Proverbs 3:1-8; St John 1:43-51
Lutheran High School Chapel
In the Name + of JESUS. Amen.
Jesus is calling disciples. He is not calling full-devoted Christ followers. He’s not calling really committed sincere Christians. He’s not calling emotive persons to give their hearts to Him. He’s calling disciples. To be a disciple of our Lord Jesus is first and foremost to be a hearer of His Word. Not only to follow Him in example and character, but to cling to His teaching, His doctrine; to hold fast His Word in an honest and good heart and bring forth fruits according to His purpose.
Philip is such a disciple. He was found by our Lord Jesus and commanded to, Follow Me. It doesn’t mean He can do it. No one can. Just because Jesus tells him to do something doesn’t mean Philip or anyone can actually do it. He tells you to do all sorts of things: Do not give false testimony. Yet you can’t wait to reTweet that gossip you just hear. Do not commit adultery. But your eyes still find ways to get a hold of those pictures and videos.
That’s the Law. It hurts. It kills. This is the Gospel. And “Follow Me” isn’t “do this,” but receive this, believe this. Still, “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to Him.” The Holy Spirit who works in the Word of Christ gathers the disciple to the Rabbi. Jesus finds Philip.
Philip then finds Nathanael. And listen to what he says, We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote. In other words, “We found the Messiah, the Christ, the Fulfillment of the promise given to Adam and Eve, the Skull Crusher come to undo the curse, the Hope of all the nations and the Redeemer of Israel.” We found Him! Really Philip? Cause I think you got that backwards.
But that is how it feels to us. The discovery of this amazing, unprecedented, to-good-to-be true News that a Savior has come. He finds us even when we weren’t looking for Him. He finds us even when we were sitting under the fig tree sticking our thumbs in pies and pulling out plums. He finds us and calls us to be disciples; hearers of His Word, followers in the way of His Cross. But it seems like we found Him because we can hardly believe this.
And that what Nathanael, aka Bartholomew, thinks. Nazareth? Nothing good comes from Nazareth! Certainly not the Savior of the Nations and the Redeemer of the world.
And here’s what I love. Jesus finds Philip and Philip finds Nathanael. His call to be a disciple, a catechumen, a hearer of the Word, overflows into a confession, into evangelism of his friends and family. He can’t keep this to himself. A Christian who isn’t actually confessing the faith, who isn’t actually telling anyone about Jesus might not be a Christian. Evangelism is not optional.
But notice what happens. Nathanael asks a question Philip can’t answer. He puts him on the spot about his newfound belief and joy. What does Philip do? He doesn’t make something up. He doesn’t say, “But I feel its true in my heart!” He doesn’t even cite Old Testament passages in His favor. He simply says, Come and see.
Best. Evangelism. Program. Ever. Come and see. Come and see this Man for yourself. Listen to His Word. Investigate the claims for yourself. Is He is the Lord? Is He a liar? Is He a lunatic? What? Come and see. You can’t sit on the sidelines and say, “Oh, that Jesus, He’s just a good guy who taught some nice stuff and loved people. That’s good for you, but I’ll find my own way.” You have to reckon with this claim: We found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah.
So Nathanael, that is, Bartholomew, goes. He’s skeptical, but honest. This is what Jesus means when He says of him, An Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile. He does not approach Jesus as the Pharisees, seeking to trap Him. He doesn’t come to Him with ulterior motives, deception, or hard-heartedness. He is open to listen to this Man, to test His claims, to see if Philip is telling the truth.
And he’s amazed that Jesus knows him. Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you. An odd way for Jesus to display His divinity. “I saw you under the fig tree.” But the reality is that Jesus saw him even before that. Jesus saw Nathanael while that fig tree was a sapling. He saw Nathanael before he was born, before he was even formed in the womb. Jesus saw Nathanael because He is His God. He knows His own. To Jesus Nathanael is not also known as Bartholomew, a name which means “Son of Tolmay,” but he is known as “son of God” for He is known from before the foundation of the world as an elect child of God, predestined in Christ Jesus and called to saving faith by the Word. That’s how Jesus knows him.
How about with you? Are guileless? Or are you full of it? Do you approach Jesus with deceit? Or with honesty to examine His claims? Does Jesus know you? Do you know Him?
In truth He has seen through the fig leaves with which you try to hid yourself like your first parents and He calls you from the bushes of your self-deception, offering you a way. To be His disciple. To be His catechumen. His listener and follower.
He is more than your Rabbi and Teacher. He is the Son of God and the King of Israel. Heaven is opened in Him and as He mounts the throne of His Cross you behold the angels ascending and descending on Him, the Christ, the Messiah, the GodMan of the Old Testament. He is the fulfillment of Jacob’s ladder and all the Law and the Prophets. And He has brought heaven down to earth in Himself. He calls you from under your fig trees, out from hiding in your sins, to be guileless and forgiven in Him.
He invites you now, again, to Come and see. If its been four days or four years or more since you last went to Church, Come and see. Come, listen to His Word, see for yourself that this Jesus of Nazareth, is the Messiah and Redeemer, is the Promised Seed and the Fulfillment of the prophets. You will see heaven open in the Word preached by Nathanael and all the apostles. For we love what Christ commanded and believe what His men preached. You will see heaven opened to you in the Supper of our Lord, His very Body and Blood, with angels and archangels around the Altar of God and the brilliance of His holy Blood filling the chalice. They are not ascending and descending for He has brought heaven to you, in that place, and you are called and gathered with that majestic company.
Dear saints in Christ, today the Holy Church remembers and gives thanks to God for St Bartholomew (aka Nathanael), Apostle of our Lord Jesus. Here he stands holding a knife and his own skin, for he was flayed for the sake of the Holy Gospel. But by the call of the Holy Spirit in this self-same Gospel we love what Bartholomew believed and preach what he taught. For by His Word our Lord discerns beneath our skin what we can truly be - disciples and hearers - and that by His truth we are made guileless and forgiven that we may see His glory both now and forever.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Lutheran High School Chapel
In the Name + of JESUS. Amen.
Jesus is calling disciples. He is not calling full-devoted Christ followers. He’s not calling really committed sincere Christians. He’s not calling emotive persons to give their hearts to Him. He’s calling disciples. To be a disciple of our Lord Jesus is first and foremost to be a hearer of His Word. Not only to follow Him in example and character, but to cling to His teaching, His doctrine; to hold fast His Word in an honest and good heart and bring forth fruits according to His purpose.
Philip is such a disciple. He was found by our Lord Jesus and commanded to, Follow Me. It doesn’t mean He can do it. No one can. Just because Jesus tells him to do something doesn’t mean Philip or anyone can actually do it. He tells you to do all sorts of things: Do not give false testimony. Yet you can’t wait to reTweet that gossip you just hear. Do not commit adultery. But your eyes still find ways to get a hold of those pictures and videos.
That’s the Law. It hurts. It kills. This is the Gospel. And “Follow Me” isn’t “do this,” but receive this, believe this. Still, “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to Him.” The Holy Spirit who works in the Word of Christ gathers the disciple to the Rabbi. Jesus finds Philip.
Philip then finds Nathanael. And listen to what he says, We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote. In other words, “We found the Messiah, the Christ, the Fulfillment of the promise given to Adam and Eve, the Skull Crusher come to undo the curse, the Hope of all the nations and the Redeemer of Israel.” We found Him! Really Philip? Cause I think you got that backwards.
But that is how it feels to us. The discovery of this amazing, unprecedented, to-good-to-be true News that a Savior has come. He finds us even when we weren’t looking for Him. He finds us even when we were sitting under the fig tree sticking our thumbs in pies and pulling out plums. He finds us and calls us to be disciples; hearers of His Word, followers in the way of His Cross. But it seems like we found Him because we can hardly believe this.
And that what Nathanael, aka Bartholomew, thinks. Nazareth? Nothing good comes from Nazareth! Certainly not the Savior of the Nations and the Redeemer of the world.
And here’s what I love. Jesus finds Philip and Philip finds Nathanael. His call to be a disciple, a catechumen, a hearer of the Word, overflows into a confession, into evangelism of his friends and family. He can’t keep this to himself. A Christian who isn’t actually confessing the faith, who isn’t actually telling anyone about Jesus might not be a Christian. Evangelism is not optional.
But notice what happens. Nathanael asks a question Philip can’t answer. He puts him on the spot about his newfound belief and joy. What does Philip do? He doesn’t make something up. He doesn’t say, “But I feel its true in my heart!” He doesn’t even cite Old Testament passages in His favor. He simply says, Come and see.
Best. Evangelism. Program. Ever. Come and see. Come and see this Man for yourself. Listen to His Word. Investigate the claims for yourself. Is He is the Lord? Is He a liar? Is He a lunatic? What? Come and see. You can’t sit on the sidelines and say, “Oh, that Jesus, He’s just a good guy who taught some nice stuff and loved people. That’s good for you, but I’ll find my own way.” You have to reckon with this claim: We found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah.
So Nathanael, that is, Bartholomew, goes. He’s skeptical, but honest. This is what Jesus means when He says of him, An Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile. He does not approach Jesus as the Pharisees, seeking to trap Him. He doesn’t come to Him with ulterior motives, deception, or hard-heartedness. He is open to listen to this Man, to test His claims, to see if Philip is telling the truth.
And he’s amazed that Jesus knows him. Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you. An odd way for Jesus to display His divinity. “I saw you under the fig tree.” But the reality is that Jesus saw him even before that. Jesus saw Nathanael while that fig tree was a sapling. He saw Nathanael before he was born, before he was even formed in the womb. Jesus saw Nathanael because He is His God. He knows His own. To Jesus Nathanael is not also known as Bartholomew, a name which means “Son of Tolmay,” but he is known as “son of God” for He is known from before the foundation of the world as an elect child of God, predestined in Christ Jesus and called to saving faith by the Word. That’s how Jesus knows him.
How about with you? Are guileless? Or are you full of it? Do you approach Jesus with deceit? Or with honesty to examine His claims? Does Jesus know you? Do you know Him?
In truth He has seen through the fig leaves with which you try to hid yourself like your first parents and He calls you from the bushes of your self-deception, offering you a way. To be His disciple. To be His catechumen. His listener and follower.
He is more than your Rabbi and Teacher. He is the Son of God and the King of Israel. Heaven is opened in Him and as He mounts the throne of His Cross you behold the angels ascending and descending on Him, the Christ, the Messiah, the GodMan of the Old Testament. He is the fulfillment of Jacob’s ladder and all the Law and the Prophets. And He has brought heaven down to earth in Himself. He calls you from under your fig trees, out from hiding in your sins, to be guileless and forgiven in Him.
He invites you now, again, to Come and see. If its been four days or four years or more since you last went to Church, Come and see. Come, listen to His Word, see for yourself that this Jesus of Nazareth, is the Messiah and Redeemer, is the Promised Seed and the Fulfillment of the prophets. You will see heaven open in the Word preached by Nathanael and all the apostles. For we love what Christ commanded and believe what His men preached. You will see heaven opened to you in the Supper of our Lord, His very Body and Blood, with angels and archangels around the Altar of God and the brilliance of His holy Blood filling the chalice. They are not ascending and descending for He has brought heaven to you, in that place, and you are called and gathered with that majestic company.
Dear saints in Christ, today the Holy Church remembers and gives thanks to God for St Bartholomew (aka Nathanael), Apostle of our Lord Jesus. Here he stands holding a knife and his own skin, for he was flayed for the sake of the Holy Gospel. But by the call of the Holy Spirit in this self-same Gospel we love what Bartholomew believed and preach what he taught. For by His Word our Lord discerns beneath our skin what we can truly be - disciples and hearers - and that by His truth we are made guileless and forgiven that we may see His glory both now and forever.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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