It’s Better To Point Part ONE

“Philip 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.” Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” John 1:45-46 (ESV)

We can be face first and knee deep into the study of Christian apologetics and still miss the purpose of it. See the real apologetic of true Christianity is to follow Jesus; devote ourselves to Him, and to be walking in His footsteps. This means that your continuing, everyday testimony of a transformed life through the salvation call of Jesus Christ just may be all the apologetic you need. Isn’t it a cool thought to have knowing that we are the evidence of a changed life?

It was a recent Wednesday night’s Bible study that really brought all this into light. We are into Ravi Zacharias’ “Apologetics” DVD study series and are up to the topic of the existence of God.  During Alister McGarth’s lecture on this subject he made this really simple statement and it bit into me. “Sometimes we have to point rather than to prove” when it comes to showing the unbelieving who Jesus Christ is. Let’s turn to the story of Philip and Nathanael.

Can anything good come out of Nazareth? Observe the objection Nathanael made. At this time period in its history Nazareth is considered “the city of garbage.” They got this because the people of this city had this custom where they would throw the garbage out into the streets so that the Roman Army could get the killer privilege of marching through it all. (Rumor has it that there was an “Occupy Nazareth” going at that the time as well.) Nazareth also had the reputation of being an immoral town where several Galilean messiahs failed at being…well…messiahs. (Acts 5:36-37) So I guess with this in mind the only thing Philip could do was to invite Nathaniel to “Come and see.”

I think it’s time to bring up the word doubt. Unlike Nathaniel’s doubt, which only question’s Jesus as Messiah, we occasionally get confronted by a world’s doubt concerning Jesus Christ. They are okay when we mention a “higher power” but the moment it is stated that the “higher power” is Father, Son and Holy Spirit you might as well claim that the Philadelphia Eagles have won the Super Bowl. Your just not gonna be believed and yes there is a certain amount of atheism in the world of football.

Well time has run out from me with today’s Freedom Fighter but ponder this if you will. Every worldly-view of God has room for doubt. Atheism can’t answer the question of why so many people believe in God if there is no God to believe in. And the kicker in all of it is even the atheists have doubts. So either we are deluded or there is something wrong with atheism. Hope you can join me for my next Freedom Fighter, there’s more to “Come and see.” – Chris Hughes is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and a regular Freedom Fighter blogger

Team YOU: Jeremiah 40-42; Proverbs 7; Hebrews 4

Motivations: One cannot save and then pitchfork souls into heaven…Souls are more or less securely fastened to bodies…and as you cannot get the souls out and deal with them separately, you have to take them both together. Amy Carmichael

Practice to Remember: Level 1:James 3:6; Level 2: James 3:1-6

Powered Up:  Failing to pray for and with one’s child day by day may be as culpable neglect as failing to give it material substance. – H. C. Trumbell