Second Sunday after the Epiphany-2021
Notes
Transcript
The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.” Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael asked him, “Where did you get to know me?” Jesus answered, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Nathanael replied, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus answered, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.” And he said to him, “Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”
Building the Kingdom
Last week we observed how Jesus was baptized and thus initiated his ministry. At his baptism it was declared he was the Son of God - and he had a specific mission (sending) to announce the coming of the kingdom.
Jesus said to Philip “Follow me.”
among rabbis of the time this was highly unusual - disciples sought out rabbis
Philip found Nathanael and told him about Jesus
one other mention of Nathanael (John 21:2) “Nathanael of Cana in Galilee”
unusual use of the “we” - Jesus’ followers - community
declares Jesus to be the one of whom Moses wrote - messianic (Deuteronomy 18:18)
The New Revised Standard Version A New Prophet Like Moses
18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their own people; I will put my words in the mouth of the prophet, who shall speak to them everything that I command.
1st century expectation of one like Moses
of Nazareth - an insignificant rural village (Middletown) where Jesus grew up
Nathaniel the skeptic - can anything good come from Nazareth
can anything good come from Nazareth
not mentioned in the prophecies of the Messiah
Philip says “come and see.”
Invitation to leave old life for a new life
Nathanael, just hanging out, enjoying his life, not wishing to change anything about himself or his life
invitation to leave being part of the majority, being part of the powerful, being part of the self-righteous
invitation to be part of a small minority, being part of the weak, being part of God’s righteous
invitation to leave the blessed to be part of and a blessing to the poor, those who mourn, those who are meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, the persecuted.
Nathanael encounters Jesus
Nathanael - an Israelite, one who is in covenant with God and holder of the promise
Jesus sees Nathanael and calls him out.
without deceit - honest - not like Jacob
Jesus knew what was in the heart of Nathanael
John 2:25
The New Revised Standard Version Jesus Cleanses the Temple
and needed no one to testify about anyone; for he himself knew what was in everyone.
Nathanael confesses Jesus to be “the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”
confession is messianic
Son of God
King of Israel
Jesus is kingdom builder
Jesus says “You haven’t seen anything yet!”
Jacob story (Genesis 28:16-19)
The New Revised Standard Version Jacob’s Dream at Bethel
16 Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, “Surely the LORD is in this place—and I did not know it!” 17 And he was afraid, and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”
18 So Jacob rose early in the morning, and he took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. 19 He called that place Bethel;
Jacob saw a ladder and angels ascending and descending
Called it Beth-el the house of God
They will see angels of God ascending and descending on “son of Man” - Jesus
Jesus is “house of God”/”gate of heaven”
Continued revelation of God’s glory through Jesus all the way through death and resurrection
What matters here: “When you’re with Jesus, it is as though you’re in the house of God, the Temple itself, with God’s angels coming and going, and God’s own presence there beside you.”
The invitation is to be of a community - with Father, Son, Holy Spirit - with the person who is the House of God, who is the Temple itself, with God’s angels coming and going - with God’s own presence beside you.
The invitation is to be of a different identity than of the world. To be willing to suffer in Christ’s name in order to know His joy in his Presence. His presence is only known in this way. It is not known by power grabs, by self-righteousness, by establishing political kingdoms, it by being submissive to the agenda of the kingdom laid out in the Sermon on the Mount.