John 1:43-51
Philip Introduces Nathanael to Jesus
43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”
44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.
“Come and see,” said Philip.
47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”
48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”
49 Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”
50 Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” 51 He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.”
John 20:24-29
Thomas Gets to See the Risen Jesus and then Believes
24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
John 16:7-15
It is Good for You that I Must Go
7 But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because people do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.
12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth,comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”
John 20:29
Blessed Are Those Who Believe Without Seeing Him
29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
John 14:1-4
Jesus Leaves to Prepare a Place for Us in Heaven
1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”
Matthew 12:7
I Desire Mercy, Not Sacrifice
7 If you had known what these words mean, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent.
John 2:18-19
Jesus Replaces the Temple of Worship
18 The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?”
19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”
Matthew 28:16-20
The Great Commission
16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said,“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
I think we need to ask ourselves if there is much different in Jesus and His teachings that He did two thousand years ago...Blessed are those who believe in Him and have never seen Him...
There is a difference in the time that Jesus walked the earth and believing in Him today...Philip met Jesus and realized that He was the Messiah...Philip believed that he found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph...Philip wanted to his friend Nathanael to believe that he had met the One that was to come from God, from the Old Testament writings...Nathanael did not believe his friend...He even replies how could anything good come from Nazareth...Instead of debating or talking in a convincing way with words, Philip had an advantage that we do not have today, he tells Nathanael let's go meet Him...And when Thomas did not believe and was losing some of his faith his friends (ten other disciples) told him they had seen the LORD after His death...And when the other disciples frankly told him, “We have seen the Lord!” -Thomas still doubted them...He said “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”...Thomas got his wish...The LORD came to him and said, “Put your finger here; see my hands...Reach out your hand and put it into my side...Stop doubting and believe.”...Both Nathanael and Thomas had the advantage of seeing and hearing our LORD in person...
Unlike Nathanael and Thomas we do not get to meet Jesus in the flesh or after He resurrected...The way we meet Him is in our minds and our thoughts...So we try to imagine Him, and what He is like through our minds and our hearts...Nathanael and Thomas both got to physically meet Him...Jesus and His Father must think think this is best...So we must meet Him through our minds and in the wonderment, and in our imaginations of all that He did and say -while He was on earth...We know that blessed are those who have not seen and yet are believing...
So today is different, and Jesus knew it would be...He told His disciples that it was good that He was going away...For some reason, and we are not told why, that unless Jesus died and went away, the Advocate will not come to us; but if He dies and does goes away, He will send Him (the Holy Spirit) to us...This is such an amazing statement -that it is better that He goes away for and from us...Why Him leaving in the flesh is better, I do not know...But we know He left us for many Godly reasons...This was God's Plan and way to make atonement for man's sins...We know He died on the cross and His death and His leaving was necessary first and foremost to save us from our sins...
We also know His death would change the world...He would replace the temple after His resurrection, and all people could worship God anywhere after He left...He would replace sacrifice and sacrifices with mercy...And another reason (He left) He would give the Great Commission to His disciples and followers to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and to teach them to obey everything He taught and commanded of them...And surely He is still with us always, to the very end of the age...So no longer would the nation of Israel be just God's people, all nations and countries would be His people...By Jesus coming and leaving, we know we are God's children...And maybe, just maybe by Him leaving He opens our minds better to wonder and dream -and to imagine about Him...Our wonders, our dreams, and our imaginations when fully open give us hope...Our hopes, our dreams, our wonders, our imaginations can change an I can't to an I can...And His leaving us leaves our imaginations open to think and believe about Him...Through hopes, dreams, and imaginations we connect these very hopes to our personal beliefs and to our faith...