#178 John 1:43-51 How Do You Know Me?
On July 13, 2024 by Amy Burgin
Joy:
Episode #178 John 1:43-51
Welcome
Amy:
Welcome to The Christgazing Podcast. We are so glad you are here! I’m Amy Burgin.
Joy:
And I’m Joy Burgin.
Christgazing, kind of like stargazing, is the act of looking steadily and intently at Jesus. If you are anything like us, you desire to fix your eyes on Jesus amid the distractions and troubles of this world. This podcast makes room for us to do that. Amid a world of many words, we slow down here and make space for the God-breathed Words, the best words, the ones that rightly comfort, correct, and lead us. Each week, we read a portion of scripture several times and create stillness after each reading so we might also be still and know God more. We are in a series that takes us through the book of John.
Pour Out Your Heart to God
Amy:
Before we read, take time to share your heart with God. Maybe you have a list of questions for which you need answers—or a heart filled with grief, joy, desire, gratitude, anger, peace, or a mix of some of these things and more—whatever is on your mind, name it, and bring it to God in the next minute.
What Does This Passage Say About God?
Joy:
As I read today’s passage, consider the question: What does this say about God?
John 1:43-51 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”
44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 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.”
46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.
“Come and see,” said Philip.
47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”
48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”
49 Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”
50 Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” 51 He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.”
Again?
John 1:43-51 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”
44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 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.”
46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.
“Come and see,” said Philip.
47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”
48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”
49 Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”
50 Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” 51 He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.”
Take the next few minutes to consider what this says about God.
[Pause and know]What Does This Passage Say About People?
Joy:
As I read the passage again, consider the question, what does this say about people?
John 1:43-51 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”
44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 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.”
46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.
“Come and see,” said Philip.
47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”
48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”
49 Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”
50 Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” 51 He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.”
Take a minute to consider what this says about people.
[Pause and know]Lord, What Would You Have Me Know Or Do Today?
Joy:
John 1:43-51 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”
44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 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.”
46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.
“Come and see,” said Philip.
47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”
48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”
49 Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”
50 Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” 51 He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.”
Take a minute to ask God, “Lord, what would you have me know or do today?”
[Pause and listen]Blessing
Amy:
Christgazer, the Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. And may you keep your face turned toward Jesus today and know him more.
One Response
Amy:
This is one of my favorite passages. I imagine Nathanael sitting under the fig tree talking with God. I wonder if he prayed to God about a difficult relationship. After he poured out his heart to God, maybe he heard God’s still, small voice speak into the struggle. Nathanael, no matter what anyone thinks or says, I saw the whole situation. I saw you and I know your heart. I know you had no intention of deceiving another. I know the truth about you. I envision a wave of relief and peace sweep over Nathanael in these moments under the tree. It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. What matters is what God thinks.
And then, Nathanael was summoned to meet Jesus, where the words of God, which he heard only in the Spirit under the tree, rang forth from flesh with sound waves, body language, and eye contact. There’s something really special about the ideas of God brought forth through the flesh.
Last week, I met a man. He spoke into my life for 40 minutes straight, reciting scriptures the Spirit had whispered to me for weeks. He spoke with authority and rightness. We must not discount the power of speaking scripture over each other.
I’ll close by paraphrasing God’s ideas over you from Galatians 6:7-10, Romans 8:1-9, and 1 Corinthians 3:7.
Friend, do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Your flesh might desire that which is contrary to the Spirit, but you are a person who does not set your mind on what the flesh desires. You are a person who sets your mind on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. God sees how you plant. God sees what you sow and how much of it you sow. He’s here for it, to make it grow. You will reap a harvest. Don’t give up.
Closing
Amy:
You can find a transcript of this episode and all our episodes at amyburgin.com. We’ll be back next week to go Christgazing together. Until then, don’t forget, when you put your trust in Christ, you are one in whom he dwells and delights, a dearly loved child of God. You are royalty in his strong and unshakeable kingdom. Though trouble abounds, Christ prevails, and so do you.
It blesses me to hear from you! Please leave a reply here.