Changed by a Christ who knows
John 1:40-51
Different people follow Jesus for different reasons. Sometimes they find Him and sometimes He finds them. Andrew and John spent a day with Him and became convinced of His importance. It seems that they followed Jesus because they got to know Him. Others followed Jesus not because they knew Him but because of what He knew about them. Let’s follow a few disciples’ introductions.
Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas" (which, when translated, is Peter).
The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me."
Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 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."
"Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked.
"Come and see," said Philip.
When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false."
"How do you know me?" Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you."
Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."
Jesus said, "You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that." He then added, "I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man." John 1:40-51 (NIV)
Jesus knows your potential and your future: Simon, brought by Andrew
The relationship between Jesus and Simon had several beginnings. That means that Simon took some time to decide to what degree he was going to allow this relationship to dominate his life. It did not happen all at once. I clearly remember a man telling me, "I want church to be a part of my life, I just don’t want it to be my whole life." Simon was still deciding.
At this first meeting, there are two dynamics at work that are extremely important.
Andrew brought Simon
Andrew was Simon’s brother and he was spreading his newfound faith in his most immediate circle. How many Christians must admit that they knew about Jesus, not just in the framework of their belief and salvation, but in the framework of their family.
I have to say that if it was not for my father’s salvation, I’m not sure when I would have been saved. I actually attended church before he did. My mother followed and soon became a believer, but it was only after my dad’s salvation and his attendance at church that I accepted Christ.
Oddly enough, he would say some similar things. He had been an unbeliever, indulging in sin and doing things that now give him shame. But it was his father’s witness on his death bed that made a huge difference. Also, Dad testifies that as a child his mother took him to a Nazarene church. He would say clearly that Roman Alvarez led him to Christ, but he would not discount the influence of his family.
More personally, Jesus demonstrated a knowledge and purpose for Simon’s future
Again, Simon did not follow Jesus immediately. Jesus did not ask him to. We hear of other calls on Simon at other times. He needed time to process what he heard and I believe Jesus honored that need.
What Jesus did do was to speak to Simon’s future and his identity, something Simon had probably not done.
Simon was named after a national hero. Some of you are too, at least indirectly. Thomas, Daniel, Christopher, James, Martha. Admittedly, these names have family and biblical significance too, but they are identified with people of prominence in our nation’s history and a child is likely to be given these names for that reason too. In Israel’s history, Simon was a freedom fighter from a few centuries earlier when Judah had been occupied by Greeks who had desecrated the Temple. I don’t think that means that Simon’s dad wanted him to be a soldier, it just means that they may have had strong national pride.
But Jesus prophesied over Simon. He told him that his name was going to change. People do not change their names for no reason.
• I have a cousin named Kitty who as soon as she was old enough had her name legally changed because she was tired of the jokes
• Women get married and often change their names to acknowledge a new dynamic to their identity
• When a Cardinal is made pope, he usually changes his name to something of spiritual significance for him
• Nuns too, take names of spiritual significance when they take their vows
• Actors and actresses take on screen names to give them more favorable exposure
• Writers take pen names to hide their identity and protect their personal interests
If a person changes their name, they are making a statement.
I am no longer the person I was, I am now identifying myself differently. I want people to recognize me in ways that are different from the ways they used to recognize me.
When a parent chooses a name for their child it aligns with their values. But when a person chooses their own name, they choose it carefully to align with their own personal values.
Saul, the Hebrew pharisee from the tribe of Benjamin was named for the most prominent person of their tribe, the first king of Israel. When he started using a new name it was the Greek version of that name Paulos, giving him more comfortable access to the gentiles among whom he had been called to work.
Jesus is not telling Simon to change his name. He is telling him that it will be changed. He will be known as Cephas (in Aramaic) or Peter (in Greek): The Rock. His identity is going to transform and he will be known as a stable, solid, foundational person.
It is one thing to change your own name, but for someone else to announce your name change indicates some things about that person:
• boldness
• confidence
• authority
• knowledge
• vision
Simon must have been astounded by this man who had the audacity to tell him that his whole identity was going to take a drastic turn. No wonder he didn’t follow Jesus immediately. He had plenty to think about first.
• His whole person had been seen
• His whole future was foreseen
Jesus sees your whole person too. He knows you inside and out. He sees you for who you are and who you wish you were.
Not only that, Jesus sees your potential and your future decisions. He knows who you will be. He knows the paths you will follow and the problems you will confront. He also knows exactly what it will take for you to come out on top. And He knows exactly what He can and will do to help, if you will let Him.
Jesus knows you like a friend: Philip
We don’t hear much about Philip here. It is almost as if Jesus is calling someone out of the blue. We have to look at the passage closely to see the bottom line of this call. Jesus, in fact, is not calling a stranger out of the blue. Philip knew Jesus. He was a family friend.
To begin with, this passage tells us that he was from the same town as Simon and Andrew, Bethsaida. This makes sense when we realize that the name of the town, Bethsaida, means house of fishing. There was probably a strong scent associated with this town and with these men.
There is also a possibility that he knew the family. John says that Jesus sought him out.
Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me."
Philip was friends with Nathanael who was from Cana and Mary, Jesus and his disciples were all invited to a wedding in Cana. Philip identifies Jesus to Nathanael as Joseph’s son. None of these facts taken separately has much meaning, but together it makes me think that Philip and Jesus knew each other before Jesus called him.
Jesus seeks us out too. He knows us as friends. I have heard some people say that they do not pray directly to Jesus because they are intimidated. That is the reason some of my catholic friends tell me they pray to Mary or to a saint. Jesus calls us as friends. The love that Jesus holds out is meant to be reciprocated. He does not want us to shy away from Him but to approach Him. Imagine how it would feel to you to hold out gestures of friendship to a person only to have them say that they would rather talk to your family and friends than to you. You frighten me. If we really wanted to be that person’s friend, we would be terribly hurt.
I would be so bold as to say that if we are so busy shying away from Jesus that we cannot talk to Him in prayer, then we cannot truly say that we are His disciples. He said to the apostles, that He reveals his business to his friends. We cannot hope to know God’s will for us if we will not accept the friendship of Jesus.
Jesus sought out Philip to be his friend.
Jesus knows things about you no one else knows:
Nathanael, brought by Philip
Nathanael is one of the enigmas of John’s gospel. He is not listed in any of the four lists of the apostles found in the other three gospels or in Acts. John does not have a list, but he clearly associates Nathanael with the Apostles. Because he is friends with Philip and because in most lists Bartholomew is coupled with Philip, many think Nathanael and Bartholomew are the same person.
As friends, he and Philip may be placed together, but in temperament, I think he is more like Thomas. He seems to be quite jaded and even somewhat prejudiced when Philip approaches him. Jesus overcomes all that with a supernaturally telling Nathanael,
• what just happened
• where he was sitting
• his general disposition
Nathanael was astounded. He is the first of the disciples to declare Jesus the Son of God and the King of Israel.
Jesus is not put off by the honest skeptic. If a person has a legitimate problem believing, Jesus is more than happy to meet whatever need is necessary. Nathanael’s barrier was his preconceived notion that Nazarenes were somehow not in God’s plan. All Jesus had to do was show him that He had a strong connection to God and Nathanael was convinced.
• Jesus knew that Nathanael was a basically honest person
• He knew he had just spoken with Phillip
• He knew that he had just been sitting under a tree
• He knows about you too
• He knows where you’ve been
• He knows who you’ve been talking to
• He knows your character inside and out
And He loves you and wants to bring down any barriers that stand between the two of you, so that you can believe and hold Him as your king.
Jesus knows things about you that you haven’t told anyone and don’t expect anyone to know
Jesus knows more about you than you know yourself, and He holds out His hand. Are you willing to let Him change you?
• He knew Phillip and changed him to a disciple
• He knew Simon and changed him to Peter
• He knew an honest skeptic and changed him to a believer
What does He know about you, and what does He want to change you into?
None of us are exempt. Jesus knows me and He knows my fears and He knows my insecurities, and He knows my weaknesses and my limitations. And He loves me and wants to change me into someone who can move beyond these things to become what He wants me to be. All this and I have been a Christian for over 35 years.
Some of you have been Christians longer than I have. you aren’t there yet either. Jesus wants to change you too. He wants to move you beyond the things that keep you from being everything you know He wants you to be.
It doesn’t matter how old you are.
I was speaking with my Hebrew professor who told me of an 80 year old man in his church who came up to speak with him.
"I want you to teach me Hebrew."
Dr. Johnson assumed that the man wanted to have some personal Bible studies together and the man wanted to learn some insights and truths strengthened by a knowledge of the original language. Dr. Johnson agreed.
"Fine," said the man. "What text book should I buy?"
At 80 years old this man was convinced there were still things Jesus wanted him to know and that he needed to make himself available to learn them. He was being changed from a mature Christian who knew and loved the word into one who knew even more and could communicate it even better.
And he was starting at 80.
Young people sometimes think, that’s ok for a person who has already experienced so many things. If I let Jesus start changing me now, who knows what I will miss.
If you don’t who knows what you will miss
Peter would have missed the chance to change the world
If you want to be a disciple like Simon Peter, like Nathanael, like Phillip you need to submit yourself to the Jesus who knows you. You need to learn just how much he does know you. They did it through their introductory conversations. Here is what you ought to do this week.
Have a "getting to know me" week with Jesus
Get yourself a small pocket sized notebook, one you don’t mind getting thrashed over the course of the week. Keep it with you. The smaller the better.
In that notebook you should write down things about yourself that you don’t believe others know much about.
• Good things
• Bad things
• Embarrassing things
• Things you hope are true about your character
• Things you would rather forget
• Things you hope others see in you
• Things in your past
• Deep thoughts
• Your hopes for the future
If you want someday to have a large family, write that down. If you have done things in secret you hope nobody ever finds out about, write that too.
If you love someone more than you can express
If you hate someone
Whatever is in your inmost being, try to put it into words on this little notebook this week. This notebook is a written prayer, so on the first page it should say something like this:
Jesus, I want You to know me better than anyone else does. I don’t want to be the kind of person who tries to hide from you. So here is everything I am thinking, as deep as I can go on my own this week.
I give my thoughts to you.
Know me.
It is not a matter of whether or not Jesus knows us without our permission. He does.
What is important is whether we want Him to.
Next week when you come to church we will have a fire going out back. You will have the opportunity to quietly offer your innermost thoughts to Jesus as if it were a sacrifice. Think of it the way Paul said it.
Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness.
Romans 6:19 (NIV)
The purpose behind this exercise is to make ourselves as consciously open to Jesus as possible. When you come next week, before you come in the building, you will have the opportunity to go to the back of the parking lot and prayerfully offer your deepest thoughts to Jesus.
There will be no fellowship around the fire, just silence and an attitude of prayer. Then having offered your thoughts to the LORD, come in and fellowship with your brothers and sisters and prepare yourself for worship.
How well do you sense that Jesus knows you. The big thing about the disciples’ revelation was not that Jesus knew them, but that they found out just how well He knew them.
And that He loved them and wanted to get closer.
