John 1:43-46
43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. He found Philip and told him, “Follow Me!”
44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the hometown of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip
found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the One Moses wrote about in the Law (and so did the prophets): Jesus the son of Joseph, from Nazareth!”
46 “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Nathanael asked him.
“Come and see,” Philip answered.
People dream of finding lost treasure. The prospect of discovering millions of dollars in gold has driven men and women into the high mountains, across hot deserts and down to the ocean’s floor.
One such person was Mel Fisher. He spent most of his life searching for sunken treasure. In 1975 he discovered the 1622 wreck of the Nuestra Señora de Atocha in Floridian waters. The Spanish vessel was filled with gold and nick-named, “The Bank of Spain.”
“Once you see the ocean bottom carpeted with gold coins, you’ll never forget it.” Fisher said in a post discovery interview.
First his divers found a gold necklace, then silver and gold coins then gold bars worth millions of dollars. Even the recovered ship cannons were made of solid bronze. The discoveries didn’t stop. In June 2011, divers from Mel Fisher’s Treasure Salvors found an antique emerald ring. The ring is worth an estimated $500,000. The ring was found along with two silver spoons and other artifacts. 36 years after the initial finding and 59 years after the quest began, treasure was still being found.
In 2014, Nuestra Señora de Atocha was added to the Guinness Book of World Records for being the most valuable shipwreck to ever be recovered. It was carrying 40 tons of gold and silver, and 71 lbs of emeralds. Many searchers gave up. Some looked in the wrong areas and others quit too early. Still more never looked at all because they thought it wouldn’t be worth it.
In the passage above, Nathaniel wasn’t sure a great treasure could come from a backwater village like Nazareth. He was from Cana, a rival town who didn’t think much of the Nazarenes. As a Hebrew, Nathaniel had never heard of a prophet or great teacher from Nazareth. He didn’t remember Moses pointing in this direction at all. I’m sure he thought the treasure of the coming Messiah should be looked for elsewhere. The fulfillment of the Old Testament couldn’t be found in such complete obscurity.
Or could it?
Philip’s response to Nathaniel’s concern is easy to understand for any treasure hunter.
“Come and see.”
The disciples were about to see the treasure of God spread out before them. They were going to hear Jesus teach, watch Him heal, and feel the sea become instantly still at His command. The power, grace and love of Christ would be revealed to them over time.
Philip doesn’t try to convince Nathaniel that Jesus is the Messiah, he relies on Jesus to do the convincing. All he can do is invite Nathaniel to look for himself and make an informed decision.
If you’ve been told, Jesus is a fraud, He’s made up, or that He was just a man. Maybe you should take a good look at Him for yourself.
Two years after the interaction above, Philip asks Jesus to show the disciples the Father (John 14:8). They believe they are ready to be fully in God’s presence. They trust Jesus has the power to take them there. The Master’s reply stops them in their tracks. “Don’t you know me, Philip, I’ve been right here with you, all along?”
I don’t know where you’re at in your treasure hunt. Maybe you need to look at Jesus for yourself. Maybe
you need to encourage others to investigate His claims. Perhaps you’ve been with Jesus for a while, but you still don’t realize, Jesus is Lord.
Whatever the case, don’t give up your treasure hunt.
Finding the King is worth it, and He will keep revealing His treasure to you!
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