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They Met Jesus:
Philip and Thomas
Discipleship is difficult for Philip and Thomas. It must seem to them that Jesus often demands the unreasonable. Not content to leave them with the degree of commitment and faith they already have, Jesus constantly stretches their faith. Philip and Thomas are realists and practical men, men who face facts, who are not given to sentimentality, so Jesus meets them, with facts, with the practical expression of his power. When Thomas becomes convinced of the resurrection and acknowledges Jesus as Lord and God, he leads the way for thousands of skeptics, many like C. S. Lewis, who said of himself that he came kicking and screaming into the kingdom of God.

Philip
John 1:43-51
1. Describe Philip's call to be a disciple. What is his first act as. a disciple? What does he apparently understand about what It means to follow Jesus? What does Philip tell Nathanael about Jesus? Why is Nathanael skeptical?
2. What is Philip's answer to Nathanael's skepticism? What confidence does Philip have? How can we emulate Philip as we attempt to tell others about Jesus?
3. What, do you imagine, are Philip's reactions to the meeting between Jesus and Nathanael? What does Nathanael recognize about Jesus? Why? Consider the temptation to Philip to interfere in this conversation. Who convinces Nathanael? How can we know when to keep quiet, and how can we bring people to the place where Jesus can convince them of who he is?

John 6:1-14
4. Why are the multitudes following Jesus at this point in his ministry? What indicates the crowd's eagerness to find him? What is Jesus' reaction to the crowd?
5. What question does Jesus ask Philip? Of what sort of man would you ask such a question? What information or abilities does Philip perhaps have? In what way, do you think, does Jesus want to test Philip? How does Philip answer? What does his answer show? Contrast the significance of Philip's answer and Andrew's suggestion.
6. Consider the use Jesus makes of Andrew's discovery of the boy with a lunch. Why is Philip unable to contribute positively to the situation? What opportunity does he miss? Why? Discuss how we can better meet the tests the Lord gives us through the circumstances of need in our own lives and the lives of others.

John 12:20-26
7. What may it indicate about Philip that of all the disciples, the Greeks choose to approach him to request an interview with Jesus? What suggests that Philip feels unsure as to how to handle their request? What do you do when you are unsure about the Lord's will in a particular situation? What do Philip and Andrew do?
8. What does it mean to Jesus that these representatives of the Gentile world want to see him? What does Jesus teach here about himself? What does he teach about those who serve him? What does Jesus promise?

John 14:6-11
9. Consider the claim of Jesus in verse 6. How does this answer the often-heard statement that there are many ways to God? What does verse 7 add to Jesus' claim in verse 6?
10. What do you think that Philip has in mind by his implied request in verse 8? How does Jesus answer Philip? What has Philip failed to see? What evidence has been given to Philip? What two reasons for belief does Jesus suggest to him in verse II?

Thomas

John 11:5-8, 14-16
11. Why are the disciples afraid for Jesus to go to Judea again? How does Thomas react when he sees Jesus is determined to go to Bethany in spite of the fact that Lazarus is dead? What loyalty does Thomas put before his personal safety? What does he think is going to happen? What other characteristic of Thomas besides loyalty is seen here?
12. Through the years Christians have been accused variously of being "Pollyannas," or of being fatalists. How would you describe the Christian philosophy of life?

John 20:19-31
13. Describe Jesus' resurrection appearance to the disciples in verses 19-23. How is their mood changed by the appearance of the Lord? What commission does he give them and how does he empower them for the job?
14. Imagine several possible reasons why Thomas is not present with the disciples when Jesus appears to them. Remember the mood of the disciples as suggested by verse 19.
15. If you were writing a script for the scene outlined in verses 24, 25, how would you develop the argument and the emotional conflict between Thomas and the others? Describe Thomas' position. In what way is he rejecting his fellow disciples by his position? How has Thomas' earlier pessimism about the danger to Jesus in Judea proved' correct? Why doesn't Thomas just say that he believes in order to please the others?
16. What would Thomas' week between verse 25 and verse 26 be like? What do we owe Thomas for his uncompromising honesty? How do you know Thomas doesn't completely withdraw from the society of his fellow-Christians in spite of the discomfort he must feel in their presence?
17. What does the risen Lord know about his servant Thomas? Why does he use Thomas' own words in verse 27? What does Thomas do? When and how is he convinced? Consider Thomas' words as he, a Jew, acknowledges the risen Jesus to be God.
18. What comment does Jesus make on Thomas' faith? According to verses 30, 31, why was the Gospel of John written? What opportunity and what promise are ours?

SUMMARY
1. What similarities do you notice between Philip and Thomas? Describe some people today who are like them in their approach to Christianity. How did Jesus handle their practical "it can't be done, you've got to prove it to me" attitudes? What did Philip and Thomas learn about Jesus? Be specific from the incidents discussed.
2. If you are a hardheaded realist like Philip and Thomas, consider these points made by John Stott in his booklet, Becoming a Christian; "The Lord Jesus Himself constantly discouraged people from following Him if they were in danger of being swept into His allegiance by irresponsible emotion .... What demands does Christ make on me, both at the time of accepting Him, and afterwards? (1) I must repent of my sin. "Repent and believe," he said (Mark 1: 15). The faith which receives Christ must be accompanied by the repentance which rejects sin .... (2) I must surrender to Christ. He wants to be my Lord as well as my Saviour .... (3) I must confess Christ before men. I realize that I cannot be a secret disciple."••

CONCLUSION
At the feeding of the five thousand, Philip evaluated the situation in terms of dollars and cents. He could see only that it would take six months' wages to feed the crowd. He lacked the spiritual insight to see the possibilities for the power of Jesus in a boy's lunch. How often we are hindered by a calculation of the facts which leaves out the fact of God. Although through the years Thomas has had to bear the adjective "doubting" in the situation described in John 20, he showed virtues we can well emulate. Thomas showed. balance and maturity in not being swept up in the enthusiasm of the other disciples because he first wanted to test the truth. Yet he did not withdraw himself from the influence of the Christian fellowship with whom he was temporarily in conflict. Once convinced of the truth that Jesus was alive from the dead, Thomas committed himself wholly, acknowledging Jesus as his Lord and God.