Greater Things
Most of what we know of Nathanael is from John 1:43-51 as we read about his calling by Jesus. First we see Phillip “found by Jesus” (John 1:43) and then told to follow Jesus. Then Phillip immediately and enthusiastically tells his friend Nathanael about Jesus. Nathanael, though, is a bit skeptical.
Jesus asked [Nathanael], "Do you believe [I am the Son of God] just because I told you I had seen you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this." Then he said, "I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth." I can imagine the speechless look on Nathaniel's face as Jesus continues by telling him that he will see even greater things,the heavens opening up and angels coming up and down on the "Son of Man," that being Jesus Himself.
For Nathanael, seeing was believing. He needed evidence. Jesus promised him more evidence. Jesus’ announcement of the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man probably connects with the dream of Jacob in Genesis 28:12, where Jacob saw a ladder from earth to heaven, and the angels ascending and descending upon it. Jesus said that He was the ladder, the link, between heaven and earth. When Nathanael came to understand that Jesus is the mediator between God and man, it would be an even greater sign (you will see greater things than these).
We see Nathanael go from being a skeptic to being a seeker of Jesus. Jesus challenges Nathaniel to look beyond Jesus' power to know what was in his heart. Jesus wants to lead Nathaniel to see greater things. He wants Nathaniel to know that when he is around Jesus, he is looking through the window into heaven. Jesus is "the stairway between heaven and earth,"
Here is a great example of how I need to bring others to Jesus. Jesus still does all the doing, but He works through me. Philip had to tell Nathaniel “come and see.” Nathaniel had to come. However, Jesus had been watching Nathaniel all along. My job is merely to say "come and see" and it is on that person to come and it is on Jesus to give the gift of faith.
Heavenly Father forgive all the times we let doubt creep into our hearts. We know that Jesus has done wonderful things for us. We know we can trust you to fulfill your promise to show us even more amazing things.
Deb Hill
Be Changed // John 1:41-42
When I was a kid most of my friends mispronounced my name. It was never Jeremy (Jer-ah-me), usually, it sounded like germy (ger-me). I didn’t want people to think I had germs! While I sometimes wished for a new name as a child, I have grown to like it. What I realized is with Jesus, my identity is new and means more than my name. When I looked at the verses in John 1:41-42 and saw how Jesus called Simon, Peter, it made me wonder how impactful that would have been for him. It was a simple change, but it had a profound effect on his life.
Jesus had a purpose in calling him Peter. The name Simon during that day would have meant- to hear, be heard, or a reputation. Simon was a fisherman who probably wanted to be thought of more highly than he was, maybe you can relate? Sometimes a name, a title, a role, or something that identifies changes and it changes everything else around it for us. That is why Simon being called Peter is impactful. Jesus in that moment through a small statement, had changed Simon/Peter’s life. He called Simon to Peter and gave him a new identity and a new reputation. Peter was now the rock and Jesus knew the disciples, the church, and even us today would need to see change. Peter becoming the rock of the early church was that change..
When we received Jesus and became his, our identity changed. He did not need to change our name, instead, he gave us life (2 Cor. 5:17), he gave identity (Eph. 2:10), and purpose (1 Peter 2:9). This is so good! We now have the opportunity to proclaim what he has done. Similar to Simon/Peter sharing his new name with people which the Messiah, Jesus, gave to him. We get to share what Jesus has done for us. Take a few moments to think about what Jesus has done for your identity, how he changed things, and thank him for it. Then go and share it!
Jeremy Johnson
Family Pastor
Follow Me
We follow a lot of things these days. Athletic teams, political parties,
celebrities, internet groups, and more are what we choose to follow for
various reasons. Some people aspire to be followed and claim to have
thousands or even millions of followers. Some of these people are called
influencers and often make money from companies whose products they
encourage followers to buy. Others have a viewpoint to espouse, evil or
good, and may get followers in that way. They all say “Follow me.”
But when Jesus says “Follow me”, it is something entirely different. In
John 1:35-37, we read of two disciples of John the Baptist, choosing not
only to follow Jesus physically but to choose Jesus to be their Rabbi. They
did this because of John’s proclamation of Jesus as the One he had been
proclaiming. In those days, a Rabbi’s disciples were with him 24/7, living
as he lived and learning from his teaching. In verse 43, we read Jesus saying
to Philip, “Follow me.” And Philip did, immediately! What an invitation to
be with Jesus 24/7! That same invitation is for followers of Christ today!
Being a follower of Christ begins when we trust what He did on the cross,
but it is only the beginning as we grow in trusting in the living Christ in us,
minute by minute, day by day, forever. This is a 24/7 life of living centered
on Him. John Ortberg says in his book Eternity is Now in Session, “To
“trust Jesus” in the Gospels simply means to think He is right about
everything.” Now that is a life-changing perspective! What does this look
like? As followers/disciples, we love Him and love others; we forgive as we
have been forgiven; we are radically truthful; we are generous; we seek to
do what Jesus says, we begin each day centered on Him and so much
more. But this is not onerous, it is freeing and joyful because He is doing it
in us, partnering with our choice to follow Him. In John 10:10b, Jesus
says, “I am come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” If you
want that life, then choose to say “Yes” when Jesus says “Follow Me.”
Pray: Ask God to show you how you have followed Him. Ask God to show
you where He wants you to grow in living 24/7 with Him. Pray that you
might have joy in the process of growing! Be still and listen. Thank Him.
Francie Overstreet
What are YOU Seeking?
John 1:38
Questions are powerful. They have a way of inviting conversation and engagement with another person. They have a way of causing people to make a decision. “Will you marry me?” is a question that demands a response. A well-placed question can cause people to think and rethink their approach to life. Maybe that’s the reason Jesus was so keen on asking questions. There are 339 questions recorded in the gospels that Jesus asked.
In fact, the very first words that John recorded Jesus speaking are a question. Up to this point, John’s gospel has been talking about Jesus, but now Jesus talking. This is the Logos, the eternal Son of God, the one “with” God, the one who perfectly reveals God… and he’s speaking. I would assume that God would come and make declarations… maybe even threats, but what we see is that he asks questions. It’s a kind of grace. Questions are a key part of Jesus’ evangelistic technique - then and now.
In John 1:38 we read,
“Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?”
What a great question… and what a hard question to answer. I remember vividly when my counselor asked me, “What do you hope to get out of that?” It was such a poignant question that it stopped me in my tracks. I’m not sure I’d thought about that - at least not consciously. I was operating on autopilot like so many of us often do. I hadn’t stopped to really think about the question. What was driving me? What was the thing that was making me push so hard? What was I seeking?”
So let me ask you, what are YOU seeking? Are you seeking healing? Are you seeking hope? Are you seeking significance? Are you seeking purpose? Are you seeking intimacy? Are you seeking rest? One of the reasons Jesus begins with this question is because discipleship is an invitation to have our deepest desires met in Jesus. He doesn’t always meet the desires that are strongest in us, but he does meet the desires that are deepest within our hearts.
Today, take some time and think about what you’re really seeking - what you really, truly, and deeply want. Think about why you want that thing. Then, tell Jesus and have a conversation with him about the way he might want to satisfy your deepest longings.
Pastor Ryan Paulson
Founding Followers
Series: Discovering Jesus | Text: John 1:35-51
Speaker: Pastors Ryan Paulson & Esteban Tapia
May 7, 2023: On Sunday, Pastors Ryan Paulson & Esteban Tapia continued our series from the Gospel of John, Discovering Jesus. Join us to study the Scriptures as we seek to know and better understand who the real Jesus is and what that means for our lives. This weekend’s message was entitled Founding Followers.
SPIRIT
This story was found on an online sermon illustration website, but the story’s source is unknown.
In a seminary missions class, Herbert Jackson told how, as a new missionary, he was assigned a car that would not start without a push.
After pondering his problem, he devised a plan. He went to the school near his home, got permission to take some children out of class, and had them push his car off. As he made his rounds, he would either park on a hill or leave the engine running. He used this ingenious procedure for two years. Ill health forced the Jackson family to leave, and a new missionary came to that station. When Jackson proudly began to explain his arrangement for getting the car started, the new man began looking under the hood. Before the explanation was complete, the new missionary interrupted, "Why, Dr. Jackson, I believe the only trouble is this loose cable." He gave the cable a twist, stepped into the car, pushed the switch, and to Jackson's astonishment, the engine roared to life.
For two years needless trouble had become routine. The power was there all the time. Only a loose connection kept Jackson from putting that power to work.
There are many times in the Old Testament when people received power from the Holy Spirit. The book of Judges lists six times when the Spirit of the Lord stirred or came powerfully upon someone, four of those times were on Sampson. These instances of the Spirit’s coming were for moments of inspiration or power but they did not last. It wasn’t until Jesus' arrival that the Holy Spirit arrived and remained. This was the testimony of John the Baptist.
And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God. John 1:32-34
After Jesus’ baptism, there was a visual sign of the Holy Spirit and an audible voice of God the Father confirming that Jesus was God’s son. John proclaimed that Jesus baptizes his followers with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit, mind, courage, and breath, (all words used to translate the Hebrew word ruach in the OT) of God lives, dwells, and remains in believers. It would be a shame to live unconnected to Him.
Dr. John Riley
Jr. High Pastor
Who are you? John 1:19-34
Hello Family, I want to talk about what we would say about our own identities. In this passage we see some priests trying to force John to identify himself. John ardently denied all the titles they offered and claimed only a subservient role to Jesus.
When people want us to identify ourselves, we are then forced to reveal what we think or believe about ourselves. We have various descriptions we’ve earned, eg: accountant, programmer, even husband, or parent. they all announce things we do or things that are important to us. If suddenly life changes and we are no longer able to be what we used to be, we feel lost and wonder who we are. This is how we know we need to shift our identity.
In Matthew 11 Jesus speaks a lot about John and he says that John is in fact some of what the priests suggest. So we see John would have been correct in assuming those titles, so taking a title based on what you do isn’t the point. We are who the Lord tells us we are, we are his son or daughter. He teaches us what all that means in the course of our lives. We learn who we truly are from his Word and the more we live it out, the more we, ourselves, believe it.
Whatever occupation we have or title we have been given is ultimately not able to support our identity. If we conflate who we are with what we do, our very identity is one mistake away from being lost. That will ruin ourselves and whatever we tried to put our identity in, maybe not right away, but soon enough. If we, like John, identify with Jesus, we’ll always know who we are no matter where life takes us
Jonathan Duncan
Recognize
In John 1:31 and 33 John the Baptist makes a rather amazing statement. He says that he “did not recognize” Jesus. But how could this be? His mother, Elizabeth, and Jesus’ mother, Mary, are relatives (Luke 1:36). This means John probably saw Jesus from time to time at family gatherings, maybe in Jerusalem at the Passover, and perhaps at other times when Feast Days were celebrated. I feel comfortable saying that John knew who Jesus was.
Which means there is something else going on here. John knew Jesus on one level, but he did not know Jesus on quite another. Even as they grew up together, John did not recognize Jesus as the Messiah. He did not recognize Jesus as the Son of Man, as divinity in a body, as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” At least not until it was revealed to him by God Himself.
Some reading this devotional today know Jesus through the Scriptures. They know Him to be a great teacher. A man who did miracles. And they may even think He rose from the dead. But they don’t recognize Him as their God or as their Savior. Perhaps today will be the day they do?
Others reading this devotional today do know Jesus personally. They have established a relationship with Him through faith. But they may erroneously believe that what they know is all there is to know. John’s experience tells us that just isn’t true. There is way more to Jesus than they, or you, or I have known through experience. There has to be. He is an infinite Being!
I guess the call from God today to all of us is this - don’t stop pursuing a deep and personal relationship with Jesus. There is more to know. More to experience. More to enjoy. More to find delight in. Don’t be satisfied with where you are today. Ask God to give you the gift and ability to “recognize” Jesus for who He really is.
Scott Smith
Care Pastor
Making Straight Paths
It's easy to get off course in our Christian life. In order to walk a straight path, it is necessary to recognize the “crooked” areas of our lives that need straightening. The writer of Proverbs provides valuable insight: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight paths ”
(Proverbs 3:5-6)
Our paths can become “crooked”: when we fail to acknowledge God in everyday living; or when we fail to trust His wisdom and choose what we may deem to be a better option.
Many times when important decisions need to be made, we have the tendency to leave God out of the equation, and in doing so, we veer off the straight path. According to this Proverb, it is God who handles the straightening of our lives; but He can’t do that if we are not acknowledging Him in every aspect of life, and trusting that the way He provides is best. Often God’s path may require waiting, but we are impatient and looking for a shortcut.
Abraham and Sarah grew weary on God’s path and decided to take matters into their own hands, and we all know how that turned out. Even in that Abraham and Sarah returned to God and He was faithful to keep His promise. Are you on the straight path? Are there any obstacles in the way of your relationship with Jesus? Remember, it’s never too late to change direction; there is always an opportunity with God to straighten your path!
Margy Hill
Why the Wilderness?
One of the traditions in our family, as we raised our children, was telling
how they came to be in our family. On the morning of each birthday, we
would awaken the birthday child, give them a cupcake with a candle, sing
the ‘happy birthday’ song and tell them the story of their entrance into
becoming an Overstreet. It was a fun and meaningful tradition.
When thinking about the story of John the Baptist, he must have been told
multiple times about the miracle surrounding his birth and God’s call on his
life (Luke 1:3-25, 57-65). We don’t know if birthdays were celebrated, but
certainly, the circumstances and prophecies about his life were well known.
In Luke 1:80 we read “John grew up and became strong in the spirit. And
he lived in the wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel.”
Hence the question, why the wilderness? Perhaps God wanted John away
from the expectations of others and in a place where He could hone the
message John was to shout! He needed a place of solitude with no
distraction so John could have clarity of his calling. In that Judean
wilderness, people from all over came to see and hear John tell them to
repent, turn to God, and get ready for the Lord’s coming.
God often used the wilderness to get His people to hear Him. Moses was
in the wilderness (Exodus 1:1-15) when God spoke to him from a burning
bush and told him to lead the rescue of the Hebrews from Egypt. Elijah was
running away from Jezebel (I Kings 19:1-15) and he ran into the
wilderness to a cave. In that cave, he could finally hear the gentle whisper
of God, be comforted, and learn what he was to do next. Our dear Lord
Jesus Himself was led into the wilderness (Luke 4:1-17) to show us victory
over temptation, but also many times during the following three years he
went there to pray!
Perhaps we could consider the barrenness of the wilderness an
invitation rather than a punishment. Perhaps there is intention in the
wilderness, not desolation. The spiritual practice of silence and solitude
does not need a desert but it does need intention. Finding a place where
we can choose to “Be still and know that I am God” causes us to be able to
hear Him.
“He is always whispering to us, only we do not always hear because of the
noise, hurry, and distraction which life causes as it rushes on.” Fredrick Faber
Reflection: What might God’s purpose be for you to be in the ‘wilderness?’
How do you respond to such an invitation? Sit quietly and ponder this
practice for yourself.
My heart has heard You say, “Come and talk with me.”
And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.”
Psalm 27:8 (NLT)
Francie Overstreet