The Average Christian
John 1:43 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. 47: Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! 48: Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. 49: Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel. 50: Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these. 51: And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.
1. The Conversion (vs .43)
a. An Average Christian gets saved with little fanfare… He just understands the truth and believes it…
b. An Average Christian knows he is saved. Never is there any doubt with Philip, Wherever Jesus is… So is Philip.
1 John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
2. Philip shares the Gospel with Nathaniel (vs. 45)
Note: An Average Christian doesn’t wait to go to Bible school or a new believers class… He tells someone about Jesus!
3. We always find Philip at Jesus Side.
a. An Average Christian is someone who is known to walk with God and their testimony reflects that relationship.
b. An Average Christian is someone who is willing to learn about God. 2 Peter 1:1-9
2 Peter 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
John 6:5 When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? 6: And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. 7: Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. 8: One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him, 9: There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? 10: And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
4. God has something for even the Average Christian to do.
Acts 8:26 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. 27: And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, 28: Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. 29: Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. 30: And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? 31: And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. 32: The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: 33: In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. 34: And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? 35: Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
The Conclusion of the matter:
An Average Christian is just a normal person who meets an extraordinary Saviour. When he gets saved there is no doubt, because of the testimony in his life. He never goes looking for praise or money, he’s just happy that he gets to serve his Saviour. An Average Christian is not one who sits on the sideline and watches others do the work, they roll up their sleeve “Lord use me”
Written by Chaplain Rick Brewer www.Jesusiswith.us