Philip and Nathanael - John 1:43-51
The day we met Jesus was the first of many miraculous and amazing days that were to come.
I had been following the teachings of John the baptiser for several months and had witnessed the moment when Jesus had come up out of the water and the bird settled on his shoulder. I had heard the voice of God speaking from the sky saying that this was a son in whom He was well pleased. I had been puzzled by this and had been looking for an opportunity to speak to John and hear what he had to say about this Jesus, but I hadnt been able to get away from work to do that, and besides, I had heard on the grapevine that John had been arrested by the Romans. Coward that I was , I didn't want to be seen to be associating with someone who was on the Roman's hit list. I had enough issues to be dealing with without making myself unpopular with them.
Something was going on in town. I had heard that Andrew and Peter had joined some sect or other, and then that James an John had too. I wasnt sure that I could believe that - I mean, both sets of brothers were known for being a bit..... hot headed. Impulsive. But they weren't stupid. They both had family businesses to run and families to support. I couldn't believe that they would leave their boats to follow some itinerant preacher. It all sounded a bit far fetched to me. But the gossip was coming thick and fast that this is what had happened. It was odd. I felt a bit unsettled.
And then, that fresh Friday morning, there he was. This Jesus fellow, strolling up the high street, followed by Andrew, Peter, James and John and several others, laughing and chatting in the sunshine. I was outside the house stacking firewood. I was about to go off to work ( I was a tutor to a wealthy Roman family, mostly teaching Greek ) when Jesus walked up to me and said ' Follow me'. It wasnt a request or a suggestion. It was a command. It carried a sense of urgency and I wondered what had happened. Was I needed in some capacity? Did he want to show me something specific or did he require my help with something? Before I'd really had much of a chance to think about it I found myself walking after him.
I asked Peter and John where we were going. They replied that Jesus was the Messiah and that He was gathering disciples - they presumed that this was part of his plan to overthrow the Romans and establish a new order. They told me that since they had met him a couple of days previously Jesus had not stopped teaching from the Torah about God's plan to save mankind. They were brimming over with excitement and confidence in this carpenter's son from Nazareth and I have to confess their attitude was infectious. I suddenly felt hugely curious and brave. I completely forgot that I was supposed to be at the house of Gaius the praetor tutoring his sons.
As we passed Nathanael's house I saw him in the yard and shouted over to him ' Hey Nathanael! Look, remember the guy in the river, the one with the bird and the voice? It's him! He is here - Jesus of Nazareth. He is the Messiah. Come and join us'
Nathanael laughed and replied 'Nazareth?? That dump. Why would God raise up a Messiah from Nazareth? They cant produce a decent flask of wine in Nazareth let alone a saviour!'
I grinned at my blunt and funny friend and said ' Well why don't you come along for a bit and see what happens. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.' And Nathanael thought for a minute, shrugged and jumped over the fence to come and join us.
As he walked towards the group Jesus looked up and saw him. Now I swear the two of them had never met before, but Jesus held out his hand in greeting and said ' Ah, Nathanael, there you are. I've been waiting for you. How great to have someone like you on my team. A true Israelite, full of integrity - what you see is what you get with you my friend. I love that about you.'
Nathanael looked stunned. He looked at me and hissed ' What have you been telling him about me?'
' Nothing. Nothing at all. Not even your name. I swear' I replied, every bit as dumbstruck as Nathanael was.
' How did you know me?' said Nate.
Jesus said ' Oh, I've been watching you. I have known you forever. I know that you have been sitting under that fig tree every day praying and seeking God's will for your life. I know that you want Him to use you and God has answered you.'
At this Nathanael fell on his knees at Jesus's feet and said ' Rabbi, you truly are our Saviour and the King of Israel we have been waiting for. Son of God, I am so honoured and humbled - how can I serve you?'
Jesus smiled, reached down to lift him up and gave him a hug. He then motioned to the rest of us to gather round and said ' See, this man has called me Messiah just because I told him what was in his heart as he sat under the fig tree in prayer. Well, I can tell you now, he is going to see and do great things because he chooses to believe me. He will even see the heavens open and the angels ascending and descending upon me because of his faith. Pay attention all of you. Faith such as this is what God is seeking'.
I was amazed by what I was seeing and hearing. I had been following Jesus for about half an hour and already all my religious paradigms had shifted, all my understanding about who and what Messiah was supposed to be had been blown apart. A sense of excitement and anxiety began to rise in my spirit. This was going to be an adventure for sure. Probably a dangerous one - but one I was up for a hundred percent.
I had been following the teachings of John the baptiser for several months and had witnessed the moment when Jesus had come up out of the water and the bird settled on his shoulder. I had heard the voice of God speaking from the sky saying that this was a son in whom He was well pleased. I had been puzzled by this and had been looking for an opportunity to speak to John and hear what he had to say about this Jesus, but I hadnt been able to get away from work to do that, and besides, I had heard on the grapevine that John had been arrested by the Romans. Coward that I was , I didn't want to be seen to be associating with someone who was on the Roman's hit list. I had enough issues to be dealing with without making myself unpopular with them.
Something was going on in town. I had heard that Andrew and Peter had joined some sect or other, and then that James an John had too. I wasnt sure that I could believe that - I mean, both sets of brothers were known for being a bit..... hot headed. Impulsive. But they weren't stupid. They both had family businesses to run and families to support. I couldn't believe that they would leave their boats to follow some itinerant preacher. It all sounded a bit far fetched to me. But the gossip was coming thick and fast that this is what had happened. It was odd. I felt a bit unsettled.
And then, that fresh Friday morning, there he was. This Jesus fellow, strolling up the high street, followed by Andrew, Peter, James and John and several others, laughing and chatting in the sunshine. I was outside the house stacking firewood. I was about to go off to work ( I was a tutor to a wealthy Roman family, mostly teaching Greek ) when Jesus walked up to me and said ' Follow me'. It wasnt a request or a suggestion. It was a command. It carried a sense of urgency and I wondered what had happened. Was I needed in some capacity? Did he want to show me something specific or did he require my help with something? Before I'd really had much of a chance to think about it I found myself walking after him.
I asked Peter and John where we were going. They replied that Jesus was the Messiah and that He was gathering disciples - they presumed that this was part of his plan to overthrow the Romans and establish a new order. They told me that since they had met him a couple of days previously Jesus had not stopped teaching from the Torah about God's plan to save mankind. They were brimming over with excitement and confidence in this carpenter's son from Nazareth and I have to confess their attitude was infectious. I suddenly felt hugely curious and brave. I completely forgot that I was supposed to be at the house of Gaius the praetor tutoring his sons.
As we passed Nathanael's house I saw him in the yard and shouted over to him ' Hey Nathanael! Look, remember the guy in the river, the one with the bird and the voice? It's him! He is here - Jesus of Nazareth. He is the Messiah. Come and join us'
Nathanael laughed and replied 'Nazareth?? That dump. Why would God raise up a Messiah from Nazareth? They cant produce a decent flask of wine in Nazareth let alone a saviour!'
I grinned at my blunt and funny friend and said ' Well why don't you come along for a bit and see what happens. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.' And Nathanael thought for a minute, shrugged and jumped over the fence to come and join us.
As he walked towards the group Jesus looked up and saw him. Now I swear the two of them had never met before, but Jesus held out his hand in greeting and said ' Ah, Nathanael, there you are. I've been waiting for you. How great to have someone like you on my team. A true Israelite, full of integrity - what you see is what you get with you my friend. I love that about you.'
Nathanael looked stunned. He looked at me and hissed ' What have you been telling him about me?'
' Nothing. Nothing at all. Not even your name. I swear' I replied, every bit as dumbstruck as Nathanael was.
' How did you know me?' said Nate.
Jesus said ' Oh, I've been watching you. I have known you forever. I know that you have been sitting under that fig tree every day praying and seeking God's will for your life. I know that you want Him to use you and God has answered you.'
At this Nathanael fell on his knees at Jesus's feet and said ' Rabbi, you truly are our Saviour and the King of Israel we have been waiting for. Son of God, I am so honoured and humbled - how can I serve you?'
Jesus smiled, reached down to lift him up and gave him a hug. He then motioned to the rest of us to gather round and said ' See, this man has called me Messiah just because I told him what was in his heart as he sat under the fig tree in prayer. Well, I can tell you now, he is going to see and do great things because he chooses to believe me. He will even see the heavens open and the angels ascending and descending upon me because of his faith. Pay attention all of you. Faith such as this is what God is seeking'.
I was amazed by what I was seeing and hearing. I had been following Jesus for about half an hour and already all my religious paradigms had shifted, all my understanding about who and what Messiah was supposed to be had been blown apart. A sense of excitement and anxiety began to rise in my spirit. This was going to be an adventure for sure. Probably a dangerous one - but one I was up for a hundred percent.
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