Be a Witness for Christ (2): Gospel Today Devotional - 3rd April, 2022

LESSONS FROM PHILIP (1)

Praise be to God who in his mercy has decided to bring to us a series as this time. I want to  believe that many of us were blessed from the first part of this series. In the first part, we saw how an encounter with the Messiah made a woman who probably had no knowledge of the scripture to become an instant witness for Christ. It was just a simple message, wasn't it? Come, see a man, which told me all things that I ever did, is not this the Christ?

That simple message brought a lot of people to not only seeing the Christ but believing on him too. We are hereby encouraged to be witnesses for Christ as well. What has been hindering you? You can be a witness for Christ just like the woman of Samaria was a witness for Christ. This is to say that by the reason of our words and testimony, many can come to Christ through us. Should we then waste this opportunity that has been given to us to be witnesses for Christ and his kingdom?

In the first part of this series, the woman of Samaria was our case study but in today's lesson, we shall be considering and learning from another person who also was a witness for Christ. Hallelujah! Let's consider the passage of scripture below,

"The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me. [44] Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. [45] Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. [46] And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see". (John 1:43-46).

Here, we see a man who not only wanted to enjoy that which he found alone but also had the mind to bring someone in to enjoy with him. However, we must see the techniques which this person employed in bringing someone to Christ. The scripture records that after Philip had been found by Christ ( which we may likely say won over by Christ and called to be his disciple), he went out to find someone also.

This should be our attitude too, right? The scripture puts it this way, "Philip finds Nathanael", why? That they may discuss? That they may play and jest about Nathanael being a sinner? No, but that Nathanael may also come to see who they have found, that is, Jesus Christ. Philip was specific about and direct with his message. All he wanted to tell Nathanael was that they had found Christ and he too should come to see him.

What was Nathanael's response? Somewhat discouraging, right? Did Philip get discouraged? Did he argue? Many times we get discouraged because people don't immediately respond to us positively. We should learn from Philip. He was not there to argue and even when Nathanael asked if anything good could come out of Nazareth, he didn't argue or insult Nathanael. He just made a simple request, "Come and see". Nathanael came truly, he saw and believed. This should be our attitude as witnesses. The woman of Samaria said to come, see a man; Philip said to come and see. Let's go out too that we may tell others to come and see and that by their coming and seeing, they also would believe. The Lord help us all in Jesus' name. Amen.

Thought for the day: Your responsibility as a witness for Christ is to find those who are yet to know him and when you do, just ask them to come and see.

Gospel Today is a comforting, exhorting, edifying and inspiring devotional published by the Delightsome Land Christian Ministry. 

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