FOLLOW ME

INTRODUCTION

ILLUS: A Pastor and two men of his church were out deer hunting. Right in front of them ran a big buck. All three men immediately raised their rifles and shot at the deer. The deer instantly fell dead. The men made their way to their trophy and began to figure out where the deer was shot and who might have killed it. They could not find any entrance or exit wounds. There was no blood. Finally, one of the men said, “The pastor must have shot the deer.” The other man said, “How can you tell.” “Well, it looks like the shot went in one ear and right out the other.”

I hope that doesn’t happen on Sunday mornings during the message. I really hope there is evidence of the Word of God changing lives in this room.

We are taking a fascinating journey through the Gospel of John. Expositional preaching - to see what Apostle John is saying to us today. Chapter 1 - Prologue of the Word made Flesh full of grace and truth. John the Baptist was the first witness who understood who Jesus is. Then last week first three disciples of Jesus chosen - Andrew and John, then Simon - name was changed to protect the guilty - Cephas/Peter/Rock. Today the next two disciples.

1. A Common Man – Philip. vs. 43-45

• v. 43 Very common name, very dignified, means “lover of horses”
ILLUS: I have never had a horse. But I sure like horsepower under the hood.


• Jesus sought out Philip. The other disciples either came or were brought, but Jesus took the initiative and found Philip.


• “Follow me,” is not just to start out for a while, but to continue, to make a lasting commitment to be loyal and faithful to Jesus. Philip was a common man who the gospels show was a man who had limited understanding of faith
QUOTE: “Philip seems to have been an ordinary kind of man, at times actually in over his head” (Fredrickson, 61). I can relate to that.


• In John 6 - questioned Jesus on how to feed the 5,000. In John 14:8-9, after spending much time with Jesus, still said: “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.”


• Yet, without full understanding, just small faith, Philip was a loyal follower of Jesus - He was the Practical Apostle. Tradition says he was a missionary in the region Asia Minor and died in Hierapolis, near Colosse.


• Philip accepted on the spot Jesus invitation, and immediately found Nathanael, a best friend.
ILLUS: 80% or more of people come to Christ through personal invitation of someone they trust, a close friend, family member, co-worker, neighbor. Andrew invites his brother, Philip his friend. You know people too.


• vs. 44-45 “We have...” Apparently Philip was a part of a small community of inquiring disciples in Bethsaida. This isn’t just my word, this is the word of several witnesses – “the one of whom Moses in the Law and the prophets wrote” - The Scriptures tell us the Messiah is coming.


• Believe it or not this Messiah is from Nazareth, “the son of Joseph.” At first glance a ordinary man, one of us, know His town, know His father. But best of all He is the long awaited Messiah. Excitement in his voice.

2. A Skeptical Man – Nathanael. vs. 45-51

• v. 45 Name means “God has given” John is the only gospel his name appears, he apparently goes also by the name of Bartholomew.


• v. 46 At first Nathanael objected, prejudice about where Jesus was from - Nazareth. Didn’t have a good reputation. “How could this out of the way insignificant town produce the great Messiah? Anti-climatic. It wasn’t even mentioned in any Scripture.” Jesus is identified by the town he grew up in not the town of His birth which was mentioned in Scripture.
ILLUS: Every area has a town that is looked down upon. To keep peace in our community, I will mention one 100 miles away. Clarksville. 1400. Sin City. A-B sneered at Clarksville. When we would go cruising we never thought of going to Clarksville. But 1983 my sister became the editor of the Clarksville newspaper - discovered a nice little town. I have even meet Christians who lived there. Nazareth was the Clarksville of Jesus’ day.


• Philip insisted and said “Come and see.” Last week message, a great way to witness – “Take a look for yourself.” Invite others to meet Jesus. There is no substitute for personal investigation, a personal meeting to answer your questions. Nathanael takes Philip’s offer and goes to see Jesus.


• v. 47 Jesus complements Nate. “an Israelite indeed” one who truly seeks after God (Rom. 2:28-29), with “no deceit.” He was a transparent man, no hidden agenda’s open and honest, a true seeker of God.


• v. 48 Nathanael is puzzled, they had never meet, how can Jesus know him? Jesus saw him under the fig tree - probably a place of meditation - a quiet out of the way private place - that only Jesus the Divine could see, and thus could see his heart, his desire to know God (Psalm 139:1-4).
ILLUS: Do you have a quiet place - just you and God? Jesus sees you there. What does He see in your heart? A true heart that seeks God. Matt. 6:33


• Nathanael quickly overcame his objections and gives a great statement of faith. “Rabbi” = teacher, title of respect. “the son of God” = the divine one, the 2^nd witness in the gospel to refer to Jesus as such. “the King of Israel” = a loyal Jew admitting that Jesus is his King, King of his people.


• Jesus honors his faith by pointing out what he shall now see - greater things - I.E. miracles of Jesus - Gospels record 37 miracles, thus Nathanael (from Cana 21:2) is about to see the first in his home town of Cana - the very next story - 2:1-11


• Then Jesus takes him back to an OT familiar story that maybe he was meditating upon - Jacob’s ladder - instead of seeing angels ascending and descending on Jacob, they are on Jesus. Jacob calls the place an “awesome place,” “the house of God,” “the gate of heaven.”


• Now it is Jesus who is the awesome one, the gate to heaven, takes us to the house of God. Jesus calls Himself “the Son of Man”, the title he used most often. One of us, sharing Himself with us, we see in Him what we need right here and now. John 1:16-17 Jesus can erase prejudice and skepticm - Give Jesus a chance. Follow Him, the perfect one, Savior.

CONCLUSION

ILLUS: To follow Jesus is like following a path in the snow, or walking in the footsteps of your dad. You are careful in every step.