John Series Part 8
Pastor Rodney A. Fry, MA, MDIV, MS, LPC
John 1:43-45
October 3, 2021
Jesus the One Prophesied: The Witness of Philip, 1:43–45
(1:43–45) Introduction: Philip’s discovery and witness of Jesus Christ was unmistakable. Jesus was the One prophesied in Scripture; He was the promised Messiah.
1. Philip’s experience (vv.43–44).
2. Philip’s first concern: Nathanael (v.45).
3. Philip’s conviction: Jesus was the One prophesied (v.45).
1 (1:43–44) Salvation—Discipleship—Jesus Christ, Seeking Man: Philip’s experience involved three significant points.
a. Jesus Himself went forth and sought Philip—Philip was not seeking Jesus. The initiative came from Jesus entirely. Jesus made the move to find and save Philip and to enlist Philip in His mission.
1) Jesus traveled a long distance to find Philip. Galilee was a long distance away, and note: the stated purpose for Jesus’ going to Galilee was to find Philip. This is a picture of how far Christ will go to reach a soul. In order to reach a man, Christ will go any distance …
• to any sin, no matter how terrible or awful. He will prick and prick at the mind and heart of a person.
• to any place, no matter how hidden or shameful. He will send a thought or memory or person of righteousness to remind and warn a person.
• to any condition, no matter how hopeless or helpless. He will see that the message of hope and help crosses a person’s path.
• to any person, no matter how shameful or guilty. He will see that a person hears the word of salvation if he repents and hears the word of judgment if he does not repent.
Christ will go any distance to reach people. He will go to any place, to any condition, to any person. He will see that every person has some chance of turning to God. The word of deliverance can come from any number of sources: another person, a thought, a stirring of conscience, a memory, a writing, or just through seeing nature (Ro. 1:20). Christ seeks every person, and He will go any distance to reach him, no matter the difficulty.
Thought 1. Every person must heed the seeking of Christ when His seeking is sensed. A person must respond immediately, for God’s Spirit does not always strive with man. When we first feel the pull to make a decision for Christ, if we put the decision off for an hour or two, the pull fades and eventually leaves us completely. God’s Spirit does not continue to strive with us.
“And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man” (Ge. 6:3).
“He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy” (Pr. 29:1).
Thought 2. Every believer should be willing to go any distance to reach people, no matter how far or how deeply depraved the person may be. Too many in the world are considered and treated as untouchable: the alcoholic, immoral, poor, prisoner, lowly, diseased.
“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Ac. 1:8).
“For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me” (Mt. 25:35–36). (Remember that the person in prison is guilty of the most serious offenses and sins.)
2) Jesus is seen fulfilling His mission in seeking and saving Philip. He came into the world for the very purpose of seeking and saving the lost.
“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Lu. 19:10).
“I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (Jn. 10:10).
“To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice” (Jn. 18:37).
“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief” (1 Ti. 1:15).
b. Jesus Himself called Philip. He called Philip to “follow Him”
“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Lu. 9:23).
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (Jn. 10:27).
“If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour” (Jn. 12:26).
c. The reason Philip was called by Jesus is apparently the reason verse 44 is mentioned. He was from the same town as Andrew and Peter. Philip longed for deliverance; he ached for the Messiah (see “We have found Him, v.45). Therefore, he had sought the company of those who were like-minded. He wanted the fellowship of those who sought for godly deliverance. In search for such people, he had met Andrew and Peter and had apparently become friends of theirs for some time. Therefore, it was only natural for Andrew and Peter to suggest that Jesus seek out Philip to become a disciple. The point is this: Philip was called by Jesus because …
• he had done something about the longing and aching for deliverance within his soul
• he had sought the fellowship of those who were seeking for God’s salvation
• he had placed himself where the message would reach him when it came
“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled” (Mt. 5:6).
“Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh” (Lu. 6:21).
“If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink” (Jn. 7:37).
“For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness” (Ps. 107:9).
“Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price” (Is. 55:1).
(1:43) Follow (akolouthei): to become a close companion, a close follower, a disciple. Two significant ideas are in the word: union and likeness, or cleaving and conformity. To follow Christ means …
• to cleave, to be united to Him, to be in close union with Him
• to become like Him, to be conformed to Him
(1:44) Bethsaida: Jesus carried on a large ministry in Bethsaida, but the gospels tell us nothing about the city itself. The city was denounced by Jesus because of its rejection of Him (Mt. 11:21; Lu. 10:13). (See Mk. 6:45; 8:22; Lu. 9:10; Jn. 12:21 for other references to the city.)
2 (1:45) Witnessing: Philip’s first concern was to reach his friend Nathanael. Philip “findeth” Nathanael. Jesus had challenged Philip to “follow” Him, to become just like Him, and Philip did. He went out and did exactly what Jesus had done to him. Jesus had sought and found Him. Now, following the example of his Lord, He went out and found his friend Nathanael. Philip became a personal soul-winner just like his Lord.
“Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you” (Jn. 20:21).
“And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” (2 Ti. 2:2).
“For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard” (Ac. 4:20).
“For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard” (Ac. 22:15).
“We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak” (2 Co. 4:13).
3 (1:45) Conviction—Decision: Philip’s conviction—the One prophesied was Jesus Christ. “We have found Him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Note four points.
a. Philip was extremely joyful. “We have found Him.” There was jubilation, excitement, and rejoicing beating in the chest of Philip. Jesus had met the needs and craving of his heart.
“These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full” (Jn. 15:11).
“Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full” (Jn. 16:24).
“For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost” (Ro. 14:17).
“Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16:11).
“Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation” (Is. 12:3).
b. God’s eternal plan for man and his world is recorded in Scripture. It is there for man’s direction.
“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me” (Jn. 5:39).
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Ti. 3:16).
c. Philip and Nathanael knew the Scripture. They were familiar with the prophesies of the promised Messiah.
“Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Ti. 2:15).
“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious” (1 Pe. 2:2–3).
d. Jesus of Nazareth was definitely identified as the Messiah.
Leadership Ministries Worldwide. (2004). The Gospel according to John
