God is the Author of our Story

Before Song:

We are about to sing our NEW SONG THAT WE HAVE PICKED FOR THIS YEAR.....to go with our word.....BECOME!

We know from John 1:12, that God has given us a RIGHT to BECOME CHILDREN OF GOD!

And if we are His children, then He is nurturing us, teaching us, and bringing us to maturity

And so we are asking the question....Who are we BECOMING in CHRIST!?

And we recognize that when we BECOME children of God.....we are given a NEW NAME!

Revelation 2:17 “17 “To him who overcomes... I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.” ’”

The white stone resembles innocence and purity given through Christ.

And there is a unique name He has given specifically to you.

And because of this NEW NAME....Jesus further says....

Revelation 3:5 “5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.”

We are going to sing this song and I want you to listen to the lyrics....

I was lost in shame, could not get past my blame. Until He called my name I'm so glad He changed me Darkness held me down, but Jesus pulled me out And I'm no longer bound I'm so glad He changed me

See, I'm now a new creation in Christ (yeah) The old has gone, there's new life I live by faith, not by sight

There is a new name written down in glory And it's mine, yes, it's mine I've met the Author of my story And He's mine, yes, He's mine

And while you are singing....I want you to come forward and grab a white stone with a NEW NAME WRITTEN ON IT that is UNIQUELY FOR YOU!

And I want you to pray over this NEW NAME AND WHAT GOD IS DOING SPECIFICALLY WITH YOU....

As you are BECOMING ALL THAT YOU ARE MEANT TO BE IN CHRIST!

Intro:

I hope this was a powerful time for you and is a way that God will continue to speak to you!

Trista’s Testimony…useful

My Testimony…Remarkable

And so lean into God and see what He shares with you!

PRAY!!!!

Last week, we heard this HUMBLE, YET PASSIONATE CRY from the wilderness!

It was a voice that simply wanted himself to decrease and for CHRIST to increase.

And that is where we pick up this morning.....with John the Baptist and two of his disciples!

We are going to see that GOD IS THE AUTHOR OF OUR STORY!

I. We get to meet the AUTHOR of our STORY. (John 1:35-42)

John 1:35–42 NKJV

35 Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. 36 And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 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?” 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). 40 One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ). 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).

So we have this great announcement once again!

John and two disciples are standing together....and here comes Jesus walking...

And so once again.....JOHN SAYS.....BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD!

If this really was the LAMB OF GOD....

Then this was the one who had been promised all of these years....

This was the ALPHA and the OMEGA....the BEGINNING and the END!

This was the one that chose us from the foundation of the World...

IN FACT, IT WOULD MEAN THAT HE WAS THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH!

John was INTRODUCING them to the AUTHOR of their STORY!

These disciples had to RESPOND to this INTRODUCTION!

And they did.....it says they HEARD JESUS SPEAK....and they FOLLOWED HIM!

And they wanted to keep following HIM, so they asked where he was staying....he simply said COME AND SEE!

I believe this is still our invitation today!

AS WE HEAR GOD, ESPECIALLY THROUGH HIS WORD....WE ARE INVITED TO FOLLOW HIM!

And we may have questions and be curious of what that journey would look like....

And God answers our questions by saying COME AND SEE!!!

When I first surrendered to Christ as a 13 year old boy, I could have never imagined what this journey would look like!

And I had many questions along the way…but each time I was met with COME AND SEE!!

And time after time....I WOULD COME AND SEE

And can I tell you.....I HAVE NEVER BEEN LET DOWN!

There are things I did not understand till later…and some things I still don't understand....

BUT ONE DAY....I believe that I will be with Jesus and I’LL SAY.....I AM SO GLAD I CAME AND SAW!

There will be no place more stunning, more whole, more pure, more perfect than that place!

And when we COME AND SEE.....It’s called FAITH.....and That is when God gives us a NEW NAME!

One of the disciples that was with John was Andrew....

And it says that he went to get his brother SIMON to bring him to JESUS!

And that's the very thing He does!

John 1:42 “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).”

This may seem strange here....Why is he calling Simon..... CEPHAS.

Cephas is the Aramaic word for Stone or Rock

Peter is the Greek word for Stone or Rock

And so Jesus is calling Simon.... “The Rock”.....long before Dwayne Johnson was around.

And it may not make sense at first....But Jesus had a unique purpose in this NEW NAME!

Matthew 16:13–18 NKJV

13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” 14 So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

JESUS HAS A UNIQUE PURPOSE FOR YOU TODAY WITH THE NEW NAME HE WANTS TO GIVE YOU!

It may not make sense at first....but have faith and COME AND SEE!

He’s the Author of your Story!

II. The Author that is writing our story KNOWS our story BEST. (John 1:43-49)

John 1:43–49 NKJV

43 The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and 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 And 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 is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered and said to Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”

This is such a powerful scene here!

We see that Author writes FRIENDS into our story!

We see this with Philip and Nathaniel.

It says Jesus found Philip and calls him to follow him.....

And the very next thing it says is that he went and found NATHANIEL!

And we see this persistence of getting him to Jesus!

I believe God has wrote these type of FRIENDS into each of our stories....

I think of..... MAC....ED.....Dr. WARE…MARK....DANE

I believe God wrote each of them into my story at just the right time!

He is still writing these friends in my life here!

AND I BELIEVE HE HAS DONE THE SAME FOR YOU...

And that he is continuing to do the same thing for you!

Something else we see is that....

Our story may have seasons of DOUBT!

Philip went and found NATHANIEL and told him that they had FOUND THE MESSIAH....THE CHRIST!

The one moses wrote about...

The ones the prophets pointed too...

ITS JESUS OF NAZARETH!

And it is here that Nathaniel doubts...

His doubt was based on where the Messiah was coming from...

Can anything good come out of Nazareth?

Your season of doubt may be based on several things...

Maybe you are saying....

Can anything good really come out of this situation?

Can anything good really be given to me?

Can God really do something in my life?

Philip echoed Jesus’ words as he simply told Nathaniel....COME AND SEE!

So if you are in that season of doubt....would you hear those same words echoed from jesus.....COME AND SEE

But perhaps....the greatest part of this scene....

Before we ever came and saw.....WE WERE SEEN!

In Philips doubt, he is walking toward Jesus....

And Jesus calls out to Nathaniel....which catches Nathaniel off guard.

“How do you know my name”

And Jesus said, “BEFORE PHILIP CALLED YOU, WHEN YOU WERE UNDER THE FIG TREE, I SAW YOU.”

And he immediately confesses....”YOU ARE THE SON OF GOD! YOU ARE THE KING OF ISRAEL!”

There is something about this scene that has always got me!

When Nathaniel thought no one was looking....when he thought he was left alone…

JESUS SAW HIM!!!

I want you to know that God SEES YOU!

And He always has.....Psalm 139:13-16

Psalm 139:13–16 NKJV

13 For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.

And He sees you today!

He sees every struggle you have!

He sees every burden you carry!

He sees your heart in all the ways that it has been broken!

He sees the anger that you are struggling to let go of!

He sees the desire you have to be seen and tells you....child I see you!

REMEMBER....THE AUTHOR WRITING OUR STORY KNOWS OUR STORY BEST!

He knows the Friends you need!

He knows the Doubts you have!

And he SEES YOU BEFORE YOU KNOW YOU ARE SEEN!

III. The Author PROMISES GREATER things to COME. (John 1:50-2:12)

John 1:50–2:12 NKJV

50 Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.” 1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. 3 And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.” 4 Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” 6 Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. 7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it. 9 When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. 10 And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!” 11 This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him. 12 After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days.

We first see the Promise of Greater Things (John 1:50-51)

By Grace, through FAITH....we are given a promise of GREATER THINGS!

John 1:51 “51 “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.””

This being a fulfillment of Jacob’s dream with the Latter!

Declaring that JESUS IS THE WAY, THE ONLY WAY, from HEAVEN TO EARTH AND EARTH TO HEAVEN!

ITS THE WAY OF THE CROSS!

We then see the ILLUSTRATION of Greater Things (John 2:1-12)

We see a big wedding party here.....and it must have been a big party.....because they ran out of wine!

And we see Jesus perform a public miracle here where turns 120-180 gallons of water into wine!

A lot of Baptist have just forgot this whole chapter....but there is a beautiful illustration here concerning the quality of this wine!

The miraculous wine was considered “GOOD WINE”

The master of the feast was shocked...”You have kept the Good wine until now”....rather than giving it first!

I believe Jesus was illustrating that there was greater things to come!

You think water to wine is great....you just wait!

We know that this promise of GREATER THINGS carries us to a another day with GREAT WINE....

Isaiah 25:6–9 CSB

6 On this mountain, the Lord of Armies will prepare for all the peoples a feast of choice meat, a feast with aged wine, prime cuts of choice meat, fine vintage wine. 7 On this mountain he will swallow up the burial shroud, the shroud over all the peoples, the sheet covering all the nations. 8 When he has swallowed up death once and for all, the Lord God will wipe away the tears from every face and remove his people’s disgrace from the whole earth, for the Lord has spoken. 9 On that day it will be said, “Look, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he has saved us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him. Let’s rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”

I believe this is looking forward to the to what John sees in Revelation 19:7-8

Revelation 19:7–8 NKJV

7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” 8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

Jesus is showing us that He has more in store....Greater Things to Come!

We get a taste of these GREATER THINGS through the Holy Spirit...

John 14:12 NKJV

12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.

We see GREATER THINGS....

When we have a God who swoops his working hand all through the world!

When you know that the God of the universe meets specifically with you!

When we know the power of Resurrection in Christ is the same power we have.

But there is still yet GREATER THINGS AHEAD....

When the shroud of death is swallowed up!

When tears are wiped away!

There will be no more disgrace!

He has more in store for your life....

Both here and now....and ultimately in the day he RETURNS!

Conclusion:

Don’t FORGET, this is the STORY that He has written us INTO.

We too can be INTRODUCED TO THE AUTHOR OF OUR STORY!

You can be given a new name unique for what GOD WILL DO IN YOUR LIFE!

For the NEW NAME to be given....WE MUST GIVE UP OUR OLD NAMES!

Come to the Altar today and give up your old names....and receive your new name by grace through faith!

He KNOWS your story better than anyone else!

He has seen you before you ever came in here.....and he has wrote in your story to hear this message!

WILL YOU RESPOND TODAY!

And DON'T FORGET.....THERE IS GREATER THINGS TO COME!!!!!

LET’S #BECOME WHO WE ARE MEANT TO BE IN CHRIST!