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Philip is today’s bible hero because he shows us the gift of telling others
Essential Teachers notes:
This story is often accredited to the apostle Philip, though it is much more likely to have been the deacon Philip who actually took part. I’ve tried to leave it slightly ambiguous so you can make up your own mind – though one day I may do the story of Philip and Nathaniel at a later date.
Main Passage : Acts 8
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Can you imagine waking up to see an angel. That’s what happened to today’s bible hero. He woke up and saw an angel. The angel told him that he had to get up and travel the road through the desert. Philip, the hero today, didn’t know why he was taking the road but he did as the angel said.
He wasn’t the only one on the road, there was also an important man from Ethiopia. Do you know where Ethiopia is? It’s in Africa. This important man had been up to Jerusalem to worship God at the temple and now he was going home to look after the queens money, because that was his job.
The Ethiopian man had bought a new scroll while in Jerusalem, it was some writings by an old prophet called Isaiah – we have the same writings in our bibles today. As his chariot travelled down the road the Ethiopian was trying to read the scroll. But he was having lots of trouble.
When the Ethiopian looked up he saw there was a man on the road who seemed to be watching him. Philip had felt God tell him that this was the man he was meant to meet and was waiting for the chariot to catch up with him. The Ethiopian told the chariot to stop to find out about this man.
Philip waited until the Ethiopian looked at him again and then asked “do you understand what you are reading?” “No” said the Ethiopian “how can I understand without someone to explain it?”
“Would you like me to explain it?” asked Philip. And at that the Ethiopian asked Philip to join him in his chariot.
As they travelled Philip explained the scroll, and then the story of Jesus. The chariot passed by some water and the Ethiopian shouted to stop. “look here is water” he said “what stops me from being baptised?” SO Philip baptised the man, as a sign that he believed in Jesus. And then Philip was gone, the Ethiopian was left to travel home rejoicing about the good news he had heard.
Philip is today’s bible hero because he shows us the gift of telling others
