began by inviting someone else to see Jesus.
Others eventually came to Philip because they wanted to see Jesus.
But ultimately Philip himself needed to see Jesus more clearly.
That is discipleship.
We see Him.
We follow Him.
We bring others to Him.
And while we are bringing others to Him,
He continues revealing Himself to us.
PROPHETIC INSIGHT / CALL TO ACTION
There are people in our communities saying what those Greeks said:
“Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”
They may not use those exact words.
They may express it as loneliness.
Addiction.
Fear.
Anger.
Confusion.
Emptiness.
Broken families.
Hopelessness.
But underneath the brokenness is a generation searching for something real.
And the church must not merely show them religion.
We must not merely show them programs.
We must not merely show them personalities.
WE MUST SHOW THEM JESUS.
Philip’s calling still speaks to the church:
Be the person who can bring somebody to Jesus.
When somebody says:
“I need hope.”
Bring them to Jesus.
When somebody says:
“My family is falling apart.”
Bring them to Jesus.
When somebody says:
“I don’t know what I believe anymore.”
Bring them to Jesus.
When somebody says:
“Can God really forgive me?”
Tell them:
“COME AND SEE.”
Because the same Jesus who found Philip is still finding ordinary people.
The same Jesus who multiplied the bread is still more than enough.
The same Jesus who revealed the Father is still revealing Himself.
And the same Jesus who called Philip is still saying:
“FOLLOW ME.”
CLOSING CHALLENGE
Philip was not Peter.
He was not John.
He was not Thomas.
He was not Matthew.
HE WAS PHILIP.
And Jesus did not need Philip to become somebody else.
Jesus simply needed Philip to follow Him.
You do not have to have Peter’s personality.
You do not have to have John’s temperament.
You do not have to have somebody else’s testimony.
Jesus can use you.
Your personality.
Your experiences.
Your questions.
Your abilities.
Your weaknesses.
Your story.
The extraordinary thing about Philip was never Philip.
THE EXTRAORDINARY ONE WAS THE JESUS WHO CALLED HIM.
And that has been the message of this entire series:
ORDINARY MEN.
EXTRAORDINARY CALLING.
EXTRAORDINARY CHRIST.
CLOSING QUOTE
“God is not looking for extraordinary characters as His instruments, but He is looking for humble instruments through whom He can be honored throughout the ages.”— A.W. Tozer
- - John 1:43–46ESV

SESSION 8 — PHILIP: “COME AND SEE”

INTRODUCTION — THE MAN JESUS FOUND

PHILIP THE APOSTLE — NOT PHILIP THE EVANGELIST

1. JESUS FOUND PHILIP

HEURISKŌ — εὑρίσκω

“FOLLOW ME.”

AKOLOUTHEŌ — ἀκολουθέω

2. THE FOUND MAN BECOMES A FINDER

Jesus finds Philip.

Philip finds Nathanael.

Jesus found Philip.

3. PHILIP KNEW THE SCRIPTURES POINTED TO JESUS

WE HAVE FOUND HIM.

4. “CAN ANYTHING GOOD COME OUT OF NAZARETH?”

“COME AND SEE.”

COME AND SEE JESUS.

5. PHILIP AND THE IMPOSSIBLE MATH PROBLEM

PHILIP SAW THE NEED THROUGH THE LENS OF AVAILABLE RESOURCES.

Philip was calculating while Jesus was preparing a miracle.

“IT IS NOT ENOUGH.”

HE DIDN’T INCLUDE JESUS.

FIVE LOAVES + TWO FISH + JESUS = MORE THAN ENOUGH.

6. JESUS WILL SOMETIMES ASK QUESTIONS HE ALREADY KNOWS THE ANSWER TO

PEIRAZŌ — πειράζω

THE TEST REVEALS SOMETHING TO US.

7. PHILIP BECOMES A BRIDGE TO JESUS

“SIR, WE WISH TO SEE JESUS.”

WHEN PEOPLE WANT TO FIND JESUS, DO THEY THINK THEY CAN COME TO YOU?

BRIDGES THAT LEAD PEOPLE TO CHRIST.

8. PHILIP STILL DOESN’T FULLY UNDERSTAND WHO JESUS IS

“PHILIP…”

LOOK AT ME.

THE REVELATION IS STANDING IN FRONT OF YOU.

9. “HE THAT HATH SEEN ME HATH SEEN THE FATHER”

John 10:30

John 12:45

Colossians 1:15

Colossians 2:9

Hebrews 1:3

SHOW US THE FATHER.

LOOK AT ME.

10. YOU CAN WALK WITH JESUS AND STILL NEED A DEEPER REVELATION OF JESUS

HOW LONG HAVE I BEEN AROUND JESUS?

11. PHILIP AFTER THE RESURRECTION

PHILIP WAS STILL THERE.

12. WHAT HAPPENED TO PHILIP?

THE PROGRESSION OF PHILIP

JOHN 1 — JESUS FINDS PHILIP

JOHN 1 — PHILIP FINDS NATHANAEL

JOHN 6 — JESUS TESTS PHILIP

JOHN 12 — PEOPLE COME TO PHILIP

JOHN 14 — PHILIP ASKS FOR REVELATION

ACTS 1 — PHILIP WAITS IN PRAYER

APPLICATION — FOUR LESSONS FROM PHILIP

1. WHEN JESUS CALLS YOU, FOLLOW HIM

2. WHEN YOU FIND JESUS, BRING SOMEBODY ELSE

“COME AND SEE.”

3. DON’T LET YOUR CALCULATIONS LIMIT YOUR FAITH

“YOU ARE CALCULATING WITHOUT INCLUDING ME.”

4. NEVER STOP SEEKING A DEEPER REVELATION OF JESUS

THE GREAT QUESTION

PROPHETIC INSIGHT / CALL TO ACTION

WE MUST SHOW THEM JESUS.

“COME AND SEE.”

“FOLLOW ME.”

CLOSING CHALLENGE

THE EXTRAORDINARY ONE WAS THE JESUS WHO CALLED HIM.

“God is not looking for extraordinary characters as His instruments, but He is looking for humble instruments through whom He can be honored throughout the ages.”— A.W. Tozer

John 1:43–46ESV