Author: Jeff Englund

John 1:49

“Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.'”

When Philip entices Nathanael to come to see Jesus, he says, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote…” Certain things must have come to Nathanael’s mind. Who was he expecting to see? Certainly it was not someone who would claim to know him even before they met! Nathanael’s impulsiveness is evident both in his comment about Nazareth as well as his response to Jesus.

Q: Compare Nathanael to Peter. How are they similar and how are they different?

Continue reading “Expectations”

John 1:48

“How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.

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

This verse should give us pause to think. When Nathanael asks, “How do you know me?” Jesus could have said, “Well, anyone who makes a comment like you just did is either honest or a boor.” But he didn’t. Instead he says in effect that he was watching Nathanael even before Philip told him who Jesus was. If as a man Jesus was able to keep and eye on people without being physically in their presence, how much more true is that now?

Q: What do you want Jesus to see you doing today?

Continue reading “Pause to Think”

John 1:47

“When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.'”

Nathanael spoke his mind without caring who heard him or what they thought. Sometimes people like Nathanael are called, “blunt,” or worse.  Jesus could have cast him aside as being too crude to be one of his disciples, but instead Jesus (God) knows Nathanael’s heart and expresses appreciation for his honesty.

Q: When someone speaks a truism in a way that offends, how should a Christian respond?

Continue reading “Honesty”

John 1:44-46

“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.

Can anything good come from Nazareth? Clearly Nazareth had a reputation and it was not all that great. Jesus, of course, was born in Bethlehem originally, then lived in Egypt for a while, and eventually was raised in Nazareth. (Matthew 2)

Q: Was being raised in a backwater town like Nazareth a good fit for Jesus and his mission here on earth or would it have been better for him to be raised in a more prestigious neighborhood? Why?

Continue reading “Backwater”

John 1:43

“The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.'”

Ponder the personality and power of Jesus: He finds Philip, says to him, “Follow me,” and Philip does. He follows him to his death on the cross, and beyond.

Q: Jesus is just as alive today as he was in Philip’s day. He calls to each one of us and says, “Follow me.” What do we give up in order to follow Jesus?

Continue reading “Follower”

John 1:42

…Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter).

So what is in a name? Shakespeare is famous for having stated that “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Jesus, however, clearly is of the opinion that a name matters, no matter how “sweet” Simon smelled! He gives Simon, Andrew’s brother, a new name, Peter, meaning, “the rock.”

Q: Peter was famous for his outspokenness on the subject of Jesus being God. If Jesus were to give you a new name, what would it be?

Continue reading “Names”

John 1:40-42a

Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus.  The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ).  And he brought him to Jesus.

Over the years I have heard a lot of Christians talk about “sharing the Gospel” with people, sometimes suggesting that believers should be sharing the Gospel with everyone whether you know them or not. While there might be a time and place for that, or that might be for those gifted with a certain calling, this picture of sharing the Gospel is personal. Andrew runs to find his brother, Peter. He tells him, “We have found the Messiah.” Then he brings him to see Jesus personally.

Q: If you were to find yourself in a similar situation as Andrew, who would be the first person you would go to with news about the Messiah?

Continue reading “Good News”

John 1:39

 “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.

Verse 39 is such a simple sentence. It includes the phrase, “… and they spent the day with him.” In the months and years to come, they would be taught, discipled, led from town to town, witness miracles, and sent on missions. Yet this first day with Jesus was simply that; a day with Jesus.

Q: Imagine what a day with Jesus might be like. If you are willing, please share your thoughts in the comments section.

Continue reading “A Day With Jesus”

John 1:37-39A

When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”

They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”

“Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”

This scene as described by John is both endearing and slightly amusing to me. Two men run after Jesus because they are told he is the “Lamb of God.” Did they know what this meant? Had John the Baptist explained why he called Jesus that? Regardless, Jesus notices the two men and stops to greet them. “What do you want?” he asks. Of all the things they could have asked, they come up with, “… where are you staying?” Really?

Q: What would you have asked Jesus in that situation?

Continue reading “Greetings”

John 1:35-36

The next day John was there again with two of his disciples.  When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”

Once again we see a peek into the relationship between John the Baptist and Jesus. Jesus walks by without stopping to talk, and John cannot but help yell out who Jesus is and what he is.

Q: If you were to see Jesus walking past, what would you tell others about him?

Continue reading “Lamb II”