Good morning!

Let’s read John 1:35-51.

You can read it out loud together with your family and take turns. It’s a lot of verses, but you can do it!

These verses are so special because they talk about Jesus meeting his disciples for the first time! He is meeting his best friends!

Do you remember when you first met your best friend? Did it take a while for you to feel like you knew them?

I asked my kids…how do you feel like someone actually KNOWS you? My 8 year old said, “When they know my full name, my birthday, and if I’m feeling sad at all.”

“What if they knew the number of hairs on your head?” I asked him. “Wow! I’d freak out!” He said.

Do you know that the Bible tell us that God knows that about you. He knows how many hairs are on your head. Because he created you!

Psalm 139 tells us he “knitted you together in your mother’s womb.”

I’d say God REALLY knows you.

Now look back at the verses in John. Nathaniel is a guy that I really like in this story, because he’s sort of rude. And I like it when God loves rude people, because sometimes I am a rude person. Are you ever rude?

Nathaniel makes fun of Jesus’s hometown. Jesus was from a VERY poor and small city. People made fun of his town all the time. That’s pretty rude huh?

Nathaniel says, “He’s from Nazareth? You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Then when he meets Jesus, Jesus says, “There is a real Israelite. Not a false bone in his body.” Because Jesus knew what Nathaniel had said about his town.

And Nathaniel feels sort of insulted. He says, “where I’d you get that idea. You don’t know me.”

YOU DON’T KNOW ME.

But, he doesn’t realize yet who Jesus is. And that Jesus DOES IN FACT know him because Jesus is God.

Jesus tells him a story that he saw him under the fig tree. It makes Nathaniel feel very known , and suddenly and shockingly he immediately decides that Jesus is for real. That’s a REALLY quick change of heart.

What do you think he was doing under that fig tree?

Was he crying? Was he praying? Was he being very honest with God about a hurt in his life? Was he doing something bad? Why was this so special to Nathaniel that Jesus knew this? I don’t know, but I do want to meet him in heaven and ask because I’m just SO curious.

NATHANIEL WHAT WERE YOU DOING UNDER THST FIG TREE?

When you feel KNOWN, you feel loved don’t you? When your friend knows you hate pineapples and picks them out of your salad you feel loved. When you are KNOWN you feel special.

God KNOWS you.

He REALLY does.

He knows the numbers of hairs on your head. He knows what makes you laugh. He might even have a nickname for you. You are his TREASURE!

As you sit at home today, I want you to do two things. I want you to thank God that he knows you. And I want you to ask him to help you know HIM more.

Secondly, I want you to be a good friend to a neighbor today. My friend Katy has the idea of chalking verses in our neighbors driveways. This is a great way to show your friends love because you know they want to hear from you. Especially while they are stuck at home.

I’d love for you to share your verses with us if you are chalking driveways today as you social distance.

Thank you God for knowing us!!!