BELOVED: a Series in JOHN.

*welcome: New people

*Opportunity to join team: we have some areas in Kids.

Turn with me to John 1.

Title: “Come & You Will See”

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John 1:35–42 ESV

35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 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?” 39 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. 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). 42 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).

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Prayer

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Introduction: This BRAND NEW SERIES : Is about Following Jesus. Seeing JESUS through the eyes of one of the closest, one of the most incredible men who was related to JESUS, but had one of the greatest revelations of JESUS for himself. And that person is of course JOHN.

So a few things about John

(We are talking about JOHN THE APOSTLE, NOt John the Baptist) Johns account of Jesus’ life is unique =- and quite amazing. Its actually breathtaking - But if you havent seen it yet, I want to show it to you and I want to teach you from the book of John in the next little while. We are going to be working through John…..

Now, What is different about john? (here comes the burden)

I believe that if you are new to FAITH to need to READ JOHN.

If you are a ways on in your FAITH, you need to know JOHN

If you are much older in the FAITH, you need to KNOW JOHN

It was written at a different time & for a different purpose.

SO let me tell you a bit about JOHN first: He was the LOVE APOSTLE, He was the LONGEST LIVING APOSTLE. John was a disciple, became a pastor:

John wasn’t martyred like the rest of them. The only one to live. Nero crucified peter upside down.John was The only one left.

History tells us that they tried to Kill john but he wouldn’t die — and He preached Christ. And subsequently, The emperor banished him to Patmos. On that island he wrote then from the vision Which we now have as the book of revelation

And it was LATER IN HIS LIFE, He began to write as He saw certain things happening in the church, and the revelation He had of JESUS found its way to pen and paper carried along by the wind of the SPIRIT.

He wrote at the end of His life because of what he Johns gospel is not one of the synoptics: which basically means “same”

Matt, Mark, Luke:They wrote about the last year of Jesus’ minisrty.

After the imprisonment of John the Baptist, they begin to talk.

John begins much earlier.

John writes his between 85-95 AD years later. Probably 60 years after Jesus died. Everything he is reading is about the 3rd year of his Ministry:

John 1 We will read in a moment

John 2 Wedding of Cana (first miracle)

John 3 Nicodemus - you must be born again. We wouldn’t have john 3:16

John 4 The woman at the well.

John 5 the lame man who had been at the pool for 38 years.

John 8 the woman caught in adultery

John 9 The man born blind

John 11 The raising of Lazarus.

john 13 The washing of the disciples feet

(what im trying to say here is that John brings a lot into the life of Jesus that we would never have had otherwise.)

John 14,15,16 is the conversation Jesus said at the last supper. The others dont record it

All the things he said the promise o

John 17 is the prayer that Jesus prays in the garden. Peter and James fall asleep. John is listening. But he doesn’t write it down until 60 years down.

How could he remember that 60 years on?

Because he continued to have daily encounters with Jesus. And the Holy Spirit brought all the things JESUS said to remembdance.

HE SAW HIMESELF THE WAY JESUS SEES HIM. BELOVED.

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So here we go.

John 1 (ESV)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

When you are reading your bible there are three things you MUST look for at ALL times:

Is there a COMMAND TO OBEY?

Is there a PROMISE to Hold onto?

Is there a TRUTH to receive?

Or a Grace to be overcome by?

When we study John & whenever you read the Bible - Look for those three things. A command, a promise or Gods truth. And always look for Gods grace.

So what can we pick up here in the first chapter of JOHN. What does John try to tell us here

1.JESUS IS GOD

John had a revelation that JESUS IS GOD (which is why he begins this GOSPEL this way).

John 1:1–5 ESV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

What we see John do here is make a connect from the life ministry death burial and resurrection, his whole being BACK To the garden:

Genesis 1:1–5 ESV

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

This is the preeminence of JESUS.

John is if you like placing JESUS at the top of the tree. He is positioning JESUS in his unique place. As part of the trinity. As the one who was created, but also creates. Preeminence of CHRIST. Supreme. Above all. (paul does this in Col 1)

John is careful to do this because HE is sure to empowered by the Holy SPIRIT to begin this gospel in the way Genesis begins so that the readers would SEE THIS - and THINK. Hang on a minute? That sounds familiar. That must be something we need to pay attention to.….

In the beginning…

Jesus WAS

Thought: When you realise how big Jesus is, you realize how small you really are. and you just get on with following HIM.

This is my personal theological term which is the BIGNESS of GOD.

You realise now small your issues are, when you see them in the light of the BIG-NESS of Jesus

One of the best things to happen to you is for you to come to realise this: God is big, I am SMALL.…Because before I ever was. Before anything ever was; JESUS was already.

Jesus didn’t come from anywhere: He was. When you see that - you dont think well i wonder if i should follow this guy - you just GO

**** a note here on discipleship - Do you notice something about Johns perspective on this:

John 1:38–39 (ESV)

38 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?” 39 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.

some people are waitying on an invitation to follow Jesus. His presence is the invitation. IF you see JESUS you will supernaturally FOLLOW. He asks WHAT ARE YOU SEEKING. and they ask - Where are you staying…. and he says come and see, So they came and saw.

Fairly straight forward isnt it?

3why do i bring this up. If you are waiting for a beautflly mailed gold encrusted letter from some church to follow and encounter JESUS youve got it backwards. There is just this sense in John they were all up in his business. where are you going because whereever you are going thats where i am now going.

JOHN SAW THAT HE WAS GOD / Have you seen JESUS as GOD?

JOHN HAD A REVELATION LIKE NO OTHER: He knew Jesus was the SON OF GOD. And you can have that revelation also!

There is a big difference her between the claims, one person has a birthday, which comes from a birthdate.

We teach kids that Jesus birthday is dec 25 and thats fine but its not exactly true!!!

We had a start date. We entered in. He never did. He is timeless. He is eternal. Are you getting this? We serve a God, who was

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He makes this very clear in John 8. and hopefully we will make our way there, but its worth noting in John 8 he does this

John 8:53–59 ESV

53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?” 54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ 55 But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” 57 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

John is careful to help people understand:

JESUS WAS … there in the beginning

JESUS IS….. the eternal God forever (greater than Abraham)

Jesus was, Jesus is. Jesus, is to come.

You know who wrote the book of revelation? The Book of revelation isn’t a book about the end times, Its a book revealing JESUS who bring forth the end. To begin the new. But he always was!, and IS and is to come.

John had this revelation:

Revelation 1:4–5 (ESV)

4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia:

Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood

As your read your bibles: remember - is there a truth to behold?

Jesus is GOD. Supreme. King. Eternal.

Jesus is God… and What does John want us to know early on?

2.JESUS LOVES ME

John saw something we need toI we: AM REALLY LOVED. I am beloved (the name of the series)

Jesus big-ness equates to our lovedness

His nature is equivalent to his grace

***** its the song we teach our children - but we should never stop singing it*****

but if thats something thats hard to comprehend for you - Check this out. At the very beginning of John we see him contrast beautifully Gods bigness but also his desire to love everyone as they are and on their level.

John 1:43–49 ESV

43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 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.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” 48 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.” 49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”

Gods immense nature is paired beautifully with his Love.

John 1:18 ESV

18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

God has allowed us to KNOW… the ONE WHO ALREADY KNOWS YOU…..

1 John 3:1 ESV

1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

Here is the GIFT. God knows you. and You are already loved

You are BELOVED. Already loved: Because he already knows you

John 1:48 (ESV)

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.”

He knows you because He made you

This is the revelation of everything who encounters JESUS christ,

Like we’ll see in John 4 when we get there - what did the woman from samaria run back and tell the whole of St Augustine / Samaria?

John 4:29 “29 “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?””

And before he made you - You were LOVED.

John 1:49 ESV

Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”

He is really BIG: But I am really LOVED.

I am BELOVED.

So no matter what my today looks like, No matter what My journey to this point has been like. God is bigger, and I am loved.

NOTES:

“And here is something that never ceases to astonish me. Pastor John of Patmos knew his Bible inside and out. The Revelation has 404 verses. In those 404 verses, there are 518 references to earlier scripture. But there is not a single quote; all the references are allusions. Here was a pastor and writer who was absolutely immersed in scripture and submitted himself to it. He did not merely repeat, regurgitate, proof-text. As he wrote, the scriptures were re-created in him. He assimilated scripture. Lived scripture. And then he wrote what he has lived. His book is certainly not “typing.” A few years after I got out of the badlands,” (Peterson, Pastor)