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Mar 22, 2020

Encounters with Nathaniel

Encounters with Nathaniel

Passage: John 1:43-51

Speaker: Brian Land

Series: House Calls

Jesus is the complete fulfillment of the Old Testament, the one to whom every prophet and promise points. This Messiah perpetually comes in a surprising form, breaking our assumptions because he is so much better and glorious than we imagined, while specifically and personally knowing every shred of each of our hearts and lives. What is even better is that we haven’t even begun to see Jesus in his full glory, which will be revealed in the Last Days when the renewal of all of creation is completed.

32220 GMR Online Service from Graceworks Media on Vimeo.

 

Order of Worship

PRE SERVICE: John 1:45-46
CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 34:3-8
REVISED AFFIRMATION OF FAITH: Heidelberg Catechism, Q. 1
OLD TESTAMENT READING: Genesis 28:10-17
CENTRAL TEXT: John 1:43-51
MESSAGE: Encounters with Nathaniel
PRAYER: Kept By God (from The Valley of Vision)
BENEDICTION: 2 Corinthians 1:20 & Revelation 21:13
POST SERVICE: 2 Corinthians 1:20

Song Lyrics Outline for Kids! Kids Bible Lesson

Readings & Scripture

PRE SERVICE: John 1:45-46
45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 34:3-8
LEADER: 3 Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together! 4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. 5 Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. 6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. 7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.

8 Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

REVISED AFFIRMATION OF FAITH: Heidelberg Catechism, Q. 1

Q.
What is your only comfort in life and death?

A.
That I am not my own,
but belong with body and soul,
both in life and in death,
to my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ.
He has fully paid for all my sins
with his precious blood,
and has set me free
from all the power of the devil.
He also preserves me in such a way
that without the will of my heavenly Father
not a hair can fall from my head;
indeed, all things must work together
for my salvation.
Therefore, by his Holy Spirit
he also assures me
of eternal life
and makes me heartily willing and ready
from now on to live for him.

OLD TESTAMENT READING: Genesis 28:10-17
10 Jacob left Beersheba and went toward Haran. 11 And he came to a certain place and stayed there that night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place to sleep. 12 And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! 13 And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. 14 Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” 16 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” 17 And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”

CENTRAL TEXT: John 1:43-51
43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 50 Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

PRAYER: Kept By God (from The Valley of Vision)

ALL: Jehovah God. Creator, Sustainer of all things. It is our privilege is to be under the direction of Your omnipotence, righteousness, wisdom, and grace.

LEADER: It is the discovery of Your goodness alone that can banish our fears, allure us into Your presence, and help us to confess sins.

ALL: For there is mercy and exceeding riches in Your kindness through Jesus. May we always feel our need of Him.

LEADER: Bear up heart and mind. Enliven our daily walk. Work in us the image of the heavenly; the fruits of Your Spirit; found in Christ.

ALL: Thy kingdom come.

BENEDICTION: 2 Corinthians 1:20 & Revelation 21:13
LEADER: For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.

ALL: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

POST SERVICE: 2 Corinthians 1:20
For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.

Related Scriptures

  • 2 Corinthians 1:20
  • Psalm 34:8
  • Gen 28:10-17 (JACOB’S LADDER/STAIRS)
  • John 14:18
  • Revelation 21:12-13
  • Luke 4:17-21

Discussion Questions

  1. Longing for Hope
    Dig deep inside your heart. What are you hoping for?
    Regarding this pandemic   
    With your relationships
    With yourself
    With your faith

    How is all of history a story about longing for hope?
    How do we constantly see it expressed in art?
    How do we see it in these disciples’ conversations about Jesus?

  2. A Greater Hope
    Nathaniel knew his scripture and how it described the coming Messiah (savior). What was he “hoping” for? 
    Why/how was he too easily impressed?
    Jacob’s Ladder (Genesis 28) is the intersection and connection between God and Creation. So when Jesus described himself with this ladder reference, he was trying to tell Nathaniel that his idea of a messiah (like ours) was way too small.
    What kind of Messiah is this Jesus?
    How do we usually look and long for a small Jesus?
     What do we want Jesus to be and do?
    How is he so much bigger and better than our expectations?
    What does it mean and matter that HE IS the Ladder?
    How does the cross make this true?

  3. Living Hope
    Twice in John 1 we are told to “Come and See”  - to personally experience Jesus ourselves by doing two things:
    Come: Instead of...what? What does it look like for you to move toward the God that has come all the way to you?
    See:  Experience...How can we be open to the man, majesty, work and HOPE of God, even (especially) during blurry times?

QUOTES

  • “(Christ) is the medium through which the fullness of all celestial blessings flows down to us, and through which we, in turn, ascend to God.” - John Calvin
  • “It takes an experience of beauty to knock us out of our self-centeredness.” - Tim Keller
  • “Following Christ isn't something that can be done half heartedly or on the side. It is not a label we can display when it is useful. It must be central to everything we do and are.” - Francis Chan
  • “It is our inclination to replace Jesus’ call to deny ourselves, take up our crosses and follow him. We replace his call with a self-serving path in which we deny our neighbors, take up our comforts and follow our dreams.” - Scott Sauls

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 SERMONS / TALKS