Yesterday we talked about the amazing Evangelism expedition of Philip, the Deacon-turned-Evangelist. There was great joy in Samaria as many received the Gospel that he preached and gave themselves to Christ. Not only did people confess Jesus as their Lord and Savior, but many were healed of paralysis and even delivered from demonic possession. It also seems obvious that there were many other miracles that happened that were not specifically recorded by Luke.
So who was this Philip person?
In Acts 6, we first read about Philip who was recognized to be “full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom.” Dr. Luke does not tell us that Philip or Stephen were disciples who had followed Jesus for a long time. Instead, because their names are Greek, we get the impression that they were recent converts that may have come to the Lord in that initial harvest of souls on Pentecost. They were merely a part of the Christian community, praying together, laughing and crying together, worshiping Jesus together, in short, “doing life” together.
And it was in the fellowship of the Christian community that the gifts and piety of “the seven” were revealed.
The seven did not “apply” for the position of Deacon.
They did not campaign for this office.
They most certainly did not purchase this position.
Instead, the people of the early Church in Acts 6 were asked to prayerfully perceive who should be appointed for the important task of assisting the Apostles in caring for the poor. In other words, they looked across the landscape of the growing Church and noticed seven men who stood “head and shoulders” above the rest. But they were not looking for someone like King Saul of old, who was physically tall, but spiritually weak. Instead they looked for those who best embodied the teachings and example of their loving Savior, Jesus.
The first Christians remembered the mandate Jesus gave to the Apostles: “love one another as I have loved you.” They remembered that he shed his outer garment and took on the role of a servant as He knelt down to wash the dirty feet of His disciples. That memory of Jesus was branded on their souls, and with His example in mind, it was not that difficult to identify those qualified to lead as deacons. They were looking for people who were more interested in “towels than in titles.” And so, they found Stephen, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas.
Stephen was martyred in the prime of his life, yet his Godly example in death is still “crying out” like Abel’s blood, and preaching powerfully even two thousand years later.
However, God’s plan for Philip was different. When the waves of persecution began to swell, Philip did not stay in Jerusalem. But neither did he flee to some hideout in the wilderness to protect himself. Instead he went “down” to Samaria and began to preach Christ! He went to the Samaritans who were almost considered “cult members”, not unlike some of the pseudo-Christian religions we are familiar with today, who are theologically “so close, yet so far away.”
Additionally, the Samaritans were seen as stubbornly entrenched in their theological and religious errors. Jesus seemed to allude to this in John’s Gospel, chapter 4:
21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
This makes perfect sense when we think about how they were discriminated against because of their mixed ancestry and their syncretic religious beliefs and practices. There was undoubtedly a cultural root of bitterness that wound its way around each generation of Samaritans, and manifested itself as prideful unteachability.
But then Jesus went to Samaria. And He met and commissioned the most unlikely female “Apostle.” Not only was her life transformed at the well, but she became an ever flowing fountain of the “living water” Jesus promised to her. To how many other people did Jesus plainly confess His Messianic identity?
Answer: not many.
And yet, as we read further:
25 The woman said to Him, “I know that the Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.”
26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.”
Jesus Christ, the “gift of God” that took His time to sit and speak to this often rejected woman in the blistering heat of high noon, was the pioneer missionary that plowed up the “fallow ground” of Samaria, and beautifully prepared the way for Philip to lead them into a full fledged revival!
So, God evidently promoted Philip from Deacon to Evangelist. The Evangelist is listed as one of the five “ascension” gifts in the book of Ephesians. It is not that the Evangelist is greater than the Deacon. It just means there is a greater level of responsibility.
Psalm 75:6-7 “For promotion and power come from nowhere on earth, but only from God. He promotes one and deposes another.”
Later on in Acts we will read that Philip married, and fathered four daughters, and Luke adds this delightful detail, “who prophesied.” Here we see ministry multiplication and yet another “promotion”, this time to a prophetic office, but in the lives of a new generation that Philip personally discipled!
What a blessing! John said it best; “I have no greater joy than to see my children walking in truth.” (3rd John 1:4)
Philip is a great example for us. He was faithful as a believer. He was faithful as a Deacon. He was faithful as an Evangelist. And he was faithful to raise up a new generation of prophetic voices!
PRN: Lord, you reward faithfulness. We desire to be found faithful in our walk with You. Please align our desires with Yours. Please help us to think Your thoughts which are so much higher than any notion that originates with us. Please help us to remain positioned for promotion, so that Your Name will be glorified in us and through us. In the name of Jesus, amen.
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