Jesus Saw Nathanael – WJS4

Reading: John 1:35-51 (Click Link for Scripture)

43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Come, follow me.” 44 Philip was from Bethsaida, Andrew and Peter’s hometown. 45 Philip went to look for Nathanael and told him, “We have found the very person Moses and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth.” 46 “Nazareth!” exclaimed Nathanael. “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” “Come and see for yourself,” Philip replied. 47 As they approached, Jesus said, “Now here is a genuine son of Israel—a man of complete integrity.” 48 “How do you know about me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus replied, “I could see you under the fig tree before Philip found you.” 49 Then Nathanael exclaimed, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God—the King of Israel!” (John 1:43-49 NLT)

Here we are back in Judea with Jesus and some heart-hungry guys from Galilee who took their vacations to travel to Judea and hear John the Baptist’s message about the coming Kingdom of God! Andrew took his brother Simon to meet Jesus. Now Philip finds his friend Nathanael and tells him the Good News, “The Messiah is here, his name is Jesus, and he’s from Nazareth, just up the road from home!”

When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching with Philip, he looked at him and said, “Here is a true son of Israel, and a true man, a man of complete integrity.” Nathanael was already a bit skeptical (Can anything good come out of Nazareth) and asked how Jesus thought he could know anything about him, since they’d never met. When Jesus said, “I could see you sitting under the fig tree this morning, before Philip found you.”, his skepticism was replaced with awe and faith!

Jesus saw Nathanael sitting under a tree. Jesus saw inside Nathanael the character of an honest man, a man of complete integrity, a man not easily fooled, a good man. When Jesus saw Peter (GN 02-09-24), he saw who he would become. When Jesus saw Nathanael, he saw who he truly was. I thought about that. I’m glad that Jesus can see who I am inside, who I really am. The reason I’m glad he knows me so well is that I know he loves me just as I am. And I also know he’s the only one who can make me into who we both want me to be!

I want to see people the way Jesus sees them, by looking not just on the outward appearance, but on the heart. How about you?

Prayer:

Father, Thanks for seeing me as I really am and loving the man you see. Please keep working on me to make me the man we both want me to become. And help me to see others as you see them too!