You Will See Greater Things Than This

You Will See Greater Things Than This

John 1:43-51

SLIDE 1

Promise: You will see greater things than this.

Jesus responded to him, "Do you believe only because I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this."

(John 1:50 HCSB)

SLIDE 2

Truth: Jesus will always know more about me, than I will ever know about Him.

"How do you know me?" Nathanael asked. "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you," Jesus answered. "Rabbi," Nathanael replied, "You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!"

(John 1:48-49 HCSB)

We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose. For those He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.

(Romans 8:28-29 HCSB)

For I know the plans I have for you"--this is the LORD's declaration--"plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

(Jeremiah 29:11 HCSB)

SLIDE 3

In “A Christmas Carol”, three ghosts/spirits show Scrooge what life would be without him. Jesus wants to show you how your life could be with Him.

SLIDE 4

Jesus knows your past.

"How do you know me?" Nathanael asked. "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you," Jesus answered.

(John 1:48 HCSB)

To what event is Jesus referring? Apparently, there was a time in the recent past before Philip talked to Nathanael about Jesus. Nathanael was sitting under the fig tree. He was probably wondering if there was someone who could help him with the way his life was going on. Isreael was under Roman occupation. Maybe there was a downturn in the economy. We don’t know. All we know is that Nathaneal was sitting under the fig tree and thinking about life and how it was going. He was thinking about a Person who could come and help him with his life. (Maybe he was thinking of killing himself. Maybe he was wondering why life was treating him the way it was.) Then Philip comes and says there is a guy who can help him. Jesus, by mentioning that He saw Nathanael under the fig tree, made Nathaneal realize that Jesus knew his past and what he was going through.

The same is true with you and me. Jesus knows what we are going through. He knows our 2008s. He also knows our 2009s.

SLIDE 5

Jesus knows your future.

Jesus responded to him, "Do you believe only because I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this." Then He said, "I assure you: You will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

(John 1:50-51 HCSB)

SLIDE 6

Nathanael called Jesus the “Son of God.” Jesus calls Himself the “Son of Man.” Anytime Jesus uses that title, He is talking about His role in judgment. It comes from the image of the “Judge” in Daniel.

I continued watching in the night visions, and I saw One like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was escorted before Him. He was given authority to rule, and glory, and a kingdom; so that those of every people, nation, and language should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and His kingdom is one that will not be destroyed.

(Daniel 7:13-14 HCSB)

The title “Son of Man” appears thirteen times in the Gospel of John. Each time it is used, it is connected with Jesus having the authority to judge the world.

So Jesus was saying: “Look, I know the future, and I will be the judge of your future.”

Maybe you have gone through many changes. We wrote a letter to some good friends in Germany this past week. As we sat and re-read the account of what has happened with us, we are amazed at all that has transpired, and everything God has done. Could we have predicted all that happened to us in 2008, when it was 2007? No. The same is true with 2009.

But people are looking to their future and they are wondering how it is going to be.

SLIDE 7: What are people thinking about 2008

I took a look at Google. They have a section called “Zeitgeist” – which means “spirit of the times.” They took all of the information that people asked on Google in 2008, and they put it into some lists. Here are some of these lists:

SLIDE 8:

Who is...

who is obama