Is Seeing Is Believing? Series

Questions from The Book of John Part 3

Mount Vernon Church

03/31/03

Is Seeing Is Believing?

(John 1:43-51)

43 The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, follow me.

44 Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.

45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, we have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.

46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.

47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!

48 Nathanael saith unto him, whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.

49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.

50 Jesus answered and said unto him, because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? Thou shalt see greater things than these.

51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

Introduction: We want to continue looking at the questions that are asked in the book of John. We see in our scripture text Jesus has begun calling His disciples. In the previous verses Jesus has called Andrew, Peter, and one that is not mentioned. The next day Jesus continues His search for men that would be His core group, the ones that would be able to carry on His ministry after He was gone. We see the next day Jesus is in the region of Galilee in the town of Bethsaida when Jesus comes in contact with Philip.

We find three questions asked in our scripture text.

“Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?”

“Whence knowest thou me?”

“Believest thou?”

What can we learn from these three questions? Well we can see the different methods Jesus used to call out His disciples. We can see the different responses we Jesus calls on individuals. And we can see God’s plan beginning for the “Hour of Grace.”

Let’s look at four things that we noticed from reading and studying these verses. In the word of God we are told that Jesus is “truth.” Let’s see what happens when someone encounters truth.

1.)Truth Contacted: (Vs. 43)

43 The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, follow me.

a.)The investigation begun.

b.)The invitation given.

c.)The involvement accepted.

2.)Truth Communicated: (Vs. 45)

45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, we have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.

a.)Excited in whom he found.

b.)Eager to share what he found.

c.)Evident to what he found.

3.)Truth Confirmed: (Vs. 48)

48 Nathanael saith unto him, whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.

a.)The incarnate Christ.

b.)The infinite Christ.

c.)The inexplicable Christ. Definition: unexplainable

4.)Truth Continued: (Vs. 50-51)

50 Jesus answered and said unto him, because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? Thou shalt see greater things than these.

51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

a.)By the promise of the Holy Spirit.

b.)By the presence of the Holy Spirit.

c.)By the power of the Holy Spirit.