John 1:35-51
The Gospel of John • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 5 viewsNotes
Transcript
Handout
Handout
Last week we were introduced to two characters in John’s Gospel. We were introduced to John the Baptist. John was not the Messiah but he was the voice crying out in the wilderness to prepare the way of the Lord. He was the precursor to the Messiah. He was called to baptize with water preparing the hearts for the Messiah who would come and baptize with the Holy Spirit.
The second character which was actually the first character was the Word. He was in the beginning with God and He is God. He is the Light and life of men. He is the creator of all things. He was born in human flesh and lived among His creation but was rejected by them, but for all who recieved Him they recieved eternal life through Him. This person is Jesus. He is the Son of God as God told John at the baptism of Jesus. The Holy Spirit descended and rested on Jesus and the Father spoke saying, “This is my son with whom I am well pleased.”
Today we are going to meet some more people that will play a big part in the story John is telling in his gospel.
Jesus calls the First Disciples
Jesus calls the First Disciples
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.
Like last week John the Baptist was doing his thing and saw Jesus passing by. This was after Jesus had spent 40 days in the wilderness as we see from the other Gospels. Jesus was baptized, spent 40 days in the wilderness, and then called His disciples. When Jesus passes by John again calls everyone’s attention to him and says, “Behold the lamb of God!”. John’s disciples heard this and immediately followed Jesus.
There is something about Jesus that peaks our interest. Even from a secular standpoint there is a lot of history and time spent trying to understand who this person is. It was no different for John’s followers. When they heard John the Baptist’s testimony concerning Jesus they immediately went to investigate. There is something that draws us to the person of Christ. For these followers of John it was more than just a curiosity. There was a desperation. Is this really the promised Messiah? We don’t want to just hear it from John, we need to see it for ourselves.
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.
This is one of my favorite interactions in the Bible. These men are just following Jesus. They don’t say anything, they just begin to go wherever He goes. Eventually Jesus turns around and asks them, “What are you seeking?”. This is such a simple question but it is one that has had a lasting effect on me. We are all searching for something. Is it acceptance, comfort, wealth, power? Are we trying to fill a void, trying to hide an insecurity, trying to prove something to somebody? There is within all people this desire to seek. A desperation to fill a whole in our hearts that only Christ can fill. Before Christ, a person tries to fill the whole with every other thing. It is a longing for purpose a desire to know why we exist and what the reason for living is. People put their hope in things that do not last. Relationships end, loved ones die, dreams fail, money gets spent, passions fade. People are desperate to fill the void and can find nothing in this world that can satisfy.
Paul in Romans 1 says that in this world that rejects God, the world seeks to fill this void by pursuing dishonorable passions, they exchange the truth of God for lies, and God has given them over to sin to pursue purpose apart from their creator.
And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.
When Jesus asks what these men are seeking He is asking, “why have you guys been following me around for the last 30 minutes?” but the drama of the moment says that mankind has been searching for purpose and for a savior since Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden at the beginning of time and now here stands the life and light of men in human flesh. One cannot help but to be swept away in the importance of this moment. Jesus knows why they follow Him, but He asks anyway. The question is for us as well. What are we seeking?
You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.
I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.
For thus says the Lord to the house of Israel: “Seek me and live;
The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me; I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, “Here I am, here I am,” to a nation that was not called by my name. I spread out my hands all the day to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, following their own devices;
Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, who do his just commands; seek righteousness; seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the anger of the Lord.
There are countless verses that call us to seek the Lord. There is shelter and healing in the Lord. Grace for the far off sinner. He is trustworthy. Every good thing is found in Him. He is not far off but promises we will find Him when we seek Him with our whole heart. So Jesus asks the question,
What are you seeking?
If you were to take everything you have done this last week. Write out every detail and every motivation. Would you say that you are seeking the Lord? We have been talking about growing in intimacy with the Lord. Growing in our relationship with Christ. That only happens when we seek His face. When we make time to be with Him, to walk with Him, to hear His voice. What are you seeking in life. What are you seeking in your relationship with Christ? Is He just a get out of hell free card? Is He just there for when you need money or want something? What is Jesus to you? is He your savior? Is He your Lord?
What is it that you are seeking Jesus for?
The guys following Jesus gave their answer. They call Jesus Rabbi. He hasn’t preached a sermon yet but they know He is someone they need to learn from. This is their new teacher, their Rabbi. They are also wanting to know where He is staying. They want to spend time with Him. They wanted to eat with Him, be with Him. They aren’t there for what Jesus can do for them. They aren’t looking for power or miracles. They just want to sit at the feet of Jesus. There is something for us to learn in that. We don’t go to Jesus only for what He can do for us. He isn’t a meal ticket or a get out of hell free card. He is the creator of the universe, the savior of the world, the King of Kings, and the personification of divine wisdom. We don’t go to Jesus for what He can do for us, we go to Jesus because we want to be with Him.
There are stories online of people who get together and start dating. The girlfriend spends a lot of time at her boyfriends house and really likes his cat. Over time the guy realizes that the only reason she is dating him is because she likes the cat and can’t have one of her own. She doesn’t really care about the boyfriend she just wants to be around his cat. I think that kind of stuff is hilarious. Imagine taking this girl out to dinner and all she can think about is your cat. I think sometimes our relationship with Jesus is like that. We are at the table with Jesus and all we can think about is if we are going to heaven. Am I good? If I do this am I still good to go to heaven? Did you forgive me? How much can I get away with and still go to heaven?
A question my youth pastor asked me growing up that changed the way I think about it is this.
If there was no Jesus in heaven would it still be as desirable?
That question changed the way I look at my relationship with Jesus. I don’t want anything other than Him. Yes there are a lot of great and amazing things that come along with giving your life to Jesus. And I long for the day when I can be in His presence and be free of sin and the stress of this world. I long for that day, but the reason for my longing isn’t the blessings it’s Jesus. I want to be with the one whom my heart loves. I want to be with my creator. Even here on earth I don’t want the blessings of this life keep me from my King.
And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
The disciples say, where are you staying, and Jesus says, come and you will see. Do you want Jesus? Do you want to sit at the feet of the good teacher? Well come on. Don’t just stand there. Jesus is ready to welcome you home.
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).
After meeting Jesus, Andrew went and told his brother Simon about Jesus. He said, “we have found the Messiah”. The person our ancestors predicted, the deliverer our people have waited on, here He is. He brought Simon to Jesus renames him Peter. There is new identity in Christ. Simon’s name is changed to Peter. Now John who is writing this is glossing over a decent portion of Peter’s story and that is okay because the other three Gospels already had recorded it. John’s focus isn’t on Peter. That story has been told. John is focused on Jesus and telling us more about Jesus. New things that the other Gospels don’t always cover. This is still the same Peter who Jesus told to cast his net on the other side of the boat, who brought in the huge catch of fish, who Jesus said follow me and I will make you fishers of men. In fact Jesus gave Peter this name in Matthew 16 which was a little ways into Jesus’ ministry. Does John get the details wrong? No. John’s Gospel is just from a different perspective. Did Jesus change Simon’s name to Peter more than once? Maybe. Is John telling us this out of chronological order? Probably. Does it change anything? No. John’s Gospel is just as reliable as the other three Gospels even if the order of events is slightly different. John’s purpose is to show us who Jesus is not retell the same story we have already heard in the last three Gospels.
Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael
Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael
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.”
Here again Jesus calls another of His disciples saying, “Follow Me.”. Philip left, found his brother Nathanael, and brought him to see Jesus. Philip said this is the guy. The one that all the Old Testament was talking about. Here He is, Joseph’s son from Nazareth. Philip is the second person we have seen go and find someone to tell them about Jesus. There is something about intimacy with Jesus that we can’t help but to share it with others. When Jesus becomes our everything the people around us will see it. I think it is interesting to see how Jesus has called these disciples. John pointed it out for the two to follow Him. One of those two went and got another one. Jesus called Philip and he went and got Nathanael. Out of the five followers Jesus has right now 4 out of 5 are there because someone else told them about who Jesus was. Sharing the Gospel and telling people about Jesus is essential in God’s Kingdom.
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
How will people hear about Jesus unless we go and tell them. God is calling us to share the Gospel with the world.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
The more we spend time with Christ the more we will want to share that with others. What is the strategy of evangelism that these early followers of Jesus used?
Come and see.
When we share the Gospel, we don’t have to have eloquent words or fancy vocabularies. In fact Paul says to do the opposite of that.
And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
It’s not about sounding super smart and impressing people with our Bible knowledge. Sharing the Gospel is about having a genuine relationship with Jesus and inviting others to come and see for themselves how Christ can change their lives. Does knowing the Bible helpful? Yes. But you don’t need to be a Bible scholar to share the Gospel you just need to love Jesus, love people, and be obedient to what Jesus is calling you to do. It is that simple.
John loved his followers and wanted them to know the Lamb who took away the sins of the world. Andrew loved Peter and wanted him to know his Rabbi, the Messiah. Philip loved Nathanael and wanted him to know the one whom Moses and the prophets wrote about. We don’t share the Gospel out of religious guilt we do it because we love Jesus and we love our neighbors and want them to know Jesus like we do.
How does Nathanael respond?
Something I love about the Gospels is how dumb the disciples look all the time. They wrote these books. They could have said anything they wanted but they didn’t. They were led by the Spirit to write the truth. So here is Nathanael’s response.
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.” 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.” Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 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.”
The first thing he thinks to say is to trash talk Jesus’ home town. “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” It’s kind of a dig that would soon age like milk. He goes and sees for himself that this Jesus really is the Messiah.
Jesus and Nathanael have a back and forth here. Jesus greets Nathanael as an Israelite indeed with whom there is no deceit. He says He saw Nathanael under a fig tree. He says that he will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.
Nathanael reacts to this by saying that Jesus truly is the Son of God, the King of Israel.
There are two ways to look at this.
1. Jesus knew Nathanael was under a fig tree without ever seeing him. Impressive.
2. Jesus references Genesis 28 in which Jacob has a dream of angels going up and down a ladder to heaven. Jacob was a deceiver. He had tricked his way into the family blessing and was running away from Esau. Remember that. The phrase “Under the Fig Tree” was used at times in Jewish literature to say when someone was in deep meditation on the law. Nathanael wasn’t under a fig tree literally. He was reading Genesis 28 in deep meditation when his brother comes to get him. When Jesus greets him he contrasts Nathanael’s character with the deceitfulness of Jacob and says that he will see something greater than what Jacob saw. Since Jacob saw a ladder to heaven but Nathanael is seeing the literal incarnation of God and only way to the Father standing before him.
Either way it is an incredible truth about God. When we study God’s word He is with us. He sees us. Even though Jesus was somewhere else geographically, He was with Nathanael in his study of Scripture. And if Nathanael was only sitting under a literal tree, Jesus still saw him. In both cases we find Jesus to be in all places attending to our needs. There is never a time when Jesus ghosts us. He doesn’t just disappear and leave us. He is always near. Sometimes He is silent but that does not mean that He has abandoned us. As we look at growing with intimacy with Christ we remember that He knows every detail about us. Every hair on our heads are accounted for. When we gather together to study His word He is here. When you are alone in your private prayers and studies He is there. He sees you and knows you and loves you dearly.
Why are you following Jesus?
Who can you invite to follow Jesus along side you?
How can you be encouraged in your prayer and study knowing Jesus is with you always?