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."
So there is a lot within this small passage. First there is Philip. The second Jesus told Philip to follow Him, Philip went and grabbed Nathanael and told him about Jesus. This was before he had really seen or learned about what Jesus was doing, or going to do. Yet still, with full faith, he grabbed the person he was closest to and told him to come with him and Jesus. I want to have that same feeling when I think of Jesus, and the people around me who don't know Him. We should all actually feel even stronger than Philip because we know what Jesus ultimately did. Jesus sacrificed himself to save us from our sins. Knowing that, we should be running after everyone.
Now for Nathanael. When Philip found him he told Nathanael that Jesus was not only the one Moses wrote about, but a Nazarite. Nathanael responded in shock with "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Even so, he followed Philip. When Jesus and Nathanael met, Jesus said two things to him. The first was, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false." Jesus' way of telling Nathanael that He knew him. But Jesus didn't stop there. When Nathanael asked Jesus how He know him, Jesus said, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you." With just those two sentences, Nathanael threw away any his doubts along with his dislike for Nazarites. He declared Jesus as the Son of God and the King of Israel. Jesus acknowledged this saying, "You believe because I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that. I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."
So Nathanael met this guy he doesn't know and who he already doesn't like. And in two sentences, Nathanael is Worshiping Jesus as the Son of God. Honestly, it took more than two sentences for me to believe in Jesus. And I grew up in the church of God. I knew everything Jesus had done for me already too. We all need to strive for the doubtless faith of Nathanael and trust in God with our lives.
Jesus is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Faith and Trust are the foundations of this religion. Do we have the excitement of Philip and the faith and trust of Nathanael? "This is a lifestyle, no it's not a religion." -Lecrae
Thank You For Reading
Long Live Jesus Christ
Amen
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