28th June 2026 : John ch 1 v 43 - 51

John ch 1 v 43 - 51

Good morning, everyone.

Well, I just have to say, I think that was a bit cruel because I have a bit of a problem in my voice and it goes a bit squeaky. So I've been saving my voice to speak. So I've had to do COVID singing, if you know what I mean this morning. How can you COVID sing, Thine be the glory? Anyway, bless you, thank you.

Thank you for inviting me to be with you this morning. If you don't know me, I'm Sue. I'm married to John. I'm a mum of two. I'm grandma to three. I love chocolate, Cornwall, and I'm a sinner saved by grace. And it's good to be with you this morning.

So my reading this morning is from John chapter 1. Verse 43 to 51.

The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, Follow me. Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him, We've 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 said. Come and see, said Philip. When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit. How do you know me? Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you. Then Nathanael declared, Rabbi, you are the Son of God. You are the King of Israel. Jesus said, You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that. He then added, Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.

This story comes right from the very beginning of Jesus' ministry. Jesus has only just started getting his disciples together. Yesterday he called Andrew who brought Simon Peter to meet Jesus. And then he calls Philip, who goes to tell Nathanael. I love that name, Nathanael. Nathanael is sitting under a fig tree when Philip calls him. Now I've got a question for you. What was Nathanael doing sitting under a fig tree? Why was he there? Have you got any ideas? Have you got any ideas why he might be sitting under a fig tree?

(Audience) If it is a day like today he's probably trying to get some shade.

My first thought exactly. I think he was probably hot and he needed some shade. Can you think any other reasons why he might be sitting under a tree? Well, I can tell you're shy, you don't know me yet. Perhaps he was just having a rest. Maybe he was praying. Maybe he was just taking a moment. Maybe he'd had a tough day. Maybe it wasn't the heat of the day, but the heat of his temper he was having a shelter from. Maybe he'd had an argument with his best friend or one of his parents. Maybe he was having to make a tough decision or processing some bad news. Maybe he was having a picnic, doing some crochet, enjoying the view. Or if you remember last week, Roger told us that figs have healing qualities. Maybe he was seeking some healing.

The truth is we just don't know. The Bible doesn't tell us. We do know that the fig tree is the only species of tree that we know for certain was in the Garden of Eden. And we know this because Adam and Eve used fig leaves to cover their nakedness and their shame after they had disobeyed God. So maybe he was hiding in shame. So Nathanael is under the fig tree when Philip tells him that they found the one Moses wrote about in the law, about whom the prophets also wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. Now the Jews have been waiting for centuries, hundreds and hundreds of years for this promised person, this Messiah. And Philip sounds quite excited. For if this is really the Messiah, the long promised Saviour, this is a huge deal.

But look at what Nathanael's response is. Nazareth, can anything good come from there? Nazareth mustn't have had a very good reputation and Nathanael doesn't think anything good can come from Nazareth. He doesn't seem to believe what Philip is saying. Perhaps Philip's been taken in or perhaps he's made a mistake. But then we see Philip's invitation. Come and see. Come and see for yourself.

Now when my grandchildren come and see me, they don't stand at the door and knock, have a look at me and then go home. Because they would have seen me, but they wouldn't have come and see me, would they? When my children or my grandchildren come and see me, they don't just look at a photo of me. and they don't even FaceTime me. When they come and see me, it usually takes hours. We play Lego, or top Trump's. We might go to the park for a walk. We might watch a movie. We will probably have a meal together. We will probably have snacks as well. It takes ages because they don't want to just see me. We want to spend time together. We hang out together. And this is what Nathanael is invited to do with Jesus. Spend time together. Enjoy each other's company.

Jesus has the same invitation for each one of us. Come and see. Come and be with me. If you've never met Jesus, he asks you to come and see. And if you know him well, he still invites you to come and see. Come and spend time with me. Come and be with me.

But how? We don't live in the same country as Jesus. Or at the same time, we can't meet him like Nathanael did. Jesus is now in Heaven and we're in Kirkhall Lane. But at the end of his ministry, in John chapter 14, Jesus promises the disciples that he won't leave them alone. Verse 16 tells us, I will ask the Father and he will give you another advocate to help you and to, listen, be with you forever. One translation of advocate is another one of me, another Jesus, another one like Jesus to be with us forever. Someone who is God, part of the Trinity, just like Jesus. Someone who will teach us and remind us of Jesus' teaching. Someone who will guide us, bring us his peace. And it is by this Holy Spirit that we can be with Jesus and spend time in God's presence forever.

To be in God's presence is the best thing. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve walked with God when he walked in the garden in the cool of the day, before they sinned. Paradise, perfection was God and humans together, spending time together. And when Jesus called his disciples and he appointed the 12, Mark 3. 14 tells us, he appointed them that they might be with him. The first call, that they might be with him. First on the list, before sending them out to preach or to cast out demons, to be with him.

This is God's desire for us, that we might be with him. And John 15 emphasises the point. And Jesus is talking about being the vine and his father is the gardener. I'm just going to read a little bit from there for you in John 15. Remain in me as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself. It must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit. Apart from me, you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers. Such branches are picked up and thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me, and my words remain in you ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. This is to my Father's glory that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Jesus repeats one word over and over. And in my Bible it says, remain. Stay. Stay this morning, we are in God's presence. We've gathered together here and we are in God's presence. But when we go home, we can stay in God's presence. The church Bible, which is the New King James Bible, that word remain, it's different. It says, abide. That means to live, reside, to dwell, to make your home, to settle.

Jesus wants us to be with him, to be at home in him, for him to be our place of security, our place of rest. He wants us to settle there, to be with him, to remain in a close, ongoing relationship with him. I know, it's impossible. I know. We're not first century disciples. We have work, we have families, we have responsibilities, we have studies, we need to exercise, we need to relax, etc., etc. But even Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. Luke 5 verse 16. And if Jesus needed time alone with his Father, how much more do we need time with him?

I know I'm not very good at this, but I also know it doesn't happen by accident. Jesus's invitation to come and see and be with him continues for all of us. And we need to create the opportunities for it to happen. Maybe first thing in the morning, maybe with your first cup of coffee, maybe after dropping off the kids, before picking up your phone, before TV, before playing the game, on the bus, while making tea, in the bath, maybe even at the traffic lights. And I'm so glad you mentioned the supermarket, even waiting in the queue to pay for your goods.

Father God, thank you that you're with me today. Thank you that you know all that's going to happen today. Bless the lady on the checkout. Bless that poor mum struggling with a toddler. Before sleep, anytime, all the time. What can we do? Well, we can pray. We can listen to him. We can read. We can worship. We can read to learn. We can listen to a podcast, just to remind ourselves all the time that God is with us. He is there. Please, if you're driving and at the traffic lights, please don't start reading. Not a good idea.

But let's go back to Nathanael. the fig tree is often a symbol in scripture of security and safety. We don't know why Nathanael was under the fig tree, but we all in our lives have a fig tree of sorts. Somewhere we go when things are going wrong. Somewhere we go when we need comfort or guidance. And it's not necessarily a place. It could be a person that we chat to, get on the phone to our sister or a best friend. Or it could be a habit that we formed, playing a game. It might even be an unhealthy habit.

Philip called Nathanael out from under the fig tree and took him to meet Jesus. What an excellent way for us to introduce our friends to him too. Come and see. Come and see what happens at Kirkhall Lane. Come and meet Jesus for yourself. But the invitation is to each one of us, to every one of us, however long we've been on our journey with Jesus, he still wants to hang out with us. Whatever causes you to retreat to the fig tree, remember, Jesus sees you, just like he saw Nathanael sitting under his fig tree.

So come and see what Jesus has to say about it. Whatever it is that causes you to retreat to the fig tree, come and see what Jesus has to say. Come and see what he can do with your worries and your concerns, your frustrations, failures, even your shame, your dreams and your hopes. But most of all, just be with him. He is always with us. He never leaves us. He doesn't go anywhere. But we are often absent or unavailable.

So let's accept the invitation to come and see, to be with him. Let's just sit at his feet, gaze upon him and be aware that he is with us always. Amen.