John 1:45-49, 51 (NKJV) 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered and said to Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 51 And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”
Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! (KJV). Without guile means without pretense, without deceit, sincere, and honest, a straightforward kind of person. Nathanael was a genuine, sincere seeker of God, and yet there was blindness of prejudice and resistance in him. Do you understand what it is like to desire God, to seek God’s reality, and yet also to resist the One whom you seek?
Nathanael wants to see the heavens opened and God ‘s angels descending and ascending as they did on Jacob’s ladder, but he is sure that could not happen in Nazareth. Philip does not argue with the resistance. He simply says, “come and see.” Come and find out for yourself.
Despite his reservations and resistance, Nathanael accepts. He meets the One who says Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile... when you were under the fig tree, I saw you. Jesus is declaring to Nathanael the kind of person he really is, one who may resist and yet one who is genuinely seeking God. And for Nathanael it is like the lights come on. He has met someone who knows him better than he knows himself.
Do you know what that is like, to meet someone who knows you better than you know yourself? They see potential in you that you did not know you had. They may also see faults that you did not know you had. And they can communicate all of this to you in a way that makes you glad?
Come and see. You will sense someone who knows you better than you know yourself. It will dawn on you that God’s grace has grabbed you and will not let you go. You will discover that the One you have been dimly seeking is seeking you with a fierceness that you did not imagine, and a care and concern for you that you did not think possible. Listen then to what Jesus says, you – will – see – heaven - opened. Jesus is speaking to Nathanael. Is He speaking to you? Come and see.
From a sermon preached by Henry Dobbs Pope January 19, 1997
© Rhonda Hinkle Mitchell Broyles
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