John 1:49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.

It seems like such a small thing, why quibble over it? Jesus wasn’t the King of Israel at the moment that Nathanael said these words. Was He? Rome certainly did not recognize His authority. So why did Nathanael call Jesus King? Was it because Nathanael had the authority to recognize who might be King or was it the Nathanael pledged his allegiance to Jesus?

Calling Jesus the Son of God would not make Jesus the Son of God. That was recognition of identity. Proclaiming Jesus King was not a matter of recognizing authority but surrendering authority. Nathanael already had a King based on worldly power. Nathanael chose to serve a new Master.

Jesus asks, “Who do you say I am?”

The bible tells us many things about His identity. Son of God, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Savior, Rabbi, Lamb of God, friend, first born son, and so many more. Nathanael’s answer says something about the man, the times, the needs and desires of a people under Roman rule. We do not live in those times, we are not that people, so our answers will be driven by our own circumstances, needs and desires.

Do you need a friend? Jesus can be that.

Do you need a teacher? Jesus can be that?

Do you need a healer? Jesus can be that?

Do you need a King? OOPS, now wait a minute, let me think about that. What we want and need out of Jesus doesn’t define Jesus. We cannot tell Him to be our healer but not our King. It doesn’t work that way. God does not change because of our opinion and neither does Jesus. He is our everything not our menu to pick from depending on our mood today.

I would do well to remember my friend is King and honor the office before the friendship.

2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.

I asked an elder that I deeply respected what in meant to be instant in season and out of season. His answer made sense at the moment, then. “Whether you feel like it or not.”

Now, years later, with many sermons, teachings, studies and experiences, I am not sure if I know how to make that real for myself. It is one thing to learn a things, to understand it, to believe it, and another to make it real, to do that thing.

The rest of the verse after the ; takes a fair amount of training and expertise in the Word. It does not come naturally to the babe in Christ, nor should it. The expectation of understanding a thing brings some level of confidence that you are ready. But is this what Paul was saying to Timothy? Maybe it was, but were are not Timothy or at that moment of preparedness.

But what if, in a more modern vernacular, Paul had said, “be all that you are wherever you are”? Would that make more sense? Would it say, God has prepared you, do not allow your feelings or present conditions stop you from being that man.

It does take out the doubt. It lays off the responsibility to act in a manner which you are not prepared for at that moment.

1 Peter 4:11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.