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51. Plus, Phillip and Nathanael


John 1:43-51
Key Verse: "Come and see," said Philip. 
John 1:47B

Jesus found another local man, Philip.  We have no idea what attracted Jesus to Phillip.  Evidently, that is not important.  Philip, in turn, invited Nathanael to come along with the rest of them.  "We have found the Messiah," Philip said.  "We have found the one that Moses and the prophets promised would come!"  How could Phillip know this after possibly only hearing one sermon?  How different was Jesus from the usual religious talkers of the day?  Phillip may have also been influenced by John the Baptist.  What we know is that Jesus singled him out to follow Him.  There could be no doubt in Phillip’s mind as to his calling.  So, he goes to fine Nathanael. 

"But," Nathanael asks, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?"  We've already explored why Nathanael might think this way.  Nazareth was in Galilee, part of the land that had been lost seven hundred years earlier due to the inhabitants' disobedience.  It was part of the land of darkness.  Messiah wasn't supposed to come from there!  Obviously, Nathanael was not yet familiar with Jesus’ background story of being born in Bethlehem and hiding in Egypt before settling down.  To Nathanael's credit, he lays his prejudice aside to go discover for himself what Philip is talking about. 

Jesus, in turn, compliments Nathanael for his willingness to have an open mind.  "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false."  Jesus sees the seeker in Nathanael and meets the need of his heart.  While Nathanael is soon convinced by what seems to be a just a bit of clairvoyance on Jesus’ part, Jesus assures Nathanael that, before it is over, he will see things beyond what he could have ever imagined.  He will be rewarded for his willingness to remain open and to "come and see."

Jesus did not come to Israel in the way that many of the learned men of the day expected.  Their closed minds and their trust in their traditions kept them from discovering what Nathanael experienced.  These closed minded ones would have thought that they were the true Israelites!  But Jesus seeks the open minds.  Once again we are reminded that God often does the unexpected.  Do we experience it, or do we miss it because He didn't do things, "our way," or, "the way it should be done?"  God is all around us, doing amazing things.  His grace is abundant and we may catch it if we remain open to His possibilities. 

Congratulations to Nathanael for his openness and congratulations to Philip for inviting him to, "come and see," instead of worrying that Nathanael wouldn't be interested.  Philip gave Nathanael the chance that Nathanael benefited from.  We never know what our invitation will do.  But then, the results aren't up to us, but the decision to share is. 

Hymn: "Open the Eyes of My Heart"
& "Come And See," by Bob Bennett
Open My Eyes, the hymn 

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