Philip: Disciple to Gospeler

Of all the Gospelers we’ve talked about, Philip may be the one we relate to the most. When we meet him in Acts 8, he follows Jesus, sharing the gospel and obeying God. It’s easy to recognize ourselves in that. But while we may be doing those things, we must be careful not to become so comfortable in our routines and traditions that we fail to notice when someone needs the good news.

As Philip was traveling the desert road from Jerusalem to Gaza, he came upon an Ethiopian eunuch - an important official of the queen. The Ethiopian was sitting in his chariot, reading from the book of Isaiah. Philip listened to the Spirit’s prompting and approached the man, asking him if he understood what he was reading, and the man he did not. “Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus” (v. 35). This led to the eunuch’s baptism, and he “went on his way rejoicing” (v. 39).

How easy might it have been for Philip to see the Scriptures the Ethiopian eunuch held and assume he was just fine where he was? How often have we assumed that because someone mentions God or goes to church, they know and understand the good news and have a relationship with Jesus? If we approach someone with the good news or get asked to explain scripture, do we know God’s Word well enough to be ready? As Gospelers, we are not supposed to sit back and let the pastors or missionaries handle things. If we know the good news of Jesus and the hope He offers, we are to share that with others.

Consider: Is there someone you’ve assumed knows Jesus, but you realize they might need to hear the good news? Ask God to open your eyes to those around you who have been overlooked.