Philip as Missionary - Sabbath School Lesson 10, 3rd Qtr 2015

Read for This Week’s Study: 2 Cor. 4:18, Acts 2:44-47,4:34-37, 6:1-7, Acts 8,21:7-10.

Memory Text: But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8 NIV).

World mission was the main concern of the risen Christ during the 40 days between His crucifixion and ascension. The New Testament preserves at least five of His Great Commission statements: Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15, Luke 24:47-49, John 20:21, Acts 1:5-8. Together they constitute the greatest assignment ever given to Christians. Among the commands was a geographical strategy for mission outreach, from its Jerusalem base to all Judea and Samaria, then ultimately to the ends of the earth. This was a command that they, indeed, took seriously and set out to fulfill.

This geographical strategy is prominent in the mission work of Philip the evangelist. According to Acts 8, his work extended outward from Jerusalem in expanding circles. That is, it kept spreading farther and farther as time progressed.

Who was this Philip the evangelist? What does the Word of God tell us about him and the work that he did during the earliest days of the church? Finally, what lessons can we take away for ourselves from the inspired record of this early missionary?

Philip the Evangelist

While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal (2 Cor. 4:18, NKJV). Think about what Paul is saying here, especially as we study this week about Philip the evangelist, someone of whom we know little except for the few references in the Bible. As we will see, though, Philip did a good work even though most of what he accomplished we know little about. Who are some people whom you know of who have done great things for God but with little outward recognition? Why is it always important to keep the principle of Paul’s words in mind, especially if we do a work that doesn’t garner much acclaim or attention? See also 1 Cor. 4:13.

Philip was a popular Greek name that means horse lover. In the New Testament there are four persons called by that name. Two had the additional name Herod and were part of the Herodian ruling family, which exerted a generally harsh rule over Israel in New Testament times. The remaining Philips had outstanding roles in mission.

The first, Philip of Bethsaida, was a disciple who was instrumental in bringing Nathanael to Jesus (John 1:43-46). Later he brought Greeks to Jesus (John 12:20-21).

The second Philip was designated the evangelist in Acts 21:8 to distinguish him from Philip the disciple. He first appeared in the Jerusalem church as a table waiter (Acts 6:2-5) who turned evangelist and missionary (Acts 8:12). His missionary service, extending over twenty years and supplemented by his four prophesying daughters, is mentioned in Acts. We know little else of his background.

It was Philip who preached the gospel to the Samaritans; it was Philip who had the courage to baptize the Ethiopian eunuch. For a time the history of these two workers (Philip and Paul) had been closely intertwined. It was the violent persecution of Saul the Pharisee that had scattered the church at Jerusalem, and destroyed the effectiveness of the organization of the seven deacons. The flight from Jerusalem had led Philip to change his manner of labor, and resulted in his pursuing the same calling to which Paul gave his life. Precious hours were these that Paul and Philip spent in each other’s society; thrilling were the memories that they recalled of the days when the light which had shone upon the face of Stephen upturned to Heaven as he suffered martyrdom flashed in its glory upon Saul the persecutor, bringing him, a helpless suppliant, to the feet of Jesus.—Ellen G. White, Sketches From the Life of Paul, p. 204.

Waiting on Tables

Read Acts 2:44-47, Acts 4:34-37. What kind of picture of the early church is presented here?

No question, things were for a time going quite well among the early believers. Of course, everyone is fallen, and before long some tensions started to rise.

Read Acts 6:1-7. What problems arose, and how did the church deal with those problems?

Rapid growth of the Jerusalem church brought with it social tension. Philip was appointed to a team to deal with it. Converts included underprivileged and economically challenged persons whose participation in the daily common meals placed increasing demands on church leaders. A murmuring about unfair distribution of food to Greek-speaking widows emerged. This was especially sensitive because of reminders by the Hebrew prophets not to neglect widows and orphans.

To resolve this serious issue, all 12 apostles gathered the believers and proposed the appointment of seven men, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, who would literally deaconize (Greek for serve) tables so the 12 could deaconize the Word (see Acts 6:3, 4). All seven had Greek names, perhaps indicating a balancing of welfare service for the neglected Greek-speaking widows. Among them was Philip, the first time that this Philip is mentioned in the Bible.

The apostles argued that additional leadership was needed so that they should not be overworked by the administration of the resources necessary for communal life. They emphasized that their call was to devote themselves to the Word of God and to prayer.

What are some of the potentially divisive issues in your own local church, and how can you allow God to use you to help ease them?

Philip in Samaria

Saul, a future apostle and missionary, makes his first appearance in the Bible at the stoning of the deacon Stephen, the first Christian martyr. This wave of persecution only helped further the spread of the gospel.

Read Acts 8:1-6. What was the result of the persecution of the church in Jerusalem?

Samaria was the first stop on the geographical spread of Christianity. Samaritans considered themselves descendants of Israelites left behind when Assyria exiled most of the Israelites in 722 B.C. The Jews, however, considered Samaritans to be descendants of foreigners the Assyrians forcibly settled in Israel. Jewish-Samaritan relationships during the New Testament era were marked by tensions and outbreaks of violence. However, as we saw earlier, Jesus had already paved the way for mission work there when He dealt with the woman at the well, who, in turn, began to evangelize her own people.

Philip’s call to wait on tables now became that of a missionary evangelist to the Samaritans. As a refugee fleeing religious persecution in Jerusalem, he did not waste his time. He proclaimed that the Messiah, awaited by both Jews and Samaritans, had come (Acts 8:5,12).

Philip was used mightily of the Lord in this early foreign mission field. The statement of the woman at the well, that Jews have no dealings with Samaritans (John 4:9, NKJV) had now become a thing of the past.

What animosities, grudges, and prejudices that have poisoned your soul need to become things of the past? Isn’t it time to let it all go?

With the Ethiopian

According to Acts 8:26-39, Philip’s next contact was with the Ethiopian treasury administrator, bringing mission another step toward the end of the earth (Acts 1:8, NKJV). Philip was the link between Samaria and the Gaza mission. From Samaria, north of Jerusalem, Philip was called to Gaza, which is south of the city. His work in the north focused on a group; here it focused on a single person. In Samaria, Philip could proclaim Christ only from the five books of Moses, for this was all the Samaritans accepted; here he could also use the book of Isaiah, probably in Greek translation.

What were the texts in Isaiah (from Isaiah 53) that the Ethiopian was reading, and why would they have given Philip the perfect opportunity to evangelize him?

In contrast to Philip’s work in Samaria, where he did miracles (Acts 8:6), all he did with the Ethiopian was study the Bible. What point can we take away from this for ourselves as we minister to others?

The Spirit of the Lord called Philip away as soon as he had finished explaining the good news about Jesus and had baptized the Ethiopian. Philip had no opportunity to transmit his beliefs and teachings to his new convert. The Ethiopian was left to embrace the Christian faith in the context of his African culture, guided by the Old Testament and the Spirit of God, which had already been working in him, for he already was a worshiper of the Lord and a believer in His Word.

Philip explained to the Ethiopian crucial Old Testament texts about the death of Jesus. Why must Jesus, His death and resurrection, be central to the message we give to the world? What is our message without Him?

Philip as Evangelist, Father, and Host

Philip, clearly, was anointed to do the Lord’s work. Commentators are divided on what the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip (Acts 8:39) means, whether he was simply told to go to Azotus (vs. 40) or was miraculously transported there. Either way, the crucial point for us is that Philip was a man surrendered to the Holy Spirit; and thus, God was able to use him to do a great work for Him.

Read Acts 8:40. What does it tell us about Philip that helps us to understand why he was named the evangelist?

At this stage of the story we learn that Philip was a family man with four unmarried daughters. Philip’s call out of the deaconate into evangelism involved him in extensive travel. We know about the journey from Jerusalem to Samaria, then on to Gaza, followed by all the towns on the 50-mile (80-kilometer) coastline between Azotus and Caesarea. There were probably unrecorded journeys. Like all the pioneering missionaries, he would have been harassed, inconvenienced, and subjected to the ups and downs such commitments entail. Still, he managed his family to the extent that four daughters were deemed by the Holy Spirit suitable to receive the gift of prophecy. This testifies to good parenting and true godliness in this pioneering Christian missionary family.

The text reveals that the apostle Paul stayed with Philip a number of days (Acts 21:10 NIV). Twenty-five years earlier, Paul, then named Saul, had been an aggressive and fierce persecutor of the Christians (Acts 9:1-2). His persecution of Jerusalem believers forced Philip to flee to Samaria (Acts 8:1-5). Now, years later, persecutor and persecuted meet in the home of Philip, who hosts Paul’s visit. What an interesting meeting of brothers and fellow workers with Christ in the great cause of bringing the gospel to the non-Jewish world!

In our work for others, why is it so crucial never to forget our first obligation: our families?

Further Study: Ellen G. White, The Gospel in Samaria, The Acts of the Apostles, pages 103-111.

When they were scattered by persecution they went forth filled with missionary zeal. They realized the responsibility of their mission. They knew that they held in their hands the bread of life for a famishing world; and they were constrained by the love of Christ to break this bread to all who were in need.—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, page 106.

And when His disciples were driven from Jerusalem, some found in Samaria a safe asylum. The Samaritans welcomed these messengers of the gospel, and the Jewish converts gathered a precious harvest from among those who had once been their bitterest enemies.—Pages 106, 107.

Discussion Questions:

As we’ve seen, the gospel breaks down barriers between people. At least, that is the ideal; the reality has at times been radically different. What is it about human beings, even among Christians—among those who understand that we are all the same before God, who understand that the Cross is the great equalizer—that we allow cultural, social, and other barriers to divide us to the great extent that they still do? How can the Seventh-day Adventist Church, which is so universal, discourage such prejudices?
As we saw, the persecution of the early church caused believers to flee, and as a result, the gospel started spreading in ways that it might not have done without persecution. Though God was able to bring good out of it, we must remember that religious persecution is never good, never right, never justified. What should our attitude be toward those who are facing religious persecution, even if we don’t agree with their religious beliefs? (See Luke 6:31.)

Inside Story ~ Cambodia ~ By Chhenghorn Thean

Despair to Hope—Part 2

That night she sold five books for $5 each. She was convinced that God is the true God. But a month later her husband told her to stop selling books. Your work is bringing shame on me, he said.

Cheng’s husband demanded that she stop believing in Jesus and stop selling books. I can’t do that, she told him. I believe in Jesus; I have seen His power at work. And I am selling books to feed myself because you refuse to give me any money.

If you refuse to give up this nonsense, I will leave you, he said. But Cheng refused to give up her new faith. When she was baptized a few months later, her husband left her and went to live with his mother and his sons.

For several years Cheng has tried to visit her sons, but she hasn’t been allowed to see them. Although her life is difficult, Cheng has not let her personal troubles discourage her. She continues to sell literature to support herself and invites people to the church when they show interest in the books she sells. When people are too poor to buy a book, she urges them to come to the church to meet God. She shares her testimony with them and testifies that God is faithful to those who trust Him.

One woman who used to pay Cheng to paint her nails asked Cheng why she had become a Christian. Cheng smiled and told the woman that God is a loving and powerful God, and He answers her prayers. As the two women stood talking outside the woman’s home, the woman realized that one of her precious earrings was missing. We must find it! the woman said, feverishly searching in the dirt for the missing jewelry. I inherited this from my mother. I must find it.

The two women searched together for the earring. Cheng knew that if they didn’t find the earring, the woman might accuse Cheng and the church. The woman was so impressed that Cheng’s God could help her find her earring, that she asked Cheng to take her to her church on Sabbath.

Cheng was crushed when her husband told her that he no longer wants her for his wife. But Cheng put her trust in God, and recently she met a Global Mission pioneer, and the two plan to marry. Truly God has provided all my needs, she says with a gentle smile.

Chhenghorn Thean is a top literature evangelist and soul winner in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

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