Come, See, and Stay with Jesus

Our sermon title this morning is; Come, See, and Stay with Jesus. And as the sermon title draws and invites you in, I hope that what we’ll further see this morning is that; Jesus is the initiator, Jesus is the true Seeker, and Jesus is the Searcher of the hearts of His disciples and of us His people.

Introduction.

To quickly recap where we’ve been the last few times ….…John has withstood his own temptation in the wilderness(if you will). He has denied the temptation to be elevated to a status not his. He has been faithful to His calling as God’s final prophet. He has witnessed to Jesus in his preaching and in the last episode pointed Jesus out with His finger while preaching. Now, before us is John’s swan song. Like Moses, John comes to a boundary he cannot cross. His ministry will not cross over from the old economy into the new. John only Has one thing left to do and that is to fade away and seek to transfer his disciples on to Jesus. But this is glory to John, because it will be the crowning of His work. And though he is just a voice, He is a blessed and important voice. His joy will be completed in seeing some of his disciples move from him(the friend) to the Bridegroom.

And in many ways, we are crossing a great divide in redemptive history. Jesus is gathering His own disciples who will in the future be apostles and pillars of the New Testament church. And we will begin to see many other aspects of the old economy go away in Jesus own person and work.

35 Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples.

In the same way as before. He was standing there purposefully waiting to see Jesus. But this time with two of His disciples. He intends to point them to Jesus. His intention is to hand off his disciples to Jesus, the true Light,

John 1:8 “He was not the Light, but he came to bear witness about the Light.”

36 And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!”

He looks at Jesus intently.

Where else in the gospel accounts do we have an intent look like described here? Several other places, which I think will help us here.

Rich Young Ruler

Mark 10:21 “And looking at him, Jesus loved him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.””

A loving and compassionate look.

Mark 14:67 “and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with the Nazarene, Jesus.””

A deep and knowing look. Piercing gaze.

Luke 22:61 “And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, “Before a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.””

Merciful, loving and understanding.

I think we have some of that here. An affectionate, loving, and understanding look at Jesus by the Baptist.

And this is the look Jesus desires any preacher or teacher would have of Him in proclaiming Him to others. Whether a pastor to your congregation, one evangelizing to a co-worker or relative, a parent bringing the gospel to there children. We are to have an understanding of His person and work, but it is to be accompanied with an affection and love for Him that spills out of us as we present Him.

This effects His message to the disciples. When one has gazed upon Christ in such a way, it comes in a more convincing and winning way. I believe we are to understand this look to affect His preaching in such a way that His disciples believe the message this time. As they had probably heard it the day before.

Notice the repetition. It’s not just to fill space. V.29 “To say the same thing is not a burden for me” says Paul. The cross is central to the Baptists message. It was central to the apostles message as well. “I determined to know nothing among you but Christ and Him crucified.” And it is to be central to our teaching, preaching, and evangelism also, as it is central to the gospel itself.

1 Corinthians 15:1–4 “Now I make known to you, brothers, the gospel which I proclaimed as good news to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I proclaimed to you as good news, unless you believed for nothing. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,”

What is central here? What is of most importance here? First, that He died for our sins! And that He rose again according to the Scriptures.

And before we move on, consider that this last gaze upon Jesus, and preaching would be the look and message that would start the New Covenant church. Whenever you believed it traces it’s origin back to this message and response in faith. What a precious thought and verse to us.

37 The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.

Now if we’re familiar with the gospel accounts we’ll know that many follow Jesus, only to leave Him later. The question should naturally come to our minds; Is this an initial inquiry(only to depart in the future), or them responding in faith to the preached message?

Further, What attracts them? Is it some act of power? Is it some attractive feature of Him? No. They’re attracted to Him by what they heard. An utterance about His person and work.

And the idea here is that they understood Him (John the Baptist). They understood something of the title. They understood the Baptists message, So they begin to follow Jesus. The word means to follow as a disciple.

38 Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, “What do you seek?” They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), “where are You staying?”

First “Jesus turned”

The eternal Son of God turns His face toward them. At the outset, we see that God means to bestow His grace and favor upon them. That’s what God turning His face to someone indicates. His love, His goodness, His salvation. Perhaps further an indicator that He will begin to manifest His glory to them.

And Jesus says: “What do you seek”

One commentator suggests that Jesus first Words recorded in this gospel have a similar sense to God’s first words to Adam after the fall. God says to Adam “Where are you?” Does God not know where Adam is??? Of course He does. It’s a searching word, “Where are you?” or “What have you done Adam?” But it’s also a gracious and merciful word to Him. He has not been destroyed, his covenant Lord is speaking to Him. In the midst of pronouncing the curse, He will also announce His gracious promise him in the gospel.

Jesus here says “what do you seek?” Does He know what they seek?? Yes. Again, It is a a searching question. Are you seeking a King to relieve you from temporal distress? Do you seek honour, greatness, or riches? Do you seek a sign or wonder? But also an open and gracious question. Jesus opens himself to them. Gives them freedom to speak. What can I teach you? What would you like to learn of me? What burdens can I take away? Ask and don’t have any fear.

And the Evangelist intends the same question to be asked of oursleves. What are we seeking? Prosperity? Ease of life? A nice and tidy home life? Fame? Recognition? Glory and approval from men? You name it.

And the disciples show us the way here as they ask Jesus;

“Where are you staying?”

And I believe this response is what tells us that their following is not a following to have their bellies filled, or to see some great sign or wonder. Those would in fact later confirm the faith already worked in them here in this encounter. But here they are seeking Jesus.

Where are you staying means, we want to engage in deeper conversation with you. We want to learn more about this great title “Lamb of God” and pouring out of the Spirit.

And here’s something interesting. Where was Jesus dwelling place?

Matthew 8:20“And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.””

Whatever it was, it was temporary, and it wasn’t anything special. Nothing fit for a king. Some suggest it could have been in a cave somewhere. Wherever it is, they are not really after that…..…

Here’s something for us: Where is Jesus dwelling place now? Where are His power and wisdom shown most brilliantly? If we wanted this same intimate conversation with Jesus, where would we go? Right here! Where the mystery of the gospel is made known.

The church. Eph 3:10,11.

Jesus is in the preaching, reading, and hearing of the Word, in our prayers, in the supper( which is the visible proclamation of the gospel), and in our fellowship.

Don’t here me say He is not with us individually throughout the week. He is! But there is a special promises to us as we gather as “a body”, there are special commands for our gathering. God is with us in a unique way as we gather and faithfully practice the God ordained means in worship! The church has known and believed this for centuries. And has been willing to die for it.

There is a further exhortation for us here:

How quick we are to fail to see the means of grace as a fellowship with the risen Savior. Do we think of coming to church as coming to a unique and special fellowship with your triune Lord? That’s what happens when we come by faith, believing that!

And how quick do our own motives change! How quick we are to see our relationship with Jesus as a means to give us temporal comforts and benefits. What He desires is communion. Pray that this week. Lord Jesus, I would dwell with you. Whatever my lot, my desire is fellowship with you. To know the beauty of your person, your work, your dealings with men………… Ask yourself this question today. Children and those of us in Christ. What do we seek from him now, today, this week, this new year. Seek Him! Himself! Seek Him and you will have all you need! Your souls will be satisfied with good things! As with marrow and fatness! Make Psalm 42:1,2. be your song and prayer!

Listen to Pink:

“It was not a blessing, but the Blesser Himself that their spirits sought.” ~Pink

“As pants the deer for water brooks, so pants my soul for you, O, God.”

O for a little time with our Lord each day. At the beginning at the close of the day. Time with Him in prayer, in meditation and contemplation of His Word, His works and wonders in creation and redemption, of the glories to come!

39 He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour).

And notice how Jesus won’t put off fellowship. He doesn’t say, here are my quarters, swing by in a couple of hours, or a couple of days. He is immediately hospitable.

Matthew 11:28–29 ““Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.”

Amazing. He knows. He knew all along their hearts. Yet he graciously draws out what their needs were and now bids them come.

We see that Jesus has complete control of the situation here. He has searched them, He is drawing them.

“Come and see”

This is a command, but it brings with it more than a command. It’s an if-then, but with an appeal to it.

Jesus says, “If you come- and I want you to come, I invite you to come- you will see”.

and “Come”

from sin, from the world, from darkness, misery, damnation.

“and see”

forgiveness, peace, rest, salvation. Come and see the beauty of my person and work.

Again, Jesus invites them to “His abode”. He has no abode. Actually He does. His abode is in fellowship with His Father. His communion with Him, and His Word, and purposes. Do you think he means come and see my temporary dwelling place??? No way. Many have rightly said can you imagine that conversation?? It is probably dinner and conversation into the night as it is 4 pm.

They come, and see, and remain with Him all day ?????

What would they have said?

Job 42:5 ““I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; But now my eye sees You;”

This is what they could say after spending the day with Jesus. Truly they beheld great glimpses His glory here (1:14)

What is our conclusion?

Abiding with Jesus is our blessedness now (John 15) and to eternity( John 14:3““And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” ) That is our end. Eternal fellowship.

Verse 40

40 One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.

This is the second time we have reference to hearing of John’s message. I believe it is to affirm for us that the primary means of men and women coming to faith is by preaching.

Romans 10:17 “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”

But it’s by no means the only means. As the next verse shows us that Simon and John go and personally evangelize their brothers. God would have us do the same.

Verse 41.

41 He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ).

Andrews and John’s(Evangelist) lives are transformed by their time with Jesus. They can’t help but go tell of what they’ve found!

The first thing he does is tells his closest relative.

Some of you remember that at the time of your conversion you could not help but tell everyone about what you had found in Christ. And it started with those closest to you. Those you have the most natural affection for. You had to tell them, because you desired that they would come to know and find the same Christ, and find the same forgiveness, peace, and joy that you experienced.

A few years ago the Lord brought a woman to the church in Fargo who had recently been converted, coming out of a rough background. Her zeal for evangelism was so cheering and contagious. It was also challenging. I wanted that zeal back!

I think we should be praying that the Spirit would work in us a fresh zeal in this regard, that would manifest itself in a desire to see others come to believe the gospel.

Listen to JC Ryle:

“All who have received mercy ought to find a tongue and declare what God has done for their souls. All who have been delivered from the power of the devil, ought to go home and tell their friends what great things God has done for them.” ~JC Ryle

And I would not assume that this telling of Jesus was very articulate. We know how misunderstood their idea of the Messiah was at this point. But they got the main thing across. This Messiah is going to take away our sins. Our greatest need. He is the end times anointed Prophet, Priest, and King who is here for us. To redeem us. To Give us the end times Spirit.

Here is a simple way to express it:

I want to show you the wonderful things God has done for me in His Son. Would you come and see with me this Sunday.

“We have found”

The expression is that of joyful discovery. To find after a search, or to conclude after a search. We have found the pearl of great price!

42 And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas” (which is translated, A Stone).

“And he brought him to Jesus”

He brings his brother to Jesus. We bring people to church! After we tell people about Jesus we bring them to Jesus. And that is the church, his body. This is where the believer is nurtured, protected, is discipled and learns how to contribute and exercise their gifts of service whatever that maybe. There are no lone wolfs. Imagine if the Samaritan would have bandaged his wounds only to leave him on the side of the road. We don’t do that. We bring them to the inn.

“Jesus looked at Him”

Jesus looks at Him intently.

Same word as we dealt with earlier. This time with a knowing gaze, such that it demonstrates to us the divinity of Jesus, as He will express in His all-knowing of Simon-Peter. He knows both his past, his current character, and what He will be. Jesus knows Him altogether. Beginning to end!

It is not mentioned as explicitly with Nathaniel, but what we are to take is that “before your brother brought you here, I knew you, Nathaniel, and intimately. I saw you and knew what you were doing and thinking.

And this encounter is unique to Peter in an obvious sense. It is on Peter’s confession that Christ will build His church. Peter will be a prominent and bold figure in the expansion of the church in Acts. And he will be used as an apostolic pen in His two wonderful epistles where his new name and character are on full display.

But It is the experience of every believer. The Lord Jesus has the same knowing, and loving gaze upon us. He knows us altogether, he knows your faults, your blemishes like Peter, yet he loves you and is making you to be his believed sons and daughters with whom he is well pleased.

As one writer puts it:

“The focus …… is on Jesus as the one who intimately knows people and "so calls them that he makes them what he calls them to be"”

He says: “You shall be called Cephas”

Three takeaways from this verse before we conclude.

1) God has the authority and power to give someone a new name. We see this throughout the Old Testament. Abraham, Sarah, Jacob….…

2) When God gives a new name it expresses a new spiritual status or a reversal of identity. And it can be a change that will come about, or to signify some change already wrought in the person. We see this in Peter. Peter is not like a rock, “ Peter was impulsive and undisciplined in spirit, a rough-hewn man of raw emotion.” ~James Emery White

But Christ would make Him to be a rock, a pillar of the church in fact. Next time you read 1 & 2 Peter, keep his former disposition in mind and it will certainly enhance your reading of it.

3)What about us? Do we get new names? Is the Christian renamed like Peter? Do we have a new name given to us? I believe so. I believe Peter has this name along with us.

First what is our old name? It’s “in Adam”. And what is our new name? It is “in Christ”. Are new identity is that we are found to be united to Christ in His death and life. His death is our death. His righteous life is our life!

We experience the benefits of this new status here and now. And it points us to what we will be in the future. We have a glorious new name and identity in Christ.

As we conclude, consider once again what we’ve looked at. We’ve seen the disciples drawn to Jesus by the convincing preaching of the Baptist in his swan song, we’ve considered the motives for seeking Jesus, we’ve seen that seeking Jesus and remaining with Jesus is the what true disciples do ….and we’ve caught a glimpse of Jesus glory, in His dealings with men, and as He has displayed divine prerogatives to us in His searching the hearts of His disciples and renaming of Peter. May we be those who are drawn to gaze on the beauty of our Savior in all these ways in the hours, days, and months ahead. And may we be those who are quick to tell others and draw others to our Lord Jesus Christ.

Please pray with me.