The Jesus Podcast

Episode: Feeling Seen: The Calling of Nathanael
Host: Zach (Pray.com)
Date: October 13, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the biblical story of Nathanael (also known as Bartholomew) and his encounter with Jesus, exploring themes of feeling unseen, hidden burdens, and the transformative power of being truly known by God. Through dramatized storytelling and thoughtful commentary, the host and narrators connect Nathanael’s struggle with invisibility to listeners’ own experiences with loneliness, vulnerability, and the longing to be seen. The narrative highlights how Jesus uniquely sees and accepts each person, inviting us into a deeper sense of belonging and purpose.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Opening Reflection & Prayer (00:00–03:00)

• The episode begins with a reading from Psalm 139:1–2, emphasizing God’s intimate knowledge of us.
• The opening prayer thanks God for seeing all aspects of who we are – our flaws, anxieties, and insecurities – and for loving us unconditionally.
• Listeners are encouraged to walk confidently, free from insecurity, because of God’s perfect knowledge and love.

2. Nathanael’s Story: Feeling Invisible (03:00–07:25)

• Nathanael is introduced as a man of integrity, feeling unappreciated and invisible in his community.
• He retreats to his sacred fig tree outside Bethsaida, a personal place of solitude and refuge.
• The dramatized narrative explores Nathanael’s internal struggle; he asks God if he is even seen (“Do you see me, Lord, or am I invisible to you?” – Nathanael, 04:41).

3. Modern Connection: The Fear of Never Being Found (05:27–07:25)

• Host Zach draws a parallel between childhood excitement in hide-and-seek and adult fears of being overlooked or perpetually hidden.
• Key scripture: Luke 19 – “For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost.”
• Zach encourages listeners to consider their own experiences of feeling invisible and to relate to Nathanael’s journey.

4. Dramatization: Nathanael Meets Jesus (07:25–17:13)

• Narration details Nathanael’s reluctance to meet “yet another” religious leader, and his skepticism about Jesus being from Nazareth.
• Memorable moment:
  “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” – Nathanael (11:03)
• Philip’s invitation to “come and see” is a gentle challenge, grounded in his own conviction.
• Upon meeting Jesus, Nathanael is greeted with,
  “An Israelite in whom there is no deceit. A truly good man.” – Jesus (13:28)
  This profound recognition cuts through Nathanael’s defenses and touches on the deepest longing of his heart.
• The revelation that Jesus saw Nathanael under the fig tree (14:09) – a place of private prayer and anguish – convinces Nathanael of Jesus’s divine knowledge.
• Emotional climax:
  “Rabbi, truly you are the Son of God. You are the one we've been waiting for.” – Nathanael (15:12–15:18)
• Jesus affirms Nathanael’s faith:
  “You believe because I told you I saw you under a fig tree, my friend. You will see far greater things than that. I tell you this, Nathanael. You will see heaven open and angels ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” – Jesus (16:55)
• This encounter transforms Nathanael, offering him the acceptance and sense of being seen he so longed for.

5. Reflection: The Tension Between Being Seen and Feeling Safe (17:26–24:00)

• Zach discusses the universal tension between wanting to be known and the vulnerability this requires.
• Many people hide behind “masks,” afraid to reveal their true selves for fear of rejection, which perpetuates loneliness:
  • “When we don’t allow ourselves to be fully known, we don’t feel the full acceptance of people… And that loneliness will lead us to make some pretty unhealthy decisions.” (18:00)
• Jesus’s ministry is reframed as an ongoing act of seeking out and integrating the hidden and fragmented parts of people, offering true acceptance:
  • “He came to see us, to know us, relate to us, and bless us.” (19:32)
• Zach reassures listeners:
  • “You are completely seen and known by Jesus. All of your flaws, all of your darkness... They are all laid bare and seen by Jesus. Yet in the midst of all of that, you’re accepted and unconditionally loved by Him.” (20:00)
• The episode encourages reframing “being seen” not as exposure to judgment, but as a pathway to healing and growth in Christ.

6. Community and Mission: Found People Find People (24:00–28:00)

• Reflections on the story of Philip: once seen and freed by Jesus, he desires the same for Nathanael—a model for Christian community.
• Discipleship is depicted as a cycle of being found and finding others:
  • “Found people, find people… This would be the very mission of the 12 disciples…” (24:20)
• Listeners are encouraged to pursue genuine relationships grounded in vulnerability and trust within the faith community.

7. Practical Encouragement: Steps Toward Being Known (28:00–End)

• Zach urges listeners to take small steps in making themselves known to God and others.
• “Transformation only occurs when the real you is brought before the real Jesus.” (30:02)
• The process is acknowledged as gradual, requiring patience as spiritual and emotional growth happens.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Do you see me, Lord, or am I invisible to you?”
  — Nathanael praying under the fig tree (04:41)

• “Can anything good come from Nazareth?”
  — Nathanael expressing skepticism (11:03)

• “An Israelite in whom there is no deceit. A truly good man.”
  — Jesus to Nathanael (13:28)

• “You saw me under the fig tree?”
  — Nathanael, realizing Jesus’s knowledge/insight (14:18)

• “Rabbi, truly you are the Son of God. You are the one we've been waiting for.”
  — Nathanael’s moment of faith (15:12)

• “You believe because I told you I saw you under a fig tree, my friend. You will see far greater things than that.”
  — Jesus, affirming Nathanael (16:55)

• “When we don’t allow ourselves to be fully known, we don’t feel the full acceptance of people…And that loneliness will lead us to make some pretty unhealthy decisions.”
  — Zach, on the cost of hiding (18:00)

• “You are completely seen and known by Jesus… Yet in the midst of all of that, you’re accepted and unconditionally loved by Him.”
  — Zach, reinforcing God’s acceptance (20:00)

• “Found people, find people.”
  — Zach, summarizing our call to community (24:20)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00–03:00 – Psalm 139, opening prayer, introduction
• 03:00–07:25 – Nathanael’s struggles with invisibility and loneliness
• 07:25–12:27 – Encounter between Nathanael and Philip; invitation to meet Jesus
• 13:28–17:13 – Dramatic meeting with Jesus; Nathanael’s transformation
• 17:26–24:00 – Host reflection on vulnerability, loneliness, and Jesus’s acceptance
• 24:00–28:00 – Discipleship, community, and the mission to “find others”
• 28:00–End – Practical encouragement; conclusion and preview of next episode

Tone & Takeaways

Maintaining an empathetic, encouraging, and reflective tone, this episode of The Jesus Podcast offers rich storytelling blended with spiritual insights. It invites listeners to identify with Nathanael’s longing to be seen and known, culminating in the assurance that Jesus fully knows, accepts, and loves us. The call to authentic faith, vulnerability, and community echoes throughout, refreshing ancient scripture for a modern audience.

Listeners are left encouraged to take steps toward honest self-revelation before God and others, trusting in the gentle acceptance and transformative love Jesus offers.