John 1 43-47

Remember that Jesus is beginning to choose His disciples.

Remember that we know this but they did not yet.

Jesus was first convincing them He was Christ.

What we believe to be John our author

Andrew - went to Jesus’ house.

Then Andrew told his brother Simon Peter they had found the Messiah.

John 1:43–47 ESV

43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!”

Now Jesus finds Philip and says follow me.

Philip is convinced He is Jesus the Messiah.

He tells Nathaniel.

Nathaniel is not yet convinced.

We will see how this ends in the next video or you can read ahead later.

Don’t be surprised when you witness to someone and they are not as excited about Christ as you are.

Nathaniel wasn’t either. That is a normal response.

1 Corinthians 1:18 ESV

18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Don’t get discouraged.

Keep witnessing.

Keep answering their questions.

Most importantly keep loving them.

Maybe you are not yet convinced.

Don’t be frustrated or discouraged.

John 20:30–31 ESV

30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

So stick around.

Keep learning.

John wrote this gospel for you!

I want to focus on Nathaniel’s response to Jesus.

John 1:46 ESV

46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

Nathanael is not impressed with Jesus being from Nazareth.

Nazareth was a small village.

About 500 people.

Great people did not come from small villages.

Today we celebrate those who came from small towns to become something.

They were known for their poor education.

they were seen as backwards people.

Have you ever felt like you are not enough?

That you don’t bring enough to the table for God to use you?

Maybe you didn’t grow up in a Christian home/

Maybe you grew up in a poor home situation.

Maybe you have made some poor decisions in the past.

You don’t know the Bible well enough.

You’re shy.

The list goes on and on.

When we know that Jesus’ earthly hometown was a tiny village with a bad reputation.

It encourages us that God can use us no matter what!

If Jesus from Nazareth can bring salvation to mankind - God can use us too!

1 Corinthians 1:26–29 ESV

26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.