NOTES:
1] 'Joseph's son' in v.45 is a genealogical statement, rather than a theological one. 2] v.51 refers to Jacob's great spiritual experience in GEN 28 (worth looking up), but 'an Israelite in whom there is no guile' (v.47) contrasts Nathanael with Jacob, a very deceitful person in earlier days. 3] Nathanael is probably one & the same person as the apostle Bartholomew.

WARMING UP: Do we ever file people in our memory under where we see or meet them?

TREASURES OLD & NEW: Identify God at work in anything this week?

ENTERING INTO THE STORY:

43-46    Do we have any personal sense of urgency in getting on with 'Jesus' work'? Or will it wait till 'the next day', 'the third day', or even longer? Are we ever exasperated by those who do have a sense of urgency? Or are they such a rare breed these days that it's unusual even to meet up with one? Is a reluctance to 'introduce others  to Christ' a serious a factor in our  church's failure to grow? What part do things like timidity, embarrassment, fear, personal uncertainty about our faith, play in this? In our own case, or just in others? How relevant is it for those of us from non-Jewish backgrounds to describe Jesus as 'the one Moses & the prophets wrote about', or, as 'Joseph's son' today? How do we introduce Jesus to others? Or don't we? Do we ever dismiss people because of where they come from, or similar reasons? Is there someone of whom we despair they'll ever 'come & see'? Ought we to despair - ever? Do others think about / speak about us as a person 'in whom there is no guile'?

47-51   Given Jesus had noticed Nathanael on an earlier occasion, do we take enough notice of those around us, maybe not not so much under a fig tree, as living near us, sitting near us in church? Can we put a name to them without a nametag?

When we address Jesus in our own prayers, do we find ourself using terms like 'Son of God', 'King of Israel', etc.? How do we prefer to address God (in any of his persons)? Have we ever experienced a mighty act of God in response to some act of faith on our part?

Have we ever had a deep religious experience of any sort? A lasting one? A life changing one (like Jacob's)? Made an act of faith (like Nathanael's)? Do we hanker at all to see heaven open in some way? To see angels ascending & descending upon us if we are a son or daughter of 'humanity' today? Or, isn't faith as an up there / down here affair any more? If it takes a Jacob-like vision, or a Nathanael-like act of  faith to 'connect' with God today, are we experiencing either?