To the World and the Skeptics at Home
Notes
Transcript
Three Gospel Stories
Story One: Teacher & Students
The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.
A teacher says, “Look, here he is!” Faith results.
Story Two: Two Brothers
One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).
A family member says, “Look, here he is!” Faith results.
Story Three: Two Friends
The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”
A friend says, “Look, here he is!” Why doesn’t it work?
Skepticism
Prejudice
Hopelessness
People of faith are often surprised to encounter skeptics close to home.
What should be our response to these obstacles?
“Come and see.”
Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”
Jesus knew Nathaniel just as well as he knew Simon.
Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”
Jesus produced faith, not Philip.
Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
People are not converted by parlor tricks.
The church’s teachers must point to Jesus.
The family must point to Jesus.
Every friend must point to Jesus.