GENERATION ONE (Nathaniel)

October 19, 2008 - EPC - Kevin Hale

John 1:45-51

⁴⁵Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote-Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."

⁴⁶And Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?"

Philip said to him, "Come and see."

⁴⁷Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!"

⁴⁸Nathanael said to Him, "How do You know me?"

Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you."

⁴⁹Nathanael answered and said to Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!"

⁵⁰Jesus answered and said to him, "Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,' do you believe? You will see greater things than these." ⁵¹And He said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter^£ you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."

WE have learned that Herod Agrippa began to persecute the church he had James the brother of John killed with a sword. (Acts 12:1,2) James is actually the only Apostle whose martyrdom was recorded in scripture.  Judas died at his own hand and that is recorded in scripture as well.

How did these men die?  We have only oral tradition passed down through the church and bits and pieces of history that we can glean information.

It was passed on by early church leaders that the other all dies martyrs for preaching Jesus.

Simon Peter - "Crucified with his head downward," Origen A.D. 200.John 21:18-19 seems to be what Jesus was saying ..."When you are old, you will stretch out your hands...to let him know what kind of death he would glorify God."

Andrew - Crucified on an X shaped cross according to the Acts of Andrew written in the AD 200's.

James - Son of Zebedee was the first martyr and was beheaded by Agrippa in Acts 12:2.

John - James brother and dies a natural death after exiled in Ephesus (Turkey) in AD 100.

Philip - Tradition said he was crucified in Turkey.

Bartholomew (Nathaniel) - Skinned alive and beheaded after preaching in India and another tradition reported he was stuffed in a sack and dumped in the sea. (the Martyrdom of Bartholomew).

Thomas - Speared to death in what is India today after starting several churches. 

Matthew - Martyred with and axe or a sword in Ethiopia according the most popular tradition.

James the Less - Crucified in Egypt in one tradition or Iran in another.

Thaddeus (Judas, son of James) Crucified or hacked to death with Simon the Zealot in Iran.

Simon the Zealot - Martyred with Thaddeus and was cut in two with a saw.

Judas Iscariot - Mathew records that he went and hanged himself after the betrayal.  Mt. 27:5.

Mathias - After replacing Judas he was later stoned and beheaded.

Another name for Nathaniel is Bartholomew.  The Hebrew word "give" is Nathan and Nathaniel means "gift of God".

He was from the city of Cana where Jesus did his first public miracle of turning water in to wine.  Nazareth was in that area and was considered and backwoods type of town. He was one of the first to be called when Philip ran to let him know the one they were waiting for was here.

Philip said, we have found the one that Moses wrote about it is Jesus of Nazareth.  Nathaniel's first reaction is can anything good come out of that town?

He had a case of bigotry which is judging someone without knowing them or wanting to know them.

In all likelihood Philip and Nathaniel where students of the OT and had heard John the Baptizer preach of the Messiah.

He did not say I have met a man that has wonderful plan for your life, stuff.  I have found a man that can fix all of your hurts and problems and give you wealth and health if you will simply do what he says to do.

Nathaniel is known to have been very contented waiting for the Messiah.

Jesus addressed this issue of contentment several times in scripture and indirectly many more times.  One of the most familiar passages is from Paul when he declares in Philippians 4 how he had learned to be content.

Before we begin it is necessary to make the distinction between contentment and happiness.  Happiness seems to be more connected with our circumstances.  Pleasant things tend to make us happy momentarily and unpleasant things make us unhappy.  Happiness is more like "happeness" a word I have made up.  It depends on what happens.

Contentment is related to our trust and faith in God and is more permanent and is experienced while circumstances are tough.

I read an anonymous quote..."Happiness is exchanging Christmas gifts - contentment is awareness of what Christmas is all about." 

Philippians 4:10-13

¹⁰But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. ¹¹Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: ¹²I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. ¹³I can do all things through ^£Christ who strengthens me. kjv says "which"...

Content Whatever the Circumstances

¹⁰I'm glad in God, far happier than you would ever guess-happy that you're again showing such strong concern for me. Not that you ever quit praying and thinking about me. You just had no chance to show it. ¹¹Actually, I don't have a sense of needing anything personally. I've learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. ¹²I'm just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I've found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. ¹³Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am. ¹⁴I don't mean that your help didn't mean a lot to me-it did. It was a beautiful thing that you came alongside me in my troubles. TMSG

Nothing will get your attention more than a friend coming up to you and whispering into your ear, Hey, you can't tell anyone else but you what so and so did?  Or, hey, no one else know this but..

Paul uses the word "secret" or in these days they would have said learned the secrets...  If you look in the books available today there are 100's about secrets.  The secret to health and wealth.  The secrets of slim people.  The secret to happy marriages etc. 

My point is that we seem to think if I can just do 7 things one time for my marriage then I can be a jerk the rest of the time and make it work.  We want the easy way rather being transformed by Christ.

The bible shares with us simply truths but they are not easy.  Why?  Because the bible makes us face reality the way it is with all if life's problems and ugliness.

Paul is going to share the secret so to speak of how to be content despite what is going on around us.

We live in a society that is never satisfied with anything so we keep updating and buying the same stuff over but just a bit different and newer.

I have found that even though I have been saved and know Christ I can still be discontent easily.  All we have to do is to have something change in our environment and wow angry reactuion fly to the surface.

Life throws stuff at us every day. There are tensions at work in the family at church etc.  Financial issues daily and possibly the loss of a job or the life threatening illness or accidents and on and on it goes.

Paul uses two words that are not found anywhere else in the NT and he uses them twice here.

SECRET -  "I have learned" is one Greek word.  Now in the pagan mystic religions of Paul's day they would refer to the secrets.  They had many secret rites in the religions.  There are many religions today that have secret rites that only those in the KNOW are allowed to know.  These religions are experiencing phenomenal growth today.  It seems to me that more secret and weird the more Hollywood embraces them and Opra has her "Secret" religion now and many women are falling for the materialism religions.  They want to be girls at 35 and 40 rather than women.

CONTENT - This is an unusual word as well.  This word comes from that stoic philosophy and the Pagan's use it frequently.  It meant to be totally self sufficient. 

I have learned that the stoics used it to express a state of mind in which a person can live independently of all other people and things.  They did this first by eliminating all personal desire.  In one sense they were correct by realizing that you cannot be content by simply feeding discontent.

I mean by that, I feel pretty good but I would feel better if I have a bigger house or better car or better job or more money or new clothes or plastic surgery.  Not that these are wrong in and of themselves simply that feeding discontent will not bring contentment. 

So they tried to "want little".  They would say, quote, "If you want to make a person happy, don't add to their possessions, but take away from their desires."

Many major world religions such as Buddhism works on this premise eliminate all desires.

Also, they would seek to eliminate all emotion.  I don't care what happens.  They would start small and work up to not caring about their own families if they suffered or died.  No emotions.

Paul uses this word but he did care and had great emotion for these people.  He desired that God would do a great work in them.  In chapter one he said that he thanked God for every remembrance of them.

Paul does agree that there is a way that one can live in contentment apart from the circumstances.  There can be peace and happiness and joy that are not related to the stuff around us.

I could have gotten some video out or read story to you to illustrate this lesson.  But we have in our midst people that have unwavering faith in God.  Your stories are being written as we speak.  I know of some that have survived the terrible words "you have cancer".  God has been faithful and they are fighting the illness.  Many have suffered severe family and marriage issues and they have experienced the grace of God.

Many have determined to not fall apart and crack under the weight of burdens and pressures and earning to see Jesus in every circumstance learning to do all things through the grace of God and Christ.

As we submit to obey and trust and depend on God for guidance and hope and strength we will be able to face anything as did Nathaniel and the others that gave their lives for sake of Christ.

He experienced extraordinary contentment knowing the scriptures form his youth and waiting for the messiah. He had spent time out under the trees mediating and praying.  When he heard he was very interested in knowing the truth.  He welcomed it.  He was faithful to the end because he was faithful from the start.

Circumstances do not make you what you are they reveal what you are.  I learned this many years ago.

Contentment is:

• 1. Contentment is learned (11)

Contentment comes for a daily walk with the Lord.  It is learned as we trust God completely.

• 2. Contentment is not found in things. (12)

Contentment can be experienced in good or bad times and when you have stuff or do not have stuff.

Illustration - US NEWS and WORLD REPORT told a story about the American Dream.  That is owning your own home, having needs met, and money to do all you want to do.  Those at that time some years ago who made 25K said that it would take 54K to fulfill the American Dream.  The same survey showed that those making 100K said 192K would do it.

Being content allows you to overcome covetousness.   Covetousness is what I call one of the root sins.  Paul went through many difficult circumstance (1Cor. 11: 24-27)

• 3. Contentment is rooted in the person of Christ. (13)

He said that I HAVE LEARNED...¹³I can do all things through ^£Christ who (which) strengthens me.

He learned he could everything through Christ.  We have to go back to the Textus Receptus KJV often.  I do not for one minute believe that the godly men that translated the great English translation did not know what to do here.

The secret is strength from our dependence and relationship with God through Christ.  Is the DOING that brings strength.  He does not give in the sense that we sit here and now we are strong.

The word "imitator" is not useful today.  "Follower of Christ" is much closer to the truth. 

I can do all things through Christ AND THAT strengthens me.  The doing is the key.

• 4. Contentment is a result of trusting God to supply all needs. (19)

Matt. 6:33  The Philippians supported Paul and apparently was the only one that did so.  They gave sacrificially and personally and said that would supply all of their needs in doing this.

Someone has said, "Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want, but the realization of how much you already have."

4 steps to contentment:

• Give Thanks (1 Thess. 5:18)

Daniel knelt 3 times a day and gave thanks. Dan.6

• Avoid complaining

Most people think they complain because of their problems but actually they have problems because they complain. Psalms 77:3...I complained and my spirit was overwhelmed.

• Avoid Coveting

Ill. Of stinging ants.

• Allow Christ to be the center of your life.

As Christ takes center stage and control then you can do all things through Christ and that strengthens you.

Jesus said, "¹⁵Speaking to the people, he went on, "Take care! Protect yourself against the least bit of greed. Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot." TMSG

¹⁵And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of ^£covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses." NKJV

Contentment overcomes covetousness (greed).

Hebrews 13:5 ⁵Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."^£ 6So we may boldly say:

    "The Lord is my helper;

    I will not fear.

    What can man do to me?"^£

⁷Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct. ⁸Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. ⁹Do not be carried ^£about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them

Deut. 31:6 - Joshua 1:5...never leave or forsake...

Complain and be a whiner or be content and be a winner.

1 Timothy 6:6-10

⁶Now godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷For we brought nothing into this world, ^£and it is certain we can carry nothing out. ⁸And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. ⁹But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. ¹⁰For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Contentment is the substance of our faith and the satisfaction of God's supply and out shield against temptations and troubles.

Proverbs 28:20

²⁰    A faithful man will abound with blessings,

    But he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.

Proverbs 23:4,5

⁴    Do not overwork to be rich;

    Because of your own understanding, cease!

⁵    Will you set your eyes on that which is not?

    For riches certainly make themselves wings;

    They fly away like an eagle toward heaven.

Proverbs 10:22

²²    The blessing of the Lord makes one rich,

    And He adds no sorrow with it.

 

 

 

Take inventory of your life.  Do you experience contentment?  Begin to identify areas of greed or covetousness.

Have you received Christ as Savior?