Come And See

(We read yesterday that Andrew and John were Jesus first disciples so today we are going to find out who else Jesus called.)

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 also had heard the preaching of John the Baptist, and he hastened to the Savior.  The eye of Christ rest 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 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 day following 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 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At the time when Philip called him, Nathanael had withdrawn to a quiet grove to meditate upon the announcement of John and the prophecies concerning the Messiah.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 we the delivered, 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 his 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 Nathanael 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 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 his desire was met.  His faith went beyond that of the one who brought him to Jesus.  He answered and said, "Rabbi, Thou art the Son of God; Thou art the King o 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  So in the case of many today whom prejudice withholds from good.  How different would be the result if they would "come and see"!

(Let's put away our prejudice and "come and see" for ourselves.  When someone offers us 'truth' from the Scriptures let's accept it and rejoice that someone brought it to our view, we will never be the same again.  Grandma Joan)  These thoughts taken from Chapter 14 in the Desire of Ages.