John
1:43-51
After
his encounter with Jesus, Phillip runs into his friend, Nathanael, and tells
him about Jesus—“Jesus of Nazareth.” Nathanael is skeptical about a Nazarene Messiah.
In
our postmodern world, people are skeptical about almost anything that relates
to religion or faith or God. A number of writers and thinkers have produced an
amazing body of literature to convince others of the truth and reality of God. This
exercise in argumentation is called “apologetics.” Perhaps you like I have been
shaped by some of the best apologists of the 20th and 21st Centuries—C.S. Lewis, N.T. Wright, and others. Phillip was probably
knowledgeable of the writings of prophets, and he probably could have joined in
a lively, argumentative discussion with Nathanael about how Jesus could
be the long-awaited Messiah. Instead, he takes a more practical, impactful approach—“Come
and see.”
We,
too, will run into people who question our faith. They are going to say things
like, “Oh, I would never go to church—they’re all a bunch of hypocrites.” Don’t
try to change their minds; tell them to come and see. Others will say, “Prayer
is useless!” Don’t try to change their minds; invite them to pray. “Read
Scripture? That old book?” Don’t argue; invite them to read. A real encounter
with God and with others speaks so much more than what we will ever say. This is
why we invite people over and over and over to come and be a part of our
ministry and mission—visit a Bible study, help in the Manna Food Pantry, join
in a ramp build, assist in leading worship, be one of our Communion servers.
Come and see.
Nathanael
does come and see…and he is transformed. John’s relating of the moment seems
rather anticlimactic, even puzzling: “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’” (Jn. 1:48b-49). Fig trees
were common places to sit and pray and meditate. Nathanael had been praying
under the cool shade of a fig tree…so, Jesus’ declaration—“I saw you…”—is more
than a statement of ‘location.’ Jesus saw and heard the prayers, dreams, and
hopes Nathanael was pouring forth to God. This is good news for Nathanael and
for us—it means that Jesus hears us, that God hears us. And, we know this is
true because of what Jesus says next.
“Very
truly I tell you, you will see heaven open...” (Jn. 1:51). Jesus is going to
open the door that separates us from God and God from us. Jesus opens the door through
his life and teachings, and then he props that door open forever through his
death and resurrection. So, God sees us and hears us at kitchen tables, on back
decks, on long walks, in the silence of our cars, as we lie on our beds…and
longs to bring life to us. John confirms this is in his Gospel: “…These [words]
are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and
that by believing you may have life in his name”
Do
you crave this life that God offers? Do you know others who crave this life?
The Gospel today, the Good News, invites us: Come and see that we might find
life through Jesus.
Sunday, January 4, 2026
Making the Way Straight: Looking Forward (Come and See)
Watch/Listen: HERE
