1 00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:03,800 Speaker 1: You have searched me and you know me. You know 2 00:00:03,820 --> 00:00:07,280 Speaker 1: my sitting down and my rising up. You perceive my 3 00:00:07,340 --> 00:00:14,480 Speaker 1: thoughts from afar. Psalm 139, 1 and 2. Dear Lord, 4 00:00:15,700 --> 00:00:19,760 Speaker 1: thank you for being a God who sees. You see 5 00:00:19,820 --> 00:00:24,090 Speaker 1: our rising and our falling. You have numbered every hair 6 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:30,070 Speaker 1: on our heads and know our anxieties, fears, and insecurities. 7 00:00:32,150 --> 00:00:36,110 Speaker 1: Our flaws are not hidden from you, yet you love 8 00:00:36,150 --> 00:00:40,510 Speaker 1: us anyway. Every sin and dark part of our hearts 9 00:00:40,790 --> 00:00:44,900 Speaker 1: are exposed before you, yet you still died for us. 10 00:00:46,770 --> 00:00:53,060 Speaker 1: We are completely known and unconditionally loved by you. Thank you, Lord. 11 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:56,760 Speaker 1: There is not a person on this earth whose love 12 00:00:56,820 --> 00:01:02,970 Speaker 1: and attention can match yours. Today we pray that, we 13 00:01:02,990 --> 00:01:07,630 Speaker 1: would walk as confident people, free from the insecurity of 14 00:01:07,750 --> 00:01:14,000 Speaker 1: feeling hidden or unknown. You see us, walk with us, 15 00:01:14,900 --> 00:01:20,560 Speaker 1: and call us to great things. May we walk boldly today. 16 00:01:22,300 --> 00:01:23,840 Speaker 1: In Jesus' name we pray. 17 00:01:25,640 --> 00:01:25,880 Speaker 2: Amen. 18 00:01:27,750 --> 00:01:30,709 Speaker 1: Thank you for praying with me today. You're listening to 19 00:01:30,730 --> 00:01:35,119 Speaker 1: The Jesus Podcast. Stories inspired by the life and ministry 20 00:01:35,340 --> 00:01:39,500 Speaker 1: of Jesus. Today, we take another look at a gospel-inspired 21 00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:45,020 Speaker 1: story to find peace and mental health. Let's begin. Follow 22 00:01:45,060 --> 00:01:49,140 Speaker 1: this podcast on whatever platform you're listening to. Doing so 23 00:01:49,380 --> 00:01:52,890 Speaker 1: will keep you updated, but also help us get discovered 24 00:01:52,940 --> 00:01:56,650 Speaker 1: by more people. We want the story of Jesus to 25 00:01:56,690 --> 00:02:00,730 Speaker 1: be known throughout the world. Thanks for making that possible. 26 00:02:03,140 --> 00:02:06,440 Speaker 1: Nathaniel marched up the hills outside the walls of Besaida. 27 00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:11,710 Speaker 1: Each step was torturous as he wrestled with a whirlwind 28 00:02:11,750 --> 00:02:18,510 Speaker 1: of emotions. His eyes were brimming with unshed tears. Each 29 00:02:18,590 --> 00:02:23,290 Speaker 1: blink was a silent battle, a determined effort to keep 30 00:02:23,330 --> 00:02:28,570 Speaker 1: his sorrow at bay. Nathaniel had always been known as 31 00:02:28,630 --> 00:02:33,110 Speaker 1: a man of integrity, skill, and honor. He had never 32 00:02:33,190 --> 00:02:39,050 Speaker 1: intentionally hurt or deceived anyone. But as Nathaniel walked away 33 00:02:39,130 --> 00:02:42,970 Speaker 1: from the city, he couldn't help but question it all. 34 00:02:45,010 --> 00:02:48,740 Speaker 1: He had given so much of himself, but was slighted 35 00:02:48,780 --> 00:02:55,020 Speaker 1: at every opportunity. He served everyone, but received no recognition 36 00:02:55,500 --> 00:03:06,730 Speaker 1: or appreciation. He felt invisible, alone. and misunderstood. Nathaniel summited 37 00:03:06,770 --> 00:03:12,170 Speaker 1: the hill overlooking Besaid. Waiting for him, like an old friend, 38 00:03:13,110 --> 00:03:19,160 Speaker 1: was a solitary fig tree. Nathaniel sat under the sprawling 39 00:03:19,220 --> 00:03:23,780 Speaker 1: canopy of leaves. The fig tree was his sacred space, 40 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:29,579 Speaker 1: his haven from the pressures of life. He sat underneath 41 00:03:29,620 --> 00:03:33,130 Speaker 1: the shade of its branches... listening to the lullabies made 42 00:03:33,210 --> 00:03:34,489 Speaker 1: by the wind and the leaves. 43 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:40,780 Speaker 2: Am I a good man? he whispered. 44 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:47,300 Speaker 1: Nathaniel didn't desire fame or clout. He simply wanted the 45 00:03:47,360 --> 00:03:54,540 Speaker 1: feedback that he was here, loved and known. Nathaniel had 46 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:59,090 Speaker 1: always been burdened with the weight of expectations. He carried 47 00:03:59,130 --> 00:04:02,530 Speaker 1: the trouble of those around him on his shoulders, while 48 00:04:02,670 --> 00:04:09,970 Speaker 1: neglecting his soul. He felt invisible, hidden by the problems 49 00:04:10,060 --> 00:04:16,099 Speaker 1: others placed upon him. Everyone knew of Nathaniel, but no 50 00:04:16,180 --> 00:04:21,880 Speaker 1: one really saw him. As the early colors of dusk 51 00:04:22,200 --> 00:04:27,750 Speaker 1: stroked over the hills, Nathaniel prayed to God. He prayed 52 00:04:27,790 --> 00:04:34,300 Speaker 1: with earnest, pure, and passionate questions. Nathaniel wondered if God 53 00:04:34,420 --> 00:04:39,020 Speaker 1: saw him. He wondered if God cared about his suffering, hopes, 54 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:44,020 Speaker 1: and dreams. Do you see me, Lord, or am I 55 00:04:44,100 --> 00:04:50,820 Speaker 1: invisible to you? Nathaniel refused to cry. His body shook 56 00:04:50,880 --> 00:04:55,790 Speaker 1: from holding back his anguish. He felt weak and unseen. 57 00:04:56,800 --> 00:05:02,930 Speaker 1: but wouldn't show it, not even in solitude. He buried 58 00:05:02,970 --> 00:05:08,770 Speaker 1: his head between his legs and sighed. The wind picked 59 00:05:08,830 --> 00:05:12,790 Speaker 1: up slightly, causing a few leaves to fall onto Nathaniel's 60 00:05:12,810 --> 00:05:14,240 Speaker 1: shoulders like feathers. 61 00:05:15,500 --> 00:05:18,940 Speaker 2: If only my burdens were as light as these leaves. 62 00:05:20,700 --> 00:05:25,320 Speaker 1: After composing himself, he stood up and retreated to the city. 63 00:05:27,850 --> 00:05:30,050 Speaker 3: If you have ever played hide and seek as a kid, 64 00:05:30,270 --> 00:05:33,099 Speaker 3: you know that sense of anticipation as you wait in 65 00:05:33,150 --> 00:05:37,080 Speaker 3: hiding and the exhilaration of being found. As we grow, 66 00:05:37,279 --> 00:05:40,540 Speaker 3: not only physically but mentally and emotionally, the idea of 67 00:05:40,660 --> 00:05:43,580 Speaker 3: hiding may not come with the same sense of excitement. 68 00:05:44,120 --> 00:05:47,229 Speaker 3: In fact, maybe we're afraid we'll always be left hidden, 69 00:05:47,750 --> 00:05:51,800 Speaker 3: never to be found by others. Jesus says in Luke 19, 70 00:05:51,790 --> 00:05:54,089 Speaker 3: for the Son of Man came to seek and save 71 00:05:54,130 --> 00:05:57,839 Speaker 3: the lost. While feeling hidden may come with pain and loneliness, 72 00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:02,219 Speaker 3: there's still an excitement to feeling found. Praise God that 73 00:06:02,260 --> 00:06:05,800 Speaker 3: Jesus sees you and wants to know you. This is 74 00:06:05,839 --> 00:06:09,589 Speaker 3: the Jesus Podcast. I'm Zach from Pray.com. Thanks for joining 75 00:06:09,610 --> 00:06:13,210 Speaker 3: me today as we dive into another outcast encounter. Today's 76 00:06:13,250 --> 00:06:17,770 Speaker 3: story is about feeling seen, known, and understood. Moments ago, 77 00:06:17,830 --> 00:06:21,289 Speaker 3: we were introduced to Nathaniel, also known as Bartholomew. He 78 00:06:21,350 --> 00:06:23,670 Speaker 3: was born in the city of Cana, the same city 79 00:06:23,730 --> 00:06:26,930 Speaker 3: where Jesus performed his first miracles turning water into wine. 80 00:06:27,529 --> 00:06:29,940 Speaker 3: He was your ordinary member of society in the town 81 00:06:29,980 --> 00:06:33,200 Speaker 3: of Bethsaida, a small fishing community on the Sea of Galilee. 82 00:06:33,339 --> 00:06:35,979 Speaker 3: Yet despite its size, a good and upright citizen like 83 00:06:36,020 --> 00:06:40,420 Speaker 3: Nathaniel was left feeling marginalized, always like a stranger. In 84 00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:43,960 Speaker 3: his unmet desire to be acknowledged, he sequestered himself to 85 00:06:44,140 --> 00:06:49,750 Speaker 3: self-appointed solitude. Loneliness often compounds. When we feel unwanted and unloved, 86 00:06:50,100 --> 00:06:52,400 Speaker 3: we tend to hide away from others, making us feel 87 00:06:52,540 --> 00:06:56,669 Speaker 3: even more unwanted and unloved. Little does Nathaniel know that 88 00:06:56,730 --> 00:06:59,730 Speaker 3: in a cosmic game of hide-and-seek, his years of waiting 89 00:06:59,770 --> 00:07:00,710 Speaker 3: to be noticed. 90 00:07:00,430 --> 00:07:01,230 Speaker 1: Were about to change. 91 00:07:01,830 --> 00:07:04,790 Speaker 3: At first, we'll see Nathaniel was opposed to the idea 92 00:07:04,810 --> 00:07:07,550 Speaker 3: of meeting Jesus, feeling that it would just be another 93 00:07:07,630 --> 00:07:10,570 Speaker 3: instance of putting a facade for others. But as we 94 00:07:10,620 --> 00:07:12,960 Speaker 3: dive deeper into our story, I want you to think 95 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:16,600 Speaker 3: about places in your life where you felt unseen, unnoticed, 96 00:07:16,980 --> 00:07:20,480 Speaker 3: and unheard. And then, allow yourself to relate to Nathaniel 97 00:07:20,520 --> 00:07:22,680 Speaker 3: as an outcast, ready to be found. 98 00:07:25,480 --> 00:07:28,820 Speaker 1: Dusk was approaching, and every merchant in the marketplace was 99 00:07:28,900 --> 00:07:33,200 Speaker 1: packing up to leave. Vendors closed up their carts and 100 00:07:33,320 --> 00:07:38,180 Speaker 1: loaded their donkeys. Nathaniel trudged through the market, avoiding eye 101 00:07:38,240 --> 00:07:42,560 Speaker 1: contact with anyone he recognized. He wanted to retreat to 102 00:07:42,600 --> 00:07:47,830 Speaker 1: his blankets and hide away from the world. He rounded 103 00:07:47,850 --> 00:07:52,630 Speaker 1: the corner and bumped into a close friend, Philip. Philip 104 00:07:52,690 --> 00:07:57,559 Speaker 1: wasn't like Nathaniel. While Nathaniel always presented his best self, 105 00:07:58,540 --> 00:08:03,960 Speaker 1: Philip enjoyed interacting with the world truthfully. If Philip had questions, 106 00:08:04,560 --> 00:08:09,200 Speaker 1: he asked them. If Philip didn't understand something, he spoke up. 107 00:08:10,750 --> 00:08:14,610 Speaker 1: Philip was perfectly content to look like a fool if 108 00:08:14,690 --> 00:08:19,360 Speaker 1: it meant he could discover something new. Nathaniel had trouble 109 00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:22,920 Speaker 1: with such things. He lived in the world with a 110 00:08:23,000 --> 00:08:30,190 Speaker 1: mask of perfection. He never showed vulnerability or ignorance. As 111 00:08:30,230 --> 00:08:36,930 Speaker 1: a result, nobody truly knew the honest Nathaniel. They didn't 112 00:08:36,990 --> 00:08:41,059 Speaker 1: see him as he was, only as he presented himself 113 00:08:41,120 --> 00:08:46,900 Speaker 1: to be. Nathaniel, hiding his inner turmoil, forced a smile. 114 00:08:48,809 --> 00:08:51,610 Speaker 2: Ah, shalom, Philip. How are you? 115 00:08:52,970 --> 00:08:56,890 Speaker 1: Philip smiled like he had a surprise for Nathaniel. His 116 00:08:57,080 --> 00:09:02,900 Speaker 1: eyes shone with concealed delight. Nathaniel, what are you doing tonight? 117 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:08,079 Speaker 1: I have someone I want you to meet. Philip's invitation 118 00:09:08,140 --> 00:09:11,590 Speaker 1: shot Nathaniel in the heart like an arrow. He didn't 119 00:09:11,630 --> 00:09:15,290 Speaker 1: feel like performing for anyone or putting on another false smile. 120 00:09:16,010 --> 00:09:16,730 Speaker 1: He was exhausted. 121 00:09:18,770 --> 00:09:21,680 Speaker 2: Is this just another preacher? It's been a long day, 122 00:09:21,700 --> 00:09:24,660 Speaker 2: and the last time I joined you to see the baptizer, 123 00:09:25,059 --> 00:09:26,480 Speaker 2: the man spoke for hours. 124 00:09:27,679 --> 00:09:30,940 Speaker 1: Nathaniel hadn't mastered the art of replying with a simple no. 125 00:09:32,140 --> 00:09:34,080 Speaker 1: He was too concerned about what others thought of him 126 00:09:34,140 --> 00:09:38,300 Speaker 1: to draw boundaries. Instead, he danced around the word. 127 00:09:40,020 --> 00:09:42,980 Speaker 2: Perhaps you can have him visit my shop tomorrow. I'd 128 00:09:43,040 --> 00:09:45,120 Speaker 2: love to introduce him to a few of my clients. 129 00:09:45,840 --> 00:09:50,550 Speaker 2: They could help his movement. Or maybe I could... Nathaniel! 130 00:09:52,010 --> 00:09:56,430 Speaker 1: Philip interrupted. His feet nearly flew off the ground in excitement. 131 00:09:57,230 --> 00:10:01,119 Speaker 1: He came close and held Nathaniel's shoulders. This man I 132 00:10:01,140 --> 00:10:03,420 Speaker 1: want you to meet is no ordinary rabbi. 133 00:10:04,640 --> 00:10:07,380 Speaker 2: He is the one Moses wrote about in the law. 134 00:10:08,350 --> 00:10:10,250 Speaker 2: He is the one whom the prophets foretold. 135 00:10:11,090 --> 00:10:15,950 Speaker 1: Nathaniel rubbed his face and forced another smile. Philip was 136 00:10:15,990 --> 00:10:19,839 Speaker 1: a kind man, but tended to exaggerate. When John the 137 00:10:19,900 --> 00:10:25,439 Speaker 1: Baptizer began his ministry, Philip wondered if he was the Messiah. Now, apparently, 138 00:10:25,540 --> 00:10:30,160 Speaker 1: there was a new object of Philip's infatuation. But Nathaniel 139 00:10:30,280 --> 00:10:35,150 Speaker 1: couldn't show his doubt. He couldn't say what he thought. Instead, 140 00:10:35,309 --> 00:10:41,210 Speaker 1: he continued the conversation, trapped in a self-destructive loop of people-pleasing. 141 00:10:42,510 --> 00:10:45,830 Speaker 2: What's his name? Jesus of Nazareth. 142 00:10:46,690 --> 00:10:48,949 Speaker 3: He's the son of Joseph, the carpenter. 143 00:10:51,300 --> 00:10:54,469 Speaker 1: A loud sort of laugh accidentally popped through Nathaniel's chest 144 00:10:54,850 --> 00:10:59,850 Speaker 1: when he heard the word Nazareth. Nathaniel had a long day. 145 00:11:00,470 --> 00:11:02,850 Speaker 1: His patience and manners were eroding. 146 00:11:03,570 --> 00:11:07,490 Speaker 2: Philip, I'm sorry. First you follow a man who wore 147 00:11:07,550 --> 00:11:10,470 Speaker 2: camel fur and dunked people in the middle of the water, 148 00:11:11,070 --> 00:11:13,309 Speaker 2: and now you're telling me the Messiah is a carpenter's 149 00:11:13,350 --> 00:11:18,510 Speaker 2: son from Nazareth? Do you know what happens in Nazareth? Crime. 150 00:11:19,490 --> 00:11:21,569 Speaker 2: And in the small pockets of time when someone isn't 151 00:11:21,610 --> 00:11:25,530 Speaker 2: getting robbed, people are hauling stone from the quarry. You're 152 00:11:25,550 --> 00:11:28,490 Speaker 2: telling me the Messiah's come from the city of Twigs? 153 00:11:29,429 --> 00:11:31,990 Speaker 2: I mean, can anything good come from Nazareth? 154 00:11:32,610 --> 00:11:36,980 Speaker 1: Nathaniel paused and dropped his head. He was embarrassed by 155 00:11:37,020 --> 00:11:44,080 Speaker 1: his outburst. It was unfair. It was unlike him. Nathaniel 156 00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:47,500 Speaker 1: wasn't the type to shut anyone down or insult someone's home. 157 00:11:48,920 --> 00:11:51,559 Speaker 1: But the day had been long, and he just wanted 158 00:11:51,580 --> 00:11:51,980 Speaker 1: to sleep. 159 00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:54,160 Speaker 2: Philip, I'm sorry. 160 00:11:54,940 --> 00:11:55,640 Speaker 1: I didn't mean to. 161 00:11:56,620 --> 00:11:58,690 Speaker 3: Come and see for yourself, Nathaniel. 162 00:11:59,210 --> 00:12:00,210 Speaker 2: Come and see what I mean. 163 00:12:00,850 --> 00:12:05,590 Speaker 1: Philip was calm and sure of his words. His childlike 164 00:12:05,670 --> 00:12:09,540 Speaker 1: joy was still present, but there was also something else 165 00:12:09,640 --> 00:12:10,720 Speaker 1: behind his smile. 166 00:12:12,220 --> 00:12:12,480 Speaker 2: Faith. 167 00:12:14,460 --> 00:12:17,540 Speaker 1: Philip spoke as if God had parted the heavens and 168 00:12:17,640 --> 00:12:24,959 Speaker 1: confirmed it himself. Nathaniel rubbed his eyes, paused, and nodded. 169 00:12:27,179 --> 00:12:30,200 Speaker 1: Lead the way. Nathaniel was curious to meet the man 170 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:33,500 Speaker 1: who had given Philip that look in his eye. The 171 00:12:33,559 --> 00:12:38,130 Speaker 1: sun retreated into the horizon. The clouds had captured the 172 00:12:38,190 --> 00:12:42,910 Speaker 1: final rays of light, radiating a dark orange like giant 173 00:12:43,090 --> 00:12:47,450 Speaker 1: oil lamps. Nathaniel followed Philip outside the city to the sea. 174 00:12:49,070 --> 00:12:52,450 Speaker 1: A large fire was made on the sand, surrounded by 175 00:12:52,510 --> 00:12:59,320 Speaker 1: familiar faces, James, John, Andrew, and Simon. They stood around 176 00:12:59,340 --> 00:13:04,300 Speaker 1: the fire, laughing and enjoying each other's company. There was 177 00:13:04,340 --> 00:13:08,400 Speaker 1: another man among them. He wore the clothes of a craftsman. 178 00:13:09,850 --> 00:13:13,250 Speaker 1: His smile reflected the warmth of the flame, and his 179 00:13:13,350 --> 00:13:16,480 Speaker 1: laugh filled the air like the melody of a beloved 180 00:13:16,559 --> 00:13:24,160 Speaker 1: childhood song, familiar and comforting. Before Philip could introduce Nathaniel, 181 00:13:24,900 --> 00:13:26,219 Speaker 1: the stranger looked at him and said. 182 00:13:27,230 --> 00:13:31,280 Speaker 2: Ah, Nathaniel, an Israelite in whom there is no deceit, 183 00:13:31,900 --> 00:13:34,370 Speaker 2: a truly good man. Welcome. 184 00:13:35,190 --> 00:13:41,360 Speaker 1: Nathaniel paused. Insecure and invasive thoughts flooded his mind. How 185 00:13:41,390 --> 00:13:44,080 Speaker 1: could the stranger know that Nathaniel was a good and 186 00:13:44,100 --> 00:13:47,940 Speaker 1: honest man? How could he have known those were the 187 00:13:48,040 --> 00:13:52,360 Speaker 1: exact words he needed to hear? He cocked his head 188 00:13:52,400 --> 00:13:55,640 Speaker 1: to the side. He was sure he had never met 189 00:13:55,679 --> 00:13:59,570 Speaker 1: this man before, but perhaps his memory had betrayed him. 190 00:14:01,340 --> 00:14:02,260 Speaker 2: How do you know me? 191 00:14:03,340 --> 00:14:07,540 Speaker 1: The man stepped forward, his grin now entirely illuminated by 192 00:14:07,580 --> 00:14:10,599 Speaker 1: the firelight. I was with you under the fig tree. 193 00:14:11,059 --> 00:14:14,220 Speaker 2: Before Philip called you, I saw you, Nathaniel. 194 00:14:15,020 --> 00:14:16,460 Speaker 1: You saw me. 195 00:14:16,840 --> 00:14:17,980 Speaker 2: Under the fig tree? 196 00:14:18,820 --> 00:14:24,750 Speaker 1: Nathaniel's voice cracked. Nobody knew about the fig tree. It 197 00:14:24,790 --> 00:14:26,650 Speaker 1: was a place for him to be alone with his 198 00:14:26,730 --> 00:14:28,190 Speaker 1: thoughts and to pray to. 199 00:14:30,090 --> 00:14:30,870 Speaker 2: Could he be? 200 00:14:31,670 --> 00:14:36,530 Speaker 1: Nathaniel felt his emotional walls shaking. The guard he had 201 00:14:36,590 --> 00:14:41,710 Speaker 1: put up was crumbling stone by stone. There was only 202 00:14:41,830 --> 00:14:45,290 Speaker 1: one explanation for this man seeing Nathaniel under the fig tree. 203 00:14:46,990 --> 00:14:51,090 Speaker 1: This man somehow heard Nathaniel's anxious and insecure prayers to God. 204 00:14:52,310 --> 00:14:55,110 Speaker 1: Perhaps something good had come out of Nazareth. After all, 205 00:14:55,810 --> 00:14:59,690 Speaker 1: Nathaniel's knees buckled, and the tears he had held back 206 00:14:59,770 --> 00:15:05,010 Speaker 1: for years finally broke through. His tears soaked the sand 207 00:15:05,050 --> 00:15:09,910 Speaker 1: below Jesus' feet as Nathaniel declared, Rabbi! 208 00:15:11,030 --> 00:15:13,740 Speaker 2: Truly, you are the Son of God. 209 00:15:14,680 --> 00:15:18,860 Speaker 1: You are the one we've been waiting for. Nobody had 210 00:15:19,060 --> 00:15:23,260 Speaker 1: ever seen Nathaniel break like this. He was the best 211 00:15:23,320 --> 00:15:29,070 Speaker 1: among them, the steady and unshakable Nathaniel. But being known 212 00:15:29,110 --> 00:15:34,550 Speaker 1: by Jesus, melted away the mask of perfection, allowing him 213 00:15:34,590 --> 00:15:42,860 Speaker 1: to finally breathe. He was unburdened and light. Nathaniel broke 214 00:15:42,940 --> 00:15:47,230 Speaker 1: down at Jesus' feet, gripping the sand tightly in his fists. 215 00:15:48,510 --> 00:15:51,070 Speaker 1: He had tried so hard to be strong for others, 216 00:15:51,950 --> 00:15:57,290 Speaker 1: but somehow along the way he lost himself. He wasn't 217 00:15:57,330 --> 00:16:02,530 Speaker 1: sure anyone would ever understand him, including himself. Yet Jesus 218 00:16:03,410 --> 00:16:08,280 Speaker 1: had seen him. Jesus heard his prayers of doubt and fear. 219 00:16:09,440 --> 00:16:15,120 Speaker 1: Jesus had seen his darkness. and insecurity. Yet he still 220 00:16:15,220 --> 00:16:24,520 Speaker 1: called Nathaniel a good man, a man without deceit. Nathaniel 221 00:16:24,570 --> 00:16:29,230 Speaker 1: didn't feel like a man without deceit, but perhaps Jesus 222 00:16:29,290 --> 00:16:32,550 Speaker 1: was calling him up to something instead of declaring what 223 00:16:32,590 --> 00:16:38,840 Speaker 1: he already knew to be true. Perhaps with time, Nathaniel 224 00:16:38,860 --> 00:16:46,620 Speaker 1: could learn to live honestly before others, Jesus knelt to 225 00:16:46,680 --> 00:16:51,620 Speaker 1: Nathanael and placed a firm hand on his shoulder. With 226 00:16:51,680 --> 00:16:56,950 Speaker 1: a friendly chuckle, Jesus said, You believe because I told 227 00:16:56,990 --> 00:16:58,670 Speaker 1: you I saw you under a fig tree? 228 00:16:59,590 --> 00:17:02,890 Speaker 2: My friend, you will see far greater things than that. 229 00:17:03,830 --> 00:17:06,869 Speaker 2: I tell you this, Nathanael, you will see heaven open 230 00:17:07,410 --> 00:17:10,590 Speaker 2: and angels ascending and descending. 231 00:17:11,280 --> 00:17:15,200 Speaker 1: On the Son of Man. Nathaniel looked up at Jesus 232 00:17:15,359 --> 00:17:21,940 Speaker 1: with watering eyes and nodded. His life would never be 233 00:17:22,010 --> 00:17:23,050 Speaker 1: the same again. 234 00:17:26,930 --> 00:17:30,050 Speaker 3: Life is full of tension and competing desires. As we 235 00:17:30,109 --> 00:17:33,650 Speaker 3: navigate each day, we face conflicting emotions, thoughts, and feelings. 236 00:17:34,270 --> 00:17:36,500 Speaker 3: One of these internal conflicts is our hope to be 237 00:17:36,580 --> 00:17:39,550 Speaker 3: seen and our desire to feel safe. To be known 238 00:17:39,710 --> 00:17:42,770 Speaker 3: often means to be vulnerable. We want to feel connected 239 00:17:42,810 --> 00:17:45,790 Speaker 3: to others, sure, but we also have this physiological need 240 00:17:45,830 --> 00:17:48,810 Speaker 3: to feel safe. And sometimes those feelings are at odds 241 00:17:48,830 --> 00:17:52,030 Speaker 3: with one another. Being in community means to be vulnerable, 242 00:17:52,230 --> 00:17:54,890 Speaker 3: and we don't want to feel vulnerable. Being seen also 243 00:17:54,930 --> 00:17:58,050 Speaker 3: means to be exposed in some sense. It means allowing 244 00:17:58,170 --> 00:18:00,850 Speaker 3: others to see what's happening under the surface. To be 245 00:18:00,930 --> 00:18:03,490 Speaker 3: known for the depths of your heart, the intricacies of 246 00:18:03,530 --> 00:18:06,700 Speaker 3: your mind, your troubles, your worries, and your fears. You see, 247 00:18:06,740 --> 00:18:09,700 Speaker 3: this tension creates an unhealthy dichotomy of what we're feeling 248 00:18:09,740 --> 00:18:12,179 Speaker 3: inside and what we allow other people to see on 249 00:18:12,220 --> 00:18:15,750 Speaker 3: the surface. For a lot of us, our interactions are 250 00:18:15,890 --> 00:18:18,730 Speaker 3: skin deep. We put on masks and hide who we 251 00:18:18,770 --> 00:18:21,590 Speaker 3: really are because we feel like if we expose ourselves 252 00:18:21,630 --> 00:18:24,730 Speaker 3: to others, they're not going to fully accept us. But 253 00:18:24,750 --> 00:18:27,429 Speaker 3: there's a terrible cycle to all of that. When we 254 00:18:27,470 --> 00:18:30,250 Speaker 3: don't allow ourselves to be fully known, we don't feel 255 00:18:30,330 --> 00:18:32,810 Speaker 3: the full acceptance of people. And so no matter how 256 00:18:32,830 --> 00:18:35,149 Speaker 3: many companions we have around us, we're always going to 257 00:18:35,190 --> 00:18:37,989 Speaker 3: feel lonely. and that loneliness will lead us to make 258 00:18:38,030 --> 00:18:42,060 Speaker 3: some pretty unhealthy decisions. Left unaddressed, these types of tensions 259 00:18:42,100 --> 00:18:44,720 Speaker 3: will pull us apart until we're at the end of ourselves. 260 00:18:45,300 --> 00:18:48,020 Speaker 3: This is the very issue that torments Nathaniel before he 261 00:18:48,060 --> 00:18:54,580 Speaker 3: meets Jesus. He felt unseen, unheard, unloved, invisible. Jesus' ministry 262 00:18:54,619 --> 00:18:57,520 Speaker 3: was marked by a recurring theme of finding people and 263 00:18:57,560 --> 00:19:00,500 Speaker 3: allowing these two sides of themselves to be integrated into one. 264 00:19:01,210 --> 00:19:03,400 Speaker 3: As he traveled from city to city, he would take 265 00:19:03,460 --> 00:19:06,020 Speaker 3: time to not just be around people, but to truly 266 00:19:06,060 --> 00:19:09,160 Speaker 3: be with them. Jesus sat and talked with sincere interest. 267 00:19:09,400 --> 00:19:13,520 Speaker 3: He listened and gleaned with undisrupted attentiveness. Jesus didn't come 268 00:19:13,580 --> 00:19:16,580 Speaker 3: to earth for fame and accolades. Jesus came to seek 269 00:19:16,619 --> 00:19:19,040 Speaker 3: and save the lost. He came to see us, to 270 00:19:19,100 --> 00:19:22,240 Speaker 3: know us, relate to us, and bless us. Maybe you've 271 00:19:22,260 --> 00:19:25,260 Speaker 3: been feeling a little bit like Nathaniel lately, doing everything 272 00:19:25,300 --> 00:19:28,200 Speaker 3: you can to live a good life, but rarely left 273 00:19:28,300 --> 00:19:31,220 Speaker 3: feeling seen. You might feel like you're standing in the 274 00:19:31,240 --> 00:19:33,379 Speaker 3: dark corner of a room, out of sight and out 275 00:19:33,420 --> 00:19:36,700 Speaker 3: of mind. But Jesus sees you, my friend. He sees 276 00:19:36,859 --> 00:19:39,080 Speaker 3: all of you. And on top of that, he loves 277 00:19:39,119 --> 00:19:41,660 Speaker 3: you with every ounce of love that he has to give. 278 00:19:42,450 --> 00:19:45,310 Speaker 3: Here's a profound truth for you. Cling to this reality 279 00:19:45,350 --> 00:19:48,350 Speaker 3: with dear life because it's the essence of life and 280 00:19:48,390 --> 00:19:53,730 Speaker 3: growth in Christ. You are completely seen and known by Jesus. 281 00:19:53,869 --> 00:19:56,750 Speaker 3: All of your flaws, all of your darkness, all of 282 00:19:56,790 --> 00:19:59,750 Speaker 3: the thoughts that you keep from others, those parts of 283 00:19:59,810 --> 00:20:02,890 Speaker 3: you and those things that you truly love, those dreams 284 00:20:02,930 --> 00:20:05,030 Speaker 3: that you have for the future, they are all laid 285 00:20:05,109 --> 00:20:09,470 Speaker 3: bare and seen by Jesus. Yet, in the midst of 286 00:20:09,650 --> 00:20:13,109 Speaker 3: all of that, you're accepted and unconditionally loved by Him. 287 00:20:13,790 --> 00:20:18,389 Speaker 3: That is a beautiful, beautiful reality. Jesus sees everything. He 288 00:20:18,430 --> 00:20:20,669 Speaker 3: sees all of your flaws and your sins, the darkest 289 00:20:20,730 --> 00:20:22,980 Speaker 3: parts of you. And there's so much of us that 290 00:20:23,020 --> 00:20:25,860 Speaker 3: we hide from others because we think we won't be accepted. 291 00:20:26,200 --> 00:20:29,380 Speaker 3: But Jesus sees it, and he accepts you. And you're 292 00:20:29,400 --> 00:20:32,100 Speaker 3: not just left there. He sees you, but he's also 293 00:20:32,119 --> 00:20:34,880 Speaker 3: going to draw the best out of you. Perhaps that's 294 00:20:34,900 --> 00:20:36,540 Speaker 3: a new thought for some of us, that we can 295 00:20:36,560 --> 00:20:39,540 Speaker 3: be fully known and still fully loved. If that's you, 296 00:20:39,619 --> 00:20:42,739 Speaker 3: I want to encourage you to reframe your associations with 297 00:20:42,800 --> 00:20:45,850 Speaker 3: what it means to be seen. Where once we may 298 00:20:45,910 --> 00:20:49,390 Speaker 3: have equated it with the possibilities of judgment, rejection, or weakness, 299 00:20:49,850 --> 00:20:53,450 Speaker 3: in Jesus we can feel justified, accepted, and strengthened when 300 00:20:53,490 --> 00:20:56,619 Speaker 3: we open up to him and give him our entire lives. 301 00:20:57,400 --> 00:21:00,020 Speaker 3: When the prophet and judge Samuel is sent to find 302 00:21:00,060 --> 00:21:02,220 Speaker 3: a young shepherd named David to anoint him as the 303 00:21:02,260 --> 00:21:05,020 Speaker 3: next king of Israel, the Lord reminds him that he 304 00:21:05,060 --> 00:21:08,180 Speaker 3: doesn't look at the outward appearance. He considers the heart. 305 00:21:08,940 --> 00:21:11,530 Speaker 3: The fear of being seen is only present when we're 306 00:21:11,609 --> 00:21:14,740 Speaker 3: unsure of the thoughts others have towards us. But the 307 00:21:14,800 --> 00:21:17,420 Speaker 3: Bible is filled with an array of God's wonderful thoughts 308 00:21:17,460 --> 00:21:21,379 Speaker 3: towards you. He calls you beloved, his child, his friend, 309 00:21:21,880 --> 00:21:26,550 Speaker 3: and many other beautiful identities. God isn't impressed with your successes, 310 00:21:26,590 --> 00:21:30,609 Speaker 3: your accolades, your popularity with the world. He doesn't turn 311 00:21:30,650 --> 00:21:33,850 Speaker 3: his attention towards you because you've drawn his gaze by 312 00:21:33,930 --> 00:21:37,629 Speaker 3: making much of yourself. He finds you because he cares 313 00:21:37,690 --> 00:21:40,520 Speaker 3: for you and wants to be with you. Though we 314 00:21:40,560 --> 00:21:42,780 Speaker 3: were all lost to sin, we have been found in him. 315 00:21:43,470 --> 00:21:46,210 Speaker 3: We are His creation made in His image, and that's 316 00:21:46,270 --> 00:21:48,810 Speaker 3: more than enough for Him. We have to allow God 317 00:21:48,850 --> 00:21:51,169 Speaker 3: to renew our minds as we receive these types of 318 00:21:51,240 --> 00:21:54,520 Speaker 3: affirmations through His Word and in prayer. Don't be discouraged 319 00:21:54,560 --> 00:21:57,320 Speaker 3: if it takes time. We have to allow new neurological 320 00:21:57,380 --> 00:22:00,020 Speaker 3: networks to form in our brains as the Spirit performs 321 00:22:00,080 --> 00:22:02,340 Speaker 3: a new work in our hearts. What we used to 322 00:22:02,380 --> 00:22:05,480 Speaker 3: associate as danger with being exposed and seen by others, 323 00:22:05,560 --> 00:22:08,020 Speaker 3: we now have to see as an opportunity for growth 324 00:22:08,080 --> 00:22:11,350 Speaker 3: and acceptance in Jesus. And that process will take a 325 00:22:11,380 --> 00:22:14,110 Speaker 3: lot of time. And it will take diving deeply into 326 00:22:14,150 --> 00:22:16,650 Speaker 3: the Word of God so that you can remind yourself 327 00:22:16,730 --> 00:22:20,190 Speaker 3: daily that God actually doesn't just love you, but likes you. 328 00:22:20,740 --> 00:22:24,280 Speaker 3: He doesn't just consider you as a child, you're beloved. 329 00:22:24,619 --> 00:22:27,220 Speaker 3: In our story, even Nathaniel has to break through these 330 00:22:27,280 --> 00:22:30,420 Speaker 3: very same walls and patterns of thinking. All he wanted 331 00:22:30,460 --> 00:22:32,480 Speaker 3: was to be noticed, and here was his chance to 332 00:22:32,530 --> 00:22:34,429 Speaker 3: meet a man who was supposed to fill him with 333 00:22:34,530 --> 00:22:37,790 Speaker 3: all of his heart's greatest desires. Yet, in his mind, 334 00:22:37,930 --> 00:22:40,350 Speaker 3: he was opposed to the opportunity as a means to 335 00:22:40,490 --> 00:22:43,980 Speaker 3: guard himself. from disappointment. What if he put his best 336 00:22:44,020 --> 00:22:46,240 Speaker 3: foot forward and it still wasn't enough to feel seen? 337 00:22:46,820 --> 00:22:49,160 Speaker 3: But Philip wouldn't take no for an answer. That's because 338 00:22:49,240 --> 00:22:51,840 Speaker 3: he had experienced the joy of being seen and known 339 00:22:51,880 --> 00:22:55,060 Speaker 3: by Jesus himself, and he wanted the same for Nathaniel. 340 00:22:55,540 --> 00:22:58,420 Speaker 3: Philip wasn't pushing Nathaniel simply because he thought he was right. 341 00:22:58,740 --> 00:23:01,640 Speaker 3: He was pulling Nathaniel to come alongside him because he 342 00:23:01,700 --> 00:23:04,820 Speaker 3: had found something in Jesus to be amazing. You see, 343 00:23:04,940 --> 00:23:07,260 Speaker 3: once we felt the freedom of being fully known and 344 00:23:07,280 --> 00:23:10,459 Speaker 3: loved by God, We'll want others to be released from 345 00:23:10,500 --> 00:23:13,780 Speaker 3: the same depressions of hiding and being overlooked. To put 346 00:23:13,820 --> 00:23:17,680 Speaker 3: this idea into a short phrase, found people, find people. 347 00:23:18,240 --> 00:23:20,530 Speaker 3: This would be the very mission of the twelve disciples, 348 00:23:20,650 --> 00:23:23,350 Speaker 3: including Philip and Nathanael, as they would be sent to 349 00:23:23,430 --> 00:23:26,030 Speaker 3: find the lost and lonely and preach the good news 350 00:23:26,070 --> 00:23:28,429 Speaker 3: of the gospel. We read in the Great Commission of 351 00:23:28,510 --> 00:23:31,359 Speaker 3: Matthew 28, Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, 352 00:23:31,450 --> 00:23:33,480 Speaker 3: baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, 353 00:23:33,520 --> 00:23:36,040 Speaker 3: and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything 354 00:23:36,100 --> 00:23:38,820 Speaker 3: I have commanded you, And surely I'm with you always, 355 00:23:39,020 --> 00:23:41,720 Speaker 3: even to the end of the age. True joy from 356 00:23:41,760 --> 00:23:44,879 Speaker 3: being found and known by God is a catalytic chain 357 00:23:45,140 --> 00:23:48,470 Speaker 3: where individuals pull others into the community of God as 358 00:23:48,510 --> 00:23:51,950 Speaker 3: he's building it around himself. In some ways, we all 359 00:23:51,990 --> 00:23:54,629 Speaker 3: hide parts of ourselves. We hide from the outside world, 360 00:23:54,790 --> 00:23:57,870 Speaker 3: only allowing certain aspects of ourselves to be fully known 361 00:23:57,930 --> 00:24:00,359 Speaker 3: and seen. The parts we think are the best parts. 362 00:24:00,760 --> 00:24:04,100 Speaker 3: This ultimately leaves us feeling fragmented and afraid of letting 363 00:24:04,140 --> 00:24:06,740 Speaker 3: our true colors out. But all the while, we still 364 00:24:06,820 --> 00:24:10,149 Speaker 3: long deep down to be completely noticed and recognized by others. 365 00:24:10,590 --> 00:24:13,190 Speaker 3: We want to be seen, heard, and embraced and encouraged 366 00:24:13,230 --> 00:24:15,810 Speaker 3: for who we are. We can take heart in the 367 00:24:15,850 --> 00:24:18,990 Speaker 3: fact that God finds us and seeks us out. And 368 00:24:19,030 --> 00:24:21,520 Speaker 3: we could be surrounded by other followers of Jesus who 369 00:24:21,580 --> 00:24:24,020 Speaker 3: want to know and love us as well. It's important 370 00:24:24,040 --> 00:24:26,100 Speaker 3: in our walk with the Lord that we forge genuine 371 00:24:26,140 --> 00:24:30,300 Speaker 3: relationships and build trust and vulnerability with each other. It's 372 00:24:30,320 --> 00:24:33,110 Speaker 3: a gift to feel like we belong amongst other believers. 373 00:24:33,650 --> 00:24:35,810 Speaker 3: Getting here, though, takes time and it requires that we 374 00:24:35,850 --> 00:24:38,870 Speaker 3: feel safe. But soon enough, we'll find peace of being 375 00:24:38,930 --> 00:24:42,709 Speaker 3: known and fully accepted. Don't let yourself continue to be 376 00:24:42,770 --> 00:24:46,050 Speaker 3: burdened by feelings of being unseen. Whether you're in a 377 00:24:46,090 --> 00:24:48,820 Speaker 3: season of stability or feeling like you're barely keeping your 378 00:24:48,859 --> 00:24:51,659 Speaker 3: head above water, our souls long to be seen and 379 00:24:51,700 --> 00:24:55,600 Speaker 3: known by God and by others. Today, take small and 380 00:24:55,780 --> 00:24:59,919 Speaker 3: actionable steps to feel known, to make yourself known, and 381 00:24:59,960 --> 00:25:04,490 Speaker 3: to go before God honestly. You see, transformation only occurs 382 00:25:04,550 --> 00:25:07,800 Speaker 3: when the real you is brought before the real Jesus. 383 00:25:08,119 --> 00:25:10,490 Speaker 3: You have to understand who you are, bring yourself before 384 00:25:10,540 --> 00:25:13,040 Speaker 3: the Lord, and allow his love to have its full 385 00:25:13,080 --> 00:25:15,760 Speaker 3: effect on your life. Thank you for listening to another 386 00:25:15,800 --> 00:25:19,080 Speaker 3: episode of The Jesus Podcast. In our next episode, we're 387 00:25:19,100 --> 00:25:20,840 Speaker 3: going to meet a man by the name of Matthew. 388 00:25:21,180 --> 00:25:24,459 Speaker 3: Some call him Levi. Matthew is a tax collector and 389 00:25:24,560 --> 00:25:27,440 Speaker 3: rejected by his own people because, well, he's made a 390 00:25:27,480 --> 00:25:30,100 Speaker 3: lot of mistakes in his life. But what will change 391 00:25:30,320 --> 00:25:33,990 Speaker 3: once he's face-to-face with Jesus? Be sure to follow this 392 00:25:34,030 --> 00:25:36,399 Speaker 3: podcast if you haven't yet and share it with a 393 00:25:36,430 --> 00:25:39,080 Speaker 3: couple of friends. We want to create a community of 394 00:25:39,140 --> 00:25:43,460 Speaker 3: people that are stirred by great storytelling, but also transformed 395 00:25:43,560 --> 00:25:47,360 Speaker 3: by meditations through the gospel stories. See you next time.