腓力与外地访客
约翰福音十二章20至33节
20那时，上来过节礼拜的人中，有几个希腊人。
21他们来见加利利伯赛大的腓力，求他说：“先生，我们愿意见耶稣。”
22腓力去告诉安得烈，安得烈同腓力去告诉耶稣。
23耶稣说：“人子得荣耀的时候到了。
24我实实在在地告诉你们：一粒麦子不落在地里死了，仍旧是一粒；若是死了，就结出许多子粒来。
25爱惜自己生命的，就失丧生命；在这世上恨恶自己生命的，就要保守生命到永生。
26若有人服事我，就当跟从我；我在哪里，服事我的人也要在那里；若有人服事我，我父必尊重他。
27我现在心里忧愁，我说甚么才好呢？父啊，救我脱离这时候，但我原是为这时候来的。
28父啊，愿你荣耀你的名。”当时就有声音从天上来说：“我已经荣耀了我的名，还要再荣耀。”
29站在旁边的众人听见，就说：“打雷了。”还有人说：“有天使对他说话。”
30耶稣说：“这声音不是为我，是为你们来的。
31现在这世界受审判，这世界的王要被赶出去。
32我若从地上被举起来，就要吸引万人来归我。”
33耶稣这话原是指着自己将要怎样死说的。
信息分享
可能有人对他们说：「有一个人，是跟从耶稣的，他的希腊名字叫腓力。你们何不找找他，请他带你们去见耶稣呢？」
他们找到腓力，再次，腓力甘居人后，他先去告诉安德烈，然后一起引介他们见耶稣。当时的腓力，一定不晓得基督原来正等候这些希腊人到访。这是确认祂将在这周被钉死的最后一个征兆吗？
基督把祂一直以来预言自己的话总括起来。你能想象站在基督身旁的腓力，听见基督这番话，有甚么感想呢？
基督在第27节所说的最后一句话，与祂其后在客西马利园中所说的话几乎一样，都是表明祂愿意顺服父的旨意。天上立即有声音回应基督的话，从某个角度来看，基督说这番话，不仅是有感而发，而是为了让身边的人得着益处。
腓力曾亲历过何等奇妙的情景？基督与拿但业会面；基督给五千人吃饱，以及此刻听见天上有声音对基督说话。
不管还有甚么恐惧与怀疑，但这一切经历都确证他初见基督之时所说的话完全正确：「他就是我们所等待的那一位。」（一45）
我们所有的经历，是否也要向我们证明我们所信的耶稣，确实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?