John 1:43-50

John 1:43-50 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.”

Do you suppose Nathanael literally saw angels ascending and descending on the Son of Man? We have no actual record of that, yet in his walk with Jesus, Nathanael did witness many marvelous acts of Go. He saw the dead raised, the cripples made whole, the lepers cleansed, the demons flee, the sea calmed, and the winds stilled. He saw fish converge on the other side of the disciples' boat, ready to weight down their nets. He even watched the Lord ascend into heaven above. Although an observer to these many wonderful happenings, witnessing these miracles alone did not empower him or any other of Christ's followers to become martyrs for the cause. The historical accounts reveal Nathanael was flayed to death by a whipping in Armenia. If so, after Christ's life and teachings transformed his life and he was reborn into the family of faith, he became a martyr for THE WAY!

Without guile, Nathanael represented an honest sojourner for truth, seeker of God. Jesus could give this strong word of affirmation concerning him: Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false. The Lord knew Nathanael's dedication to following after righteousness and hungering for God more than anything else. Initially, Nathanael would not even accept Philip's comments about Jesus, for he was a seeker of God's truth. Unless believers seek God fervently and honestly, we become double-minded, receiving little or nothing from the Lord. If our daily walk reveals a pretentious facade of righteousness, no lasting good thing will come to us from God. Jesus exhibited harshness toward the religious leaders of that day, for they were filled with guile: outwardly they served God; inwardly their hearts remained far from him. Despite their cunning and deceptive walk, the religious elite wanted others to think highly of them, to defer to them by placing them on pedestals, such as seating them at the head table as voices of authority and righteousness. Attacking their pretense of faith, Jesus pronounced them whited sepulchers.

Unbridled pretension often leads to a dangerous contamination of the church. For example, some people attend church sporadically while living inconsistent lives of faith, yet these same individuals will approach their pastors with bold statements and opinions on how best to run and to organize the church. Although they miss most special meetings or events where the Spirit has moved mightily and anointed teaching has transformed lives; they come full of zeal, religious fervor, and yes pretentiousness, expecting instant acceptance of their great wisdom and unique insights. All this, even though they do not consistently support even one ministry or fulfill one permanent responsibility in the church. Oftentimes people with all the answers tell others what to do, yet their service to the Lord does not add up to following hard after God.

While having met some of these folks over the years, I am thankful for and always appreciate the brothers and sisters who protest and postulate less and who work and serve more: the people who stay late to sweep the floors, empty the trash, or wash the last dish: who likewise willingly clean the toilets and mow the lawn. These faithful saints are also those who gather around the altar to pray for others until burdens are lifted and lives are transformed, regardless of the personal cost or the lateness of the hour. Laborers are needed in the Lord's vineyard, not clanging gongs who elevate themselves. Nathanael's life added up. Although we hear little about him after this first greeting, Nathanael was there to pull up the net bursting with fish. He was in Armenia to speak for the Lord. As a worker and not just a talker, he kept showing up. Truly in his life, he saw heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man. Praise God for people of faith!