John 1:43-51 (NRSV)
Read John 1:43-51 on biblegateway.com
Verse 43The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Follow me." Verse 44Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Verse 45Philip 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." Verse 46Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." Verse 47When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, "Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!" Verse 48Nathanael asked him, "Where did you get to know me?" Jesus answered, "I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you." Verse 49Nathanael replied, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" Verse 50Jesus answered, "Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these." Verse 51And 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."
Devotion
It has been said that the Christian faith is as much “caught” as it is “taught.” When Jesus called Philip to be a disciple, the first thing Philip did was tell Nathanael. Philip didn’t have all the answers. He’d just met the Lord. He didn’t know what to teach, but he knew the One to whom he should point. “Come and see.” That was his message, the only witness he had to share.
A contagious faith is willing to be shared. It doesn’t have all the answers. It’s not dependent upon saying the right things. All it needs to do is point people to Jesus.
You have been called by Jesus. You’re learning each day what the Christian faith is all about. But don’t wait until you have all the answers before passing it on to someone else. Your faith is meant to be contagious. All you have to do is point people back to Christ.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, as you called Philip to become your disciple, and as Philip told Nathanael to “come and see,” so work a contagious faith in us, that we might be ready and willing to point others to you. Amen.