LifeLink Devotional

Thursday, May 14, 2020

When John the Baptizer introduced Jesus he called Him the Lamb God who takes away the sin of the world. Some followed Jesus for the reason of forgiveness. Andrew introduced Jesus to Peter by calling Him the Messiah. Some follow Jesus for the reason of deliverance and the building of a new kingdom. When Philip was called, Jesus simply asked him to follow, so he did. Some follow Jesus because they like to obey and conform. Philip then told Nathanael that they had found the One person to whom all of the Old Testament Scriptures point. Nathanael had questions.

I am fascinated by the story of Nathanael and Jesus. All of the other disciples so far have responded to a call based on what Jesus would accomplish. But not Nathanael. He responded because of what Jesus knew.

John 1:48 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.”

Does it scare you to be fully known by someone? Are there things hiding in your background that still influence how much of yourself you reveal to others with whom you have a relationship? Are there dysfunctional thought patterns that influence your decision-making? Yet behind all of those masks and manipulations, you truly do long to be fully known so you can be transparent and intimate with another person? Do you desire to be like Nathanael and have no hypocrisy about you?

Prior to Philip arriving to invite Nathanael to meet Jesus, our Lord knew Nathanael. He deeply and intimately knew Him. He saw into his heart and soul, and saw a man of truth and character. He saw a man who lived on the outside as an exact expression of what was on his inside.

Nathanael was blown away by the omniscience of Jesus. When Jesus revealed that He knows the innermost thoughts of man, even the doubts and questions we have, Nathanael was overwhelmed with the eternal nature of Christ. Jesus knew everything about him. He must be the Son of God and the King of Israel. Only Deity could know what He knows.

Are you overwhelmed with the fact that Jesus knows everything about you, yet He loves you and seeks to deepen His relationship with you? Do you understand that you do not need to put on a mask to enter His presence? In fact, masks are a barrier to intimate relationship with Christ and anyone else for that matter. Do you seek to present a better case to others than what you actually believe in your heart? It’s time to end the hypocrisy and exchange it for holiness. The deepest desire of man’s soul is to know Christ and be fully known by Christ. He already fully knows us. Why are we hiding? His grace will cover you. Be real. When we accept His perfect knowledge of who we are, then we get to experience the perfect love of a perfect friend.

Pastor John