“Because He First Loved Me!” (John 1:43-51)

Thicker than Blood

On Christmas Eve in 1952, when Korea was in the middle of civil war, one young woman struggled along a village street. She was about to deliver a child and pleaded with passersby. But no one paid any attention to her. She had heard of a missionary who lived in a neighboring village who might help her. But on the way she realized her time was near to deliver her baby, and she took shelter under a bridge. There, alone, her baby was born. Since that night was so cold, she took off her own clothes, wrapped them around the baby, and held him close in the warm circle of her arms. Early the next morning as the missionary was delivering Christmas packages, he heard the cry of a baby. He followed the sound to a bridge. There, he found a young mother frozen to death, and the baby was still crying. The missionary adopted this baby. When the baby was ten years old, he told him the story of his mother's death. The young boy cried. The next morning the missionary rose early to find the young boy's bed empty. He found the boy under the bridge where the young mother had died. As the missionary approached the bridge, he stopped, stunned. In the snow his son was naked and was shivering uncontrollably. He heard the boy say, “Mother, were you this cold for me?” This is a mother’s love. But the Bible says that there is even greater love than mother’s love. In Isaiah 49:15-16 the Lord says, “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.” God showed his great love for us by sending Jesus Christ. Today’s Scripture tells us how much Jesus loves each of us and how his love changes our life.

“I Know You, Honest Nathanael!” (v. 47)

Nathanael was a person of strong prejudices. When his friend, Philip, invited him, he said, “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” He was skeptical. But, he had one good character, that is, “Honesty.” Jesus did not miss it. When Jesus saw him coming, he said to him, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false.” Nathanael had one good thing out of many weaknesses. Jesus overlooked all his other weaknesses on purpose. And he focused on Nathanael’s one good potential. Jesus encouraged him, “Nathanael, you are a man of integrity. You are a purehearted person.”

We know the story of David. When David reached the camp, he saw Goliath and heard how he was defying the armies of the living God. David wanted to go and fight Goliath. At the moment Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard David speaking with the men. He distorted David’s good intention. He burned with anger at David and said, “I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle” (1Sam 17:28). But, God did not see David that way. He said, “I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do” (Acts 13:22). God did see David through the eyes of love. When Jesus prayed at Gethsemane, he asked the disciples to keep watch and pray with him. But all of them fell asleep. When Jesus saw them, he did not rebuke them. Instead, he said, “The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” He saw them through the eyes of love. Jesus always finds one good thing within us out of our many weaknesses. He always sees our potential. He always sees us through the eyes of love. No matter what people say, always Jesus says to us, “How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful! You are pure like dove!” (Sg 1:15) In reality, we are not that pure. We are not that honest at all. But, he considers us pure and honest. By this great love of Christ, Nathanael begins to open up his heart.

“I Saw You under the Fig Tree!” (v. 48)

Then, Nathanael asks, “How do you know me?” Jesus answers, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Jesus knows not only our heart today, but also he knows our past. He remembers our struggles, our tears, and our prayers, but he doesn’t remember our wickedness and our sins. In Jeremiah 31:34, the Lord says, “I will forgive your wickedness and will remember your sins no more!” This is the heart of our Heavenly Father. This is the heart of our Lord Jesus. In Jewish tradition the shade of the fig tree is normally considered as a place for meditation and prayer. Nathanael was skeptical and cynical, but deep down in his heart, he was seriously seeking God under the fig tree. He shed tears there in secret. He prayed there in secret. Jesus did not remember Nathanael’s wickedness, but he did remember his tears and prayers. For me personally, there was a time when I was spiritually wandering and had my mother’s heart break especially during my college years. I still remember the day when I asked my mother’s forgiveness for all my faults. When I asked her forgiveness, she said to me, “My son, I don’t remember your faults, but I do remember how much I was happy for you and proud of you in each and every stage of life.” Jesus says to Nathanael, “I saw your tears. I heard your prayers.” All of us in this room have our own fig tree, where we pour out our hearts like water to the Lord in secret. There, he sees our tears. There, he hears our prayers.

“You Shall See Greater Things!” (v. 50)

Today not only does Jesus comfort us, but also he instills new vision and purpose of life into us. Now Nathanael is still a vulnerable and flawed person both in the past and since he has met Jesus. But, Jesus says to him, “You will see greater things than that!” Our Lord Jesus is a visionmaker. When he looks at us, he doesn’t see us as a flawed person today. But, he always sees our future being and our transformed being. And he declares to us, “You are a new creature. You are being changed into my image day by day. You will be a fisher of men!” This love changes us. This love compels us. When I was young, I went to the church that my grandfather was a senior pastor and my uncle and father were associate pastors. One day, by accident, I overheard them choosing the church leadership for the next year. My grandfather recommended one particular person, but my uncle and father opposed and said, “This person is not qualified according to our data in terms of tithing practice, Sunday service attendance, etc. You probably don’t know that he still drinks and smokes.” Then grandfather said, “I know that, but he will do great.” He always tried to see people’s good character and potential more than their current external circumstances. He guided them and prayed for them. The amazing thing was that most of them grew in love and became mature Christians just as he expected.

Today’s passage in verse 51 Jesus says to Nathanael, “I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” This statement reminds us of one bible story: “The story of Jacob.” Nathanael and Jacob have in common in many ways. Jacob was a second son of Isaac. Compared to Esau, his brother, he was a quiet person. He didn’t find favor in his father’s eyes. He decided to improve his lot by his own effort. He bought Esau’s birthright and took the father’s blessing. What was the result? He was turned adrift and had to run away to his uncle’s house. Jacob was not attractive or loving person. But, it is the unlovable who need love the most. In the middle of his journey God appeared to this unlovable Jacob in his dream. Jacob saw the angels of God ascending and descending on the stairway. The Lord said to him, “Before I formed you in the womb I chose you. You are a blessing. All peoples will be blessed through you… I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go… I will not leave you!” (Gen 25:23; 28:14-15). After this, Jacob was turned into a new person. He was changed from ‘taker’ to ‘giver.’ For the first time he worshipped the Lord in spirit and truth, and for the first time he made a vow to tithe to the Lord.

Nathanael was similar to Jacob. He was not attractive like Peter. He was not intelligent like Philip. Rather, he was a quiet and skeptical person. But, Jesus saw his pure heart inside of him and his honest desire for the truth, and Jesus said to him, “You are a true Israelite. I know you well before you were born. I will show you greater things!” As Jesus promised, he showed Nathanael many great things, including seven major miraculous signs, written in the Gospel of John. In the end, Jesus died on the cross, was raised from the dead, and poured out the Holy Spirit upon Nathanael. Nathanel became a new person. He fell in love with Jesus more and more. He trusted in Jesus more and more. Most scholars believe that Nathanael and Bartholomew were the same person. According to church tradition, there are three famous stories about Bartholomew's death. The most famous account says that he was skinned alive and beheaded in southeastern Turkey. So he is often shown with a large knife, holding his own skin as you see in Michelangelo's Last Judgment. At first, Nathanael was skeptical and said, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” But later, he becomes a faithful disciple and boldly dies for Jesus.

The Second Nathanaels

In verse 51, when Jesus says, “I tell you the truth,” the ‘you’ is a second person plural in the original text. In other words, Jesus is speaking not only to Nathanael, but also to all who will follow him. He is calling each of us today, “Follow me, and you will see greater things!” His calling is not an invitation to success. He calls us to come and die with him. It is a narrow gate, but it is a glorious path which leads to eternal life! Are you willing to accept his invitation? Are you willing to bring your family and friends to Jesus? My prayer is that they will be the second Nathanaels who would come to Jesus and die for him! Jesus is still calling them and us today, “Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come with me!” (Sg 2:10)