Nathaniel and The Fig Tree

The following is encouragement for you as if Jesus Christ Himself was speaking.  These are meant to give you insight into His Heart, how He thinks, and how He feels about you.  Let this encouragement begin to dwell deep within you!

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 Nathaniel 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?”  Nathaniel asked.  “Come and see,” said Philip.

When Jesus saw Nathaniel approaching, he said of him, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false.”

“How do you know me?” Nathaniel asked.

Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”

Then Nathaniel 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.” 

JOHN 1:43-50 (NIV)


This is a special story for me in so many ways.  First of all, and the primary message for you, is that I am not a distant observer of you and those around you.  Just the opposite is true; my Father and I made you, and knew all about you before you were even born.  There is absolutely nothing hidden nor too confusing for us not to understand.  I love you so intimately, and so personally, and so individually, that I know your needs, fears, and desires before you even sort them out in your own mind!

I want you to notice carefully that I didn’t mention seeing Nathaniel in the synagogue, or saying the “usual” prayers common in those days, or doing works of charity.  No, I saw him as he grappled with some real issues about his heavenly Father, and about the kind of man he wanted to be, and about decisions to be made which indeed would stamp the word: “Honorable” on his forehead.  In other words, I saw his heart, which is of greatest importance to me.  I saw his sincere attempt to be a man after God’s own heart.  How encouraging and exciting for me to see that!

You should also notice that Nathaniel’s first words were, in effect, to put me down as a nobody from nowhere.  You see, he knew the Scriptures, and he knew the Messiah was to come from Bethlehem.  He assumed that I would be living there, and didn’t understand that, just perhaps, the Messiah could have been born in Bethlehem, but later moved to Nazareth.  As he came alongside me, he began to understand the real story and his previous assumptions melted away.

Nathaniel had to overcome what his original thoughts were about me, and instead just get to know me.  Notice that I chose him because of the kind of heart he had; I knew exactly what kind of follower he would become.  His confusion about my hometown was of no importance to me. 

Today, now, I also invite you to come and be with me.  You, like Nathaniel, may have pre-conceived ideas about me, and about your relationship with me.  But remember that I have seen your heart even during the loneliest and bleakest times, and I am calling you too to be my friend and come alongside me.  I have seen every one of your “fig tree” moments, and I have a special place in my heart for you, as well as a special work for you that no one else can do, just like my friend Nathaniel.

I really like you, and I really love you!

 
PAUSE … Invite Him to be with you; let Him quiet you with His Love.


REFLECT… What is God saying to you?

QUESTIONS:

1) What are your “fig tree” moments?  What are your deepest thoughts, questions, fears and hopes?
 
2) Do you think you might have some pre-conceived ideas about God that need to come out into the light?

3) What are the blocks to keep you from following Him?  (As you continue with the Worksheets, these will become more apparent!).

4) What did Jesus see in him that caused His comment about Nathaniel having "nothing false" about him?

5) How do we still misjudge Jesus, as Nathaniel did with geography?

6) How would Jesus describe the future he sees for you?


RECEIVE … Believe that Jesus sees us and knows us to the core.  Believe that He chooses to concentrate on what is ahead, rather than the past.  Know you are a delight to Him!


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