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