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When Jesus Stood Silent Taken from a Red Rock News Article (March 22, 2024) Rev. Dona Johnson | March 24, 2024           For any of us who have been falsely accused of something. For any of us who have been blamed for something we did not do, we know from experience the emotional pain it produces when the truth we attest to is denied or our voice is not heard. Over the years, there have been persons falsely accused in the criminal justice system, where the jury got it all wrong.           As Jesus stood in shackles before Pilate, two dark forces were at work, the false accusations and the jeering mop (Mark 15:1-20). The crowd yelled, “Nail him to a cross!” Pilate objected, “But for what crime?’ But they yelled all the louder, “Nail him to the cross!” Pilate gave the crowd what they wanted. He set Barabbas free, a criminal sentenced to death. And in his place took Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God, a man without sin, a man who committed no crime, a man whose message was love and forgiveness and sentenced him to an agonizing death by crucifixion. Slander, lies and cowardice sealed Jesus’ fate.           When we refuse to own up to our responsibility for our actions, we choose Barabbas. When we allow any group, be it a political group, workplace team, media, or social group, to push us to act against the teachings of Christ, we choose Barabbas. At times, we may become part of the angry mob of a nation that turns against Jesus, calling for his crucifixion.          But these dark forces were bringing all of humanity closer to God’s plan of redemption. Pilate was feeling the mounting pressure and had to get this right. Professionally, Pilate could not afford an uprising. He did not want Jesus’ blood on his hands. Although he could not put his finger on it, there was something about Jesus, something about the way he stood before his accuser silent and that caused him to doubt his course of action.           It is without a doubt incomprehensible how Jesus stood silent before Pilate. The Prophet Isaiah describes his silence “Like a sheep being led to the slaughter or a lamb that is silent before her shearers, he did not open his mouth” (Isaiah 53:7). What person in their right mind, a person who was falsely accused would not put up a fight for his or her life? But silence is a language and there are many types of silence. There is the silence of admiration. When your swept off your feet by something beautifully breathtaking, like a sunset. There is the silence of contempt. When you chose to respond to someone’s argument or excuse with a silence which shows they are unworthy of an answer and you walk away. There is also the silence of fear. Where people are simply afraid to speak up in front of others. There is the silence of the heart that is hurt. When people have been so wounded that it cuts them to their core and leaves them speechless. And then there is the silence of tragedy. This silence comes when a person surrenders their will to the circumstance because all options have run their course.           Jesus was silent before the Jewish leaders because there was no ground to be gained—both were at an insurmountable impasse. It is a terrible thing when a person’s heart is so broken by slander and lies that all one can muster up is silence. If you have ever found yourself at an impasse or a victim of lies and slander, Jesus is one with you in your pain and suffering.           As we move towards Holy Week and Easter, let us not forget that out of Jesus’ divine silence, when all those present thought he was doomed to death, God was working out his ultimate plan of redemption. Jesus’ silence would soon burst forth in resurrection power, the stone rolled back and death and sin conquered once and for all! Prayer: “Heavenly Father, we give You thanks  for the gift of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who came  not as a conquering king but as a humble  servant—victorious over sin and death, paving  the way for our salvation. Amen. 

The Path To Greatness Taken from a Red Rock News Article (March 15, 2024) Rev. Dona Johnson | Jan 21, 2024        Jesus is walking with the disciples towards Jerusalem the final showdown (Mark 10:32-45). They are being followed by a crowd of people. Jesus takes his disciples aside and predicts for the third time what is about to happen to him—he will be accused, sentenced to death, die and rise in three days. This would be a very troubling piece of news to hear—death by crucifixion. And yet it doesn’t seem to register with the disciples. The disciples immediately start thinking of their own futures. James and John boldly ask Jesus to assign them places on the left and right of him when he reaches the heavenly realm. They want to be given the greatness and power of Jesus but they have no idea how true greatness is achieved. Are they willing to drink from the cup of suffering and sacrifice—betrayal, rejection and death itself?         Many of us dream of being great at something but it often ends there—it’s just a dream. Maybe you’ve had a dream of becoming a concert violinist, or a jet pilot or astronaut or even a surgeon. The dreams and aspirations we have are really our secret quest to be great at something, to be recognized in the world in meaningful ways. Unfortunately, many people reevaluate their dreams after learning all that is required of them— years of training, sacrifice and of course all the lost opportunity costs.        But in one single stroke, Jesus cuts through the disciple’s pride and ambition. Jesus tells them the only way they can be great in his Kingdom is to be a servant of all. Then Jesus gets more granular with the meaning of greatness: “Whoever desires to be first shall be the slave, not merely a servant of all” (10:44.)        Now this action taken by James and John did not sit well with the other ten disciples. It seemed to them that James and John were vying to take an unfair advantage. And the age-old controversy on who was the greatest began to rage again.        It is human nature to want to do as little as possible and get back as much as we can. It is only when we desire to put more into life than we take out for ourselves that we experience true happiness, peace and prosperity. In God’s Kingdom, greatness and the role of leadership is to suffer for the sake of others. To be a servant, to be great is not to be high, mighty and untouchable and it is not to be served by others. Instead it serves with boots on the ground, it rolls up it sleeves and suffers for the sake of others. And this reversal is something the world needs to hear over and over again, especially in our “Me” first culture.        Simon Sinek, leadership consultant and author of “Leaders Eat Last” explains how it became clear to him talking with a Marine officer what it means to be a servant leader —”officers eat last.” He watched the junior Marines eat first while the high-ranking officers went to the back of the line. What was symbolic in the chow hall is deadly serious on the battlefield. Great leaders sacrifice their own comforts and even their own survival for the good of those in their care. Empathy is what drives great leaders to do the things they do.        The greatest example of servanthood ever witnessed is found in the life of Jesus, who without sin and who committed no crime died on the cross to absorb the sin and crimes of humanity. This is a picture of the suffering servant—love that suffers for others without a tinge of resentment. Jesus’ suffering death was the only way we could be freed from our sin to brought back into the love of God. Jesus was a servant leader, a flawless sacrifice, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Prayer: Jesus may we find our greatness in you  alone and may we put more into this life than we  take out. Lord have mercy on us. Amen. 

Jesus Cleanses the Temple of Injustices Taken from a Red Rock News Article (March 1, 2024) Rev. Dona Johnson | March 3, 2024 For many people, including many Christians,  their image and perception of Jesus is one of  meekness, gentleness and passive humility. And  that is a true picture of him. Jesus’ heart was  filled with mercy and compassion for people.  But many people forget to recognize the  assertive side of Jesus. For like any leader, it was  his assertiveness that allowed him to live his life  in total agreement—congruence with his faith.  Jesus spoke with a serious truthfulness— people’s salvation was at stake. His obedience  was unmatched and assertively flawless. And he  desired in the worst way that people live with a  zeal and a zest for God.          Being assertive means sometimes having  to admonish people but also being clear and  kind with one’s message. Many of us who are  risk avoidant when it comes to confronting  others in church, business and family, see  assertiveness as aggressive behavior. We often  fear our admonishment won’t be received well,  it might escalate the situation and or we might be disliked. Many of us due to our own shame  and guilt feel unworthy because of our own sins  to confront others of theirs. Some people  confuse accountability with judging others but  the two are worlds apart. The downside of our  reluctance to address issues not only  perpetuates unhealthy behavior but fractures  our Christian witness and leads people away  from Jesus rather than bring them closer.  Truthfully addressing inappropriate behavior  should not be done to provoke discord but  instead is meant to cleanse, restore and nurture  a zeal and a zest for God. No family and its  members or a faith community is perfect and all  of us at one time or another needs to be  counseled and shown correctives.       Jesus knew that the early church (the  temple) in his day had turned corrupt. Its  leaders weren’t above bribing witnesses,  plotting murders or charging exorbitant prices  on the sale of animals for sacrifice. The spiritual  welfare of God’s people was at stake and being  sadly ignored. He saw the people whom he  dearly loved being exploited and led astray.  Some leaders turned a blind eye and a deaf ear  to these infractions. Thus, leading people away  from God and toward an empty institution of  rules, regulations and self-serving agendas.        In John 2:13-22, Jesus walks into the temple and flies into a righteous rage: throwing  furniture, wielding a whip, driving out the  moneychangers and merchants. A fire in his  belly and a jealous gleam in his eyes. Have you  ever stopped to wonder why Jesus was so  angry? His spiritual heart immediately  quickened and he admonished the sin of the  money changers. A deep injustice was being  executed. Jesus’ assertive words and actions  towards the Pharisees was meant to penetrate  their hardened hearts and spoke volumes to the  religious powers that be. Maybe the Temple was  starting to look like just any old Jerusalem flea  market. Maybe the worldly influence and the  ever-expanding emporium of the moneychangers was casting a dark shadow on  worship and God’s house. Maybe Jesus was  trying to shake things up so the church could  remember its radical mission to be in the world  but not of its values and practices.        Each of us must ask God to cleanse our  witness, our worship, and our relationships— again and again—in the same way Jesus  cleansed the temple. Oh that we would ask him to turn over the tables in our hearts, churches,  and organizations, sanctifying our motives so  that our deepest longing would be to worship  him. What tables would Jesus turn over in  today’s churches? Amen. 

Who do you say I am? Taken from a Red Rock News Article (2/23/24) Rev. Dona Johnson | Feb 25, 2024       In the days leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion, his opposition was closing in and the controversy surrounding him was heating up (Mark 8:27-38). All sorts of rumors were spreading and fueling accusations against him within the Jewish inner circle. For anyone in leadership trying to affect change in a corporate or religious culture knows all too well the resistance and pushback that can occur with those who are threatened by the change. Allies and alliances are like shifting sand. And it is hard to know where people are and who you can trust.          In this contentious environment, Jesus turns to those closest to him, his own disciples and asks. “Who do you say that I am?” In the company of each other, Peter speaks for the twelve and responds, “You are the Christ.” Peter speaks out with a clear declaration that Jesus is the “the anointed one by God. The one divinely elected and appointed by God. Peter, whom Jesus set apart in Mark 3:16 to play a decisive role in building up the people of God, now speaks his confession of faith. When Jesus selects the twelve, He makes a core unit of teachers and representatives that will soon become the nexus of the church. It means more than a new calling—it means a new identity.       Jesus conveys to the disciples that he must suffer, be rejected by his own people—the elders, chief priests and scribes and then be killed and raised three days later. Peter could not handle this horrific news. So out of fear of losing Jesus, he rebuked him. Jesus retorted back to Peter, “Get behind me Satan! Peter’s inability to accept Jesus’ suffering and death is a refusal to accept the will of God. Jesus continues with a prophetic announcement and warning: “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?”(Mark 8:35). To lose one’s soul can be an irrevocable loss. And yet so many of us sell out our souls daily for pleasures that are short-lived. Addictions will eventually kill us. The insatiable desire to acquire more money and power can temp us to run over and compete against others at the expense of those relationships. And the desire to seek the ways and gratifications of this world can put our faith life on the back burner and leave us in a spiritual desert.        There are big moral moments in our lives, times in which we must choose between allegiance to Jesus, the moral creed we profess and moral compass that guides our lives and our need for more money, power and popularity. In those moments, we should take on the spiritual struggle to make sure we don’t sell out our souls for the temporary pleasures and gains of the world. But every day we also recognize that our souls — our sense of what it means to be human beings — are being shaped day-to-day by the same systems of power and privilege we say we resist and have no part of.        Jesus’ question, “Who do you say I am?” still echoes to this day generations later. We gain our lives when we give ourselves to others, when we go the extra mile to love our neighbor, to love our enemy. We gain the joy of living when we put the needs and suffering of other people in front of our own comforts, needs and desires. We gain life when we die to self and confess the name of Jesus courageously without fear or embarrassment. Life is gained in the giving of life to others.    Prayer, Lord Jesus Christ, who do we say you are? Help us to life our lives in full integrity before you and others—to once and for all lose the ways of this world that when asked we will take up our cross for you. Amen.   

The Transfiguration A Snapshot Of Our Future Glory Taken from my article submitted to the Red Rock News Rev. Dona Johnson | February 4, 2024 Before the season of Lent begins, we are given a  glimpse of God’s glory and our future glory in the  transfiguration of Jesus Christ. It seems a little  crazy, but there was this moment on the mountain  where Jesus’ face, his clothes and body shimmered  with a brilliant glow of light. A light so bright it  looked much like polished steel when the sun  reflects on it. And then suddenly a cloud  overshadowed Jesus and his disciples Peter, James  and John.          The transfiguration is a famous and very  unique passage in the Bible and it’s not found  anywhere else in ancient literature. But it is  included in three of the four Gospel accounts of  Matt. 17:1–13; Mark 9:2–13; Luke 9:28–36. This  singular event gives us a clear picture of a  stunningly bizarre moment that provides us with  special insight into who Jesus really is, who he  came to be and how we should respond.        Jesus’ transfiguration if only for one  second, is like a shutter that opens on a camera,  and we are given a glimpse of a dazzling gleaming  light. The glory of Jesus is revealed and then it  instantly turns dark again and then a cloud moves  over them. In Jewish thought, the presence of God  is often connected with the cloud. It was the glory  cloud that led Israel out of captivity and the hands  of Pharaoh. It shone so bright at might it looked  like a pillar of fire. It was in the cloud that Moses  met God. It was in the cloud that God came to the  Tabernacle. And it was in a cloud that God filled the  Temple when it was dedicated after Solomon built  it.          Matthew’s account says, “There he was  transfigured before them. His face shone like the  sun, and his clothes became as white as the light”  (17:2). Here we have Jesus taking on the glory of  God. Jesus in human form takes on the  magnificent, superlative glory of God. And then  suddenly Moses and Elijah appear. Why were they  there? Maybe Moses and Elijah were affirming  Jesus’s mission to save humanity saying, “Go on!”  William Barclay believes, Moses and Elijah saw in  Jesus all that history longed for and hoped for and  looked forward.         Jesus is giving his disciples and the world a  momentary look at what the future glory of the  righteous will one day look like. Through his life, we  are now able to enter the very heart of God. Jesus  is our ultimate reality. Jesus is God whom people  can personally know and come to love. Of course  this ultimate reality eclipsed many of the other  philosophies of the day. Unlike the Greeks who saw  god removed from human history, a god who from  a distance held the universe together in a  harmonious alignment. God is now found in the  person of Jesus who is both fully divine and fully  human. A God who is no longer detached from  human affairs but is now is fully attached and  committed to us with a love stronger than any love  we can ever imagine or experience. This is nothing  to gloss over—true intimacy with God!         This was a dark time in the life of Jesus as  got nearer the cross. His disciples must have been  shattered knowing he was going to Jerusalem to  die. Jesus shone them his glory to give them  something to hold to. And like his disciples, Jesus  does not leave us without something to hold on to  when doubts and fears want to darken our hearts.  Not only through the transfiguration, but also  through his death and resurrection God gives us  profound snapshots of our future glory. And this  gives us the courage and confidence to “go on”  too! AMEN. 

Jesus’ Heart of Compassion Lifts Up the Suffering Taken from a Red Rock News Article Rev. Dona Johnson | Feb 4, 2024 It is custom in many denominations that after  Sunday worship the pastor or priest immediately  schedules pastoral care visits to members of their  congregation who are ill—in the hospital, nursing  home or those who are homebound. On these  visits they bring the church’s message that God ‘s  healing presence is with them, they pray for the  sick and offer the sacrament of holy communion.  When a person is struggling with or recovering  from an illness, there is not only physical suffering  but there are emotions that surface such as fear,  discouragement and doubts. And more  importantly, there is also the spiritual side of  illness, such as calling on God for hope and healing  and these are happening every day. There are also  laments and cries to God for divine help and  restoration. And then there is always the prayers of  joyful thanksgiving when the mercy and grace of  God brings about a healing.        Pastoral care is an extremely important  faith practice in the church as it should be. If  people are left unattended they can feel cut-off  from the very thing that they need the most— prayer and someone who cares. For God is very  attentive to the prayers of his people and when  they are sick, God feels their suffering and distress.        Jesus models pastoral care to his people in  the most self-giving and merciful manner. He has great compassion on those who are sick. Many  people have come to faith when God has healed  them. Many people in the final moments of life,  who have had a difficult time accepting Jesus,  quietly and some desperately call out to him for  help. They want peace with God. They want his  eternal assurance and God so lovingly grants it. For  those who call upon God will never be turned  away. As Paul said, “Everyone who calls out to the  Lord will be saved (Ro. 10:13).”        In Mark 1:29-31, we find Jesus healing a  demon possessed man right in the middle of a  synagogue service. After the synagogue service it  was customary to have a Sabbath meal. But on this  particular day, Jesus passed up his chance for a  meal. Once again, his power was appealed to and  once again he gave himself to others. He went  directly to Peter’s mother-in-law who was sick with  a “burning fever.” Jesus had the option to enjoy the  meal with his friends but it was not in his heart to  do so. The woman was sick and Jesus was never  too tired to help.     When he reached the woman’s home, Jesus  went to her bed, reached out to her and lifted  (pulled) her up out of her burning fever. She was  instantly healed. No sooner than Peter’s mother-in law was healed and on her feet; she began to serve  those around her. In other words, she was saved to  serve. And truly that is what salvation is all about.  When God reaches down and lifts us up out of our  sin and brokenness and restores us to himself, in  great joy and love for how he saved us from our  peril, we too go out and serve and pray for the  healing of others.          The disciples had not been with Jesus very  long and already they had experienced his heart of  compassion, so much so they began bringing all  their daily troubles to him. And so can we. This  story though brief gives us a window into the very  heart of God. It is a heartwarming story that is  meant for all. It tells us that God has the power to  heal us. And that through Jesus, we have a God  who is so attentive to us, that he hears every word,  every cry for help that we speak in our hearts.          If you are reading this devotion and feeling  that you may need God’s healing presence in your  life right now email me. As a pastor, I will pray with  you and I am bound by my pastoral oath to keep all  prayers confidential. revdonajohnson@gmail.com

Knowledge & Love Taken from my article submitted to the Red Rock News Rev. Dona Johnson | Jan 27, 2024 Knowledge is both an astonishing and powerful thing. It empowers, enriches and deepens our understanding of the character and attributes of God. Faith comes from hearing the word of God, says Paul (Ro. 10:17). Our knowledge of God aids our understanding of our own existence, purpose, and salvation. Of course knowing about God as information and knowing Jesus on a more personal level are two different things. The Greeks understood this knowing (ginōskō) a genuinely knowing person, their character, how they think and how they plan. In other words, experience a person on a more intimate level. And through intimately knowing God, we also come face to face with his love, forgiveness and judgment. Knowledge of God through his Word fans the flames of authentic Christian transformation.         But knowledge alone, without love leads to pride and spiritual superiority. Where knowledge with love leads to humility and a genuine sense of caring for others. Paul was sensitive to the various cultural differences and patient with people who were at different stages of faith in order that he might win them to the gospel.          The city of Corinth in 50 A.D. was a city of commerce, trade and hosted a diverse arra y of pagan temples which housed the Greek gods such as Apollos, Asclepius and Demeter. While Apostle Paul was in Corinth, he was confronted with a situation in the church. Often pagan temples offered animals to the gods, they also functioned as butcher shops and banquet halls. It was common place for this temple meat to be sold to the public. Paul instructs the Corinthian Christians not to eat in pagan temples because it may influence and lead to the destruction of weaker Christians. The more mature Christians understood that the idols and thus the meat sacrificed to idols were nonsense and of no avail. Since God is the creator of the animals and the pagan gods had no power to save there was no problem in consuming the meat itself.         New Christians probably found it a constant struggle to move away from the false gods they had worshiped for years to now place their trust solely in Christ. They would run the risk of being shunned by their friends and peers. Paul took a deeply pastoral approach. He provided the time and space for them to process and work through the One God they were trying to embrace and the plurality of other gods they had known for years. Paul had compassion on those weaker in the faith. Paul did not want those who had more knowledge of Christian spiritual practices to be a stumbling block to those who were new to the faith. For in the end it was not the food we eat that makes us right before God but our faith in Jesus Christ.          Is everything to be judged solely from the perspective of how much we know? Or ought everything be judged from the perspective of love? We definitely need both. However, many people have left the faith, the church because they felt scolded and judged for their lack knowledge, for their struggles and questions. Paul insists that our knowledge of the gospel can overpower and alienate if not used with care and compassion. Knowledge can inflate and puff up a person’s sense of importance. Love (agape), by contrast, elevates, builds up (oikodomei) and encourages people at all stages of faith, and affirms their status as those whom God both creates in his image, passionately loves and died to forgive and redeem from the sin and brokenness that plagues us all.          GracePointe of Sedona, a true house church community invites you to join this Sunday at 10:00 a.m. for worship and conversatio—“a way of life.” We will explore the meaning of moral knowledge.          Join us, Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m. at The Gathering Place for conversations on the book of Revelation—the second coming of Jesus Christ.

Life is Short Rev. Dona Johnson | Jan 21, 2024 Why does time fly faster as we age? How a clock measures time and how you perceive it are quite different. As we grow older, it can often feel like time goes by faster and faster. This phenomenon is well documented by psychologists. Harvard Professor Adrian Bejan hypothesizes that, over time, the rate at which we process visual information slows down, and this is what makes time ‘speed up’ as we grow older. But however each of us perceive time, with each birthday, our lives are shortened. Everything that breathes has a life span and so it is with us—time is marching on.         The Bible also mentions how human life is short. Psalm 39:4,“ LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered— how fleeting my life is.” Psalm 90:12, “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” And, Job 14:5 “Our time on earth is brief; the number of our days is already decided by you.”         Paul also understood time is short (1 Cor. 7:29-35). He reminds the people in Corinth that time is running out. What was he referencing? For Paul, he treated the second coming of Christ as if it could occur at any moment. He believed that everything must be laid aside in a tremendous effort to prepare and concentrate on Christ’s coming. Jesus said numerous times that we and not even Jesus knows the day or the hour of his return, so stay awake spiritually (1 Thess. 5:2). So, why did Paul write this message? The Corinthians were facing severe persecution. Following Christ was tearing apart marriages and family relationships. And it required a special focus on the promises of Christ like never before.        The Corinthians needed to remember that life is brief (James 4:14) and this meant their trials were short-lived when compared to eternity. Paul goes on to say, those who are married, who are mourning, who are rejoicing, who are busy buying possessions and securing attachments in the world must live with a renewed focus on the kingdom. In other words, Christians must consider reprioritizing their lives.  For all their attention, energy and efforts focused on family, mourning losses, rejoicing in wins, and accumulating power and wealth— all of these initiatives grow pale in light of eternity and what awaits them. Wait a minute, was Paul saying marriage is not important? No. Was he saying not to mourn and rejoice? No. Paul was saying to the Christians in Corinth, as the time draws near and your days are numbered, you will need to preserve your spiritual, emotional and physical energy for staying faithful in difficult times. You may be presented with a situation where you have to choose between a family member and your devotion to Jesus, you may have to choose between your feelings of sadness and happiness, wealth and power and Jesus. And let’s add politics to this list. Of course, this was not a new message. Jesus spoke many times about losing our souls for worldly gain. “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul”(Matt. 16:25-26)?          Time is short. Yes, it is later than we think. But there is good news, we still have time to truthfully revisit what we hold dear. All the things we invest in will one day decay and pass away. But God’s eternal promises will remain. Temporal activities that bring security and enjoyment to our lives now are sacred gifts from God, no doubt about it. However, when we over-focus, misuse and are consumed with them, they may replace or overpower our fidelity and affection for Jesus Christ—in whom all these other things are so generously added!

Faith Inspires Faith Taken from my article submitted to the Red Rock News Rev. Dona Johnson | Jan 14, 2024 C.S. Lewis left his childhood Christian faith and years later became an avowed atheist. He entered Oxford University as a professor of literature and in the years that followed, he had many conversations with J.R. Tolkien about God, faith and myths. Lewis was not easily won to Christianity overnight. But a few friends faithfully and patiently walked with him as they helped him to resolve his misgivings about Christianity. He eventually reclaimed his Christianity and made a convincing case for Christ. He wrote, “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” Lewis was arguably one of the most intellectual and influential Christian writers of the twentieth century.                    Friendship is invaluable in communicating and helping others process the gospel and experience God for themselves. This is evident when Jesus found Philip in Galilee and asked him to follow him (John1:41-53). Something amazing must have happened to Philip when Jesus approached him. Once you see God you cannot un-see him. All we know is Philip was so changed by the encounter, that he immediately ran to tell his friend Nathaniel. Philip told Nathaniel that they had found the “one who Moses wrote about in the Law”—Jesus from Nazareth. Nathanial was not at all receptive, in fact he was somewhat dismissive.  He replied, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” But Philip did not give up. He said, “Come and see for yourself!” So Nathaniel accepting Philip’s invitation went to meet Jesus face to face. As Jesus engaged Nathaniel, he didn’t get put off with Nathaniel’s skepticism or suspicions. Instead, Jesus read his most inmost thoughts. He understood his most intimate and secret longings, longings he could never put into words. This encounter left such a deep impression on the soul of Nathaniel that it forever changed him.            There are not many people who have been argued into Christianity. Maybe loved and listened to but not ridiculed or embarrassed by what they can’t yet see. You can be told what is true by others and then you can be led to discover truth for yourself. Although we need both, when you discover a truth for yourself something clicks inside you or the light bulb goes off and suddenly you understand in a deeper way what you may have not understood before. This type of self-discovery leads to changes in one’s heart—deep change. And when a truth changes your heart, it becomes a part of you. You may even recite this truth to others. Or it may become one of the guiding principles of your life. And that is exactly what happened to Philip and then Nathaniel that day in Galilee. Philip saw for himself the truth of Jesus and it was life-changing. So he did the next best thing, he told his friend and invited him to come and see. To “come and see” is to approach all of life with a grace-filled curiosity, to believe that we are holy mysteries to each other, worthy of further exploration. To come and see is to enter into the joy of being deeply seen and deeply known, and to have the very best that lies hidden within us, the Light called out and called forth. In the words of the Swiss theologian, Frederick Godet, “One torch serves to light another.” Faith multiplies faith. Following Christ means carrying the torch of faith to light the path for others and future generations. As we search for God, God finds us. We are image bearers and torch bearers of the one true light—Jesus Christ.