Title and Behold 2/John 1:43-51
Subject: Come and behold 2/John 1:43-51
"For the church to revive, the church must become the church. When the church becomes the church, the church must become the church. For the church to become a church, the gospel is enough. "
According to some statistics, who evangelizes today? These are not people who have been to church for a long time and studied the Bible a lot, but people who have attended church for less than 1 year and 6 months. Most of them are beginners. It is to realize the gospel and to be inspired by it to boldly go out and evangelize.
Today's text shows that clearly. I hope it will be an opportunity to restore the passion for evangelism in the text and to reflect on a new determination for evangelism.
1. Calling Philip
(John 1:43) The next day, while Jesus was about to go out to Galilee, he met Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” This text does not explain in detail how Philip came to follow the Lord. Perhaps it was because Philip easily obeyed the Lord's words. There are not many stories about Isaac in the Bible compared to other patriarchs, which means that he did not have any major problems. Often, many people say, boasting that I have a lot of stories and memories, and say, "What was I like in my old days..."
1) Follow me
The Lord said to Philip, "Follow me," just as he said to Andrew. According to the original text, unlike other Gospels, it appears as the word “(circle)”, which comes from “(road, road)”. . The second is, “Imitate me, and become like me.”
(Matthew 11:29) Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
2) Philip's evangelism
It is not specifically stated how Philip went through to worship the Lord, but Andrew stayed up all night with the Lord and appeared to have served the Lord. Anyway, Philip went out to preach as soon as he met the Lord.
Andrew is preaching the gospel to the brother and family, while Philip is preaching the gospel to his friend. Who will you evangelize? To whom are you going to share this good news of joy? Wouldn't it make sense to pass it on to your family and your closest friends?
It was Philip who practiced this natural thing.
A. Philip's invitation (1:45)
a. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “The one whom Moses wrote in the law, and whom the prophets wrote
because we met
“Written by Moses in the Law and by the Prophets,” that is, we have met him who was prophesied in the Old Testament.
(Genesis 49:10) The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff to depart from between his feet; until Shiloh comes, and all the peoples will be subject to him.
b. We found him, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
. "Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph" Philip introduces Jesus Christ as he really is when introducing Jesus Christ.
What region is "Nazareth"? Nazareth is located in the northern part of Galilee in Judea, and because it is a very small region, it is never mentioned in the Old Testament. The dialect is so severe that it is difficult to communicate with the people of Jerusalem. It was the receiving area.
To say that I met Jesus who was born in Nazareth means that Philip introduces Jesus Christ candidly.
How should we introduce Jesus Christ?
(1 Corinthians 1:18) The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is foolishness.
it is the power of God
That is, we must preach the cross.
B. (John 1:46) Nathanael said, Can anything good come out of Nazareth?
Nathanael's name is "God gives or God gives", and he was from Ghana.
Cana is a neighboring town to Nazareth. Nathanael asks me, "I know of Nazareth, what good can there be?"
Often, when we do evangelism, talk with unbelievers, or talk with heretics, we often find ourselves unable to win with our logic and thinking. They are sometimes far more clever than we are. In this case, it is best to avoid arguing whenever possible. In this case, Philip says:
C. Philip said, Come and see.
"Come and see", that is, "Come and see the Lord." If we say, "Come and see our church," it is our faith and gratitude for the church we attend.
"If you come to our church, you can meet Jesus Christ. Come and see us." that is.
2. Meeting of Jesus and Nathanael
Philip brought Nathanael to Jesus Christ. Evangelism is brought to Jesus just as Andrew brought Peter to Jesus and Philip brought Nathanael to Jesus, and that flower blooms.
A. (John 1:47) "Behold, this is a true Israelite, and there is no deceit in him."
This means that to be a true Israelite is to be a sincere person without deceit. If we think about it a little more based on the Old Testament, the name Israel is the name that Jacob, a crafty and cowardly man, got after fighting an angel of God at the river Jabbok. So the name Israel was a name of blessing, and the people of Israel were God's chosen people. However, it was difficult to find true Israel among Israel at the time of Jesus. So the Lord said to Nathanael that you are a true Israelite.
a. The Lord knows the depths of our hearts.
(Psalm 33:15) I am the maker of the common mind and watch over all their works.
(Psalm 139:23) Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me, and know my will.
b. When we stand before the Lord, the Lord knows all of our circumstances.
B. (John 1:48) Nathanael said, How do you know me?
At this time, Nathanael had no choice but to confess to the Lord who knew through his heart. He had no choice but to kneel in front of his accurate awareness and ability to exist.
C. (John 1:48)...Jesus answered and said to them, "Before Philip called you, you
I saw it when I was down
As we know, there were many fig trees along the roads of Israel. Like the zelkova tree in our country, this fig tree grows wider on the side rather than upward, so the Israelites sat on the tree to rest, read the Bible, and meditate in particular.
Meryl C Tenney speculates in his [interpretation of the Gospel of John] that Nathanael was probably reading the words of Genesis 28 under the fig tree, where God blessed Jacob and showed him a vision at Bethel.
(Genesis 28:12) In my dream, I saw a ladder standing on the ground, and its top reached to heaven, and I saw the angels of God ascending and descending on it.
(Genesis 28:13) And behold, the LORD stood upon it, and said, I am the LORD, the
God, the God of Isaac; I will give to you and to your descendants the land on which you lie.
In other words, Nathanael was probably waiting under that tree to meditate and pray for the throne of the Lord and the Messiah, the Son of David, whom he had promised to send in the last days.
To him, the Lord said, "I saw you while you were under the fig tree."
D. (John 1:49) ...Rabbi, you are the Son of God, and you are the King of Israel.
When he clearly points out himself, Nathanael acknowledges Jesus Christ and Jesus of Nazareth as the Christ.
a."You are the Son of God"
It is a confession of faith that you are the prophet and Messiah, the son of God we have been waiting for.
b."You are the King of Israel"
You are the son of David we have been waiting for, and you are the King of Israel.
E. (John 1:50) Do you believe because I said I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.
The Lord said you will see greater things.
F. (John 1:51) And he said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the heavens are opened, and the angels of God
You will see him ascending and descending on the Son of Man.
These words are connected with the words of Genesis 28.
(Genesis 28:12) In my dream, I saw a ladder standing on the earth, and its top reached to heaven, and I saw the angel of God ascending and descending on it.
That is, the Lord said by putting Jesus Christ in place of the ladder of Genesis. Just as the Old Testament ladder was to connect God and the world, Jesus is teaching us that he is the messenger that connects God and man, and that he will show you amazing things because you are a true Israelite.