The
next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him,
"Come, follow me." Philip was from Bethsaida, Andrew and Peter's
hometown. Philip went to look for Nathanael and told him, "We have found
the very person Moses and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son
of Joseph from Nazareth." "Nazareth!" exclaimed Nathanael.
"Can anything good come from Nazareth?" "Come and see for
yourself," Philip replied. As they approached, Jesus said, "Now here
is a genuine son of Israel--a man of complete integrity." "How do you
know about me?" Nathanael asked. Jesus replied, "I could see you
under the fig tree before Philip found you." Then Nathanael exclaimed,
"Rabbi, you are the Son of God—the King of Israel!" Jesus asked him,
"Do you believe this just because I told you I had seen you under the fig
tree? You will see greater things than this." Then he said, "I tell
you the truth, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and
down on the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and
earth." John
1:43-51
Under a fig tree...my fig tree.
Growing my own figs.
Come sit with me...in my backyard!
Meditate.
Consider Jesus’ calling His disciples.
Come,
follow Me.
Can
anything good come from Nazareth?
These are
statements and questions that anyone who has heard about Jesus has probably heard.
Nazareth was not a town of great influence, or I’d say, deep respect. It was
just a normal, little village—not a glorious city like Jerusalem. Even little
children now will sing a song with actions about Jesus calling His disciples
who were fishermen. I will make you fishers of men/fishers of men/if you follow
me/ follow me/ I will make you fishers of men/if you follow me.
Have you ever considered what it
takes to make someone a “fisher” of men? Catching men? Jesus had a sense of
humor in invoking that idea—but it is truth. Those who follow Jesus will gather
more people to follow Jesus—thus making them a type of fisherman.
It is amazing that Jesus saw Nathanael
sitting under a fig tree before his friend Philip even found him. Nathanael knew
himself to be a man of complete integrity. That seems a bit arrogant—but
it is such a good quality. Honest. Truthful. Reliable. Honored. Yes. Nathanael
would make a good disciple for Jesus. This Jesus who knows everything—even our
thoughts and our whereabouts. Continually. Yes. He is the Son of God…He is God.
Do you recognize Jesus as the Son of
God…as your Savior?
Verse
of Salvation ~ I long for your rescue (salvation),
LORD, so I have obeyed your commands. I have obeyed your laws, for I love them
very much. Yes, I obey your commandments and laws because you know everything I
do. O LORD, listen to my cry; give me the discerning mind you promised. Psalm
119:166-169
© 2026 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All
rights reserved.
All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless
otherwise noted.
New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale
House Foundation.
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream,
Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.
Books by Mickey M.
Hunacek
Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com
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