Helps for Daily Life 4

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BIBLE STUDY 2: HELPS FOR DAILY LIFE

 

A SERIES:  THERE IS HOPE

LESSON 4: John 1:43-51 IF IN DOUBT “COME AND SEE”

(KJV)

43.       The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me. 

44.       Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 

45.       Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. 

46.       And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?  Philip saith unto him, Come and see. 

47.       Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! 

48.       Nathanael saith unto him,  Whence knowest thou me?  Jesus answered and said unto him,   Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. 

49.       Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel. 

50.       Jesus answered and said unto him,  Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? Thou shalt see greater things than these. 

51.       And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

 

INTRODUCTION

 

In John 1 I have taken a scene from the life of our Lord Jesus Christ which I think will address this particular problem of dealing with doubt.  Many times people do not understand that life is a series of problems.  Therefore if you do not have a problem at this moment, just hang around, before long you are going to have a problem.  That is not a pessimistic attitude or view, that is reality.  Pessimism only comes in the way and attitude in which you approach life and the problems that are before us.  Reality is that people are in one of three stages when it comes to problems.  We are either coming out of the problem, we are in a problem, or we are heading into a problem.  Life is a series of problems.  However, there is hope in and through every problem we face and experience in life.

 

The good news about the Lord Jesus Christ is that to know Jesus Christ as your Savior gives you access to “Someone” who is the great problem-solver.  I do not know what problem you may be experiencing right now, but whatever that problem may be, ultimately and fundamentally, when you get down to the root of the matter, you will discover that Jesus Christ is able to help you with that particular problem.

 

There are many people filled with skepticism and doubt in the world in which we live.  In some ways it is a part of our training.  We have been trained in our schools to think skeptically.  We have been taught to think from a scientific perspective and to be skeptical so that we get to the facts and know what the facts may be.

 

That atmosphere of skepticism has bled over into religious life and there are many people today who are dealing with the problem of doubt.  Somebody has said that “Doubt is a swinging bridge between faith and unbelief.”  Faith says “I believe.”  Doubt says “I am not sure.”  Faith says “I trust.”  Doubt says “I do not know.”

 

INTERPRETATION

 

Here is a man in the Bible who has a problem with skepticism or doubt.  His name is Nathanael.  The indications from the words of the Lord about this man Nathanael are that he was indeed a doubter, but he was also a sincere doubter.  There are many people who are not sincere in their doubts.  Many times intellectual doubts are merely a cover for an immoral lifestyle.  Some people throw out a few doubts because they are trying to cover over the kind of life they are living.  That is not really the problem at all.  However, evidently Nathanael was one of those sincere doubters.  Somebody said that “Doubt is either the agony of some earnest soul or it is the trifling superficial doubt of a phony doubter”.  The name, Nathanael, means “gift of God”.  I do not know if his parents gave that name to him out of hope that he would indeed be a gift to the world, or if they gave him that name out of hope that he would be a special gift to them from God.

 

When you get to Matthew, Mark, and Luke you do not find the name Nathanael anywhere, nor do you find the name Bartholomew.  Most people believe that Nathanael and Bartholomew are names for the same man.  Nathanael does not appear much in the Bible.  He appears on the first page of the book of John and the last page.  In chapter 1, he makes his cameo appearance and in chapter 21 he gives his final curtain call.  However, he is a man that has a message for you and for me.  He is a man who shows us that if you have a problem, what you need is to meet Jesus.  Jesus can help you with your problem whatever that problem may be.

 

I.          LOOK AT THE DOUBT NATHANAEL MANIFESTS.  In verse 45 it says, “Philip findeth Nathanael.” 

That is a train in a series of events in chapter 1 about people who are meeting the Lord Jesus.  There were two disciples who came to Jesus and said, “Where do you live?”  Moreover, Jesus said, “Come and see.”  One of those men came and told Philip about Jesus.  Then the Lord came to Philip and said, “Follow me” and Philip followed Jesus.  After Philip had become a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ he told his friend Nathanael about finding Jesus and brought him to meet Jesus.

 

EXPLANATION

 

It is a good friend who will do for you what Philip did for Nathanael.  If you have a friend who is talking to you about the claims of Christ, you have a good friend indeed.  Many of you came to know the Lord as your Savior because you had a friend who loved you enough and cared enough about you to introduce you to Jesus.  Philip is a good friend.  I want to be a friend like that to people, don’t you?  I want to be the kind of friend to people who will tell them about Christ and how Christ can meet the needs of their life.  After Philip had found the Lord Jesus he had a desire that his friend, Nathanael, would come to know the Lord Jesus Christ also, so he went to Nathanael.

 

A.        NOTICE HIS PROPHETICAL ANNOUNCEMENT.  He says in verse 45, “We have found him.”   I can almost sense the excitement in his voice.  Then he says, “We have found him of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write.”  That is - we have found the one that the Old Testament predicted was going to come.

 

Now, the Jewish people were looking for the coming of the Messiah.  In fact at this particular point in their history they were desperate for the coming of the Messiah because of the problems that they as a nation and they as individual Jews were facing.  They were under the heels of the Roman Empire.  Life was tough.  Taxation was strong.  The economy was shaky.  They desperately needed someone who could help them with their problems.  Philip says, “We have found Him” the one that the Old Testament predicted.

 

The Old Testament had predicted the coming of the Messiah.  Moses had talked about him like the serpent on the pole, to whom people could look and be saved.  The prophets had talked about him being virgin-born and suffering for the sins of the whole world.  Therefore, I can imagine that Nathanael’s heart jumped a beat when he heard Philip say, “We have found him.”  

 

If you can find someone today who can help you with the problems you are going through right now.  I am sure that probably your heart would leap just a little also.  Maybe there is just a little glimmer of hope I can kindle in your heart during this study.

 

1.         NATHANAEL BECOMES A DOUBTER.  He is ready now for a letdown.  Philip continues on and says, “We have found the one the Old Testament talked about, Jesus of Nazareth.”  Now, we have a skeptical answer from Nathanael.  When he heard that this Jesus who was supposed to be the Messiah had come, and that he was from a place named Nazareth, it punctured his balloon and he says in verse 46, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?”  The last place in the world he expected the Messiah to come from was Nazareth.  Certainly the last place he expected anybody to come from who could help him with his problems was Nazareth.

 

In John 21:2 where Nathanael is mentioned for the last time, we are told that Nathanael was from Cana.  Cana was about five miles from Nazareth.  They were neighboring towns.  What you may have here is a little local prejudice and jealousy.

 

Did you come from a small town?  I came from a small town.  We know all about that local prejudice and jealousy, do we not?    I remember when I was playing basketball we had a number of other little towns around us who were rivals.  It may be that there was a little local prejudice going on.  “Our town is better than your town.”  There is some of that that still goes around in the faith today.  There are some people that have problems and they are not getting any answers to the problems because they are allowing some of their prejudices and jealousies to take over.  There may be some folks right there in your town and they would say, “I would go up to that church, but those folks do not come from the same town or part of the county that I come from.”  The fact of the matter is, in most churches today, people travel from every section of the county to go to any church they desire.  I kind of like it where people go to a church from every part of the county.  As I understand the New Testament, the church is to be a place where people can come wherever they may live; whatever their social status may be.  Some folks may say, “They are not my social status at that church and they did not go to the schools I went too”.  Friends, a hungry man cannot be particular where he gets his bread.  A thirsty man cannot be particular where he gets his water.  Do not let prejudice in your heart keep you from going to the place where you can get an answer to your problems.

 

There’s another thing about Nazareth.  The fact of the matter is Nazareth was a bad place.  It was located up on a hillside.  Down below was one of the main highways where merchants and soldiers were constantly passing and very often they would stay in Nazareth for the night.  You can almost imagine what a center of corruption Nazareth had become.  You can almost imagine what a cesspool of a bad reputation.

 

Have you ever thought about it?  Jesus Christ lived the overwhelming majority of His life - 33 years of life - in a place called Nazareth, a despised town.  There He was unrecognized, unknown, and unhonored.  Do not ever worry about where you came from.  It is not where you came from that matters.  It is where you are going that matters.  “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?”  

                                                              

2.         NATHANAEL BECOMES A SKEPTIC.  He is raising a skeptical question.  Some of you may have a problem of doubt right now.  There are all kinds of doubters.  There are all kinds of skeptics.

 

You may be the scientific skeptic.  You may have decided that Jesus has to get into your test-tube and submit Himself to your tests before you will ever believe.

 

You may be a philosophical skeptic.  You may have decided that Jesus Christ has to conform to your ideas of what He should and should not be before you are going to believe.

 

You may be a religious skeptic.  You may have your mind all made up.  It is amazing to me how people who do not know anything about being a Christian announce themselves an authority on religious matters.  If you do not believe what I am saying is true you just go into homes and try to witness to people.  They will tell you immediately what the Bible is all about, though they have never read it.  You may be a religious skeptic and you may have decided that Jesus has to fit into your little system.  I have news for you.  Jesus Christ is bigger than Nazareth.  Jesus was from Nazareth; but Jesus was also from heaven.  God was His Father.  Divinity was His nature.  Heaven was His home.  He is bigger than any Nazareth.  He is bigger than any doubter or skeptic.  At the same time He loves every doubter and skeptic on earth and died for each one.

 

This old world is constantly wanting to confine Jesus to Nazareth.  They want to keep him back in the first century, riding a donkey.  I have news for you.  The Jesus of Nazareth is the Jesus of where you live.  He is riding the streets and roads where you live.  The fact of the matter is nothing good can come from anywhere BUT Nazareth.  Because Jesus came from Nazareth and the only One who was ever good was the Lord Jesus Christ. 

 

We clearly see the doubt Nathanael manifests, and he says to Philip in verse 46, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?”  However, notice that Philip says to him, “Come and see”.  I like the fact that he did not argue with him.  There is a place, of course, for academic debate and for apologetics in the Christian faith.  However, on this occasion, Philip does not try to deal with his doubts with philosophical or religious arguments.  He just basically says to him, “Come and see”.  

 

The real evidence of the answer to many questions is in having a meeting with Jesus, not in arguing, reasoning, talking, or persuading.  Some of you really need to have a meeting with Jesus.

 

I heard about an intellectual preacher who was preaching a sermon to prove the existence of God.  It was a rather complicated sermon as you can imagine.  One sister in the church was having a hard time following his confusing arguments.  When it was all over she said, “Well, after all he said, I just cannot help but believe that there is a God somehow.”  

 

Ladies and Gentlemen, if you will have a meeting with the Lord Jesus Christ all your doubts can be solved and all your doubts can be settled.  Give Jesus a chance.  You have tried everything else.  Why not give Jesus a chance?  If you have gotten yourself in a big mess and you have problems that you cannot solve, give Jesus a chance.  “Come and see.”   That is what Philip says.

 

II.        LOOK AT THE DEITY NATHANAEL MEETS.  Nathanael goes with Philip to meet Jesus and in verse 47 Jesus sees Nathanael coming to Him.  Here they come.  Here is Nathanael and in front of him he see Jesus of Nazareth, but more than that he sees deity in human flesh.  Jesus says to him, “Behold an Israelite indeed in whom is no guile”.  

 

The Lord Jesus, in saying that, just reveals His deity.  You could translate the word, “guile”, as Jacob.  It may be that Nathanael had recently been studying the life of Jacob.  I said that his name in the first three gospels is Bartholomew.  When you see, “bar,” that means son of.  Son of Tholomew.  There was a group called the Tholomans who had dedicated themselves to the study of the Scriptures.  He may have been one of those.  Perhaps, undoubtedly, he had been reading about the life of Jacob.  In Genesis 27, when you read about the life of Jacob, you will find that Jacob was a schemer.  He was a rascal.  You have heard of the singing group Rascal Flat; he was Rascal Jacob.  He was a rascal.  He was a heel-snatcher.  He was a schemer.  Jesus looked at Nathanael and said, “An Israelite in whom there is no Jacob”.  This was a great compliment to Nathanael because Jesus is basically affirming the sincerity of this man Nathanael.  “An Israelite” means Ruled by God. Here is a man who is under the authority of God.  Here is a man, when he gets the evidence, will believe the evidence.  

 

A.        HERE IS A REVELATION OF THE LORD’S OMNISCIENCE.  Jesus calls him by name.  Jesus knows all about him.  Here the man comes up.  The first time Jesus, in the flesh, had ever seen this man He just says to him, “This man is ruled by God.  There is not a false bone in his body.”  That was a tremendous compliment.

 

What about you?  Do you have your doubts about it all?  What you need to do is meet Jesus who knows all about you.  Do you realize that Jesus knows just exactly where you are in your life right now?  Do you understand that Jesus knows just exactly what is going on in your life this very minute?  Did you know that Jesus knows all about all those things in your past you do not want anybody to know about?  Jesus even knows what you are thinking, your doubts, your fears, your failures, and deep desires you think are hidden?  Jesus Christ has omniscience.  That means He is all-knowing.  He knows all there is to know about you.  In verse 48 Nathanael says, “How do you know me?”  Watch how it just shocks Nathanael.  Jesus said to him in verse 48, “Before Philip called you.”  That is interesting, is it not?  He had already gone ahead of Philip.

 

Just imagine, here you are witnessing to somebody and before you ever got there, Jesus was there.  You think you are talking to somebody about the Lord and all of these things that are brand new to this person and Jesus has already been ahead of you.  He has already been working in that person’s heart.  He has already been working in that person’s life circumstances.  That is what Jesus can do.  He is already running ahead of us.  

 

B.        HERE IS A REVELATION OF THE LORD’S OMNIPRESENCE.  Jesus told Nathanael, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.”  Evidently that fig tree was in a garden Nathanael had.  It was evidently a quiet place of meditation, rest, refreshment, and relaxation.  Now, Jesus is revealing not only His omniscience he knew all about Nathanael.  He is revealing His omnipresence.  He was saying, “Nathanael, when you were under that fig you did not know it, son, but I was right there with you.”

 

Is God at work over yonder somewhere?  God is at work everywhere.  There is not anywhere that you will not find God.  God is everywhere.  God is omnipresent.  The Bible says, “If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there.  If I make my bed in hell, thou art there.  If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall thy hand lead me and thy right hand shall uphold me.”  God is everywhere.  You cannot hide from God.  It is useless to try.

 

Jonah found out that you cannot run from God.  Adam and Eve found out you cannot run from God.  They were hiding behind a tree.  The Lord said, “Where art thou?”  He knew exactly where they were.  God knows where you are.  The reason I want you to meet with Jesus Christ is because when you meet with Jesus Christ you meet deity.  You meet God.

 

III.       LOOK AT THE DECISION NATHANAEL MAKES.  “Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.” 

 

I want you to see something.  In two minutes time, here is a man whose doubts are settled and solved.  He makes a quantum leap in two minutes that completely changes his life.  Some of you have started this Bible study without really planning to do anything.  Some of you will read the material, ponder on it for a moment, and then get up and go your way and try to forget everything you have read and pretend God has never spoken to you about anything.  You may be saved or you may be lost, but friend, God always speaks to us all in every part of His Word.  It is a thumb in His face when we turn from His Word and make no positive decision in His direction of some kind.  You are going to get in and out and go on your way.  What you need to do is do what Nathanael did and make the greatest decision of your life.

 

Notice what he says about Jesus.  He is convinced.  His doubts are settled.  “Thou art the son of God” He crowns Him as the king of the universe.  “Thou art the King of Israel.”  He crowns Him as the king of the future.  He acknowledges His deity.  He acknowledges everything He claims to be.

 

Then Jesus makes reference to the life of Jacob.  In verse 51 he makes a reference to an experience Jacob had when he was a teenage boy.  Jacob was just a teenage boy running.  That night he went to sleep with a stone for a pillar.  That night he had a vision of a ladder extending up into heaven.  On that ladder he saw the angels of God ascending and descending.  Ascending, as if the angels were going back to glory and telling heaven all of the sad, heart rending things taking place on this earth.  Descending from heaven with Gods solutions and God’s answers and God’s power to meet the situation.  Jacob saw that ladder and understood that this ladder connected heaven and earth.  

 

Speaking to Nathanael, “Jesus answered and said unto him, because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou?  Thou shalt see greater things than these.  And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.”  Jesus is saying to Nathanael, “Nathanael, I am the ladder.  I saw you under that fig tree.  That fig tree told me about you and sin.  However, I am the ladder because the ladder tells about another tree.  It tells about the cross where I going to die on a cross for you sins.  I am the ladder.”  And he said to him, “You shall see greater things than these” which he did.  He became a disciple of Jesus - a follower of the Lord.

 

I hope many of you will become a follower of the Lord.  Nathanael saw the time when Jesus Christ died on the cross.  He saw the time when Christ ascended back to heaven.  Like you and I, he will see the time when Christ will come again with the holy angels.  Oh, he lights a lamp of hope for the future.  When you come to Christ, not only can He help you with your problems right now, but He can help you with the problems of your future.

 

With Christians and non-Christians alike, sometimes life really gets tough and circumstances and the weakness of the flesh, promoted by the devil, can cause all kinds of doubts to arise in us.  For those of us who are Christians, sometimes we just need a reminder, some encouragement to keep our heads up, and to remember that we are on the victory side.  It is no surprise that in this world there will be tribulation.  Jesus told us that.  He never promised us all roses and no thorns.  He never said life would be all honey and no bees.  There are rough patches along the way.  For some those patches are more difficult than for others.  However, we will all have our share of rough points in life before it is over.  Learn all you can during those rough moments and when Jesus brings you through remember those things you learned and use them to encourage someone who may be going through a difficult time.  You did not go through that trying time for no reason.  I do not know what your problems are.  I do not know what dimension they may take.  I do not know what shape they may take.  Nevertheless, if you will have a meeting with Jesus, if you will open up your heart and your life to Jesus, whatever the problems of the present or future may bring, Christ has greater things than these to give to you.  If you still wonder, “Come and see”.

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

 

To find more help in receiving Jesus Christ as your personal Savior please go to the Bible Study Title Page “ETERNAL LIFE”.  Please send me an email and respond to me about any decision for Christ you make so that I may pray for you.  Feel free to send me any questions, comments, or responses you may have as well.  For those who are already Christians I invite you to also please let me know of any decisions you make in your Christian life for Jesus.  Feel free to send me any questions, comments, or responses you may have and let me know if the Bible Studies are helping you.  [ rfdenning1951@gmail.com]

 

ALWAYS REMEMBER!

The support of your local Church ministry and the ministry of your Pastor should be the first priority of your Christian life and your service to the Lord.  Be faithful to prayerfully prepare and attend Sunday School and Worship Service this Sunday and participate in worship as your Pastor preaches the Word.  Do not forget to give the Lord at least your TITHE through your local church from your gross income – that is your first fruits.  Any other other giving is an offering to a ministry unto the Lord.  Honor the Lord in all you do and with all that you have.  Always remember that everything you have and all you are belongs to the Lord.  It is on loan to you – so manage it well!  There will be an audit one day!  Make sure the Books Balance!