“We Have Found
the Messias”
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On the
following day, while the two
disciples were standing near, John
saw Jesus among the people. Again the
face of the prophet was lighted up
with glory from the Unseen, as he
cried, “Behold the Lamb of
God!” The words thrilled the
hearts of the disciples. They did not
fully understand them. What meant the
name that John had given Him,
“the Lamb of God?” John
himself had not explained it.
Leaving
John, they went to seek Jesus. One of
the two was Andrew, the brother of
Simon; the other was John the
evangelist. These were Christ’s
first disciples. Moved by an
irresistible impulse, they followed
Jesus, anxious to speak with Him, yet
awed and silent, lost in the
overwhelming significance of the
thought, “Is this the
Messiah?”
Jesus
knew that the disciples were
following Him. They were the fruits
of His ministry, and there was joy in
the heart of the divine Teacher as
these souls responded to His grace.
Yet turning, He asked only,
“What seek ye?” He would
leave them free to turn back or to
speak of their desire.
Of one
purpose only were they conscious. One
presence filled their thought. They
exclaimed, “Rabbis,… where
dwellest Thou?” In a
brief interview by the wayside they
could not receive that for which they
longed. They desired to be alone with
Jesus, to sit at His feet, and hear
His words.
“He
saith unto them, Come and see. They
came and saw where He dwelt, and
abode with Him that day.”
If John
and Andrew had possessed the
unbelieving spirit of the priests and
rulers, they would not have been
found as learners at the feet of
Jesus. They would have come to
Him as critics to judge His words.
Many thus close the door to the most
precious opportunities. But not these
first Disciples of Christ. They had
responded to the Holy Spirit’s
call in the preaching of John the
Baptist. Now they recognized the
voice of the heavenly Teacher. To
them the words of Jesus were full of
freshness and truth and beauty. A
divine illumination was shed upon the
teaching of the Old Testament
Scriptures. The many-sided themes of
truth stood out in a new light.
It is
contrition and faith and love that
enable the soul to receive wisdom
from heaven. Faith working by love is
the key of knowledge, and everyone
that loveth “knoweth God.”
1 John 4:7.
The
disciple John was a man of earnest
and deep affection, ardent, yet
contemplative. He had begun to
discern the glory of Christ, not the
worldly pomp and power for which he
had been taught to hope, but
“the glory as of the
Only-begotten of the Father, full of
grace and truth.” John 1:14. He
was absorbed in contemplation of the
wondrous theme.
Andrew
sought to impart the joy that filled
his heart. Going in search of his
brother Simon, he cried, “We
have found the Messias.” Simon
waited for no second bidding. He had
also heard the preaching of John the
Baptist, and he hastened to the
Savior. The eye of Christ rested upon
him, reading his character and his
life history. His impulsive nature,
his loving, sympathetic heart, his
ambition and self-confidence, the
history of his fall, his repentance,
his labors, and his martyr’s
death, the Savior read it all, and He
said, “Thou art Simon the son of
Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas,
which is by interpretation, A
stone.”
The
following day Jesus would go forth
into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and
saith unto him, Follow Me.”
Philip obeyed the command, and
straightway he also became a worker
for Christ.
Philip
called Nathanael. The latter had been
among the throng when the Baptist
pointed to Jesus as the Lamb of God.
As Nathanael looked upon Jesus, he
was disappointed. Could this be the
man, who bore the marks of toil and
poverty, be the Messiah? Yet
Nathanael could not decide to reject
Jesus, for the message of John had
brought conviction to his heart.
At the
time when Philip called him,
Nathanael had withdrawn to a quiet
grove to meditate upon the
announcement of John and the
prophecies concerning the Messiah. He
prayed that if the one announced by
John was the deliverer, it might be
made known to him, and the Holy
spirit rested upon him with assurance
that God had visited His people and
raised up a horn of salvation for
them. Philip knew that his friend was
searching the prophecies, and while
Nathanael was praying under a fig
tree, Philip discovered the retreat.
They had often prayed together in
this secluded spot hidden by the
foliage.
The
message, “We have found Him, of
whom Moses in the law, and the
prophets, did write,” seemed to
Nathenael a direct answer to his
prayer. But Philip had yet a
trembling faith. He added doubtfully,
“Jesus of Nazareth, the son of
Joseph.” Again prejudice arose
in Nathanael’s heart. He
exclaimed, “Can there any good
thing come out of Nazareth.?”
Philip
entered into no controversy. He said,
“Come and see. Jesus saw
Nathanael coming to Him, and saith of
him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in
whom is no guile!” In surprise
Nathanael exclaimed, “Whence
knowest Thou me? Jesus answered and
said unto him, Before that Philip
called thee, when thou wast under the
fig tree, I saw thee.”
It was
enough. The divine Spirit that had
borne witness to Nathanael in his
solitary prayer under the fig tree
now spoke to him in the words of
Jesus. Though in doubt, and yielding
somewhat to prejudice, Nathanael had
come to Christ with an honest desire
for truth, and now his desire was
met. His faith went beyond that of
the one who had brought him to Jesus.
He answered and said, “Rabbi,
Thou art the Son of God; Thou art the
King of Israel.”
If
Nathanael had trusted to the rabbis
for guidance, he would never have
found Jesus. It was by seeing and
judging for himself that he became a
disciple of Jesus. So in the case of
many today whom prejudice withholds
from good. How different would be the
result if they would “come and
see!”
While
they trust to the guidance of human
authority, none will come to a
knowledge of the truth. Like
Nathanael, we need to study
God’s word for ourselves, and
pray for the enlightenment of the
Holy Spirit. He who saw Nathanael
under the fig tree will see us in the
secret place of prayer. Angels from
the world of light are near whom in
humility seek for divine guidance.
With the
calling of John and Andrew and Simon,
of Philip and Nathanael, began the
foundation of the Christian church.
John directed two of his disciples to
Christ. Then one of these, Andrew,
found his brother, and called him to
the Savior. Philip was then called,
and he went in search of Nathanael.
These examples should teach us the
importance of personal effort, of
making direct appeals to our kindred,
friends, and neighbors. There are
those who for a lifetime have
professed to be acquainted with
Christ, yet who have never made a
personal effort to even bring one
soul to the Savior. They leave all
work for the minister. He may be well
qualified for his calling, but he
cannot do that which god has left for
the members of the church.
There are
many who need the ministration of
loving Christian hearts. Many have
gone down to ruin that might have
been saved if their neighbors, common
men and women, had put forth personal
effort for them. Many are waiting to
be personally addressed. In the very
family, the neighborhood, the town,
where we live, there is work for us
to do as missionaries for Christ. If
we are Christians, this work will be
our delight. No sooner is one
converted than there is born within
him a desire to make known to others
what a precious friend he has found
in Jesus. The saving and sanctifying
truth cannot be shut up in his heart.
All who
are consecrated to God will be
channels of light. God makes them His
agents to communicate to others the
riches of His grace. His promise is,
“I will make them and the places
round about My hill a blessing; and I
will cause a shower to come down in
his season; and shall be showers of
blessings.” Ezekiel 34:26.
Philip
said to Nathanael, “Come and
see.” He did not ask him to
accept another’s testimony, but
to behold Christ for himself. Now
that Jesus has ascended to heaven,
His disciples are His representatives
among men, and one of the most
effective ways of winning souls to
Him is in exemplifying His character
in our daily life. Our influence upon
others depends not so much upon what
we say as upon what we are. Men may
combat and defy our logic, they may
resist our appeals; but a life of
disinterested love is an argument
they cannot gainsay. A consistent
life, characterized by the meekness
of Christ, is a power in the world.
The
teaching of Christ was an expression
of an inwrought conviction and
experience, and those who learn of
Him become teachers after the divine
order. The word of God, spoken by the
one who is himself sanctified through
it, has a life-giving power that
makes it attractive to the hearers,
and convicts them that it is a living
reality. When one has perceived the
truth in the love of it, he will make
this manifest in the persuasion of
his manner and the tones of his
voice. He makes known that which he
himself has heard, seen, and handled
of the word of life, that others may
have fellowship with him through the
knowledge of Christ. His testimony,
from the lips touched with a live
coal from off the altar, is truth to
the receptive heart, and works
sanctification upon the character.
“And
he who seeks to give light to others
will himself be blessed. “There
shall be showers of blessings.”
“He that watereth shall be
watered also himself.” Proverbs
11:25. God could have reached His
object in saving sinners without our
aid; but in order for us to develop a
character like Christ’s, we must
share in His work. In order to enter
into His joy, the joy of seeing souls
redeemed by His sacrifice, we must
participate in His labors for their
redemption.
Nathanael’s
first expression of his faith, so
full and earnest and sincere, fell
like music on the ears of Jesus. And
He “answered and said unto him,
Because I said unto thee, I saw thee
under the fig tree, believest thou?
Thou shalt see greater things than
these.” The Savior looked
forward with joy to His work in
preaching good tidings to the meek,
binding up the brokenhearted, and
proclaiming liberty to the captives
of Satan. At thought of the precious
blessings He had brought to men,
Jesus added, “Verily, verily, I
say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see
heaven open, and the angels of God
ascending and descending upon the Son
of man.”
Here
Christ virtually says, On the bank of
the Jordan the heavens were opened,
and the Spirit descended like a dove
upon Me. That scene was a token that
I am the Son of God. If you believe
on Me as such, your faith shall be
quickened. You shall see that the
heavens are opened, and are never to
be closed. I have opened them to you.
The angels of God are ascending,
bearing prayers of the needy and
distressed to the Father above, and
descending, bringing blessing and
hope, courage, help, and life, to the
children of men.
The
angels of heaven are ever passing
from earth to heaven, and from heaven
to earth. The miracles of Christ for
the afflicted and suffering were
wrought by the power of God through
the ministration of the angels. And
it is through Christ, by the
ministration of His heavenly
messengers, that every blessing comes
from God to us. In taking upon
Himself humanity, our Savior unites
His interest with those of the fallen
sons and daughters of Adam, while
through His divinity He grasps the
throne of God. And thus Christ is the
medium of communication of men to
God, and of God with men.
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