Open to All
January 14, 2018
Church of the Servant, Wilmington, NC
2nd Sunday after Epiphany
1 Samuel 3:1-10; 1 Corinthians 6:12-20; John 1:43-51
Listen here:
Gospel Text:
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 about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.” Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael asked him, “Where did you get to know me?” Jesus answered, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Nathanael replied, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus answered, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.” And he said to him, “Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”
What a beautiful and timely sermon. I was touched as an African American that you could use this wonderful Scripture and preach a message of non-prejudicial living and thinking. I am listening to this message on MLK Day, and the message echoes his belief that one day what would matter is the content of our character and not our skin color. Nathanael, to his credit, saw the content of Jesus’ character, meaning His love and insight, and he probably never asked that question again of anyone. Thank you.