The Minor Festival of St. Bartholomew – Pr. Anderson sermon
St. John 1:43-51 “Come and See”
August 24, 2025 | Christ Lutheran Church
In Nomine Iesu
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Eternal Son of God, You know our ways and You know our faults. You know our pain, and You know our sadness. As we sojourn in this life, remind us that through Your cross, You give us hope. Give us the strength we need to follow You daily and to testify that You are the only Savior. Through Your Spirit, remind us that our feelings fade and, in Your Word, where we hear Your voice, lasts forever. We have come to see You and may we follow Your ways, now and forevermore. Amen.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. (Rom. 1:7, etc.)
The sermon text for today is taken from the 1st chapter of the Gospel according to St. John. We read selected verses in Jesus’ name:
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.”
Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”
Philip said to him, “Come and see.”
Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!”
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.”
These are Your words, heavenly Father. Sanctify us by Your truth, Your Word is truth. Amen. (Joh. 17:17)
In Christ Jesus, who is always inviting His people to come and see Him where He is found, found where the Word is properly taught and the Sacraments are rightly administered, dear fellow redeemed:
Have you ever heard something and thought, this is too good to be true. We know we have had this thought when we hear someone who has had a terrible health diagnosis and then in a miraculous recovery, wonder if those health problems will continue to stay away. The news we hear today, this good news, can at times feel like it is too good to be true. Do we deserve to hear that we are saved by faith and grace alone? We know the answer and that is we don’t deserve it. We hear in our text, we are not the only ones who have had these thoughts, and then with them we hear certainty from the Savior’s voice. Jesus’ followers thought what they were witnessing was too good to be true. Could this be the Christ? Like His followers, we find certainty in the promises of God, and in the end receive the invitation, “Come and see.” A gracious invitation where we see with our eyes and hear with our ears we are in the presence of our Savior.
For Bartholomew, or as we hear in our text, Nathanael, he is about to see and hear his Savior with this simple invitation. The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 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.” Our ears perk up as we hear who else lives in Bethsaida. We know these men had been followers of John the Baptist; therefore, they have knowledge of the coming kingdom of God, and they have faith in God’s promises, that He will send the promised Messiah. Not only did they believe this, as Philip tells Nathanael, they believe they have found Him! Philip tells Nathanael about the evidence of Jesus being the guy. They are searching the Scriptures and John has been telling them, this is the Lamb of God!
Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Now this looks like Nathanael is making a dig at the town of Nazareth. It was known in Jesus’ day that the cities to the north were not held in high regard like those down in the old country of Judah. Jesus points out why Nathanael said this. Nathanael knows what the Scriptures says. The Messiah is supposed to be born in Bethlehem. Though in the north, Isaiah prophesied about what this location where Nathanael resides will witness. But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone (Isaiah 9:1-2). Here in the dark north, the light has indeed shone.
Philip said to him, “Come and see.” Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” As Nathanael gets the invitation the previous men received, it’s an invitation that reveals more than anyone would like. Of course, we know how great the invitation is as the disciples followed Him without a second thought. What we don’t like about the invitation and sometimes we completely forget how much our Lord already knows about us and our lives. This is what Nathanael hears as Jesus reveals to him, He can read his heart. In doing so, Jesus quotes Scripture, a theme we are seeing in this lesson. Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit (Psalm 32:1-2). Nathanael is hearing something he knows. Jesus is confirming this man like all, is a broken man. He understands he is put back together by God whose love he doesn’t deserve. Yet, as he asks for forgiveness, the Lord has covered up his sins and forgiven them. So, Nathanael in his heart is looking ahead to the promised Messiah.
He hasn’t figured it out yet, but in the next exchange with Jesus, he will believe what Philip told him. This man Jesus is the promised Messiah come into the world. 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.” We know what Nathanael knows. God sees everything we do and has witnessed every sin we have committed. The devil is lurking to remind us of this fact. If he doesn’t get us to despair here, then he wants us to believe on our own we have no deceit. We may want our hearts to have no deceit in them, but we know it is the opposite. On our own we do not get to hear what Nathaniel heard. We hear we have forsaken His laws and deserve to be condemned. Like Nathanael, we must know what the Scriptures teach us. It teaches us what we deserve, and like Nathanael heard, it then comes with a gracious invitation.
Seeing all the evidence of Scripture and hearing the Words of His Savior, Nathanael has a reaction that stems from the faith already given to him. Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Nathanael is already witnessing a miracle. There is only One person who can know his heart and bring light to the nations. First, He must be the Son of God. Scripture reveals only God knows what is in man’s heart and can judge him. Secondly, He must be the King of Israel. As Scripture reveals, the Savior would come from the line of David, and his kingdom would be established forever. The key to all of what these men have witnessed comes to life out of Scripture. They have been called to come and see this great event.
As Nathanael was excited about what he has now witnessed, he hasn’t seen anything yet. Jesus is inviting him to come and see more than just His power. He will see what he has confessed, the second psalm of David will come alive. Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying, “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.” He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill” (Psalm 2:1-6). Nathanael will come and see, watching Jesus disrupt the religious leaders. He will watch as Jesus removes the one who believed he was the ruler of all the earth. He will witness Jesus perform great miracles and he will witness Jesus being raised up for those sins he committed. This is all that Nathanael has been waiting for. The invite has been sent, and the waiting is now over.
Philip said to him, “Come and see.” Who would have thought an invite would be so powerful with three words. For Philip to give this invite, which ultimately came from Christ to Nathanael, it meant Philip and Nathanael already believed the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies would come. Three words that mark for certain what you also believe. It is hard to have such faith as the world wants to convince you to think the same thing Nathanael thought. “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Can this Word do anything? The world will try to convince you that you are dumb and blind to put your trust in this Man. You know the trust you are giving to God is exactly what He wants. You can come and see Him just like Nathanael.
Jesus tells Nathanael and He tells you what you see. 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.” 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.” Jesus once again points to an Old Testament passage. His ancestor Jacob saw the stairway to heaven. The difference is, now there isn’t a ladder. Jesus is your bridge to heaven. He is the poor man from Nazareth who truly had no deceit found in Him and yet, He carried all your sins to the cross. You come and see this miracle when you remember your baptism with the confession of your sins. You come and see this miracle when you “take and eat” and “take and drink” His holy body and blood in the Lord’s Supper. Like Nathanael, you know for certain heaven has been opened to you.
Since heaven has been opened to you, will life be easier? Nathanael would watch as Jesus would carry the weight of the world. He would have his faith tested and he would fail time and time again. His King would bow His head and die, and he thought all was lost. You know all these feelings, and like Nathanael, you know they fade as this message of the Gospel endures forever, giving you the free gift of eternal life. You have been given an invitation you do not deserve, and that is why you are here today. You have come here to see and hear what your Lord has done for you. You see His blessings and you see His guidance through hardships. You are certain this is not too good to be true. Because of the work of your Savior when He searches your heart, He truly finds no deceit. He says to you, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). Through the Spirit, your heart is pure, and you hold His invitation. Like Nathanael, you have come into His presence. You see God. Amen.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, forevermore. Amen.
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