Introduction

Some of us carry a quiet weariness. We scroll headlines, hear hard news, and think, “Here we go again.” Cynicism creeps in like a cold draft. We start to shrink our hopes, trim our prayers, and settle for safe, small expectations. We wonder if real change is possible. We wonder if God still surprises people like us.

Then we meet a man named Nathanael. He’s honest. He’s blunt. And he asks a question many of us have whispered: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Can anything good come out of a place with that reputation? Can anything good come out of my family story, my past mistakes, my dry season? In this tender scene from John’s Gospel, Jesus answers our cynicism not with an argument, but with an invitation: “Come and see.”

Hear this encouragement from E.M. Bounds: “God shapes the world by prayer.” If that’s true—and it is—then today is not just another Sunday. Today is an open door. Today is a fresh invitation to bring our skepticism to the Savior who sees us under the fig tree, calls us by name, and shows us greater things than we dared to imagine.

In these verses, we’ll watch Jesus challenge a skeptical heart, work in an overlooked place, and transform an ordinary person into a bold witness. This is more than a story about two men in Galilee; it’s a window into how God moves when our expectations are low and His grace breaks in high. Are you ready to trade eye-rolls for expectant eyes? Are you willing to walk with Philip and simply “come and see”?

Let’s read the Word together.

John 1:43-50 (KJV) 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.

Opening Prayer: Father, we come with honest hearts. Some of us are hopeful, some of us are hurting, and some of us are hesitant. Meet us here. Challenge our cynicism that limits Your work. Help us accept Your invitation to come and see Jesus at work in the very places we tend to dismiss. Let us know the joy of being seen by You, transformed by Your grace, and sent for the sake of Your Kingdom. Open our eyes to greater things. Open our ears to Your voice. Open our hearts to Your Son. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Challenge the cynicism that limits God's work

Skepticism can feel safe. It builds a fence around the heart. It says, “I know how this goes,” and stops there. It loves quick labels and fast reads. It moves us to trust our first take more than God’s fresh work. In John 1, we watch how that fence gets lifted. Not by pressure. Not by force. By a real meeting with Jesus.

Nathanael speaks his mind. He hears the town name and gives his verdict. Many of us do the same with places, people, and seasons. We carry lists in our heads. That school. That job. That church. That uncle. That habit I can’t shake. We slap a label on it and walk away. This passage shows how that habit shrinks the stage where God is ready to act.

Philip comes brimful with good news. He has met someone who fits the Law and the Prophets. He is not pushy. He is honest and clear. He points to a real person in a real town. That is how faith often grows. A friend’s words. A step in the same direction. A simple path forward.

Hear the line that sits at the center: “Come and see.” It is the next right step for a mind that is guarded. It is also the next right step for a heart that is weary. It asks for movement. It asks for presence. It gives room to check claims in the light of a face and a voice. Many doubts stay large because they never walk toward Jesus. Many assumptions keep power because they never get tested in his presence. This short call breaks the cycle. It gives the skeptic a way to move without losing honesty.

Notice how Jesus greets Nathanael. He names the good in him. “An Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile.” No flattery. Just a clear word. Jesus does not make him small for asking hard questions. He honors the truth-teller in him. There is a lesson here. Questions lose their poison when we bring them to Jesus. Honesty is not a threat to grace. Hidden pride is. When our guard takes the form of sarcasm, we keep control. When our heart stands bare, we become ready for a new word.

Then comes the line that opens Nathanael’s eyes: “Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.” Jesus knows where he was. Jesus knows what was on his heart. The text does not tell us what happened under that tree. We do not need to know. It was private. It mattered to Nathanael. God used a quiet detail to break the grip of doubt. This is how God often moves. He puts his finger on something small and true. He shows that he has been paying attention all along.

Think of how much weight sits in that simple claim, “I saw you.” It says, “You were not hidden.” It says, “You are not a number.” It says, “I was there before you came here.” That is what frees a guarded heart. Many of us wait for a big sign. Jesus gives a precise touch. A name. A place. A look. When you feel stuck in a loop of hard thoughts, ask for that. Ask God to make himself known in a way you cannot fake. A line in Scripture. A word from a friend. A moment that lands with holy weight. When you see it, do not explain it away. Receive it. Let it widen your prayers.

See how quickly Nathanael moves from a hard question to a strong confession. “Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.” This is not a slow climb. It is a turn. He names Jesus as teacher. He names Jesus as Son of God. He names Jesus as King. One moment under a fig tree becomes a key that opens many doors. Some of us wait for perfect proof. This passage shows a different way. A true meeting with Jesus carries its own clarity. It does not mean you now know all things. It means you know enough to follow.

Look again at Philip. He helps us see how God works through simple steps. He heard Jesus say, “Follow me.” He said yes. Then he went to a friend. He did not carry a long talk. He did not list every prophecy. He did not crush Nathanael’s pushback. He offered a path. “Come and see.” That is a pattern we can use. Pray. Speak with warmth. Point to Jesus. Walk with the person to where Jesus is. Invite them to read the Gospels with you. Invite them to pray a plain prayer. “Jesus, if you are real, show me.” When you feel stuck by someone’s hard shell, do not argue in your head. Put your feet under their table. Put Scripture in the middle of the time. Let Jesus meet them.

“Thou shalt see greater things than these.” Jesus says that to a man who just moved from doubt to trust. It is a promise, not a scold. It is not a demand for perfect faith. It is a hand that leads into more. Growth in faith often starts with a small yes. Say yes to the light you have, and more light will come. Say yes to the step you can take, and new steps will appear. Many of us wait for a grand plan. Jesus gives the next mile. Walk it, and you will see new work, new answers, new strength.

Jesus speaks of heaven open and angels going up and down on the Son of Man. He links himself to the ladder in Jacob’s dream. He is the place where heaven and earth meet. That means your meeting with Jesus is not a side note in a long week. It is a meeting point between God’s world and yours. The traffic of grace moves through him. Help, wisdom, mercy, power. These are not myths. They are gifts that move in real time through a real Savior. When you raise your view of Jesus, you raise your view of what God can do in hard places.

Let’s bring this down to the street. Name the town you dismiss. Name the time in your life you have written off. Name the person you have stopped praying for. Put that name next to “Nazareth.” Then listen to Scripture. Philip says, “We have found him.” Jesus says, “I saw you.” Jesus promises, “You will see greater things.” Put those three lines in your mouth this week. Say them back to God. Say them over the person you love. Say them over the part of your life that feels stuck.

Take one action. Ask Jesus for a concrete sign of his care in the next seven days. Not a show. A concrete sign. Then keep your eyes open. Keep your Bible open. Keep your heart open. When it comes, thank him. Tell a friend. And take the next step he shows you.

Take one more action. Offer the “come and see” path to someone. Invite them to read John 1 with you. Ask them what they see. Share what you see. Pray a short prayer together. Let Jesus carry the weight. He knows how to meet honest people. He knows how to calm stormy minds. He knows how to turn a quick label into a strong confession.

Keep this text near. Read it out loud. Use it as a mirror when old habits rise. When you catch your mind closing a door, stop. Say, “Come and see.” Say, “He saw me.” Say, “Greater things.” Then take the step that is in front of you.

Come and see Jesus at work in the places we dismiss

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