腓力與外地訪客
約翰福音十二章20至33節
20那時，上來過節禮拜的人中，有幾個希臘人。
21他們來見加利利伯賽大的腓力，求他說：“先生，我們願意見耶穌。”
22腓力去告訴安得烈，安得烈同腓力去告訴耶穌。
23耶穌說：“人子得榮耀的時候到了。
24我實實在在地告訴你們：一粒麥子不落在地裡死了，仍舊是一粒；若是死了，就結出許多子粒來。
25愛惜自己生命的，就失喪生命；在這世上恨惡自己生命的，就要保守生命到永生。
26若有人服事我，就當跟從我；我在哪裡，服事我的人也要在那裡；若有人服事我，我父必尊重他。
27我現在心裡憂愁，我說甚麼才好呢？父啊，救我脫離這時候，但我原是為這時候來的。
28父啊，願你榮耀你的名。”當時就有聲音從天上來說：“我已經榮耀了我的名，還要再榮耀。”
29站在旁邊的眾人聽見，就說：“打雷了。”還有人說：“有天使對他說話。”
30耶穌說：“這聲音不是為我，是為你們來的。
31現在這世界受審判，這世界的王要被趕出去。
32我若從地上被舉起來，就要吸引萬人來歸我。”
33耶穌這話原是指著自己將要怎樣死說的。
信息分享
可能有人對他們說：「有一個人，是跟從耶穌的，他的希臘名字叫腓力。你們何不找找他，請他帶你們去見耶穌呢？」
他們找到腓力，再次，腓力甘居人後，他先去告訴安德烈，然後一起引介他們見耶穌。當時的腓力，一定不曉得基督原來正等候這些希臘人到訪。這是確認祂將在這週被釘死的最後一個徵兆嗎？
基督把祂一直以來預言自己的話總括起來。你能想象站在基督身旁的腓力，聽見基督這番話，有甚麼感想呢？
基督在第27節所說的最後一句話，與祂其後在客西馬利園中所說的話幾乎一樣，都是表明祂願意順服父的旨意。天上立即有聲音回應基督的話，從某個角度來看，基督說這番話，不僅是有感而發，而是為了讓身邊的人得著益處。
腓力曾親歷過何等奇妙的情景？基督與拿但業會面；基督給五千人吃飽，以及此刻聽見天上有聲音對基督說話。
不管還有甚麼恐懼與懷疑，但這一切經歷都確證他初見基督之時所說的話完全正確：「他就是我們所等待的那一位。」（一45）
我們所有的經歷，是否也要向我們證明我們所信的耶穌，確實就是那位奇妙的救主？
PHILIP AND THE OUT-OF-TOWN VISITORS
John 12: 20-33
20 Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast.
21 Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”
22 Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus.
23 But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified.
24 Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.
25 He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
26 If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.
27 “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.
28 Father, glorify Your name.”
Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.”
29 Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to Him.”
30 Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake.
31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.
32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.”
33 This He said, signifying by what death He would die.
Message
It is possible that someone said to them. “There's one man, who is a follower of Jesus, who has a Greek-sounding name, Philip. Why don't you find him and ask him to introduce you?”
Again Philip stepped back out of the limelight and asked Andrew to do the introducing. Little did Philip know that apparently the coming of these Greeks was something Christ had been waiting for. Was this the final sign, the confirmation that this was the week of His crucifixion?
Christ's remarkable words concerning Himself were a summary of all He had been saying for a long time. Can you imagine Philip standing close by and hearing these statements?
Then came Christ's final words in verse 27 - almost the same as those He said later in Gethsemane. This last sentence was again a submission to the Father's will. There was an immediate answer from heaven. Christ said this was for the benefit of those standing by and not just for Himself.
What remarkable scenes did Philip witness? The meeting of Christ and Nathaniel, the feeding of the 5000 and then a voice from heaven.
In spite of fears and doubts, all this must have confirmed to Philip the truth of his first recorded statement, “This is the one we've been waiting for.” (1:45)
Are we allowing the various situations into which the Lord may lead us to confirm our faith in our wonderful Saviour?