Discovering A Safe Place

Saint John Neumann, Bishop

~~~ 1 John 3:11-21 ~~~ Psalm 100 ~~~ John 1:43-51 ~~~

...we belong to the truth...

...a great light has come upon the earth...

...I saw you under the fig tree.

Jesus saw Nathaniel under the fig tree...

What does one do while sitting under a tree?

There are discoveries to be made

 under the protection of the fig tree.

Perhaps you will find a piece of fruit...

a seed may capture your attention.

Under the fig tree is a safe place to pause for prayer.

A place to meditate on how you 

belong to the truth because Jesus has saved you.

Even in the cool shade of the fig tree we are still part of the light.

You are kept in the light of his truth.

In this state we rest in prayer under the fig tree.

You may not find a great monument 

marking your place under the fig tree 

but it is always available for you.

Sitting under the fig tree is a place of shade...

a place of safety...

a place to sit quietly listening for 

the still small voice of God.

There is no duplicity in him.

Jesus is waiting for you to take a moment 

from your daily tasks to sit

 in the quiet shade of his fig tree.

When you are still and your mind becomes quiet 

Jesus enters into your heart.

He draws you to his light and truth.

Just like Nathaniel, you too can be changed 

while resting under the fig tree.

It only takes a glimpse from Jesus

 for his light to reach your soul.

Nathaniel walked away from his time 

under the fig tree a changed person.

He had questioned whether or not anything good 

could come from a small insignificant town...

Jesus is the one who came from that town of Nazareth.

I invite you to sit awhile under the fig tree...

allow Jesus to gaze upon you and you too will be a changed person.

Get up and follow Jesus he has plans for you...

there is work for you to do in the vineyard.

~~~Spreading Peace~~~

~~~2017~~~

Wisdom from the Fig Tree

 

~~~ Revelation 21:9b-14 ~~~ Psalm 145 ~~~ John 1:45-51 ~~~

 

Jesus answered and said to him,
“Before Philip called you,

 I saw you under the fig tree.” 

 

For some time I have been fascinated by the fig tree.

The fig tree is the last to produce leaves...right before summer.

The fig tree produces two crops of fruit every season.

The first is eaten fresh from the tree,

the second yield in late August is dried for the winter season.

The fig tree grows to around twenty feet and has large hairy leaves

about the size of a human hand.

 

As you recall, Adam and Eve grabbed these large

fig leaves to cover their nakedness.

The fig tree is mentioned over fifty times in the bible.

It held both nutritional and economic importance.

 

When things were going well in Israel people are described

as sitting under their own fig tree.

Today we see Jesus noticing that Nathaniel is sitting under the fig tree.

All was going well in his life.

He was a man who thought for himself.

He was a man who was opinionated about the neighboring cities.

 

“Can anything good come from Nazareth?”

 

The fig tree has been as a symbol of peace and prosperity.

The fig tree is unique that it produces fruit before it's leaves emerge.

Almost as a statement that it does not need

the leaves to produce it's fruit.

The flowers are not even visible on the fig tree

because from the beginning they are encased within the fruit.

 

Nathaniel is comfortably sitting in the shade of the fig tree.

He may be feeling a little skeptical of this person

from Nazareth called Jesus.

He is reluctant to leave the security of his 'fig tree'

 to come and see Jesus.

 

It often takes the urging of a close friend to convince him

 to leave the shade of the fig tree.

It is often up to us to reach out to a friend

who is sitting in the shade of their long held beliefs.

 

 

Jesus notices Nathaniel sitting under his fig tree, but Jesus

 is not the one who goes to him.

Jesus does not call Nathaniel to get up from his comfortable

 secure position in the shade.

Jesus waits patiently for Nathaniel to come to him.

 

Just as Jesus waits patiently for us today.

We must rely on God and not just on our fig tree.

It is God who produces prosperity in our lives.

Jesus basically tells Nathaniel you have not yet seen true prosperity.

'...you will see heaven opened and the angels of God
ascending and descending on the Son of Man.'

No matter how good we think we have it;

nothing compares to what God has prepared for us.

 

Blessings in leaving the shade of our 'fig tree'

to come and see the Lord.

How Do You Know Me?

~~~ Rv 21: 9b- 14~~~ Psalm 145 ~~~ John 1: 45- 51 ~~~

 

In this Gospel story Jesus sees Nathaniel coming toward him and immediately complements him for being a true child of Israel.   

Jesus continues to comment the Nathaniel has no duplicity in him.

The dictionary defines duplicity

 as deceitfulness in speech or conduct,

as by speaking or acting in two different ways

to different people concerning the same matter;

double-dealing.

 

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him,
"Here is a true child of Israel.
There is no duplicity in him."

Nathaniel was surprised that Jesus knew of him much less

that he could label him a true child of Israel.

It is not much of a stretch to believe that Jesus could read much about

Nathaniel just by looking at him.

Many times Jesus reveals knowledge about a person

in his presence without being told.

 

Jesus can read our hearts.

Jesus can look into your eyes and words are not needed.

Of course Nathaniel does not know that Jesus possesses this ability

to read hearts. It is expected that he would be surprised.

To Jesus we are like an open book.

 

Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?"
Jesus answered and said to him,
"Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree."

What happens under the fig tree?

It was known that Rabbis like their forefathers

sat and studied under the fig-tree.

Was Nathaniel sitting there under the fig tree with the elders

soaking up as much of their knowledge as he could?

Perhaps the fig tree was a favorite spot for Nathaniel; a place

where he could go to quietly reflect on his life.

Nathanael answered him,
"Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."

There seems to be some mutual recognition between Jesus and Nathaniel.

Nathaniel addresses Jesus as Rabbi...a title of respect...of teacher.

He also immediately acknowledges Jesus as the King of Israel.

 

Jesus answered and said to him,
"Do you believe
because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree?

Whatever happened to Nathaniel under the fig tree was personal

and Jesus somehow reveals to Nathaniel he knew the secrets in his heart.

Jesus makes reference to the fig tree setting it apart as significant.

If the fig tree was not somehow important; then why would

Jesus even mention it to Nathaniel.

 

You will see greater things than this."

 

Jesus says to Nathaniel if you think what happens

under the fig tree is great

you are in for a real treat if you come with me.

You will experience things that will blow you away...

just walk with me for awhile and you will be amazed.

 

 

Here is our invitation...

this passage has been my inspiration for inviting my readers

to join me under the fig tree.

Truths are revealed the fig tree...Jesus surprises us under the fig tree...

Jesus promises that if we come with him we too will see greater things.

 

Pray for God to amaze you with things far beyond your imagination.

There is no need for duplicity when Jesus is coming toward you.

After all what could you hide from Our Lord?