Philip, Pessimist turned Apologist

​Philip
Are you the type of Christian who would very much like to do something for others, but who did not see how it could be done? Then you are like Apostle Philip. The Gospel of John states that Philip was one of the first to whom Jesus spoke the words, “Follow Me”. Philip brought Nathanael (Bartholomew) to Jesus. Two things to note about Philip are that he knew who to react to and reach a skeptic, and that he had a missional instinct. He was a warm-hearted pessimist who loved Jesus while understanding his place in the world. 
You could call Philip the first apologist who could answer the skeptics without missing a heartbeat. Philip taught many in such a way that the Word spread through Northern Africa and Greece quite quickly.
What can we learn from him?
1.       Jesus can change our outlook
      The negativity of Philip was changed with the miracles of Jesus. It wasn’t instant as we discover with the feeding of the 5000, and the Samarian woman but he eventually changed. Even though we do not have Jesus here in the flesh to make miracles happen, they still do. Scripture teaches us to have a positive outlook on life because a negative one leads to anger, bitterness, and hate. Even in the face of adversity we need to remember that God loves us enough that He sheds His Grace upon us and Jesus showed us Mercy through His sacrifice. God could have let us all be swarmed in the darkness of death and a life without Him because of our sins but His love for His creation knows no boundaries.
  
2.       Develop a Servant’s Heart
       Philip was able to be released from his negativity right from the start and his first mission in outreach was almost right away with Nathanael. Our change to servanthood takes time and is given to a full desire to share God’s Word but we are charged with spreading the gospel starting with our family and friends. Because we do not have the Great Teacher right here in the flesh, we depend on each other as Christians to build our faith. Trusting in others as they trust in us, being there at a moment’s notice and placing our full dependence on God instead of the world helps enrich and expand our hearts to the fullness of His Grace.
 
Philip brought many to Christ and died by hanging in Hierapolis. He began as a fisherman in Bethsaida and finished his time on this earth as a servant of Christ.