Aug. 8

On Sundays the devotional reflects the scripture from the morning teaching of New Ground Community Church. Monday will pick up the thread of scripture where it was left on Saturday.

Read John 1

 ^43-44The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. When he got there, he ran across Philip and said, "Come, follow me." (Philip's hometown was Bethsaida, the same as Andrew and Peter.)

 ^45-46Philip went and found Nathanael and told him, "We've found the One Moses wrote of in the Law, the One preached by the prophets. It's Jesus, Joseph's son, the one from Nazareth!" Nathanael said, "Nazareth? You've got to be kidding."

   But Philip said, "Come, see for yourself."

 ⁴⁷When Jesus saw him coming he said, "There's a real Israelite, not a false bone in his body."

 ⁴⁸Nathanael said, "Where did you get that idea? You don't know me."

   Jesus answered, "One day, long before Philip called you here, I saw you under the fig tree."

 ⁴⁹Nathanael exclaimed, "Rabbi! You are the Son of God, the King of Israel!"

 ^50-51Jesus said, "You've become a believer simply because I say I saw you one day sitting under the fig tree? You haven't seen anything yet! Before this is over you're going to see heaven open and God's angels descending to the Son of Man and ascending again." (The Message)

This passage in John begins the story of those who choose to follow Jesus. It is a story of some who Jesus seems to call and some whom others invite to come check out Jesus. It is a story that each one of us should be able to relate to. Evey one encounters Jesus in a different way. Each person has a unique story and the Bible only begins to give us a glimpse of the multitude of ways that someone can come to faith. There is no right or wrong way to come to Jesus. But when we come to Jesus we invite him to know us in a way that no one else can or will

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• What is the first story you remember hearing of someone you know learning to know Jesus?
• How are you most comfortable talking about Jesus?
• Of the people you know who are not actively living a life of faith in Jesus right now what do you think turns them off the most about "religious" people?
• Who do you know that might be open to hearing your story of the difference Jesus makes in your life?