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Disciple: Philip

  {Disciples} PHILIP_   Learni ng to trust     If we want to understand the disciple named Philip, we need to start with his name.   Though Philip grew up in a Jewish home, he had a distinctly non-Jewish name. ‘Philip’ is a Greek name that means “lover of horses”.   Some scholars have suggested that he was named after Herod the Great’s son; Herod Philip II, who ruled an area northeast of the Sea of Galilee. It could be that Philip grew up in a home that was more open to non-Jewish friends than the typical Jewish home.   His name may have been why some Greeks, who wanted to meet Jesus, came to Philip (John 12:20-22). They must have thought that Philip would be more open to their request. Philip wasn’t in Jesus’ inner circle, but in every New Testament list of the Twelve, Philip listed fifth. He was not a leader in the company of the disciples, but he was an important member of the team...     [Group discussion starter] Do you feel more comfor...

Disciple: James

  {Disciples} JAMES_   Hating our enemies     Nicknames can be fun or cruel.   Jesus gave two of his disciples a nickname. He called James and John “sons of thunder” - a reflection of their passionate, zealous, sometimes ‘stormy’ personalities...     [Group discussion starter] Have you ever had a nickname? Did it accurately reflect anything about you?     Even though James was one of the three disciples in Jesus’ inner circle, he’s one of the least familiar of the twelve. James never appears alone in the Gospels. He is always linked with his better-known brother, John.   We get a glimpse of why James was a “son of thunder” in this account of a journey Jesus and his followers took through Samaria. Jesus sent some of them ahead to find lodging in a Samaritan village...     [Read Luke 9:51-56]     Where was Jesus going and what significant events were on the horizon of his life?     The Jews and the Samarita...