1 00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:03,780 Please turn to John’s gospel and chapter 1. 2 00:00:03,780 –> 00:00:06,580 We are continuing our series Meet Jesus. 3 00:00:06,580 –> 00:00:10,000 And today we’re going to focus on this character Nathaniel 4 00:00:10,000 –> 00:00:13,560 and the story of how he became a disciple of Jesus. 5 00:00:13,560 –> 00:00:14,820 We begin at verse 45. 6 00:00:14,820 –> 00:00:16,900 If you have your Bible open, 7 00:00:16,900 –> 00:00:19,620 where we’re told that Philip found this man Nathaniel 8 00:00:19,620 –> 00:00:20,940 and he said to him, 9 00:00:20,940 –> 00:00:24,219 We have found Him of whom Moses in the law 10 00:00:24,219 –> 00:00:25,420 and also the prophets 11 00:00:25,420 –> 00:00:30,020 wrote Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. 12 00:00:30,959 –> 00:00:32,639 Now we have already seen 13 00:00:32,639 –> 00:00:36,900 how Andrew brought his brother Peter to Jesus. 14 00:00:36,900 –> 00:00:41,720 Now we are told that Philip brought his friend Nathaniel 15 00:00:41,720 –> 00:00:44,400 also to Jesus Christ. 16 00:00:44,400 –> 00:00:46,200 And we’re being reminded very simply 17 00:00:46,200 –> 00:00:47,520 at this point in the gospel 18 00:00:47,520 –> 00:00:49,799 that the normal way in which people 19 00:00:49,799 –> 00:00:52,279 come to faith in Jesus Christ 20 00:00:52,279 –> 00:00:57,279 is by being invited by a friend or by a family member. 21 00:00:58,439 –> 00:01:02,299 And this is something that all of us can do 22 00:01:02,299 –> 00:01:05,760 and that many of us are doing already, 23 00:01:05,760 –> 00:01:10,059 invite a friend to worship, to a Bible study, 24 00:01:10,059 –> 00:01:12,839 to a situation in which there will be an opportunity 25 00:01:12,839 –> 00:01:16,040 to come and become familiar with Jesus. 26 00:01:16,040 –> 00:01:17,199 Come and see. 27 00:01:17,199 –> 00:01:20,959 That’s the invitation of Philip. 28 00:01:21,040 –> 00:01:23,120 And the Bible is telling us very clearly 29 00:01:23,120 –> 00:01:25,760 that this is how the first disciples came 30 00:01:25,760 –> 00:01:27,860 to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ 31 00:01:27,860 –> 00:01:29,699 through the invitation of a friend, 32 00:01:29,699 –> 00:01:32,320 through the concern and care of a family member, 33 00:01:32,320 –> 00:01:34,919 and it has been the story for millions and millions 34 00:01:34,919 –> 00:01:36,779 of people across the centuries 35 00:01:36,779 –> 00:01:40,080 and across the world ever since. 36 00:01:40,080 –> 00:01:42,279 Now notice as we think about these things 37 00:01:42,279 –> 00:01:46,080 what Jesus says to this man Nathaniel 38 00:01:46,080 –> 00:01:49,239 when he is brought by his friend. 39 00:01:49,320 –> 00:01:50,300 Verse 47. 40 00:01:50,300 –> 00:01:54,000 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him 41 00:01:54,000 –> 00:01:55,760 and said of him, 42 00:01:55,760 –> 00:01:59,320 behold an Israelite indeed 43 00:01:59,320 –> 00:02:02,940 in whom there is no deceit. 44 00:02:02,940 –> 00:02:05,040 Let’s pause there for a moment. 45 00:02:05,040 –> 00:02:06,760 A very interesting phrase, isn’t it? 46 00:02:06,760 –> 00:02:09,600 An Israelite indeed. 47 00:02:10,479 –> 00:02:13,139 In other words Jesus is saying when he sees Nathanael 48 00:02:13,139 –> 00:02:16,279 now there’s a true Israelite 49 00:02:17,080 –> 00:02:21,520 which raises the question what is a true Israelite? 50 00:02:21,520 –> 00:02:23,199 Here’s something that should be 51 00:02:23,199 –> 00:02:27,820 of very special interest to every Jewish person 52 00:02:27,820 –> 00:02:30,699 of whom there are many in our congregation. 53 00:02:30,699 –> 00:02:32,259 This congregation, 54 00:02:32,259 –> 00:02:35,039 because we have such a high view of the Scriptures, 55 00:02:35,039 –> 00:02:37,720 the old Testament as well as the new Testament 56 00:02:37,720 –> 00:02:40,860 has a very special affection 57 00:02:40,860 –> 00:02:42,559 for Israel 58 00:02:42,559 –> 00:02:46,039 and all of the promises that God has made 59 00:02:46,160 –> 00:02:48,479 through the Scriptures. 60 00:02:48,479 –> 00:02:52,619 Now what does it mean to be a true Israelite? 61 00:02:53,960 –> 00:02:57,100 Well, many of you know that the name Israel 62 00:02:57,100 –> 00:03:00,919 was first given to Jacob in his earlier life. 63 00:03:00,919 –> 00:03:03,940 Jacob had been a deceiver. 64 00:03:03,940 –> 00:03:06,600 You remember the story of how his father, Isaac, 65 00:03:06,600 –> 00:03:09,360 an old man, and going blind, 66 00:03:09,360 –> 00:03:13,559 Jacob came into his room and impersonated his brother, 67 00:03:13,600 –> 00:03:16,100 putting animal skins on his arms 68 00:03:16,100 –> 00:03:19,259 because his brother was a hairy man, the Scripture says, 69 00:03:19,259 –> 00:03:21,820 and so Jacob impersonates his brother 70 00:03:21,820 –> 00:03:26,179 in order to deceive his aging and blind father 71 00:03:26,179 –> 00:03:28,039 so that he would receive the blessing 72 00:03:28,039 –> 00:03:30,800 that otherwise would have gone to his brother Esau. 73 00:03:32,100 –> 00:03:35,619 Jacob was always associated with being twisted, 74 00:03:35,619 –> 00:03:38,279 with being deceptive, with being deceitful, 75 00:03:38,279 –> 00:03:41,059 but God worked in his life 76 00:03:41,080 –> 00:03:44,440 in a most profound and remarkable way. 77 00:03:44,440 –> 00:03:48,820 And in Genesis in chapter 32, there is an amazing story 78 00:03:48,820 –> 00:03:53,660 in which God himself appeared in human form 79 00:03:53,660 –> 00:03:57,160 and actually wrestled with Jacob. 80 00:03:57,160 –> 00:04:00,979 And Jacob pleaded with God to bless him. 81 00:04:01,940 –> 00:04:06,940 And God said, your name shall no longer be Jacob, 82 00:04:07,300 –> 00:04:11,919 but Israel for you have striven with God 83 00:04:11,919 –> 00:04:13,699 and with man and have prevailed. 84 00:04:13,699 –> 00:04:17,100 So that’s where the name Israel comes from. 85 00:04:17,100 –> 00:04:19,059 So you see the significance of this. 86 00:04:19,059 –> 00:04:22,619 Jacob who had been so deceitful, 87 00:04:22,619 –> 00:04:26,820 so twisted, so deceptive in his behavior 88 00:04:26,820 –> 00:04:28,380 is given a new character. 89 00:04:28,380 –> 00:04:30,299 He has given a new name. 90 00:04:30,299 –> 00:04:33,920 God has wrestled with him and he is renamed. 91 00:04:33,920 –> 00:04:36,019 He has this new name Israel, 92 00:04:36,299 –> 00:04:39,000 the one who prevailed with God. 93 00:04:39,000 –> 00:04:42,679 And Jesus says when Nathaniel comes towards him 94 00:04:42,679 –> 00:04:44,559 in John chapter one, 95 00:04:44,559 –> 00:04:49,260 now there’s a true Israelite 96 00:04:49,260 –> 00:04:52,179 in whom there is no, 97 00:04:52,179 –> 00:04:55,459 notice the word, deceit. 98 00:04:55,459 –> 00:04:57,640 In other words, here Nathaniel, 99 00:04:57,640 –> 00:05:02,640 he’s like the new Jacob, not the old Jacob. 100 00:05:02,839 –> 00:05:04,200 He’s a true Israelite. 101 00:05:04,200 –> 00:05:08,640 In fact, Archbishop Temple translates this phrase, 102 00:05:08,640 –> 00:05:13,299 here is an Israelite in whom there is no Jacob. 103 00:05:13,299 –> 00:05:14,880 There has been a transforming work 104 00:05:14,880 –> 00:05:17,779 that has gone on in his life. 105 00:05:19,119 –> 00:05:22,320 Now, Paul takes up this question 106 00:05:22,320 –> 00:05:24,399 in the New Testament 107 00:05:24,399 –> 00:05:28,320 of what a true Israelite is, 108 00:05:28,320 –> 00:05:29,779 and it’s in the Book of Romans. 109 00:05:29,779 –> 00:05:31,679 And what we should always remember 110 00:05:31,679 –> 00:05:33,000 when we read these words 111 00:05:33,000 –> 00:05:36,040 is that Paul was a Jew, 112 00:05:36,040 –> 00:05:38,279 as indeed all of the first disciples, 113 00:05:38,279 –> 00:05:40,540 and our Lord Jesus Christ was a Jew. 114 00:05:40,540 –> 00:05:42,200 Paul was a Jew, 115 00:05:42,200 –> 00:05:43,200 and not only that, 116 00:05:43,200 –> 00:05:46,279 he loved his own people so much 117 00:05:47,359 –> 00:05:48,660 that on one occasion, 118 00:05:48,660 –> 00:05:51,420 he said as Moses had done before, 119 00:05:52,359 –> 00:05:54,200 that if it would be possible 120 00:05:54,200 –> 00:05:56,220 for his own people to be saved, 121 00:05:56,220 –> 00:05:57,359 he would go to any length 122 00:05:57,359 –> 00:05:59,600 even being cursed himself 123 00:05:59,600 –> 00:06:00,640 if that could mean 124 00:06:00,640 –> 00:06:02,839 that the people he loved so much 125 00:06:02,880 –> 00:06:04,500 would enter into blessing. 126 00:06:04,500 –> 00:06:05,700 You have that in Romans 9, 127 00:06:05,700 –> 00:06:07,100 verses 1-5. 128 00:06:07,100 –> 00:06:09,959 So Paul has the deepest love, 129 00:06:09,959 –> 00:06:13,040 the deepest affection possible 130 00:06:13,040 –> 00:06:17,100 for his own people, Israel. 131 00:06:17,100 –> 00:06:17,980 And this is what he says 132 00:06:17,980 –> 00:06:19,220 in Romans chapter two, 133 00:06:19,220 –> 00:06:21,299 verses 28 and 29. 134 00:06:22,640 –> 00:06:25,859 For no one is a Jew 135 00:06:25,859 –> 00:06:28,679 who is merely one outwardly, 136 00:06:29,959 –> 00:06:32,519 nor is circumcision outward 137 00:06:32,660 –> 00:06:33,920 and physical, 138 00:06:35,000 –> 00:06:38,540 but a Jew is one inwardly, 139 00:06:39,519 –> 00:06:42,040 and circumcision is a matter 140 00:06:42,040 –> 00:06:45,820 of the heart by the spirit, 141 00:06:46,679 –> 00:06:48,459 not by the letter. 142 00:06:49,720 –> 00:06:51,779 Now, let’s broaden out this principle 143 00:06:51,779 –> 00:06:53,619 that we’re learning from the Bible 144 00:06:53,619 –> 00:06:55,739 and apply it not only in relation 145 00:06:55,739 –> 00:06:57,420 to people of Jewish descent, 146 00:06:57,420 –> 00:06:59,119 but to all of us. 147 00:06:59,119 –> 00:07:00,700 The great question, 148 00:07:00,700 –> 00:07:01,839 then, that is before 149 00:07:01,859 –> 00:07:03,540 all of us today 150 00:07:03,540 –> 00:07:06,420 is not what are you outwardly, 151 00:07:06,420 –> 00:07:09,179 but what are you inwardly. 152 00:07:09,179 –> 00:07:11,380 Do you today have a heart 153 00:07:11,380 –> 00:07:14,579 that truly seeks after God? 154 00:07:14,579 –> 00:07:16,220 Outwardly, we are very, 155 00:07:16,220 –> 00:07:18,200 very different in this congregation 156 00:07:18,200 –> 00:07:19,540 this morning. 157 00:07:19,540 –> 00:07:21,079 We’re of different age. 158 00:07:21,079 –> 00:07:23,359 We are of different race. 159 00:07:23,359 –> 00:07:25,140 We are of different lifestyle. 160 00:07:25,140 –> 00:07:26,059 We are of very, very 161 00:07:26,059 –> 00:07:28,059 different interests. 162 00:07:28,059 –> 00:07:30,480 Outwardly, we are very different 163 00:07:30,480 –> 00:07:32,299 in many ways, but none of the outward 164 00:07:32,299 –> 00:07:34,459 things will be ultimately defining 165 00:07:34,459 –> 00:07:36,459 for any of us. 166 00:07:38,359 –> 00:07:40,779 The true Israelite is the one 167 00:07:40,779 –> 00:07:44,480 who inwardly seeks after God. 168 00:07:44,480 –> 00:07:46,500 What that means is that none of us 169 00:07:46,500 –> 00:07:49,679 can rest in what we are by the flesh. 170 00:07:49,679 –> 00:07:52,160 None of us can rest in what 171 00:07:52,160 –> 00:07:54,799 we have accomplished in this life. 172 00:07:55,899 –> 00:07:58,859 Nathaniel was a wonderful example 173 00:07:58,859 –> 00:08:01,519 of someone who had a sincere 174 00:08:01,519 –> 00:08:04,019 desire to find and to follow 175 00:08:04,019 –> 00:08:08,179 after the truth, and Jesus commends this. 176 00:08:08,179 –> 00:08:09,820 Notice Jesus does not say, 177 00:08:09,820 –> 00:08:13,480 ah, here’s a man in whom there is no guilt. 178 00:08:13,480 –> 00:08:15,820 No, that’s not true of anyone. 179 00:08:15,820 –> 00:08:18,679 All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 180 00:08:18,679 –> 00:08:20,459 But he does say, here is a man 181 00:08:20,459 –> 00:08:21,899 in whom there is no deceit. 182 00:08:21,899 –> 00:08:24,380 Here’s a plain, straightforward, 183 00:08:24,380 –> 00:08:27,019 honest person who has a genuine 184 00:08:27,040 –> 00:08:29,279 desire to seek after God. 185 00:08:29,279 –> 00:08:33,320 Now, could Jesus say that of you today? 186 00:08:33,320 –> 00:08:34,900 Here, you are in church, 187 00:08:35,880 –> 00:08:37,419 could it be said of you? 188 00:08:38,619 –> 00:08:41,260 Whatever the outward circumstances of your life, 189 00:08:41,260 –> 00:08:45,419 that inwardly, there is in your heart 190 00:08:45,419 –> 00:08:50,419 a sincere desire to seek after the living God? 191 00:08:50,619 –> 00:08:52,880 That’s what a true Israelite is. 192 00:08:52,880 –> 00:08:54,700 That’s what he says about Nathanael. 193 00:08:54,700 –> 00:08:56,960 This person is the real deal. 194 00:08:58,119 –> 00:09:00,559 He is an honest person who is seeking 195 00:09:00,559 –> 00:09:04,260 after the knowledge of the truth. 196 00:09:05,659 –> 00:09:10,059 Now, Nathanael, then, was an honest man, 197 00:09:10,059 –> 00:09:13,059 and I want you to see that as an honest man, 198 00:09:13,059 –> 00:09:16,559 he also had some honest questions. 199 00:09:17,460 –> 00:09:20,000 And that, again, may be true of many of us 200 00:09:20,000 –> 00:09:21,440 in this congregation today. 201 00:09:21,440 –> 00:09:23,799 You really do want to know God. 202 00:09:23,799 –> 00:09:25,719 You really do want to follow after him. 203 00:09:25,719 –> 00:09:28,840 But you have some honest questions 204 00:09:28,840 –> 00:09:31,599 with regards to Christian faith. 205 00:09:32,580 –> 00:09:34,460 And I want you to see today 206 00:09:34,460 –> 00:09:36,900 that you are in exactly the same position 207 00:09:36,900 –> 00:09:38,960 as this man, Nathanael. 208 00:09:38,960 –> 00:09:42,500 Look at his question, it’s in verse 46. 209 00:09:42,500 –> 00:09:45,359 Can anything good 210 00:09:45,359 –> 00:09:47,200 come out 211 00:09:47,200 –> 00:09:48,520 of Nazareth? 212 00:09:49,520 –> 00:09:54,520 Now it seems to me that Nathaniel’s honest question 213 00:09:54,580 –> 00:09:57,119 arises directly from the words 214 00:09:57,119 –> 00:10:00,159 that were spoken to him by his friend Philip. 215 00:10:01,400 –> 00:10:04,760 Now remember in Philip’s defense here, 216 00:10:04,760 –> 00:10:08,700 that he invites a friend to come and see Jesus 217 00:10:08,700 –> 00:10:13,219 on the very first day that he followed Jesus himself. 218 00:10:13,219 –> 00:10:15,340 You gotta commend Philip for that. 219 00:10:15,340 –> 00:10:17,299 First day as a follower of Jesus, 220 00:10:17,299 –> 00:10:20,400 he’s inviting someone else to come and see as well. 221 00:10:21,440 –> 00:10:24,840 But I want you to notice what it is that Philip says 222 00:10:24,840 –> 00:10:26,880 to Nathaniel because his words 223 00:10:26,880 –> 00:10:30,059 are actually wide open to misunderstanding. 224 00:10:31,119 –> 00:10:33,159 Verse 45, Philip found Nathaniel 225 00:10:33,159 –> 00:10:35,119 and said to him, we have found him 226 00:10:35,119 –> 00:10:39,039 of whom Moses is in the law and also the prophets wrote, 227 00:10:39,039 –> 00:10:43,299 Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. 228 00:10:44,359 –> 00:10:45,599 There are two things there 229 00:10:45,640 –> 00:10:49,719 that are wide open to misunderstanding. 230 00:10:51,179 –> 00:10:55,359 One is, of course, the phrase, the son of Joseph. 231 00:10:56,320 –> 00:10:59,659 That is wide open to misunderstanding. 232 00:11:01,000 –> 00:11:05,640 Jesus was born of the virgin Mary 233 00:11:05,640 –> 00:11:09,359 who was espoused to Joseph and later married to him. 234 00:11:09,359 –> 00:11:12,359 But Joseph played no part whatsoever 235 00:11:12,400 –> 00:11:17,400 in the conception of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 236 00:11:18,659 –> 00:11:20,880 And that is why in the genealogy, 237 00:11:20,880 –> 00:11:24,760 Luke, who is very careful in all of his research 238 00:11:24,760 –> 00:11:27,400 and overseen by the power of the Holy Spirit, 239 00:11:27,400 –> 00:11:30,320 he writes these words, that Jesus was the son, 240 00:11:30,320 –> 00:11:35,320 brackets, as it was supposed, close brackets, of Joseph. 241 00:11:36,960 –> 00:11:39,559 In other words, commonly people assumed, 242 00:11:39,559 –> 00:11:41,780 if they did not know any better, 243 00:11:41,780 –> 00:11:43,460 that Jesus was the son of Joseph, 244 00:11:43,460 –> 00:11:46,979 simply because he was obviously raised in the house 245 00:11:46,979 –> 00:11:50,080 and home of which Joseph was the head. 246 00:11:51,219 –> 00:11:55,659 Now, nobody is going to, for one minute, 247 00:11:55,659 –> 00:11:58,900 blame Philip for what he says here. 248 00:11:58,900 –> 00:12:01,219 I mean, it’s day one of following Jesus, 249 00:12:01,219 –> 00:12:02,460 I don’t suppose for one minute 250 00:12:02,460 –> 00:12:05,059 he had had an entire schooling in theology 251 00:12:05,059 –> 00:12:07,219 and got into the doctrine of the virgin birth 252 00:12:07,219 –> 00:12:10,760 and all of that on his first day of following after Jesus. 253 00:12:11,820 –> 00:12:15,299 By the way, be encouraged by this, 254 00:12:16,820 –> 00:12:21,820 that God used Philip’s inadequate testimony 255 00:12:22,739 –> 00:12:24,739 in the conversion of his friend. 256 00:12:25,739 –> 00:12:28,179 You don’t need to be able to answer every question. 257 00:12:28,179 –> 00:12:30,359 You don’t have to have a degree in theology. 258 00:12:30,359 –> 00:12:32,659 You do not need to have been a Christian for 25 years 259 00:12:32,659 –> 00:12:35,219 and got it all sorted out before you can invite a friend 260 00:12:35,280 –> 00:12:37,820 to come and see and to follow the Lord Jesus Christ. 261 00:12:37,820 –> 00:12:41,280 God used Philip’s inadequate testimony, 262 00:12:42,580 –> 00:12:45,320 his saying it as best he could, 263 00:12:45,320 –> 00:12:47,419 which is what he does here, 264 00:12:47,419 –> 00:12:48,780 to the conversion of his friends. 265 00:12:48,780 –> 00:12:51,000 One of the Puritans says, I love this phrase, 266 00:12:51,000 –> 00:12:55,539 God can draw a straight line with a crooked stick. 267 00:12:55,539 –> 00:12:57,260 I love that. 268 00:12:57,260 –> 00:12:59,299 And for all of us who see within ourselves, 269 00:12:59,299 –> 00:13:01,039 I’m still a very crooked stick. 270 00:13:01,039 –> 00:13:03,080 Thank God he can draw a straight line 271 00:13:03,080 –> 00:13:04,940 even with a crooked stick. 272 00:13:05,679 –> 00:13:07,260 And that’s what’s happening here. 273 00:13:07,260 –> 00:13:08,900 He’s using an inadequate testimony. 274 00:13:08,900 –> 00:13:11,280 Even an inaccurate testimony 275 00:13:11,280 –> 00:13:14,359 to wonderfully bring about good 276 00:13:14,359 –> 00:13:17,479 through Philip in the life of Nathaniel. 277 00:13:17,479 –> 00:13:19,700 But I particularly want to draw your attention 278 00:13:19,700 –> 00:13:21,280 to the second thing 279 00:13:21,280 –> 00:13:23,080 in what Philip says here 280 00:13:23,080 –> 00:13:26,000 that I think very obviously gives rise 281 00:13:26,000 –> 00:13:29,580 to Nathaniel’s confusion and to his question. 282 00:13:30,400 –> 00:13:35,239 Because notice that Philip speaks about Jesus of Nazareth. 283 00:13:37,099 –> 00:13:38,539 Now that was accurate 284 00:13:38,539 –> 00:13:42,840 in a sense Jesus was raised in Nazareth. 285 00:13:43,859 –> 00:13:45,299 And as all of you know, 286 00:13:45,299 –> 00:13:49,179 it subsequently became very common 287 00:13:49,179 –> 00:13:53,140 to refer to Jesus as Jesus of Nazareth. 288 00:13:53,140 –> 00:13:56,179 You find that repeatedly as a title given 289 00:13:56,219 –> 00:14:00,039 by the apostles in the book of Acts. 290 00:14:00,979 –> 00:14:03,900 But anyone who was ever familiar 291 00:14:03,900 –> 00:14:06,500 with the Old Testament at all, 292 00:14:07,619 –> 00:14:10,260 as Nathanael clearly was, 293 00:14:11,419 –> 00:14:14,599 knew for sure that the Messiah 294 00:14:14,599 –> 00:14:17,080 was not to come out of Nazareth 295 00:14:17,080 –> 00:14:18,619 but rather the prophet said 296 00:14:18,619 –> 00:14:22,799 that he would be born in the town of Bethlehem. 297 00:14:23,299 –> 00:14:27,080 And so here comes Philip to his friend Nathanael 298 00:14:27,080 –> 00:14:29,559 who does know the Old Testament well 299 00:14:29,559 –> 00:14:30,520 and Philip says, 300 00:14:30,520 –> 00:14:34,500 Nathanael, we found the Messiah 301 00:14:35,880 –> 00:14:37,679 and he’s out of Nazareth. 302 00:14:38,859 –> 00:14:43,260 And Nathanael is going something pretty strange there 303 00:14:43,260 –> 00:14:45,619 not on my Bible mate. 304 00:14:45,619 –> 00:14:46,619 It’s Bethlehem. 305 00:14:46,619 –> 00:14:49,260 Everyone knows that he’s out of Bethlehem 306 00:14:49,679 –> 00:14:54,520 as indeed Christ was born in Bethlehem. 307 00:14:56,099 –> 00:14:58,419 And surely that is what gives rise 308 00:14:58,419 –> 00:15:01,440 to his dismissive kind of line at this point. 309 00:15:01,440 –> 00:15:05,780 Well, nothing good even comes out of Nazareth. 310 00:15:07,679 –> 00:15:10,440 Now here’s what this has to do with us today. 311 00:15:11,900 –> 00:15:14,599 Matthew Henry says that the blunder 312 00:15:14,599 –> 00:15:15,940 and that’s the word he uses. 313 00:15:15,979 –> 00:15:17,979 The blunder that Philip made 314 00:15:18,900 –> 00:15:21,799 in calling the Savior Jesus of Nazareth 315 00:15:22,679 –> 00:15:26,059 was what gave rise to Nathaniel’s question, 316 00:15:26,059 –> 00:15:29,500 can anything good come out of Nazareth? 317 00:15:30,659 –> 00:15:33,020 And then Matthew Henry makes this 318 00:15:33,020 –> 00:15:37,739 I think very very apt application for all of us today. 319 00:15:39,419 –> 00:15:42,619 The mistakes of preachers 320 00:15:43,500 –> 00:15:48,500 often give rise to the prejudices of hearers. 321 00:15:49,619 –> 00:15:51,340 Now that is profoundly true. 322 00:15:53,059 –> 00:15:56,500 The mistakes of preachers 323 00:15:57,659 –> 00:16:02,260 often give rise to the prejudices of hearers 324 00:16:02,260 –> 00:16:04,299 which by the way is one reason why I 325 00:16:04,299 –> 00:16:06,960 and indeed anyone who stands 326 00:16:06,960 –> 00:16:09,419 with the trust of proclaiming the word of God publicly 327 00:16:09,419 –> 00:16:12,619 cover your prayers we need your prayers 328 00:16:12,619 –> 00:16:16,880 so easy to stress one truth 329 00:16:16,880 –> 00:16:18,640 to the obscurity of another 330 00:16:18,640 –> 00:16:20,260 and therefore to mislead. 331 00:16:21,159 –> 00:16:23,820 So easy to say something which is accurate 332 00:16:23,820 –> 00:16:25,780 but the very way in which it is said 333 00:16:25,780 –> 00:16:29,099 ends up being misleading to people who hear. 334 00:16:30,780 –> 00:16:32,260 And there are many people 335 00:16:33,659 –> 00:16:36,580 who have turned away from Christian faith 336 00:16:36,640 –> 00:16:40,539 or have been held back from Christian faith 337 00:16:41,440 –> 00:16:46,440 because of teaching that was accurate at one level 338 00:16:48,419 –> 00:16:51,859 but it was also misleading 339 00:16:53,099 –> 00:16:57,619 and it left them, perhaps left you, like Nathaniel, 340 00:16:57,619 –> 00:17:01,020 with real and profound questions 341 00:17:01,020 –> 00:17:04,359 and even barriers with regards to Christian faith. 342 00:17:05,020 –> 00:17:09,439 So for some here in the service this morning, 343 00:17:09,439 –> 00:17:11,719 you may have heard teaching 344 00:17:11,719 –> 00:17:14,160 that seemed to come out of the Bible 345 00:17:14,160 –> 00:17:16,560 that left you with the impression 346 00:17:16,560 –> 00:17:20,060 that Christianity is somehow identified 347 00:17:20,060 –> 00:17:22,319 with a particular political persuasion. 348 00:17:23,900 –> 00:17:25,599 Or you may have heard teaching 349 00:17:25,599 –> 00:17:28,060 that someone had a Bible open in front of them 350 00:17:28,060 –> 00:17:29,479 but what really came across to you 351 00:17:29,479 –> 00:17:31,959 was the sense that Christians somehow 352 00:17:31,959 –> 00:17:33,739 are in the business of hitting 353 00:17:33,959 –> 00:17:35,579 certain groups of people and you said, 354 00:17:35,579 –> 00:17:38,400 I wouldn’t want anything to do with that. 355 00:17:39,540 –> 00:17:41,099 Or perhaps you have heard teaching 356 00:17:41,099 –> 00:17:43,439 that if you have enough faith 357 00:17:43,439 –> 00:17:45,420 you could be healed from every disease 358 00:17:45,420 –> 00:17:46,739 and you were swept along in it 359 00:17:46,739 –> 00:17:48,739 and it sounded wonderful until someone 360 00:17:48,739 –> 00:17:50,099 that you knew and really loved 361 00:17:50,099 –> 00:17:52,739 became seriously ill and they did not recover 362 00:17:52,739 –> 00:17:54,760 and you say, where’s Christianity now? 363 00:17:56,319 –> 00:17:57,880 Or you were told that the church 364 00:17:57,880 –> 00:17:59,020 is the hope of the world, 365 00:17:59,020 –> 00:18:01,300 which seemed wonderful while everything was encouraging 366 00:18:01,300 –> 00:18:03,160 and then the church disappointed you 367 00:18:03,160 –> 00:18:04,859 and you didn’t know where to turn. 368 00:18:06,319 –> 00:18:08,599 Or you were told that if you followed Jesus Christ 369 00:18:08,599 –> 00:18:10,260 you would have the most wonderful life 370 00:18:10,260 –> 00:18:11,800 and you would have been blessed in many ways 371 00:18:11,800 –> 00:18:13,560 but now your life at this moment 372 00:18:13,560 –> 00:18:15,439 seems anything but wonderful 373 00:18:15,439 –> 00:18:18,239 and you wonder what it’s all about. 374 00:18:18,239 –> 00:18:20,640 Or you were told that God is sovereign 375 00:18:20,640 –> 00:18:22,319 but it was told in such a way 376 00:18:22,319 –> 00:18:24,119 that it did not give sufficient weight 377 00:18:24,119 –> 00:18:27,359 to the reality of the evil in our world today 378 00:18:27,359 –> 00:18:29,160 or indeed to the call of Christ 379 00:18:29,160 –> 00:18:31,640 to every Christian to go and make disciples 380 00:18:31,680 –> 00:18:33,560 across all the nations of the earth. 381 00:18:33,560 –> 00:18:37,400 So now you have serious questions about Christian faith 382 00:18:37,400 –> 00:18:38,880 because of the very way 383 00:18:38,880 –> 00:18:40,939 in which it has been presented to you. 384 00:18:43,079 –> 00:18:46,160 And if you have encountered a barrier to faith 385 00:18:46,160 –> 00:18:48,180 and you say that is me, 386 00:18:50,040 –> 00:18:53,040 you are in exactly the same position 387 00:18:53,040 –> 00:18:56,520 as Nathanael was in John and chapter one 388 00:18:56,520 –> 00:18:58,500 and surely this is one of the very reasons 389 00:18:58,500 –> 00:19:03,500 why the story is there in the Bible for all of us. 390 00:19:05,680 –> 00:19:08,900 Nathanael heard a sincere testimony 391 00:19:08,900 –> 00:19:11,280 but it was a garbled testimony. 392 00:19:12,780 –> 00:19:15,300 It came from his best friend, Philip, 393 00:19:16,180 –> 00:19:18,699 who was sincere in all that he was trying to do 394 00:19:18,699 –> 00:19:21,719 but misleading in some of the things that he said. 395 00:19:23,479 –> 00:19:26,020 And so this man Nathanael is left saying, 396 00:19:26,020 –> 00:19:27,319 well how can this be? 397 00:19:28,540 –> 00:19:31,180 Make any sense to me. 398 00:19:31,180 –> 00:19:35,000 Doesn’t fit with what I already know and what I’ve seen. 399 00:19:35,859 –> 00:19:40,859 The Messiah does not come out of Nazareth. 400 00:19:43,920 –> 00:19:48,920 Now, Philip to his great credit 401 00:19:50,739 –> 00:19:53,300 does exactly the right thing. 402 00:19:54,300 –> 00:19:58,640 In verse 46, when this question is raised by his friend 403 00:19:58,640 –> 00:20:03,640 he says, come and see, come and see. 404 00:20:05,719 –> 00:20:08,739 Nathanael, I can’t answer all of your questions 405 00:20:08,739 –> 00:20:13,219 from the Old Testament, but please, 406 00:20:13,219 –> 00:20:15,060 my dear friend Nathanael, 407 00:20:15,060 –> 00:20:17,219 would you just come to Jesus for yourself? 408 00:20:17,219 –> 00:20:18,819 Take a look at him for yourself. 409 00:20:18,819 –> 00:20:20,000 Would you come and see? 410 00:20:20,719 –> 00:20:25,719 And that is my invitation to every person today 411 00:20:25,979 –> 00:20:28,760 in this congregation who, like Nathanael, 412 00:20:28,760 –> 00:20:32,040 is sincere in searching after the truth. 413 00:20:32,040 –> 00:20:34,500 But you have genuine questions, 414 00:20:34,500 –> 00:20:37,400 and you may have been caused to stumble 415 00:20:37,400 –> 00:20:42,300 by a garbled version of what Christianity is. 416 00:20:42,300 –> 00:20:44,520 And I’m saying to you what Phillip said 417 00:20:44,520 –> 00:20:47,079 to his friend Nathanael, come and see. 418 00:20:47,079 –> 00:20:51,400 Come and take a look at Jesus Christ for yourself. 419 00:20:52,400 –> 00:20:55,760 Don’t let a garbled version of the truth 420 00:20:55,760 –> 00:20:58,079 that you may have picked up from various sources 421 00:20:58,079 –> 00:21:00,459 in the past put you off. 422 00:21:00,459 –> 00:21:05,000 Don’t let distortions of the Gospel hold you back. 423 00:21:05,000 –> 00:21:08,359 Don’t let inadequacies that you have seen in other people 424 00:21:08,359 –> 00:21:11,680 keep you from this glorious Savior, Jesus Christ. 425 00:21:11,680 –> 00:21:15,420 This is too important for that. 426 00:21:15,479 –> 00:21:17,619 Come and see. 427 00:21:17,619 –> 00:21:20,500 This is indeed why the Gospel of John was written. 428 00:21:20,500 –> 00:21:23,459 That you may come to know and believe 429 00:21:23,459 –> 00:21:25,640 that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, 430 00:21:25,640 –> 00:21:29,140 so that you may have life in His name. 431 00:21:29,140 –> 00:21:31,859 That’s why we’re doing this series, Meet Jesus, 432 00:21:31,859 –> 00:21:34,219 we’re opening the Gospel of John together 433 00:21:34,219 –> 00:21:37,599 so that we may look at Jesus Christ as He is. 434 00:21:37,599 –> 00:21:40,180 Come and see, see for yourself. 435 00:21:40,180 –> 00:21:41,479 That’s the invitation, 436 00:21:42,479 –> 00:21:46,260 that’s why we encourage an open Bible, see for yourself. 437 00:21:46,260 –> 00:21:48,359 Look at this Jesus Christ. 438 00:21:50,900 –> 00:21:53,579 Now if you will come and like Nathanael, 439 00:21:53,579 –> 00:21:58,579 you will come and take an honest look at Jesus Christ, 440 00:21:59,619 –> 00:22:02,920 what is it that you will see, what will you see? 441 00:22:05,219 –> 00:22:08,739 Well let me just observe this morning three things 442 00:22:08,839 –> 00:22:12,079 that Nathanael clearly and immediately saw 443 00:22:12,079 –> 00:22:15,239 and of course, there was so much more that continued 444 00:22:15,239 –> 00:22:17,619 as he followed after Jesus, 445 00:22:17,619 –> 00:22:21,699 but what he saw when he came to take 446 00:22:21,699 –> 00:22:24,699 a personal look at Jesus for himself, 447 00:22:26,280 –> 00:22:29,020 first he saw that Jesus Christ is the subject 448 00:22:29,020 –> 00:22:31,140 of the whole Bible. 449 00:22:31,140 –> 00:22:33,099 You have that in verse 45. 450 00:22:33,939 –> 00:22:38,939 We have found him of whom Moses, in the law, 451 00:22:39,000 –> 00:22:42,660 and also the prophets wrote. 452 00:22:42,660 –> 00:22:45,459 And in that, Philip got it exactly right. 453 00:22:45,459 –> 00:22:48,500 Jesus is the one of whom Moses in the law 454 00:22:48,500 –> 00:22:52,060 and also the prophets wrote. 455 00:22:53,219 –> 00:22:55,099 Think about this, 456 00:22:55,099 –> 00:22:58,959 the Old Testament is a book of promises. 457 00:22:59,479 –> 00:23:05,180 Everything in it points to something else that is beyond it. 458 00:23:05,599 –> 00:23:10,400 The law just cries out for 459 00:23:10,400 –> 00:23:13,859 one person who can actually fulfill it. 460 00:23:13,859 –> 00:23:17,739 The sacrifices speak of 461 00:23:17,739 –> 00:23:20,280 a life that at some point, 462 00:23:20,280 –> 00:23:24,619 in some way has to be laid down in order 463 00:23:24,640 –> 00:23:30,219 to deal with all that is involved with human sin. 464 00:23:30,219 –> 00:23:33,160 If you read the Prophets, 465 00:23:33,160 –> 00:23:37,119 you will come away with this in your mind. 466 00:23:37,119 –> 00:23:39,359 Who can bring about all 467 00:23:39,359 –> 00:23:41,020 these marvelous things to 468 00:23:41,020 –> 00:23:43,380 which the prophets point? 469 00:23:43,380 –> 00:23:45,459 If you read the history of 470 00:23:45,459 –> 00:23:47,660 the kings in the Old Testament, 471 00:23:47,660 –> 00:23:49,380 you will come away with this impression 472 00:23:49,380 –> 00:23:50,819 having read the best and the worst, 473 00:23:50,819 –> 00:23:53,420 you’ll say we need a better king than this. 474 00:23:53,420 –> 00:23:56,079 If you read the history of the shepherds, 475 00:23:56,079 –> 00:23:58,160 those who had the pastoral care 476 00:23:58,160 –> 00:23:59,619 of the people of God in 477 00:23:59,619 –> 00:24:00,400 the Old Testament. 478 00:24:00,400 –> 00:24:03,099 Read Ezekiel chapter 34, 479 00:24:03,099 –> 00:24:04,739 for example, as to how 480 00:24:04,739 –> 00:24:06,260 those who were supposed to care 481 00:24:06,260 –> 00:24:07,380 for the flocks, seem to care 482 00:24:07,380 –> 00:24:09,540 much more for themselves and seem 483 00:24:09,540 –> 00:24:12,099 not to care for those 484 00:24:12,099 –> 00:24:13,219 who were weak and those who 485 00:24:13,219 –> 00:24:16,540 were wounded and so forth. 486 00:24:16,540 –> 00:24:18,180 And you say, how is the flock of 487 00:24:18,180 –> 00:24:20,060 God really going to be 488 00:24:20,060 –> 00:24:22,219 shepherded when there are 489 00:24:22,219 –> 00:24:24,939 so many inadequacies in 490 00:24:24,939 –> 00:24:26,939 all the shepherds of 491 00:24:26,939 –> 00:24:29,500 the Old Testament scriptures? 492 00:24:29,500 –> 00:24:31,660 Then read on from 493 00:24:31,660 –> 00:24:33,219 the Old Testament that 494 00:24:33,219 –> 00:24:34,780 seems full of promise, 495 00:24:34,780 –> 00:24:36,719 and yet it’s all pointing towards 496 00:24:36,719 –> 00:24:38,939 something beyond itself. 497 00:24:38,939 –> 00:24:41,640 It’s never fulfilled within itself. 498 00:24:41,640 –> 00:24:44,540 And read on into the New Testament. 499 00:24:44,540 –> 00:24:45,540 And here’s what you’ll find. 500 00:24:45,540 –> 00:24:47,339 Jesus Christ comes into the world. 501 00:24:47,339 –> 00:24:50,180 He says, the kingdom of God is at hand. 502 00:24:50,520 –> 00:24:51,160 He says, 503 00:24:51,160 –> 00:24:53,239 I have come to 504 00:24:53,239 –> 00:24:55,020 fulfill the law and 505 00:24:55,020 –> 00:24:57,619 the prophet. I am 506 00:24:57,619 –> 00:24:58,800 the good shepherd. 507 00:24:58,800 –> 00:25:00,619 I’m the one who will lay down 508 00:25:00,619 –> 00:25:03,719 his life for the sheep. 509 00:25:03,719 –> 00:25:05,420 And if you read on to 510 00:25:05,420 –> 00:25:06,839 the end of the New Testament, 511 00:25:06,839 –> 00:25:08,459 you’ll find that it’s this Jesus 512 00:25:08,459 –> 00:25:10,239 is exalted and he is 513 00:25:10,239 –> 00:25:11,800 worshiped by people from 514 00:25:11,800 –> 00:25:15,239 every ethnic background around the world. 515 00:25:15,239 –> 00:25:17,280 They’re united in one thing. 516 00:25:17,280 –> 00:25:19,199 That Jesus Christ is 517 00:25:19,599 –> 00:25:21,619 a kind of kings and he 518 00:25:21,619 –> 00:25:23,859 is the Lord of Lords. 519 00:25:23,859 –> 00:25:25,439 And Jesus says, it’s actually 520 00:25:25,439 –> 00:25:26,880 in John’s Gospel, chapter 5, 521 00:25:26,880 –> 00:25:29,500 inverse 39, Jesus says. 522 00:25:29,500 –> 00:25:32,380 The scriptures bear witness about me. 523 00:25:32,380 –> 00:25:33,760 The whole old testament. 524 00:25:33,760 –> 00:25:34,920 It’s all about me. 525 00:25:34,920 –> 00:25:36,300 It’s all pointing to me. 526 00:25:36,300 –> 00:25:38,839 None of it is fulfilled in its own terms. 527 00:25:38,839 –> 00:25:40,520 It’s all pointing beyond to 528 00:25:40,520 –> 00:25:42,140 the fulfillment that comes 529 00:25:42,140 –> 00:25:45,219 about in Jesus Christ. 530 00:25:45,219 –> 00:25:47,000 In other words, Jesus came into 531 00:25:47,760 –> 00:25:50,680 the world to do what all the prophets, 532 00:25:50,680 –> 00:25:54,219 all the priests and all the kings pointed to. 533 00:25:54,219 –> 00:25:57,459 But that none of them 534 00:25:57,459 –> 00:26:00,560 was able themselves to fulfill. 535 00:26:00,560 –> 00:26:02,219 Only he did that. 536 00:26:02,219 –> 00:26:04,359 And this is the first testimony 537 00:26:04,359 –> 00:26:06,719 that Daniel receives right here, 538 00:26:06,719 –> 00:26:09,119 that the Jesus Christ is 539 00:26:09,119 –> 00:26:13,619 the subject of the whole Bible. 540 00:26:14,000 –> 00:26:15,819 Second. 541 00:26:15,819 –> 00:26:19,979 Jesus Christ knows you completely. 542 00:26:19,979 –> 00:26:22,020 Now, Jesus had made this wonderful statement, 543 00:26:22,020 –> 00:26:23,339 “‘Here’s a True Israelite, 544 00:26:23,339 –> 00:26:26,839 “‘a man in whom there is no deceit.’” 545 00:26:26,839 –> 00:26:29,199 And when Nathaniel comes to Jesus, 546 00:26:29,199 –> 00:26:29,920 he says, now, 547 00:26:29,920 –> 00:26:34,660 “‘How do you know me,’ verse 48.” 548 00:26:34,660 –> 00:26:38,739 How do you know what’s going on inside my heart? 549 00:26:38,739 –> 00:26:40,339 We’ve never met before Jesus. 550 00:26:40,339 –> 00:26:42,760 How do you know me? 551 00:26:42,760 –> 00:26:45,479 And Jesus answered him, 552 00:26:45,479 –> 00:26:49,300 “‘Before Philip called you, 553 00:26:49,300 –> 00:26:53,520 “‘when you were under the fig tree, 554 00:26:53,520 –> 00:26:57,359 “‘I saw you.’” 555 00:26:57,359 –> 00:27:01,839 Now, we’re not told what Philip was doing 556 00:27:01,839 –> 00:27:02,760 under the fig tree. 557 00:27:02,760 –> 00:27:04,739 Various commentators surmise 558 00:27:04,739 –> 00:27:05,660 that he may have been reading 559 00:27:05,660 –> 00:27:06,439 the Old Testament 560 00:27:06,439 –> 00:27:07,880 or praying or whatever. 561 00:27:07,880 –> 00:27:08,839 We’re not told that he was, 562 00:27:08,839 –> 00:27:09,959 we’re not told that he wasn’t, 563 00:27:09,959 –> 00:27:10,619 we’re simply, 564 00:27:10,619 –> 00:27:11,479 we don’t know what he was doing 565 00:27:11,479 –> 00:27:12,199 under the fig tree. 566 00:27:12,239 –> 00:27:15,180 There he is with the big tree in his garden, 567 00:27:15,180 –> 00:27:16,319 outside his house, 568 00:27:16,319 –> 00:27:18,920 the shade. 569 00:27:18,920 –> 00:27:20,880 Something was going on 570 00:27:20,880 –> 00:27:22,400 in his life, 571 00:27:22,400 –> 00:27:24,420 in his mind and in his heart 572 00:27:24,420 –> 00:27:25,819 that was known only to him 573 00:27:25,819 –> 00:27:27,359 and yet, 574 00:27:27,359 –> 00:27:30,780 Jesus Christ also knew. 575 00:27:30,780 –> 00:27:32,599 It was already known to Jesus 576 00:27:32,599 –> 00:27:33,920 and hat you have here 577 00:27:33,920 –> 00:27:36,459 is a little bit like, 578 00:27:36,459 –> 00:27:38,260 remember the story of the woman 579 00:27:38,260 –> 00:27:41,239 at the well in Samaria, 580 00:27:41,400 –> 00:27:43,560 where Jesus says to the woman, 581 00:27:43,560 –> 00:27:47,520 you have had five husbands 582 00:27:47,520 –> 00:27:50,719 and this woman had never met Jesus before 583 00:27:50,719 –> 00:27:52,239 but evidently he knew 584 00:27:52,239 –> 00:27:55,739 the most private stuff about her. 585 00:27:55,739 –> 00:27:57,760 And you remember that in her astonishment, 586 00:27:57,760 –> 00:27:59,599 the woman then goes back into the village 587 00:27:59,599 –> 00:28:00,560 and she says, 588 00:28:00,560 –> 00:28:02,520 come and see a man 589 00:28:02,520 –> 00:28:03,760 notice that phrase again, 590 00:28:03,760 –> 00:28:05,640 come and see a man 591 00:28:05,640 –> 00:28:09,079 who told me all that I ever did. 592 00:28:09,880 –> 00:28:12,540 Can this be the Christ? 593 00:28:12,540 –> 00:28:16,560 Now you see the logic with which she is working. 594 00:28:17,680 –> 00:28:19,400 No one could have known 595 00:28:19,400 –> 00:28:22,060 the private things that were going on in my world 596 00:28:22,060 –> 00:28:24,560 except God who knows all things. 597 00:28:25,699 –> 00:28:26,880 But this man came 598 00:28:26,880 –> 00:28:29,239 and though he had never met me before 599 00:28:29,239 –> 00:28:30,359 evidently he knew 600 00:28:30,359 –> 00:28:32,260 all the private things in my life 601 00:28:32,260 –> 00:28:34,520 such that he was able to speak them out. 602 00:28:34,520 –> 00:28:38,060 Could he, therefore be the Christ? 603 00:28:38,199 –> 00:28:39,599 And you have something similar 604 00:28:39,599 –> 00:28:41,219 I believe that is happening here 605 00:28:41,219 –> 00:28:43,239 in the encounter with Nathaniel. 606 00:28:43,239 –> 00:28:44,660 How do you know me? 607 00:28:44,660 –> 00:28:45,479 And Jesus says, 608 00:28:45,479 –> 00:28:47,900 Well, I know all that’s going on 609 00:28:47,900 –> 00:28:49,880 in regards to even what was happening 610 00:28:49,880 –> 00:28:51,260 under the fig tree right there. 611 00:28:51,260 –> 00:28:52,260 We’re not told what it was. 612 00:28:52,260 –> 00:28:53,579 We don’t need to know what it was. 613 00:28:53,579 –> 00:28:55,199 Nathaniel knew what it was. 614 00:28:56,420 –> 00:28:58,680 And he discovered that 615 00:28:58,680 –> 00:29:02,579 Jesus Christ knew everything about him. 616 00:29:04,780 –> 00:29:07,500 Now in the New Testament 617 00:29:08,020 –> 00:29:09,140 what we read about 618 00:29:10,739 –> 00:29:14,300 a person coming into a service of worship 619 00:29:16,819 –> 00:29:21,819 and I’m coding 1 Corinthians 14, 30, 25. 620 00:29:22,819 –> 00:29:27,420 The secrets of his heart are disclosed 621 00:29:29,180 –> 00:29:31,020 so that falling on his face, 622 00:29:31,020 –> 00:29:32,900 he will worship God and declare 623 00:29:32,900 –> 00:29:34,959 truly God is among you. 624 00:29:35,119 –> 00:29:38,920 The Book of Hebrews says the Word of God 625 00:29:38,920 –> 00:29:40,000 is living and active. 626 00:29:40,000 –> 00:29:42,160 It’s sharper than a two edged sword. 627 00:29:42,160 –> 00:29:44,619 It discerns the thoughts 628 00:29:44,619 –> 00:29:48,959 and the intentions of the heart. 629 00:29:50,280 –> 00:29:55,280 Now, Christian believers know this experience 630 00:29:55,839 –> 00:29:58,979 and it is not unusual in our lives. 631 00:30:00,680 –> 00:30:02,119 It may happen privately 632 00:30:02,119 –> 00:30:03,760 when you’re reading the Word of God 633 00:30:03,839 –> 00:30:05,979 and something jumps out at you 634 00:30:05,979 –> 00:30:08,520 and you say that speaks exactly 635 00:30:08,520 –> 00:30:10,400 to what I’ve been concerned about right there. 636 00:30:10,400 –> 00:30:11,520 That’s for me today. 637 00:30:12,619 –> 00:30:13,939 And God has a remarkable way 638 00:30:13,939 –> 00:30:17,239 of communicating His own perfect knowledge 639 00:30:17,239 –> 00:30:19,880 of everything that we’re facing to us 640 00:30:19,880 –> 00:30:21,780 through the application of his Word. 641 00:30:21,780 –> 00:30:24,199 It happens in a public setting like this. 642 00:30:25,800 –> 00:30:29,560 Many times when I’ve been sitting in a congregation 643 00:30:29,560 –> 00:30:31,640 and hearing the Word of God unfolded, 644 00:30:31,839 –> 00:30:35,979 I felt in my life that’s exactly from God to me. 645 00:30:36,959 –> 00:30:38,640 And it’s been spoken by someone 646 00:30:38,640 –> 00:30:39,880 who knows absolutely nothing 647 00:30:39,880 –> 00:30:41,680 about the circumstances that I’m facing. 648 00:30:41,680 –> 00:30:43,760 This is not an unusual experience. 649 00:30:46,040 –> 00:30:48,319 The thoughts, the intentions, of the heart 650 00:30:48,319 –> 00:30:53,260 somehow opened up through the Word of God 651 00:30:53,260 –> 00:30:56,560 by which He makes evident that He knows all about us, 652 00:30:57,800 –> 00:30:59,359 and we’re forced at that point 653 00:30:59,359 –> 00:31:01,599 either to bow before Him in repentance 654 00:31:01,619 –> 00:31:03,680 and in faith and in gratitude, 655 00:31:03,680 –> 00:31:05,619 or else to resist him and to push him away 656 00:31:05,619 –> 00:31:07,500 and to become hardened towards him. 657 00:31:08,979 –> 00:31:10,040 Spurgeon writes this, 658 00:31:10,040 –> 00:31:11,760 and this surely is familiar to all of us, 659 00:31:11,760 –> 00:31:15,520 how often I have heard inquirers say, 660 00:31:15,520 –> 00:31:20,520 it seems to me, sir, as if that sermon was meant for me. 661 00:31:22,479 –> 00:31:25,420 There were points in it that were so exactly like me 662 00:31:25,420 –> 00:31:28,579 that I felt someone had told you about me. 663 00:31:29,579 –> 00:31:33,719 But I perceived that God was speaking to my soul. 664 00:31:34,739 –> 00:31:38,099 Now, scores of you have said that to me 665 00:31:38,099 –> 00:31:39,979 and to others who’ve spoken from this pulpit 666 00:31:39,979 –> 00:31:44,400 over the years, without me having any knowledge whatsoever 667 00:31:44,400 –> 00:31:47,140 of what is going on in a particular situation. 668 00:31:47,140 –> 00:31:49,420 This is how God knows you. 669 00:31:50,420 –> 00:31:52,020 And God speaks through His word 670 00:31:52,020 –> 00:31:53,699 and He opens up what’s in the heart 671 00:31:53,699 –> 00:31:56,719 and He puts His finger upon the issue 672 00:31:56,719 –> 00:31:58,459 that needs to be faced. 673 00:31:58,839 –> 00:32:01,839 This is a wonderful thing. 674 00:32:01,839 –> 00:32:03,479 It’s not always as pointed as this, 675 00:32:03,479 –> 00:32:06,319 but just out in the foyer not so long ago, 676 00:32:06,319 –> 00:32:10,520 a couple grabbed my sleeve. 677 00:32:10,520 –> 00:32:12,319 I just wanna have a word with you. 678 00:32:13,199 –> 00:32:15,119 The woman said, 679 00:32:15,119 –> 00:32:20,119 last night my husband and I were agonizing 680 00:32:21,239 –> 00:32:25,180 in our kitchen at three o’clock in the morning, last night, 681 00:32:25,680 –> 00:32:28,280 over a particular situation 682 00:32:28,280 –> 00:32:30,959 that has distressed us to the core. 683 00:32:32,239 –> 00:32:36,219 And what was said from the Scripture this morning 684 00:32:37,920 –> 00:32:41,880 so directly spoke to what we’ve been agonizing over 685 00:32:43,040 –> 00:32:46,199 that I nudged my husband and I said, 686 00:32:46,199 –> 00:32:49,920 was he in our kitchen at three o’clock 687 00:32:50,880 –> 00:32:51,719 this morning? 688 00:32:52,939 –> 00:32:54,739 Well, they never told me what the problem was. 689 00:32:55,439 –> 00:32:56,760 I never asked, I didn’t need to. 690 00:32:56,760 –> 00:32:58,540 All that mattered was this. 691 00:32:59,459 –> 00:33:02,859 God knew and they knew that God knew 692 00:33:04,140 –> 00:33:07,300 and that God had spoken through his word 693 00:33:07,300 –> 00:33:09,599 and pointed them to what they needed 694 00:33:09,599 –> 00:33:12,119 at that particular time. 695 00:33:12,119 –> 00:33:14,859 Now here’s the great truth that we’re getting to here. 696 00:33:15,819 –> 00:33:20,140 Jesus Christ knows you completely. 697 00:33:21,540 –> 00:33:24,699 There is nothing that he does not know about you 698 00:33:25,640 –> 00:33:30,640 so why in the world would you ever run from him? 699 00:33:33,280 –> 00:33:35,020 Why in the world would you ever feel 700 00:33:35,020 –> 00:33:37,859 that you needed to hide anything from him? 701 00:33:37,859 –> 00:33:39,780 The worst thing about you, 702 00:33:39,780 –> 00:33:42,119 the most embarrassing thing about you 703 00:33:42,119 –> 00:33:45,020 is no surprise to Jesus Christ 704 00:33:46,400 –> 00:33:48,459 and it was while we were yet sinners 705 00:33:49,500 –> 00:33:52,180 that he loved us and that he gave himself for you. 706 00:33:52,180 –> 00:33:54,140 If he loves you knowing the worst about you 707 00:33:54,140 –> 00:33:56,579 then what’s to hinder you coming before him 708 00:33:56,579 –> 00:33:58,140 as you are today? 709 00:33:58,140 –> 00:34:00,380 What would keep you from such a savior 710 00:34:00,380 –> 00:34:01,780 he knows you 711 00:34:03,420 –> 00:34:04,420 and he loves you. 712 00:34:06,300 –> 00:34:09,120 Nathaniel became a follower of Jesus 713 00:34:09,120 –> 00:34:14,120 because Jesus knew him in a way that only God ever could 714 00:34:15,780 –> 00:34:18,340 and this is why he then says to Jesus, 715 00:34:18,340 –> 00:34:20,979 well now you are the son of God 716 00:34:21,020 –> 00:34:25,080 and you are the King of Israel. 717 00:34:26,739 –> 00:34:29,260 So take an honest look at Jesus Christ, 718 00:34:29,260 –> 00:34:32,139 don’t be put off by garbled versions of Christianity. 719 00:34:32,139 –> 00:34:34,580 Get the Bible open for yourself. 720 00:34:34,580 –> 00:34:38,040 Look with your own eyes at the Savior 721 00:34:38,040 –> 00:34:39,260 and here’s what you’ll find. 722 00:34:39,260 –> 00:34:40,560 Here’s what Nathaniel find 723 00:34:40,560 –> 00:34:42,320 he’s the subject of the whole Bible, 724 00:34:42,320 –> 00:34:45,379 there’s not fulfillment apart from him. 725 00:34:46,739 –> 00:34:49,100 You’ll find that he knows you completely 726 00:34:49,100 –> 00:34:50,939 as you submit yourself to the word of God, 727 00:34:50,939 –> 00:34:53,060 you begin to get it into your life. 728 00:34:53,060 –> 00:34:54,860 You’ll find that God speaks to you, 729 00:34:54,860 –> 00:34:58,379 that He reveals the thoughts and intents of your own heart 730 00:34:58,379 –> 00:35:00,340 and that he gives direction into your life. 731 00:35:00,340 –> 00:35:01,419 You say, it’s amazing, 732 00:35:01,419 –> 00:35:04,320 it’s as if this book was just written for me this morning. 733 00:35:05,320 –> 00:35:07,419 Here’s the third thing that you will find 734 00:35:08,820 –> 00:35:12,379 that this Jesus Christ opens the door of heaven itself. 735 00:35:14,080 –> 00:35:17,659 You shall see greater things than these, verse 50. 736 00:35:18,659 –> 00:35:21,419 Truly, truly, I say to you, 737 00:35:21,419 –> 00:35:25,899 you shall see heaven opened and the angels of God 738 00:35:25,899 –> 00:35:30,899 ascending and descending on the Son of man. 739 00:35:32,719 –> 00:35:34,879 You see what Jesus is saying to Nathanael, 740 00:35:36,020 –> 00:35:41,020 you’re moved by the fact that I knew what was going on 741 00:35:41,100 –> 00:35:43,879 in the private thoughts and circumstances of your life 742 00:35:43,879 –> 00:35:45,979 when you were sitting under the fig tree. 743 00:35:46,840 –> 00:35:50,620 I’m telling you, you ain’t seen nothing yet, right? 744 00:35:50,620 –> 00:35:52,439 You’re gonna see heaven opened. 745 00:35:52,439 –> 00:35:54,520 This is only, what you’re gonna see 746 00:35:54,520 –> 00:35:57,899 is beyond what, at this point you can ever begin to imagine. 747 00:35:57,899 –> 00:36:00,939 Now very simply here there’s a principle here 748 00:36:00,939 –> 00:36:02,659 and it’s this. 749 00:36:02,659 –> 00:36:05,699 You shall see greater things. 750 00:36:07,260 –> 00:36:11,340 God will give you more light 751 00:36:11,340 –> 00:36:14,639 if you follow the light that you already have. 752 00:36:14,639 –> 00:36:15,479 You come here today, 753 00:36:15,479 –> 00:36:17,820 you’ve got honest questions like Nathaniel. 754 00:36:17,820 –> 00:36:20,199 Follow the light that you have 755 00:36:20,199 –> 00:36:22,879 and God will give you more light. 756 00:36:23,820 –> 00:36:25,780 Nathaniel was open and responsive 757 00:36:25,780 –> 00:36:27,719 to what he knew about Jesus 758 00:36:27,719 –> 00:36:29,459 and on that basis Jesus says to him, 759 00:36:29,459 –> 00:36:31,219 Nathaniel, you’re gonna see more. 760 00:36:32,260 –> 00:36:35,620 Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as far as you know him 761 00:36:35,620 –> 00:36:38,639 and you will come to know him more. 762 00:36:38,639 –> 00:36:42,399 If you demand that you must see and understand everything 763 00:36:42,399 –> 00:36:43,600 before you believe 764 00:36:43,600 –> 00:36:46,540 that you must resolve every problem before you will trust 765 00:36:46,540 –> 00:36:48,439 you will never come to faith. 766 00:36:49,520 –> 00:36:52,419 But if you will believe on the basis 767 00:36:52,419 –> 00:36:54,040 of what God has shown you, 768 00:36:54,040 –> 00:36:58,360 Jesus Christ promises you that you will then see more. 769 00:36:58,360 –> 00:36:59,199 In other words, 770 00:36:59,199 –> 00:37:03,600 the Christian life is a life of faith seeking understanding. 771 00:37:04,800 –> 00:37:07,439 Never understanding seeking faith. 772 00:37:07,439 –> 00:37:08,280 Why? 773 00:37:08,280 –> 00:37:10,280 Because spiritual things are spiritually discerned. 774 00:37:10,280 –> 00:37:12,399 God gives you some light 775 00:37:12,399 –> 00:37:14,959 and you’re to walk in that light. 776 00:37:14,959 –> 00:37:16,879 If you refuse to walk in that light 777 00:37:16,879 –> 00:37:19,600 until you get every question you’ve ever had answered, 778 00:37:19,600 –> 00:37:20,899 you will never come to faith 779 00:37:20,899 –> 00:37:22,780 and the light, which is moving, 780 00:37:22,780 –> 00:37:25,800 will move away from you and you will be left in darkness. 781 00:37:25,800 –> 00:37:27,580 That’s the teaching of Jesus. 782 00:37:28,639 –> 00:37:32,000 So walk in the light that you have 783 00:37:32,000 –> 00:37:35,459 believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as far as you know him, 784 00:37:35,459 –> 00:37:38,419 get that Bible open and he will show you more. 785 00:37:39,739 –> 00:37:42,040 Second, there’s a great picture here. 786 00:37:42,540 –> 00:37:43,899 And it wonderfully relates 787 00:37:43,899 –> 00:37:46,580 to the coming of Jesus in the world. 788 00:37:46,580 –> 00:37:50,800 This ladder, of course, goes back to Genesis in chapter 28. 789 00:37:51,979 –> 00:37:54,600 One night, Jacob, who is both at the beginning 790 00:37:54,600 –> 00:37:57,659 and the end of this story, you’ll notice. 791 00:37:57,659 –> 00:38:00,860 Jacob had a dream and in that dream, 792 00:38:00,860 –> 00:38:03,560 he saw a ladder between earth and heaven, 793 00:38:03,560 –> 00:38:07,600 actually more literally translated it is a stairway. 794 00:38:07,600 –> 00:38:10,080 That’s what he saw, a very broad stairway. 795 00:38:10,399 –> 00:38:12,699 There were angels going up and down. 796 00:38:12,699 –> 00:38:13,959 It’s difficult to imagine angels 797 00:38:13,959 –> 00:38:15,120 going up and down on a ladder. 798 00:38:15,120 –> 00:38:17,260 There’s not much room for crossing, you understand, 799 00:38:17,260 –> 00:38:19,679 but a broad stairway is what he saw 800 00:38:19,679 –> 00:38:22,139 with intense activity going on, 801 00:38:22,139 –> 00:38:25,159 up and down this broad stairway between earth and heaven 802 00:38:25,159 –> 00:38:27,899 and when he looked to the top of the stairway, 803 00:38:29,139 –> 00:38:31,139 he says, he saw the Lord. 804 00:38:32,379 –> 00:38:34,040 Now, we saw in John chapter one, 805 00:38:34,040 –> 00:38:35,760 no one has ever seen God, 806 00:38:35,760 –> 00:38:39,080 but God who is at the Father’s side has made Him known. 807 00:38:40,959 –> 00:38:44,620 So wherever God is made known, Old or New Testament, 808 00:38:44,620 –> 00:38:48,120 it is through the one who is at the Father’s side. 809 00:38:49,320 –> 00:38:53,260 That must mean that what Jacobs saw 810 00:38:53,260 –> 00:38:56,260 was a manifestation of God the Son 811 00:38:57,159 –> 00:39:01,060 poised at the top of the ladder or the stairway 812 00:39:01,060 –> 00:39:03,179 ready to come down into the world. 813 00:39:03,179 –> 00:39:04,479 It’s a beautiful picture. 814 00:39:05,820 –> 00:39:08,520 But now in the Gospel of John, 815 00:39:08,580 –> 00:39:11,320 Jesus takes up that same picture 816 00:39:11,320 –> 00:39:14,820 and speaks of angels ascending and descending, 817 00:39:14,820 –> 00:39:17,939 verse 51, on the Son of man. 818 00:39:18,860 –> 00:39:23,739 So notice the Son of God has become the Son of man. 819 00:39:24,459 –> 00:39:25,699 And the one who stood 820 00:39:25,699 –> 00:39:27,899 at the top of the staircase in heaven 821 00:39:27,899 –> 00:39:30,620 is now with the angels ascending to him, 822 00:39:30,620 –> 00:39:34,260 is now standing at the bottom of the staircase on Earth 823 00:39:34,260 –> 00:39:36,780 with the angels descending on him. 824 00:39:36,780 –> 00:39:38,939 And while Jacob saw the Son of God 825 00:39:38,939 –> 00:39:42,260 at a distance in the remoteness of heaven, 826 00:39:42,260 –> 00:39:44,939 Nathaniel is seeing the same Son of God 827 00:39:44,939 –> 00:39:46,580 up close and personal 828 00:39:46,580 –> 00:39:48,939 a few feet away from him on the face of the earth. 829 00:39:48,939 –> 00:39:50,040 Isn’t that remarkable? 830 00:39:50,040 –> 00:39:51,399 That’s the incarnation. 831 00:39:52,260 –> 00:39:55,040 And this is why Jesus Christ came into the world. 832 00:39:55,040 –> 00:39:57,040 So that you should come to a greater 833 00:39:57,040 –> 00:39:58,780 and more intimate knowledge of God 834 00:39:58,780 –> 00:40:01,939 than Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob ever could. 835 00:40:01,939 –> 00:40:04,860 So that you should know the peace and the presence, 836 00:40:04,860 –> 00:40:09,860 not of God from afar but of God with us in Jesus Christ. 837 00:40:11,199 –> 00:40:13,120 And of course Jesus Christ is not 838 00:40:13,120 –> 00:40:14,459 at the bottom of the ladder now. 839 00:40:14,459 –> 00:40:15,300 Where is he now? 840 00:40:15,300 –> 00:40:16,120 He’s ascended. 841 00:40:16,120 –> 00:40:19,820 He’s at the right hand of the majesty on high, 842 00:40:19,820 –> 00:40:21,399 far above the angels, 843 00:40:21,399 –> 00:40:23,719 Hebrews 1 and verse 4. 844 00:40:23,719 –> 00:40:26,280 And heaven is open because of him. 845 00:40:27,219 –> 00:40:29,959 And there is still this intense activity 846 00:40:29,959 –> 00:40:32,820 going up and down as it were on the stairway. 847 00:40:32,840 –> 00:40:35,239 It’s the most marvelous picture. 848 00:40:35,239 –> 00:40:36,739 This is why Paul says, 849 00:40:36,739 –> 00:40:40,120 my God shall supply all that you need 850 00:40:40,120 –> 00:40:43,879 according to his riches in Christ Jesus. 851 00:40:43,879 –> 00:40:46,939 And all the resources of heaven are brought to bear 852 00:40:46,939 –> 00:40:48,639 in regards to the people of God. 853 00:40:48,639 –> 00:40:52,120 How are you gonna to face what you’re facing this week? 854 00:40:52,120 –> 00:40:54,260 Because there is a savior in heaven 855 00:40:54,260 –> 00:40:58,080 who releases all the supplies of heaven down to earth, 856 00:40:58,080 –> 00:41:01,239 resting upon his own people in Jesus Christ 857 00:41:01,280 –> 00:41:04,639 to give you all that you need. 858 00:41:05,979 –> 00:41:08,659 And then, of course, with the picture there is 859 00:41:08,659 –> 00:41:09,919 this marvelous promise. 860 00:41:09,919 –> 00:41:13,120 You can’t look at this without thinking of the day 861 00:41:13,120 –> 00:41:16,520 when Christ himself will come, 862 00:41:16,520 –> 00:41:19,919 breaking out of heaven itself, 863 00:41:19,919 –> 00:41:22,780 coming down as it were, this great stairway 864 00:41:22,780 –> 00:41:26,120 and all his holy angels with him 865 00:41:26,120 –> 00:41:27,919 and bringing with them all the redeemed 866 00:41:27,919 –> 00:41:29,679 who are already in his presence 867 00:41:29,699 –> 00:41:31,840 and bringing up the stairway 868 00:41:31,840 –> 00:41:36,219 all those who are yet waiting for his coming. 869 00:41:36,219 –> 00:41:39,280 The Son of Man is going to come with his angels 870 00:41:39,280 –> 00:41:42,459 in the glory of his Father. 871 00:41:43,620 –> 00:41:45,580 Well, by faith in Jesus Christ, 872 00:41:45,580 –> 00:41:50,320 may all of us be ready for that great day. 873 00:41:50,320 –> 00:41:51,320 Let’s pray together. 874 00:41:52,679 –> 00:41:55,379 Father in heaven, we simply ask 875 00:41:56,379 –> 00:42:00,520 that we may know Christ and that knowing him, 876 00:42:00,520 –> 00:42:03,739 we may trust him and love him and follow him 877 00:42:05,260 –> 00:42:07,659 and that in doing so we may come to love, 878 00:42:07,659 –> 00:42:09,620 trust and know him more. 879 00:42:10,719 –> 00:42:13,719 For these things we ask in the Saviour’s name, Amen.