What else do we know about Philip who witnessed to the Ethiopian? He was one of the 7 men chosen by the apostles to handle the daily food distribution for those who needed it. These 7 deacons (another of whom was Stephen) were chosen because they were "known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom" (Acts 8:3).
This administrative matter of the food was obviously important, but it was not all they did. Stephen preached and worked miracles (and was later stoned to death). The persecution following Stephen's murder caused the new believers in Jesus to spread out away from Jerusalem. Philip went to Samaria where he proclaimed the good news about Jesus, worked miracles, cast out demons, and healed people with physical disabilities. Many Samaritans became believers and were baptized. As we've already seen, one day Philip heard the Spirit speaking to him, followed the Spirit's leading and witnessed to an Ethiopian, led him to Christ and baptized him. When Philip finished that divine appointment, he was miraculously transported to another town far away. He preached all around that area, eventually settling in Caesarea. He is mentioned once again in Acts 21:8-9 where he is called Philip the evangelist. By that time he had four unmarried daughters who were prophets.
Philip is a relatively minor figure in Acts and yet look at what he did. He began his service as a deacon in charge of the food pantry but had to flee persecution. He settled in Samaria among people not his own where he had to start over in life. Still he found time to speak about Jesus. God found he was movable. First to Samaria, then in one day to where the Ethiopian was and after that to the western area of the country. So in one day he was moved many miles and again left everything behind. He evangelized and worked miracles in that new area, eventually settling in Caesarea where he established his family.
For reflection: Am I movable? If God called me to move, would I? How attached am I to my current situation? Am I movable on any given day to be able to respond to the promptings of the Holy Spirit?
Let us pray. Lord Jesus, I want to be attached more to you than to things or to places. I want to have a movable spirit each day so that you can move me to do what you want.
This administrative matter of the food was obviously important, but it was not all they did. Stephen preached and worked miracles (and was later stoned to death). The persecution following Stephen's murder caused the new believers in Jesus to spread out away from Jerusalem. Philip went to Samaria where he proclaimed the good news about Jesus, worked miracles, cast out demons, and healed people with physical disabilities. Many Samaritans became believers and were baptized. As we've already seen, one day Philip heard the Spirit speaking to him, followed the Spirit's leading and witnessed to an Ethiopian, led him to Christ and baptized him. When Philip finished that divine appointment, he was miraculously transported to another town far away. He preached all around that area, eventually settling in Caesarea. He is mentioned once again in Acts 21:8-9 where he is called Philip the evangelist. By that time he had four unmarried daughters who were prophets.
Philip is a relatively minor figure in Acts and yet look at what he did. He began his service as a deacon in charge of the food pantry but had to flee persecution. He settled in Samaria among people not his own where he had to start over in life. Still he found time to speak about Jesus. God found he was movable. First to Samaria, then in one day to where the Ethiopian was and after that to the western area of the country. So in one day he was moved many miles and again left everything behind. He evangelized and worked miracles in that new area, eventually settling in Caesarea where he established his family.
For reflection: Am I movable? If God called me to move, would I? How attached am I to my current situation? Am I movable on any given day to be able to respond to the promptings of the Holy Spirit?
Let us pray. Lord Jesus, I want to be attached more to you than to things or to places. I want to have a movable spirit each day so that you can move me to do what you want.
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