Faith in Motion - Progressing from an Encounter with Christ to Purposeful Action for Christ!
Journey Through the Gospel of John • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Introduction
Introduction
As I was preparing the message for today, I wanted to stick with a similar theme to last week’s. Last week, we focused on the discipleship journey. We noted from our text, John 1:35-39, that our discipleship journey starts with an encounter with Christ and accepting His invitation to “come and see.” His invitation is one that includes an exciting opportunity to experience a new spiritual life.
Today’s message follows up with this thought. Our faith is a faith that is in motion. We, as believers, must progress from our encounter with Christ to purposeful action for Christ. As you will see, this is all demonstrated beautifully in our text.
Our text for today picks up where we left off last week. If you recall, John the Baptist declared again that Christ was the Lamb of God. Two of John’s disciples hear John’s message and begin following Christ. Sensing they are following Him, Christ extends an invitation to “come and see” where He lived. They spend the entire rest of the day with Him and even spend the night at His place. The very next day, Andrew, overcome with excitement, rushes off to find his brother, Simon Peter, and brings Peter to Christ. Christ identifies Peter and then gives Peter a new identity. Now, we pick up the rest of the story from there.
43 The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.
44 Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
48 Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.
50 Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.
51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.
Here is my first point this morning concerning our faith in motion.
Our Initial Encounter with Christ is the Catalyst for Action
Our Initial Encounter with Christ is the Catalyst for Action
43 The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.
I would also remind you of what transpired the day before.
40 One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
41 He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
As you might recall, this all started with John the Baptist, who pointed out one final time that Christ was the Lamb of God. As he did, two of his disciples heard his message, left following John, and began pursuing the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ invited them to “come and see” where He lived. They spent the entire day with him and stayed the night, and the next morning, Andrew rushes off to share the same message with his brother, Peter.
My first point this morning seems a bit of a broken record since my first point last week was similar. However, I must drive home the fact that we, as spiritually dead people, cannot begin our spiritual journey until we have encountered the Savior, Jesus Christ. We see this repeatedly throughout Christ’s ministry. Every true disciple had an encounter with Christ. What is interesting is this! Each person’s encounter was a little different.
Let me illustrate this. Of the four conversions listed in this part of John 1, no two were alike. The first two, who were disciples of John, heard John, the preacher, proclaim Christ as the Lamb of God. Then, Simon Peter was “brought” to Christ by his brother, one of the first two to follow Jesus. However, as we noted in our text today, Philip, the third convert, was not brought to Christ by another. Nothing here suggests that anyone other than Christ himself cared for his spiritual condition. Christ “findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.” Last but not least was Nathanael. As we just read, Philip, Nathanael’s brother, invited Nathanael to “come and see” that Christ was the Messiah.
Putting all four together makes you realize that the first two came to Christ through a preacher’s message. The second and fourth came to Christ because someone personally invited them to “come and see” Christ. However, in the third person’s case, Philip, no human instrument was involved as Christ personally sought Philip.
Here is another exciting consideration about their encounter with Christ. In each instance, Christ dealt differently with each one.
Remember, the first two heard the message and set about following Jesus. Christ posed a very searching question as they did: “What seek ye?” However, in Peter’s encounter with Christ, Christ noted who Peter was and gave Peter a new identity - “thou shalt be called Cephas.” For Philip, Christ said to him, “Follow me.” However, for Nathanael, Christ graciously disarmed his prejudice and assured Nathanael that He, the Lord Jesus, stood ready to receive him.
What does this have to do with my opening point this morning?
It is simply this thought.
Each encounter with Christ is different but always has the same result. There are those even today who come to Christ through a preacher's preaching. Still others come to Him through the invite of His disciples. Additionally, others come to Him because He comes looking for them. Yet, whatever means a person comes to Christ, their journey begins with their first encounter with Him. Such an encounter opens their eyes to the fact that He is God and that He does indeed reward those who seek after Him. That is true faith. Each time I read these encounters with Christ, I am driven to the great book of Hebrews 11 - the great chapter on faith.
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Consider each of these men once again and their encounter with Christ. They knew nothing about Christ. I imagine they knew much about the Old Testament prophecies concerning the future Messiah. I am sure the religious leaders of that day, especially the Pharisees, ensured the vast majority knew such prophecies. However, none outside John the Baptist, his parents, the parents of Christ, and a couple of individuals in the Temple received any special revelation from God about Jesus’s identity. It wasn’t until the day John the Baptist declared Jesus to be the Lamb of God that such a message or revelation was given. So, they placed their hopes on something that was not evident. Remember that Christ has not performed any miracles just yet. Next week’s message takes us to the very first miracle performed. These men believed that Christ, whom they had never met before, was the Messiah. Note again the message from Andrew and Philip to their brothers, respectively.
41 He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
What am I saying?
I am saying that each person’s encounter with Christ must conclusively end with a wholehearted belief that Christ is God and that He rewards those who seek Him.
Now, in light of the entire New Testament, we know this.
Everyone is born a sinner and spiritually dead.
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
Thus, each person needs of a spiritual rebirth or resurrection. Such a rebirth can only come through Jesus Christ as He is the One Who died for our sins, was buried, and resurrected Himself from the dead. In doing so, He was given eternal life.
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Consequently, true faith in Christ is the only means by which a person can be spiritually alive, receive the gift of eternal life, and be a true disciple of Christ.
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
When a person believes with their heart and confesses with their mouth the Lord Jesus Christ, Scripture teaches they are saved from eternal damnation and begin a new journey of eternal life with Christ.
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
Perhaps you are here this morning, and you have not believed. May I tell you this morning that if you genuinely want to live, you must open your heart to Christ. Right now, He is seeking you out. He is saying to you, “Come and see.” He wants you to “follow Him.” The invite is yours to accept. It is a matter of you genuinely believing. If you truly believe, taking actionable steps to demonstrate that belief is easy. True faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ as atonement for sins will cause you to cry out with your mouth, “I believe, and I accept.” Such a statement before God is a confession.
Let’s get to our next central point this morning.
Our Faith Transitions into Purposeful Actions
Our Faith Transitions into Purposeful Actions
Looking at this account of these men and their conversions, we must note how their faith easily transitioned into purposeful actions.
Last week, we saw this happen with Andrew. He spent the day with Christ and could not wait the next day to go and tell his brother, Peter.
40 One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
41 He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.
Again, we see it happening with Philip.
45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
Both men could not contain themselves. Their encounter with Christ quickly and effortlessly transitioned into purposeful action. They immediately sought the person closest to them. They shared with them how their encounter with Christ changed their life. Their message became the same as Christ’s: "Come and see!”
There is something here that I find a little disturbing regarding modern discipleship. Each week, almost without end, I spend time imploring, almost begging, believers to tell others about Christ. What is wrong with that picture in light of what we see in these men who encountered Christ? As your pastor, should I constantly plead with you to tell others about His wondrous saving grace? Should it not be that you, as a true believer, without any effort or hesitation, would want to tell others? Evangelism is one of those things that seems to be a constant and weary effort to get people to do these days. These men did not require a pastor’s encouragement to tell others. No, this instant desire was to let others know they had found the Messiah.
Their faith resulted in a natural response of witnessing to others and inviting them to “come and see.”
My fellow believers, when was the last time you invited someone to “come and see?” Have you grown cold in your belief that Christ is the Messiah? It is good that Christ gives us the account of these first disciples. In doing so, His Spirit has now the chance to renew within us an enthusiasm and passion that perhaps we have lost. Scripture clearly shows that Christ expects us to be His witnesses to others.
15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
My contention this morning is that I should not be pushing you to be witnesses for Him. It should be the last message I would need to preach to you.
If you truly know Christ and understand Who He is and what He has done for you, you would be thrilled to tell others. Yet, for some reason, we want to sit in the background and hope others will hear. That is not how this works.
We are the voices crying in the wilderness; if we do not take the message to others, they will not hear.
As believers, we must go, tell, and invite others to Christ.
Now, understand this, there will obstacles to overcome. I say this because of Nathanael’s reaction to Philip.
46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
Nathanael held some prejudice against the people of Nazareth. His snide remark about anything good coming out of Nazareth was meant to deflect Philip’s invite. There are always people who react negatively to the message. However, we must not give up. The world does not see their need for a Savior. Christ said that following Him and testifying for Him would not be easy.
22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.
Yet, in that same context, Christ went on to say this.
27 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,
Even when people respond negatively to our witness, we must persist but persist with love and goodness. Philip did the same. He responded to his brother’s snide remark: "Come and see.” Philip didn’t argue with Nathanael or try to convince him that all Nazarenes were not bad. No, he challenged Nathanael to check it for himself. He basically told Nathanael, don’t knock Christ until you have met Him. That is the same message today for those who would throw up barriers. Come and see!
Here is my next point, and we are done.
Actionable Faith Envisions the Outflow of Future Blessings.
Actionable Faith Envisions the Outflow of Future Blessings.
At the very end of our text today, Jesus says something to Nathanael that is very interesting.
51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.
Now, consider the context of this statement. Christ just revealed to Nathanael that He, Christ, knew precisely what happened under the fig tree. As to what happened, we are not privy to that information. However, whatever it was, it arrested Nathanael’s attention. It matters not what took place under the tree. What did matter was that no one should have known what happened because it was personal to Nathanael. Yet, standing before him was a man whom he had never met and who knew exactly what took place under that fig tree. It was something that only God would know. This man knew. We know Nathanael’s reaction.
49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.
Jesus then responds.
50 Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.
51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.
What was Christ saying? He was informing Nathanael that if he truly believed and followed Christ, some incredible things would happen in Nathanael’s future.
Believer, there is a great future ahead for us. Our journey has just started. It is a journey that began with the belief that Christ is indeed the Savior that we need. We placed our trust in His death, burial, and resurrection. At that moment, the blessing began to flow. We received God’s Spirit, eternal life, and a place in God’s family. Even now, we continue to experience the blessings of seeing God answer our prayers, having the Spirit illuminate our minds with Scripture, and watching how God uses us to bring others to Him. There are more blessings to come.
Actionable faith envisions those future blessings. Actionable faith moves and progresses as we move closer to realizing those future blessings.
What blessings am I talking about? Here are some examples, even though many more are listed in Scripture.
1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
One future blessing is we will be with Christ, enjoying His glorious presence and the wonderful place that He is preparing even now for us.
7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
Another future blessing is the crowns we will receive for our faithfulness to Him. They are crowns that we will willingly and gladly throw back at His feet as we worship Him.
I could go on to mention the blessing of our return at His Second Coming, the blessing of immortality and an incorruptible body, the blessings associated with the Millennium Kingdom, not to mention the blessing of the future new earth, heaven, and Jerusalem. We do not have time to dive into all those blessings. However, suffice it to say that we who truly believe will see things beyond our imagination. Such promise from God should empower our faith, propelling us to serve Him with great vigor and drive us to share the Gospel message with as many as we meet.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Let me conclude by saying our faith is meant to be in motion. I contend from Scripture that true faith propels us to act. As such, after our initial encounter with Christ by which we accept Him as Lord and Savior, we should be spiritually motivated to share the gospel with as many we meet. Actionable faith is the trademark of a true disciple of Christ. The question for you this morning it this? Are you a true believer in Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection? If not, the I invite you to open your heart and life to Him this morning. If you say that you are a true believer, is there actions that back it up? More importantly, are you being a witness for Him? The desire to share Christ with others should be innate within you. Do you have that desire? If so, act on it. Put your faith in motion.
Discussion Questions
Discussion Questions
Which of the three ways people encountered Christ best describes your initial encounter with him? Did you come to Christ through a preacher’s message, a personal invite, or a more personal encounter with Christ?
What makes believers reluctant to share the gospel or invite others to church?
Do you think there is a Scriptural connection between a person’s reluctance to share the good news of Christ as an indication of their salvation? Explain.
What experiences have you encountered from those who seek to make excuses, such as Nathanael?
How have you handled those who bring up excuses or opposition when you seek to share the gospel with others?
How did the thought that actionable faith envisions future blessings impact you?
Name some additional future blessings that were not mentioned in this morning’s message.
Remember to use the following follow up questions to each person’s response.
What do you think about that?
Anyone here tonight have ideas about the answer to that?