Sermon Notes on Nathaniel

This particular apostle is always called 'Nathaniel' in John, but referred to as Bartholomew in the 4 lists of apostles (Matthew, Mark, Luke, Acts). Why the difference?

Batholomew is Hebrew for "Son of Tolmei' (bar-Tolmei).

John refers to him by his proper name but referred to elsewhere in terms of his father.

Mentioned only in 2 passages and 2 of them incidental. In John 21, he is listed as one of the apostles who went fishing with Peter.

Passage where Nathaniel really comes alive is John 1:43-51
- Day after Andrew and Peter met Jesus.
- Jesus finds Phillip (couldn't wait for Phillip to come to Him)
- Phillip finds Nathaniel-must have been friends/had relationship

Nathaniel was a lover of Scripture
- Phillip refers to Jesus by Old Testament prophecy
- Probably studnet of Old Testament and he and Phillip studied together
- Didn't say he found someone with a plan for life or someone who can fix your problems or someone to give meaning to life.
- Nathaniel received Christ so easilty because he was so familiar with prophecies about Him.

Nathaniel had a prejudiced mind
- Might have quoted Micah 5:2 in terms of finding Messiah
- Not a rational or Biblical approach but an emotional and bigoted one. What good can come out of Nazareth?
- Nazareth a rough town. Unrefined and uneducated
- Galileans held Nazareth in comptemp-simply echoing local sentiments
- Inconceivable that Messiah would come from such a despised spot.
- Man's ears can be closed to the gospel becuase of prejudice. This rendered the Jewish nation dear to the arrival of Messiah.
- Phillip's answer was to come and see
- Correct way to deal with prejudice by producing facts. Prejudice is subjective but it goes away when subjected to reality.
- Nathaniel's prejudiced mind was not as powerful as his seeking heart.

Nathaniel had sincerity of heart
- Most important aspect of character mentioned by Jesus Himself
- Such wonderful words of approval from Jesus
- Purehearted with no hypocricy
- Means 'true' or 'genuine' Israelite.
- A Jew is not one who is one outwardly but one who is one inwardly (Romans 2:28-29

Nathaniel had easy faith
- Still possibly questions whether Jesus is Messiah or not
- Is Jesus just trying to flatter him?
-Not flattery but omniscence
-Seeing hm under the fig tree was enough for Nathaniel to recognize Messiah
- What Phillip didn't get at the end, Nathaniel got at the beginning
- One simple statement was enough to convince Nathaniel but he ain't seen nothing yet!!

God can take the most common people from insignificant places with significant flaws and use them to His Glory

Sermon notes on Matthew Part 2

The only time that Matthew talks about himself in his gospel is when he is called by Jesus. It was in Capernaum, Jesus' adopted hometown, so he was known. Matthew was a tax collector there. Jesus comes by the tax office and calls him to follow. Immediately, Matthew closes up shop and follows. He then throws a banquet and invites the only people who will socialize with him...other tax collectors and sinners. His first response was to introduce others to Jesus.

AN outcast among Jews, he couldn't even go to synagogue. His only other friends would be those on the outskirts of society.

Matthew made a greater sacrifice than any other apostle. Peter could go back to fishing if this Jesus thing didn't work out. But once Matthew left, the Romans would have someone else there in no time. He was finished. Yet he still followed.

What caused him to get up and follow?
Deep down he was a Jew who knew the O.T. and was spiritually hungry.
He had a spiritual hunger that he didn't know how to fill
Most difficult place for Christian to be...In conscious sin but not doing anything about it.

Summary of Matthew
- Knew O.T.
- Dropped everything to follow Jesus
- Embraced outcasts and introduced them to Jesus
- Man of quiet humility
- God often takes despicable people, redeems them, gives them new hearts and uses them in remarkable ways.

Finally getting back to normal

The last couple of weeks ave been out of the ordinary and I fee like only now that we are getting back to some semblance of normalcy. I've even been away from here for about 2 weeks and it's time to reconnect.



Living Hope Church in Dixon passed on me as their pastor. I'm disappointed because I thought that would be a great fit between my giftedness and what was going on there. I could have taken that church to the next level. I had a plan for growing it not only numerically but also spiritually. There's no reason that church should not be 300 people. I pray God's blessing upon them as they continue their search.



I still feel that I am in the middle of God's will in this search. It's taken a few months and a little bit of disappointment here and there, but my faith and trust is in God to take me where He will take me. I am called to pastoral ministry and will continue to persevere to be obedient to what God wants and where He wants me.



Tomorrow I'm going to get back to some of my notes on the 12 Apostles