AN UNPREACHED SERMON (192)
Photo by Maxence Bounior on Unsplash.
Step out the shower and before you are fully dried the sweat begins to flow. Slip on a fresh t-shirt and immediately it is ready for the wash. Meander as slowly as you can through the bustling back streets of Naples, keeping to the shadows, and still the sweat flows as profusely as ever.
Three cheers for the one day it rained, much to the annoyance of the Italians and delight of the tourists – although the Neapolitan cafe-bar owners didn’t complain as it brought in the tourists.
Naples is the third largest city in Italy with a reputation for grubbiness and grit looked down upon by those further north in Rome, Milan and Florence. When Goethe said, “See Naples and die” he didn’t mean literally. He was talking about its hidden grandeur, still found in its architectural glory and cultural uniqueness. Its present-day reputation is not the full story.
A young barista I know in Edinburgh was stunned when I told him I was planning a trip to Naples. Originally, he hails from near Florence and his comment to me was, “Is there anything worth seeing in Naples?”
My holiday experience this year has put me in mind of the day Nathaniel was called to become a follower of Jesus (John 1:44-51) and, hearing from Philip that Jesus came from Nazareth, he asked, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”
Although one of the lesser-known disciples, better known by his other name of Bartholomew, he has got something to teach us about God’s call on our lives.
I like to think of him as a student, for the first glimpse we have of him is when he is studying and meditating under the fig tree – the traditional place to delve into God’s Law when seeking divine guidance. Being shaded from the blistering heat helped concentration.
Nathaniel is described by Jesus as “a man in whom there is no guile” (AV); there was “nothing false in him” (GNB) and “no deceit” (ESV).
I wonder if the Bible passage he was studying that day was about Jacob the man of guile (Genesis 27:35 RSV)?
Was he asking himself the question, “If I am to be called and used by God is my life sufficiently honest and sincere before the Lord?”
GOD’S CALL OFTEN COMES TO US THROUGH ANOTHER PERSON.
In this case it was through Philip (v45). His witness to Jesus was used to stimulate Nathaniel’s interest. Philip just let the Bible speak for itself by referencing Moses and the prophets (v45). That call is often initially questioned. Nazareth? You must be joking nothing good ever comes from there! Philip doesn’t argue, all he says is “Come and see” (v46).
GOD’S CALL IS A MUCH BIGGER THING THAN WE REALISE AT THE TIME.
Clearly, Jesus has an intimate knowledge of Nathaniel, just as He does of us. The Lord is fully aware of both our personality and our potential – and still He calls us with the intention of using us.
GOD’S CALL OPENS OUR EYES TO CHRIST IN A FULLER WAY.
Notice the progression of titles outlined:
Son of Joseph from despised Nazareth the breeding ground of zealots
Rabbi, Teacher (v49)
Son of God (v49)
King of Israel (v49)
GOD’S CALL ALWAYS PROMISES MORE THAN WE CAN SEE AT THE TIME.
Philip’s casual conversation and simple witness with Nathaniel would change a life forever in ways neither could have imagined at the time.
Greater things (v50)
The heavens opened (v51)
The angels of God (v51)
Through Christ’s dealings with Nathaniel, we catch a glimpse of how He similarly deals with us and calls us into His service. The Lord is constantly calling to us
I saw you
I know you
I want you
Nathaniel is bracketed with Philip, reminding us that God’s call often comes out of relationships.
What if Nathaniel had acted on his first impressions of where Jesus came from? Think how much he would have missed! Reputation alone is never a good basis for judging either a place or a person.
There is plenty of good to come out of Naples, and I don’t just mean Neapolitan ice cream and the original margherita pizza.
And as for Nazareth, it is famous the world over as the place where He who is personified goodness lived for 30 years prior to His great work of world redemption.
Christ has a profound insight into human character. At any given moment He knows the things pulling us down, whether our strongest temptations, our worst failures, or our deepest needs – yet still He calls.
Photo by Antonio Vivace on Unsplash.
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