TELL THE GOOD NEWS John 1:19-34

A kindergarten teacher gave her class a “show and tell” assignment of bringing something to represent their religion. The first child got in front of the class and said, “My name is Benjamin, and I am Jewish, and this is the Star of David.” The second child got in front of her class and said, “My name is Mary, I am Catholic, and this is the Crucifix.” The third child got up in front of his class and said, “My name is Tommy and I am Baptist and this is a casserole.”

Spurgeon (1) wrote, " I think I may say to every person whom I am addressing,-If you are yourself saved, the work is but half done until you are employed to bring others to Christ. You are as yet but half formed in the image of your Lord. You have not attained to the full development of the Christ-life in you unless you have commenced in some feeble way to tell others of the grace of God; and I trust that you will find no rest to the sole of your foot till you have been the means of leading many to that blessed Saviour who is your confidence and your hope?

Mark 16:15 “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

Romans 10:14–15 “How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!””

2 Corinthians 5:20 “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”

WE LIVE IN A WORLD THAT IS IGNORANT ABOUT WHO JESUS IS AND WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A CHRISTIAN AND IT IS THE CHURCHES RESPONSIBILITY TO SHARE THE GOOD NEWS.

I. We live in a world that wants to know about Jesus. VS 19-24

-Jews fro Jerusalem came to question John about who he was and to see if he was the Messiah.

Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch (Acts 8:26-40)

Context: Philip, one of the early Christian evangelists, is led by an angel of the Lord to go south to the road that leads from Jerusalem to Gaza. On this road, Philip encounters an Ethiopian eunuch, a high-ranking official in charge of the treasury of the Queen of Ethiopia. The eunuch had been in Jerusalem to worship and was now returning home in his chariot, reading the book of Isaiah.

The Encounter: The Holy Spirit prompts Philip to approach the chariot. As Philip gets closer, he hears the eunuch reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asks, "Do you understand what you are reading?" The eunuch replies, "How can I, unless someone explains it to me?" He then invites Philip to sit with him in the chariot.

The Scripture: The passage the eunuch was reading is Isaiah 53:7-8, which speaks of a suffering servant who is led like a lamb to the slaughter and is silent before his shearers. The eunuch is curious and asks Philip, "Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?"

Philip's Response: Beginning with that very Scripture, Philip explains to the eunuch the good news about Jesus. He shares how Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah and explains the gospel message.

The Eunuch's Conversion: As they travel along the road, they come across some water. The eunuch says, "Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?" Philip agrees, and they stop the chariot. Philip baptizes the eunuch in the water.

The Aftermath: After the baptism, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly takes Philip away, and the eunuch continues on his way, rejoicing. Philip finds himself in another town, where he continues to preach the gospel.

A. The world wants to know our spiritual identity. VS 19

This last year I had to get my Drivers License renewed and had to get the Real Drivers License, I had to take my Birth Certificate, Social Security care, DD214 and a utility Bill to prove that I am who I said I was. As Christians our ID is our life our witness and the example of Christ others see.

Matthew 5:14–16 ““You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

B. Those who are skeptical about spiritual matters will be looking for authenticity. VS. 20-22

A small child, sitting in church asked his father, “Dad, what is a Christian?” The father replied, “A Christian is a person who loves and obeys God. He loves his friends and neighbours, and even his enemies. He prays often, is kind, gentle, and holy, and is more interested in going to heaven than in all earthly riches. That, son, is a Christian!” The boy looked puzzled and thought for a minute, then asked, “Have I ever seen one?”

John Bevere “If we are going to be authentic and relevant, we must embrace truth and allow it to transform us at our very core.”

One Pastor said: “This generation is desperately searching for something authentic. People are always watching us. They are watching us to see if we are the real deal. Without a transformed heart we can never be the light that the world around us so desperately needs. Stop acting and start being!”

Stop acting like a Christian, just be one!

Romans 12:9 “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.”

1 John 3:18 “Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.”

C. We must show them who we are. VS 23

II. We live in world that wants to know what’s going on inside the Church. VS 25-28

Rick Warren: "The Church is not a place you go to. It's a family you belong to.

Tim Keller: "The Church is not an event to attend; it’s a family to belong to, a community to be a part of, and a mission to participate in."

John Piper:"The Church is God’s plan for the world, and there is no plan B."

Francis Chan:"The Church becomes irrelevant when it becomes purely a human creation. We are not all we were made to be when everything in our lives and churches can be explained apart from the work and presence of the Spirit of God."

Bill Hybels: "There is nothing like the local church when the local church is working right.

Craig Groeschel: "We don’t just go to church. We are the Church."

Matthew 16:16–18 “Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.”

A. They want to know why we do what we do. VS 25

Baptism

Lord’s Supper

Evangelism

Discipleship

Church doctrine

B. We must always point them to Jesus. VS 26-28

-Other passages on Jesus’s Baptism

Mark 1:9–11 “In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. Immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him; and a voice came out of the heavens: “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.””

III. People Need to See Jesus. VS 29-34

The Sacrificial Lamb

Introduction:Imagine you are part of an ancient community where sacrifices are made regularly to atone for the sins of the people. Each year, as the Day of Atonement approaches, families carefully select a perfect lamb, free from any blemish or defect. This lamb is not just any animal; it represents their sin, their guilt, and their desire for reconciliation with God.

The Choice:In a small village, there lived a shepherd named David. He had a special bond with his flock, particularly a little lamb he named “Precious.” This lamb would follow him everywhere, sharing in his life as a loyal companion. David raised Precious with great care, ensuring she had the best food, shelter, and protection from harm.

As the Day of Atonement approached, David’s heart grew heavy. He knew that he had to choose one of his lambs to be sacrificed for the sins of his family. The thought of sacrificing Precious tore him apart, yet he understood that this was the requirement for atonement.

The Sacrifice:On the day of the sacrifice, David led Precious to the altar, tears streaming down his face. As he prepared to offer her, he reflected on the weight of sin and the cost of reconciliation with God. The villagers gathered, witnessing the pain of a shepherd losing his beloved lamb for the sake of his family's sins.

As the priest raised the knife, David whispered a prayer, recognizing the significance of what this lamb represented—not just for his family but for the entire community. Precious became the substitute, bearing the weight of their sins, and in that moment, David realized the depth of love and sacrifice that the lamb represented.

The Connection to Christ:Now, let’s connect this story to Jesus. In John 1:29, John the Baptist declares, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” Just as David’s beloved lamb was chosen to bear the sins of his family, Jesus, the perfect and spotless Lamb, was chosen to bear the sins of all humanity.

Jesus willingly went to the cross, offering Himself as the ultimate sacrifice, not just for a family or a village but for the entire world. His blood was shed to atone for our sins, reconciling us to God and offering us forgiveness and new life.

Conclusion:As we reflect on Jesus as the Lamb of God, let us remember the incredible love and sacrifice that this title represents. Just as David felt the weight of sacrificing Precious, we must grasp the enormity of what Jesus did for us. He is not just a historical figure; He is the embodiment of God's love and mercy, taking away our sin and giving us the gift of eternal life. Let us rejoice in this truth and share it with others, proclaiming the Lamb of God who has changed our lives forever.

A. John Shows them Jesus. VS 29

1-John Identifies Jesus

2-John tells of the greatness of Jesus

B. John tells them of the worthiness of Jesus. VS 30-31

Revelation 5:12 “saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.””

C. John tells us God’s confirmation of his Son. VS 32-33

D. All we can do is tell the world about Jesus. VS 34

Conclusion:

Lee Strobel tells the story of a time when he felt God prompting him to go and share an Easter invitation in the business office of the newspaper where he worked. He didn’t know why. But, he listens to God. When he arrived, he saw his friend who was working in the business office. It was an average routine day, and I was packing my stuff up to go home and I felt like God was kicking me in the butt and real specifically to go into the business office of the newspaper and invite my atheist friend to come to Easter services at our church. Because Easter was coming up, so I thought this is great. If God is really leading me to do this so specifically, this is gonna be spectacular. He's probably gonna repent right there, get on his knees and receive Christ. This is gonna be fantastic! So, I walk over to the new business office with great anticipation. I walk in and look around. I see my friend behind his desk. Perfect, so I said, “Hey how are you doing?” He said, “I’m doing great”. I said, “Hey, you know Easter is coming up?” He said, “Lee, I’m an atheist, I don’t observe Easter”. I said, “Yeah I know but Easter is when we remember that Jesus rose from the dead.” He said, “No, he did not”. I said, “Well actually there is good historical evidence he did.” I began to talk to him about the evidence historically Jesus rose from death and I'm trying to get in a bunch of stuff in and you could see his eyes are glazing over. So, I thought okay this isn't going well. So, I took another tact, I said, “So um yeah, do you do you ever think about God?” He said “No”. Okay um, I said, “Do you have any questions about God”. He said, “No”. Okay um Hey look I said, “I know you like music, our church has got great music. Why don’t you come to Easter services, I think you’ll like the music”. He said, “I don’t want to go to your stupid church.” “Hey okay, um thanks. Um.. I’ll talk to you… you know where my office is if you ever have a question”. I thought I screwed up and I thought what the heck was that. Why did God tug me so specifically to go and invite him to church and talk about Jesus and the resurrection? To this day he's still an atheist and I'm telling you this bothered me for years. But I'll tell you now the rest of the story. Several years after that, by then I was a pastor at this church outside Chicago, I'd preached on a Sunday and a guy came up to me and said, “Can I just shake your hand and thank you for the spiritual influence you’ve had in my life.” I said, “Well, that’s very nice. Who are you?” He said “Well let me tell you my story. A few years ago I lost my job and I was panic-stricken. I didn’t have any money in the bank. I was gonna lose my house. I was going to lose my car. I went to the newspaper, and I said, “Hey you have any odd jobs I can do to earn a buck at the newspaper.” And the guy said, “Well, can you tile floors?” and I said well “Yeah I’ve titled my bathroom. I think I can tile the floor.” The guy said, “Well, we need some tiling installed and repaired at the newspaper so if you can do that we can pay you for a while”. So, he said, I went to work at the newspaper. One day, an average day before Easter, I was in the business office of the newspaper, and I was on my hands and knees on the floor behind a desk working on some tile on the floor and you walked in the door. And I don’t even think you knew I was there. You start talking this guy about God, you start talking about the resurrection, you start talking about the historical evidence that Jesus really did rise, you started inviting him to church. But This guy was shutting you down and I’m on my hands and knees behind this desk. And my heart’s beating fast. I’m thinking I need God. I need to go to church. So as soon as you left, I called my wife. I said, “We’re gonna go to church on Easter”. She said, “What!”. I said, “Yeah”. We came to your church that Easter. I came to faith. My wife came to faith and our teenage son came to faith. And I just wanted to thank you.” I thought to myself, “This is a new form of evangelism.” Ricochet evangelism is where you share your faith, and it bounces off a hard heart. You just don't know where it's gonna go. Friends this is the unexpected adventure of the Christian life. You don't want to miss this we can't do this in heaven this is our one chance so let's ask God to take us on these unexpected adventures.