Prelude: God can interrupt us via an epiphany, a theophany, or a revelation to call us. Goal: Let’s learn about God’s call. Plan: Let’s look at Jesus calling Philip and Nathaniel in John 1:43-51.
Philip
John 1:43-45 The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, “Follow Me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
Philip is included in three lists of Apostles in Matthew, Mark and Luke. John recorded three incidents involving Philip (John 6:5-7; 12:21-23; 14:8-9), bread to feed a multitude, a foreigner’s wish to see Jesus, and Philip’s desire to see the Father. Philip was one of the eleven remaining Apostles (Acts 1:13). His mission field may have stretched from Greece to Syria.
Jesus had a simple message for Philip, “Follow me!” Why would Christians follow traditions that neither Jesus nor the Apostles recorded and fail to follow Jesus? He gave a simple and profound definition of essential Christianity, “Follow me!”
Miriam and Aaron failed to see God and spoke against Moses (Numbers 12:1-9). David refused to lift his hand against God’s anointed (1 Samuel 26:22-24). Ananias and Sapphira ignored that God sees all and lied (Acts 5:1-10). People killed Jesus and many prophets, not acknowledging God (1 Thessalonians 2:14-16). Philip saw God in Jesus (John 1:43-51). Have we found the Son of God?
Nathaniel
John 1:46-51 And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered and said to Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 50 Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”
Nathaniel was born at Cana in Galilee, where Jesus turned water to wine. Nathanael seems to be the first name of the Apostle Bartholomew. Bartholomew means the son of Talmay, son of a plowman.
The world’s oldest national church, the Armenian Apostolic Church, claims Bartholomew and Thaddeus as its co-founders. Bartholomew may have been martyred there, after also preaching widely across other parts of the region.
Philip invited Nathaniel to come and see. It was a life-changing epiphany. Nathaniel realized that Jesus is the Son of God. We encounter God everyday, but most people ignore Him. God-moments are when worldly noises fade, and the only sound left is the still, quiet voice of God.
Nathaniel’s initial reaction was disbelief. We too may scoff. Philip did not try to argue with Nathanael, but invited him to come and see. People experience Jesus and come to faith. Will people find Jesus among us?
Jesus and his disciples did not make altar calls. They were popularized in the 1800’s, can be manipulative and misused to promote men more than Jesus. What did Jesus' disciples do? They often issued a simple invitation to come and see what Jesus was doing.
Many churches focus on a Gospel lesson each week, obeying Jesus’ directive to “Follow me.” While the whole Bible is good, the most important thing is to follow Jesus.
Postlude: God calls us in the middle of everyday life. It may be via a simple invitation to “Come and see.” As we recognize Jesus, He invites us, ”Follow me!” What is our answer?
New King James Version (NKJV) Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Readings
1 Samuel 3:1-10 when the Lord calls, do we answer, “Speak, for Your servant hears”?
Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!
1 Corinthians 6:12-20 Flee sexual immorality.
Poetic Summary
Philip, a man from Bethsaida
Came to Jesus, our Provider
He found Nathanael and told him
We found Him of whom it’s written
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Jesus of Nazareth I share
Can anything good come from there!
Philip said to just come and see
Nathanael showed no falsity
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Jesus saw him under a tree
He saw Jesus’ divinity
Of his belief he had spoken
And would soon see heaven open
