Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you [Nathaniel] that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You shall see greater things than these.” - John 1:50

Not only did Jesus demonstrate that he saw Nathaniel before they met – He also assures Nathaniel who is now a believer that he will see even greater things.  There is a difference between believers and non-believers. Have you ever noticed how believers have a long list of things that have assured them of their belief and non-believers don’t have anything similar in their experience? This is not limited to Christianity but to all human endeavors.

People who don’t believe in something don’t apply any of the principles that are required for success. If you don’t believe that you can succeed as an athlete, then you won’t try. If you don’t believe that you can be a musician, then you won’t try. If you don’t believe that you can learn something, then you won’t try. You guarantee failure. The converse is not necessarily true. Just because you believe you can do something doesn’t mean you will succeed, but if you don’t give something an honest try you’ll never succeed.

When I was growing up swimming pools had low and high diving boards. My dad showed me how to dive off the high dive. He went first. He showed me there was nothing to be afraid of on the high dive. Subsequently, I became fearless off the high dive even doing all sorts of crazy dives including my personal favorite – the flying peanut! In high school a very good friend of mine who was a gifted athlete saw me dive off the high dive and wanted to do the same thing. He admitted he was afraid but asked me to show him how. I showed him how and talked him through the process and even though he was shaking the whole way up the ladder he made it. Afterwards, he became fearless. The same thing happened when I was in college. My best friend in college who seemed fearless of almost anything was terrified of the high dive. I talked him through it and he also became fearless. My friends didn’t believe in themselves, but they saw me diving off the high dive and they believed I could show them the way even though they were initially terrified.

Jesus is the best friend of all humanity. He went to the cross and then rose from the dead just to show you that physical death is nothing to fear. That’s why he went first. You may be terrified, but he’ll show you the way to rise from the dead. However beforehand, he’ll talk you through everything that is necessary which is why we read his message in the Bible and fellowship with the friends of Jesus in the church. However, believers also experience spiritual confirmation of the future through their friendship with Jesus. You’ll hear their stories during fellowship. Everyone’s story is unique since Jesus reaches out to everyone to meet their unique circumstances. Always remember that Jesus used a fig tree to help Nathaniel become a believer that wasn’t afraid of physical death. A fig tree probably won’t convince you, but Jesus knew it would convince Nathaniel.

I hope that Jesus shows you how to do what he did by helping you conquer death and rise from the dead!

Dr. J. Clontz

Biblical text is from “The Comprehensive New Testament.”