<TITLE>11. Par 42-44</TITLE>L-42 Said, "Simon, my son, when the Messiah cometh, Moses, by the Word, said that He'd be a prophet like him."
When Andrew had been to see Jesus, he come back and tried to tell him.
I imagine Peter shook his head, said, "I'm a fisherman. I've invested in my father's nets. I'm going to catch fish. That's my occupation. And I'm a Pharisee. So I'll just let it be like this. I go to church. I am as good as any other man. That's all. That's good. I belong to the church that my father belonged to--or tradition, I'll just keep with that."
But one day he walked in the Presence of this One. And as soon as he come in His Presence, He said, "Your name is Simon, and you are the son of Jonas." Not only did He know him, and who he was, but He knowed his godly old father, who had instructed him. And it was according to the Word, a prophet. Peter made an investment. He dropped his nets.
He said, "Come follow Me. I'll make you fishers of men."
How different from the rich young ruler who wanted to maintain his wealth. But he dropped everything he had to follow Jesus.

L-43 It was Nathanael, or, Philip who went and told Nathanael. Perhaps had a great olive orchard, he was out investigating it. And when Philip told him about what he had found, he was a little critical at first. But he just come to drop in on one of the meetings. And as soon as he seen Him... Being a--a scholar of the Scripture, knowed that what the Messiah was to be, and whether it was right to leave his church that he was on--these orthodox people who were casting down Jesus, casting down the policy and saying it was no good, it could not be trusted...
He was a man making Himself God; He was a Beelzebub; He was a wild man; He had no background; He was illegitimately born; He didn't go to their schools; He wasn't educated in their seminaries; He was against their doctrine; He was tearing up their churches; and His doctrine was hindering the people: that's what He was claimed to do. Called Him Beelzebub, said He deceived the people by His doctrine. Now, that's what had been injected in him.

L-44 But this godly man, Nathanael, as soon as he walked into, the Presence of Jesus, He said, "Behold, an Israelite in whom there's no guile."
He said, "Rabbi, when did You know me?
He said, "'Fore Philip called you I saw you."
He made an investment. There stood his priest and all. He wasn't ashamed. He'd found something real. He'd found God in action. What did he do? He said, run and fell down at His feet, and said, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God. You are the King of Israel." He made an investment. His name's immortal.
There were those there who laughed at it. I don't know where they are today. That's up to God.


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