Week:03, Season:1,
2015
Posted on Saturday by PCT
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How do you see Jesus?
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Scripture:《
John 1:43-51
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43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip. 47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” 48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” 49 Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.” 50 Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” 51 He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.”
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Today’s short Bible passage seems a short piece but includes many elements: Jesus call to Philip and Philip’s invitation to Nathanael; the conversation between Philip and Nathanael and the one between Jesus and Nathanael which is worth for us to make the effort to read and understand what it says to us.
Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?
At the beginning of this passage it states that Jesus saw Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” After Philip was called by Jesus, he found Nathanael and said to him with excitement, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Unexpectedly, Nathanael responded to Philip coldly with great doubt and contempt, “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?”
Why did Nathanael hold such an attitude about Nazareth? Perhaps he had had a negative impression of Nazareth or he had once had an argument with someone from this city. Nathanael’s response accords with the fact described at the beginning of John’s Gospel that Jesus came into this world which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Facing Nathanael’s negative attitude towards Jesus, Philip did not rebuke or debate with him, he only said to him, “Come and see.” Philip invited Nathanael to meet Jesus in person before making a judgement. When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” Nathanael was amazed and asked how Jesus knew him. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” What Jesus said here seems quite confusing to readers.
The author of John’s Gospel described Jesus as a man with superpowers who was able to predict things before they were known or happened. For example, in John chapter 4, there was a Samaritan woman; she had not known or met Jesus previously but when Jesus saw her, he knew everything about her past and her complicated marriage history. This is evidence that our Lord Jesus has special power to know hidden things.
You are the Son of God!
After witnessing Jesus’ power, Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.” His attitude toward Jesus was completely changed. Remember when Philip introduced Jesus to Nathanael, Nathanael did not believe who Jesus was but he was convinced. He admitted that Jesus was the Son of God and he called Jesus the king of Israel which is a greater title than Philip had claimed Jesus to be.
Nathanael did not believe in Jesus but after he spent time living with Jesus’ followers, he became a person accepting Jesus as the Son of God. Nathanael’s doubt and rejection was turned into firm faith.
Accepting or denying Jesus is a very important topic in the Gospel of John. Jesus requested everyone he met to declare who they thought he was with an unambiguous attitude. Such a serious request reminds us to take Jesus’ identity cautiously and decide whether we accept or deny Jesus. The Lord does not allow a “grey area” regarding the recognition of his identity as the Son of God.
In the Gospel of John, we find many people tried to keep to this “grey area” regarding Jesus’ identity. For example, in John chapter 3, a Pharisee and member of the Jewish ruling council, Nicodemus, came to see Jesus in the “dark night” because he did not want his colleagues or fellows to know that he came to meet Jesus. Jesus knew Nicodemus’ struggling and challenged him to “be born again.” Another example is when the Roman prefect Pilate conducted the trial of Jesus; he tried to release Jesus but struggled and did not admit Jesus’ true identity. The Lord Jesus is not pleased by such an ambiguous and compromising attitude.
How do you see Jesus?
After hearing Nathanael’s declaration, Jesus gave him two promises. First, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” In the next passage in John about the wedding in Cana, this promise was fulfilled. The second promise was that Jesus said, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.” This one is more complicated and is not easily understood from just the literal meaning. “Heaven open” often refers to the revelation of God’s inspiration and “the angels of God ascending and descending on” may express the idea that Jesus came to the world from his heavenly father and that he will return to the father in heaven.
Reading today’s Bible passage, we see Nathanael’s change of attitude to Jesus and the promise from the Lord to him. This passage challenges all readers of the Gospel of John and poses a question: how do we see Jesus? Do you see Jesus as how Nathanael first thought of him with doubt and rejection? Do you see Jesus as how Nathanael later believed that Jesus was the Son of God? We should all remember that for everyone who meets Jesus, they should never hold an ambiguous attitude about his true identity. If Jesus comes to you today, how will you see him?
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For discussion:
1. If Jesus comes to you today, how will you see him? 2. Why did Nathanael not rejoice after Philip introduced Jesus to him and instead showed his doubt and contempt? 3. Why are you willing to accept Jesus as the Son of God?
Please pray for:
1. Those who come to church to seek the truth. May the Holy Spirit work on them and help them meet Jesus in person on their journey of exploring faith. 2. Elderly at church. May God use them to show the beauty of Jesus so their beautiful faith story may become a blessing to others.
Prayer:
Lord with abundant grace, we thank you for obeying God’s will and taking the suffering road of the cross tor save us. You took all our sins and forgave us. How amazing your love is! Even when there are times when we act like Nathanael, treat you coldly with doubt and contempt, you still love us. Merciful Lord, may you strengthen our minds and help us to look upon you with humble and faithful eyes. In the name of Christ. Amen.
Something you can do:
1. During this week, pray for one friend or family member who does yet believe in Jesus. Ask God to give you an opportunity to share your faith with this person so he can come and see Jesus. 2. During this week, invite a friend out for lunch/dinner or to your house. May this time become an opportunity to share your faith and the wonder of being a follower of Jesus.
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