The Call, pt. 1

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John 1:43-51 (Pew Bible 751)

"The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.” Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip. When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false.” “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that.” He then added, “I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”"

Being Called

The call to follow Christ is not limited, but open to all.

How does the call come?

  • Directly
    • Jesus called Philip to follow Him
      • Philip was a very ordinary man
      • Philip might not commit without a direct approach
  • Indirectly
    • Philip called Nathanael to follow Christ
      • Philip proves to be an effective witness for Christ

What kind of response is appropriate?

  • Immediate
    • Philip quickly followed Christ
      • He followed Jesus' example in calling Nathanael
  • Cautious
    • Nathanael questioned Philip
      • Can anything good...?
  • Curious
    • Nathanael went to see
      • He followed Philip to meet Jesus
        • Jesus knows him intimately
        • Jesus knows his movements
  • Committed
    • Philip insisted he had found the One
    • Nathanael responds with a profound profession of faith

What is the result of such responses?

  • Acceptance
    • Jesus demonstrated acceptance toward Philip by calling Him
    • Jesus accepted Nathanael as if He called him personally
  • Promise
    • New sight
      • Greater things
        • Heaven open
        • Angels ascending and descending
  • Relationship
    • Jesus is now teacher/mentor to these two
    • Jesus is the intersection of God and Humanity
      • The Word made flesh
      • “The meeting point between heaven's fullness and earth's need...”
    • Jesus, the Son of Man
      • The Judge of all things in the Last Day
      • The One who receives the worship of the nations

Some of us need the direct call (Doug). Some of us do not (Dave).

Jesus accepts us either way.

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