Coming live from turtle30cshell home, I am your host and my name is Christina Farris. Let me begin this Sunday's message To Follow.

Many children play the game follow the leader. It is not a game but actual part of growing up. Many follow their parents or guardians. Children follow more then just their parents. Those that watch TV follow those they see and act to only imitate them. It a form of trying to form their own identity by robbing those they follow of theirs. It sad really each child developing through things they see and like picking up bad and good habits alike. No matter what a parent does to try and rid themselves and their children of that annoying habit, it persist. It worse then trying to kill a cockroach with a nuclear bomb. It just does not die. Yet one is blessed if the finer points and good qualities stick with the child into adulthood. That perfect outgoing nature along with good leadership skills.

There is a point to my madness this morning. Nathanael a true Israelite believed that Jesus was the Christ. And chose to follow. We see his name mention at the end of the book of John as being one after Christ death as going fishing with the other disciples. For three years he must of followed Christ, yet he is not mention again by name except in John 21. Jesus called Nathanael a true Israelite.

Let us look at John 1 where Nathanael conversion to Jesus is told.

John 1:43-51 KJV
43 The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.
44 Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
48 Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.
50 Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.
51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

Jesus calls Nathanael a Israelite, who had no guile. Guile is no deceit or deception, or double talk or duplicity. In other words Nathanael was truthful. Nathanael first reaction to what Philip said, that they found the one prophesied about by Moses and that this man was the son of Joseph and Mary and lived in Nazareth, was can anything good come from there. Narazeth was commonly known as gentile region in Roman Empire. And so the fact of Jesus Israelites status was not necessarily clear here. It kind of like one claiming can anything good come from the wrong side of town. The answers is there are many good people in many places even the wrong side of town. One can not label people by where they are from. I would hate to say someone from WV was ignorant, but if the shoe should happen to fit let it be. However there are many people in WV that highly intelligent, but that does not make them smart in every area. It like calling a redneck a redneck from Kentucky, he might own a rundown trailer and a few junk cars but it does not necessarily make him a redneck. One living in Virginia being called a confederate does not make one a confederate. The fact is people label people or groups of people by where they live but these sayings are not necessarily so. The image Nathanael had of Nazareth was not necessarily true, but it was perhaps one of those local comments about an area. However much is lost in communication hear for we can only guess at Nathanael offhand comment about Nazareth.

Philips response to Nathanael was to come and see. Philip gets up out from under the shade tree and goes with Philip to meet Jesus. Jesus response was I saw you under the fig tree. At this point no one in the story knew but Philip and Nathanael that Nathanael was under a fig tree, yet Jesus told Him he was there. Nathanael believed and said you are the Christ. The day before Philip had been with Peter was when John the Baptist when he look up and said this is the Son of God. Philip had been following Jesus since that time. Philip believed the testimony John Baptist gave who’s witness by the Holy Spirit. This act of following Jesus was by the Holy Spirit. For Nathanael believe upon hearing Jesus say, I saw you under a fig tree. Jesus also told him he would see angels ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

John 1:51 KJV
51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

This verse mean literally that Nathanael would be a witness of the tombs being opened and the angels of God ascending. And then one day the descending of the army of God from heaven when Christ would return. Did Nathanael understand this. I suspect so. For even the prophet Daniel spoke of these things.

Daniel 12:1-3 KJV
1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

See the angels of God ascending is at the time of crucifixion, yet the descending is those that come with Christ return to earth.

Now for further knowledge we need to read Matthew 27.

Matthew 27:52-54 KJV
52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.

There was ascension at the time of Christ resurrection it is seldom talked about. However Mary when finding the tomb empty wept and though the angels had told her to go and tell the disciples she continue to weep. Jesus appeared to her and said He had not ascended that she should not touch Him.

John 20:16-17 KJV
16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.
17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

The graves opened the ascension of Christ to God would take place and He would return, to walk 40 days with His disciples. Yet at this time He did not bring those back he took with Him. The descending to come would be when the final trumpet is sounded which is that time in which the saints will descend with Christ and those on earth will rise up to meet Him in the air. And those remaining will face the judgment of God. Where will you be? Will you be a follower of Jesus and carry your cross till the return of Christ or your death, or will you hear this message and say lady your nuts? Are you like Nathanael who was a believer and just need to see the proof of scripture. Either way it is your choice. It is your choice to believe in Jesus. It is your choice to follow Christ. For more information go to the How to be Saved link on my website http://www.turtle30cshell.com. There are verse to walk you through the salvation process. It is your choice today. If you viewing this message on my site and not on another media outlet, all you have to do is click the link above called How to be saved. Thank you and have great day in the Lord.