Terry Storch

Writing about life, leadership, faith, and anything else I find interesting.

John 1:43-50 - Religion to Relationship

 

John 1:43-50 - Religion to Relationship

Closing down chapter 1 of John, we get to Jesus deciding to leave for Galilee. Jesus didn’t want to journey alone. 

“The next day, Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.” Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida.” - ‭‭John‬ ‭1:43-44‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Here is where it gets interesting to me...or something really grabbed me this morning. 

“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.” “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip.” - ‭‭John‬ ‭1:45-46‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Nathanael said, can anything good come from Nazareth? Here we read Nathanael has a serious prejudice against Nazareth. This is a significant bias against and judgmental spirit against this area. So, as this story plays out, we have to remember that prejudice Nathanael is carrying. In today’s day and age, we can think of the racial tensions we are facing...let your mind go there. Here is Jesus and Nathanael’s first interaction;

“When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”” - ‭‭John‬ ‭1:47‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus looked at him and said, here is a man with no deceit. What? Nathanael is carrying some serious prejudice and biases. Could Jesus here be seeing into his future, maybe this was seeing past his past, and seeing a change of heart? A commentary reference gave me this thought.

Deceit: “This last word is used in early Greek writers as a ‘bait’ (for catching fish). Hence it comes to signify ‘any cunning contrivance for deceiving or catching…It thus has the notion of ‘deceit’ or ‘craft’. It is used in the Bible of Jacob before his change of heart (Genesis 27:35, which is the point of Temple’s translation, ‘an Israelite in whom there is no Jacob!'” (Morris)

This is encouraging that Jesus can look past our junk, biases, and prejudices and see our transformation. Ok, now watch this. 

““How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”” - ‭‭John‬ ‭1:48‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Remember, yesterday I talked about not just reading on the surface of the Scripture, we need to peel the layers back. Here, under the fig tree, there is more. Under the fig tree is a phrase Rabbis used to describe meditation on the Scriptures. So, what might be happening here is Jesus telling Nathanael, when you were studying, meditating, and reading the Scriptures, I was there with you and saw you. 

Ok, ok. This is wild. Nathanael, the one who is a bit racist, prejudice, and carrying a chip against Nazareth, was studying the Scriptures and meditating, and Jesus was with him. There is some comfort in this for me knowing Jesus is with those of us who are not perfect, who are in the process of transformation, still trying to figure it out...even those who are prejudice. Jesus looks at this guy and sees his full transformation, sees his full potential, and sees him with no deceit. Praise God! 

This interaction, this moment with God for Nathanael did it;

“Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”” - ‭‭John‬ ‭1:49‬ ‭NIV‬‬

In a split second, all the racist thoughts, biases carried, prejudices of the past were gone, wiped clean, and the Son of God was Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. Can anything good come from there, said Nathanael a few moments earlier - and now the answer is yes, God is from that place. 

This moment with God, this special interaction with the creator of the universe shifted Nathanael’s perspective. Nathanael spent time with God, meditating and studying Scripture, but when he met Jesus when this religion turned personal when it became a relationship, everything changed. We must meet Jesus through a relationship, a personal and communal experience. Here, in this interaction, there was a community of people, and Nathanael’s life was changed. 

I am so encouraged that Jesus was with Nathanael even when he was wrestling with the wrong types of thoughts. Jesus was walking with him and loved him through it all, and when Nathanael moved past a religious interaction with God, and it became a real relationship, that is when some true transformation happened. Yes!!! Jesus, this is what we desire. 

Let me close with how Jesus closed this interaction. Jesus basically said, brotha...you ain't seen nothing yet. 

“Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” 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.”” - ‭‭John‬ ‭1:50-51‬ ‭NIV‬‬

other writing
John 20 - The Gospel

John 20 - The Gospel

The Gospel, the Good News! Jesus, Son of God, was born of Mary, lived as the Son of Man, died, and rose to life to rescue the world and bring about a new life. The central message of the gospel. Jesus, the centerpiece! John 19 & 20 cover the brutal death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.

In this scene, I can not imagine how the disciples felt. John describes them as overjoyed...but those words just fall short of what I can imagine this moment was like.

John 19 - The Magnitude of the Cross

John 19 - The Magnitude of the Cross

The day of Jesus' crucifixion fulfilled 28 Old Testament prophecies. Scripture was fulfilled! Beyond that, trying to wrap my mind around what happened this day, on the cross, and fully grabbing the magnitude of the cross is mind-boggling.

Sure, we can dumb this down or simplify it to a place where I just don’t believe it is anywhere near accurate. We can get into penal substitution and argue over was God full of love or was God full of wrath and hate that he killed his son. To me, John 3:16 is pretty clear on the love part.

John 18 - Jesus levels an army

John 18 - Jesus levels an army

In John 18, we come to the great betrayal. Judas came with the soldiers, officials, and chief priest and Pharisees. We know the scene. But this morning, I saw something I don’t remember reading and surly don’t remember learning about.

“So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons. Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.” - ‭‭John‬ ‭18:3-6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

John 17 - The Lords Prayer

John 17 - The Lords Prayer

John 17 is Jesus looking heavenward and praying to God the Father. So much beauty and mystery in this prayer. One thing that jumps out to me is that Jesus, fully God, and fully man prayed. Jesus is God fully. Why did he need to pray, He was One with the Father, He was God...and yet he prayed. This is so powerful;

“And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.” - ‭‭John‬ ‭17:5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

John 16 - What does it take to believe?

John 16 - What does it take to believe?

By the end of John 16, Jesus had done countless miracles, preached some amazing sermons, transformed so many lives, and developed a close and personal relationship with his disciples. So, when reading these verses, I am just utterly confused on so many levels.

“I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.” Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.” “Do you now believe?” Jesus replied.” - ‭‭John‬ ‭16:28-31‬ ‭NIV‬‬

John 16 - Undervaluing God in Spirit

John 16 - Undervaluing God in Spirit

Jesus’ time on earth is quickly coming to a close, and he finishes up his last sermon or teaching to his disciples as they walk to Gethsemane. This final teaching was a heavy one that no doubt left his disciples with a heavy heart. Jesus said it this way;

“...None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things.” - ‭‭John‬ ‭16:5-6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus goes on to say;

John 15 - Constant Growth

John 15 - Constant Growth

We were built for growth, constant growth. From birth, all the way until our death, we were designed by God for constant growth. The problem is, we often can find ourselves stuck in a belief, a phase, or a part of life where we stop growing.

One of the most brilliant investors embodies this understanding. Charlie Munger, at 96 years old, is still learning and growing as a person. I love this quote:

“Knowing what you don’t know is more useful than being brilliant.”
- Charlie Munger

John 14 - The Gift of Peace

John 14 - The Gift of Peace

John 14 opens with Jesus, saying, Don’t let your hearts be troubled. And the chapter closed down with Jesus saying Don’t be troubled or afraid.

A message that needs to resonate with our spirit and our inner self. This was such a good reminder, reading through John 14 over and over. This passage lifted off the screen.

“But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart…

John 14 - Troubled Hearts

John 14 - Troubled Hearts

The world today seems so volatile and chaotic. Everywhere you look, whatever we read and see on TV just seems to be troubling. Last night, I noticed my lovely wife Tweeted this;

“I can’t be the only one who watches the news and is simply embarrassed right now, right? (Dear Jesus, we tap out. Come on back.)”

I find this first humorous, but then I also find it sad. It’s true, watching the news as a Christ-follower is pretty embarrassing. In John 14, we see Jesus…

John 13 - Unselfish Concern

John 13 - Unselfish Concern

Summarizing John, chapter 13, looks like this. The Lords Supper takes place. Jesus washes the disciple's feet. Jesus calls out Judas, and Satan enters him. Night comes, Judas leaves, and Jesus says he must go, and where I am going, you can not come. To cap it all off, Jesus also calls out Simon Peter and tells him that he will deny and completely disown Jesus three times. Whoa, a really full chapter, and historical day.

Nestled in the wrap up of the day is the parting message Jesus leaves his disciples, a message Jesus is sharing with us right now.

 
thoughtsTerry Storch