Who is Jesus - The Gospel of John Part 3 - Jesus invites to come and see and change!
The Gospel of John - Who is Jesus? Part 3 - Jesus invites Come and See and Be Changed! • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Good morning loved ones!
if I have not had a chance to meet you; My name is Scott and I am a follower of Jesus and have the privilege of serving Him as the Lead Pastor among the people of Stonewater Fellowship.
The Reason Stonewater Fellowship is here -
The Reason God planted Stonewater as His local Church was simple -
Is to engage people into a multiplying relationship with Jesus!
And what we would love to see in the life of every follower of Jesus is that every one of us are well equipped and fully deployed out in the mission of Jesus.
Representing jesus and making him known to anyone, anywhere, anytime.
INVITATIONS
1- Family Meeting
2- Season of Prayer and Fasting
LETS GRAB OUR BIBLES IF YOU HAVE ONE AND
Open it to The Gospel of John Chapter 1 This morning as we Continue our current series exposing How God, through the Scriptures, answers the question: “Who is Jesus?”
There are many many many descriptions of who Jesus is in this world.
SO many descriptions that in fact it can be rather confusing.
God Tells us who Jesus is
and we will be exposing what God says through the best friend of Jesus while he was here on earth - The Apostle John
NOW If you don’t have a bible or simply would like a new one!……..
PRAYER OVER SERIES
My prayer over this series is for all of us -
is that we would come to know, in the most intimate way, the person of Jesus.
And for some of us that may be for the very first time -
This may be, for you and the journey you have been on, an introduction to Jesus.
and there are some of you that may have known Him for years.
My prayer is, that EVEN if this is our first time introduction or if we have known him for years.
My prayer is That we would know Him more -
That we would understand Him more -
That we would begin to see Him resurrected, and moving and working and change things about us and in us through the power of the Holy Spirit every day.
And That Any question - that any of us may have about Who is Jesus - Would be answered as we continue to walk through the Gospel of John together.
PRAYER OVER THIS MORNINGS MESSAGE
Is that every one of us would hear the invitation of Jesus.
Understanding that Jesus is the one who invites us -
Not the other way around-
That Jesus invites us not matter where we are in our journey in this life.
Jesus extends the invitation to “Come and See”
and that we would hear and see and experience as He extends His hand of Invitation to “Come and See” at the very same time that hand is also and invitation to “Come and see and be Changed”
If you are just now being introduced to Jesus for the very first time or this is early in your journey you might be thinking “there is a lot that I hope Jesus changes”
My prayer for you is that you will hear His invitation and come to Him and see and be changed.
or
You may be hear this morning, or watching on live-stream and you have been following Him for a long time and He has changed so much you might be wondering “how much more does have left?”
My pray for you is that you will also clearly hear His invitation and come all the more closer to him, see him as the risen Lord and let Him continue His changing work more and more.
And in all of this, I pray that all of us would know by His invitation - we would all the more realize how much God really loves us!
ENGAGEMENT –
“Invitations” are an interesting thing in our culture.
I think its very possible when we think about invitations we think about Invitations we get to Dinner Parties
or Fund Raisers
Or Birthday parties, Weddings, Baby Showers, other kinds of Parties.
In general - Happy times.
and A lot of time those are preceded with a “save the date” thing.
(side Note)
I was thinking about this I was thinking “I never get an invitation in the mail for something sad”
ya know Like - I never see and invitation envelop for a funeral
Ya never get a save the date for one of those either.
But Ya know Invitation can come in all kinds of formats -
You can certainly get one in the mail -
You can also get one that is Oh so less formal.
Like the other day - A couple of weeks ago - Got a text message from some friends- “Hey if you and Brandi are free for dinner tonight we would love to see you guys”
and our response was - “What can we bring!”
and off we went -
Here is the funny thing about all those invitation - Every single one of those invitations is an invitation that will expire.
Here is what I mean - 2 - things
Wedding, baby shower, b day party - impromptu invite over the text message -
2 things - ONE if you don't reply pretty quickly the invitation will be closed.
Ya know you get the text invite - You don't reply - You show up at their house anyway and their Gone out to dinner -
you Text them ans Say “Hey I though we were having dinner at your house” They Say “I never heard back from you so we went out”
You see responding to the invite is pretty important.
The Other way the invitation like closes is when the event you are invited to is over -
You know you have been invited over for Dinner and when the Dinner is over and enough conversation has happened there will be a time when its time for you to go Home.
And you and I have all been there - You have a dinner party - invite several friends- and there is that one couple that stays the latest and really stays too long -
Down here we call that “wearin’-out your welcome”
You see all invitation are temporary - We want you to come over but there is a time we want you to leave.
These is also another kind of invitation - And I think it is very possible that we have all done this - I hope we haven't but I think it might be more common that we realize -
That is the “I really didn't mean it” invitation.
YA know - Mi Casa is Su Casa -
Come over any time!
We would love to have you any time!
Help your self!
Ya know there are culture where that kind of community is take very seriously -
Daniel - Kenya - Guy in his shower!
TENSION
and becasue this is how we interact with invitations when we hear Jesus inviting there are a couple of weird ways that works itself out.
ONE is we think that we are the ones who need to Invite Jesus -
2- When we think about Jesus inviting us we are sometime really not sure how sincere he really is.
3- We have a hard time thinking through that Jesus invitation is and invitation that once accepted, is an invitation where we are ALWAYS welcome.
Now I want to be clear - There is to all people everywhere an open invitation from Jesus to come to Jesus and be saved -
The reality is that the Hand of God is open and inviting men to come to Him-
And the other reality is, if we read our bibles, there is another hand of God that God is holding back and is keeping His terrible wrath away from mankind -
There will be a day however - When Both Hands fall.
And what the Apostle John, the very best friend of Jesus is going to shine a light, for all of us this morning is that “Jesus invites to come and see and be changed”
BACKGROUND
Just a little context to where we are in the time line of this Autobiography of Jesus.
Jesus has been born -
Jesus is all grown up =
Jesus has done some traveling - Been baptized in the Jordan River
John has opened His gospel with a clear declaration that Jesus is God - Jesus was with God and Jesus is the creator of all things and In fact -
Jesus is the God of the Old Testament who took on flesh and lived among people.
and For Us in the 21 century This is the historical Jesus - John Declared with an every increasing clarity in the first 18 verses of this letter that Jesus was in fact God, the creator of all things, in the flesh dwelling among us.
John has also established another witness to this fact and that Jesus is the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
UNPACKING
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!”
in Verse 35 John the Apostle brings back in to this narrative the actions of John the Baptist.
and What John the Apostle report is that John the Baptist - has some followers - -
John the Baptist Has some disciple - Some students that are learning how to walk in the footsteps of John the baptist.
Jesus walks by and John the Baptist says to His disciples about Jesus “Behold the Lamb of God”
So this is now the second time that John the Baptist has Identified Jesus as the Lamb of God -
WE also need to understand how this very well could have been spoken.
WE kind of get this idea that John and his disciples were standing there and Jesus walked like right in front of them and the John the baptist says Behold -
The Original language does not limit us to that thought - The Language would give us the ability to think that Jesus was some distance off walking by - Like Over there and John used, what we translate into english Behold as to like Grab attention and say “Look Pay attention”
It is written is such a way that it carries with it the connotation of grabbing someone attention.
and John must have really gotten their attention becasue look at what they do in vs 37 -
They leave John and they go to Jesus -
37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.
Now I don't think that follow Jesus long
But Jesus notices they are following Him -
Jesus has not invited them to do anything just quite yet!
Watch what Jesus does -
VS38
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?”
Here is what is very interesting about this dialog between Jesus and these disciples of John the Baptist —
Jesus has not called them to follow Him.
Jesus has not said to them “Follow me” that actually happens a little later in the whole time line of Jesus.
What Happens is that Jesus knows that these guys are following Him and Jesus knowing the answer asks these guys “what do you want?”
What are you looking for? if you are following me becasue you are curious what are you curious about?
These guys answer is simple -
“Were just interested in where you are staying?
Now I don't know if this was an answer of being polite becasue these guys didn’t want to seem intrusive or they were scared or what.
But what is interesting is John the Baptist had just told them - Look HE is the lamb of God and the only thing these guys are currently interested in is where Jesus is staying.
But look at what Jesus says -
and His response tells us a ton about Jesus heart towards these two curious cats.
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.
Jesus invitation was simple and open - “Come and you will see”
and so they accepted the invitation of Jesus and they went and they saw where Jesus was staying -
and they spent the rest of the day with Jesus -
In verse 40 the story gets a little more interesting - Because what happens is that The Apostle John now begins to put names to the people involved here.
ANDREW -
Andrew is Simon Peters Brother -
Here is what we need to understand about John’s gospel - It is a Gospel that is written in both different form but also in different purpose from the other three gospels.
and the purpose of Johns Gospel has a great influence on the form of Johns Gospel .
Johns purpose for writing His gospel was so that people who read it would believe in Jesus, that they would trust that Jesus is the Anointed one of God, the Everlasting eternal Son of God - and that by trusting those things people who read this would have eternal life in His name - In other words would be saved.
The thing we must remember about verses 40 and 42 is that they seemingly are written in this timeline, but the effect of Johns purpose is that this part of the story did not happen in this time line, it happens later, but John includes it in His account to display for us the Naming of Peter.
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).
Immediately here is what we see happening -
John the Baptist says “behold”
Andrew, one of Johns disciples decided to follow.
Jesus connects with Andrew “What are you seeking?”
Andrews answer was not very much at all “I just want to see where you are staying”
Jesus invites Him - “Come and see”
Andrew then goes to His brother, and what is interesting is that the text says “He first found his brother” indicating that Andrew sent to more people.
But watch what He does to his brother. He says “We have found the one!”
And the text says “He brought Him to Jesus!”
Now - When it says “He brought Him to Jesus what is not happening here is SImon, Andrews brother was not Bound up in chains and arrested and brought before jesus.
No, This is the first kinds of “Making disciples effort” There must have been an invitation “We have found the one come and see”
You see the invitation of Jesus now reached Simon Peters ears through one of jesus followers, Peters own brother Andrew!
Jesus, through Andrew is telling Peter Come and See - and what we know from the whole council of scripture that the invitation goes further into “Follow Me and I will make you a fisher of men”
Jesus then tells Simon - From now on you will be called Peter -
John then continues back to the day by day narrative -
Here is what is also unique to the Apostle John’s Gospel - It is the Only Gospel that gives us the calling of Philip and Nathaniel
This is important Because Philip is going to be an important Character in the advancement of the Gospel and Making disciples.
Watch what Happens-
The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.”
Jesus makes a decision to go to Galilee and when He gets there he Finds Philip and extends and invitation to Philip “Follow me”
And this is a direct invitation from Jesus to Philip
Then watch what happens -
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.”
Jesus Invites Philip,
Jesus then works through Philip and extends and invitation to Philip's friend Nathanael “come and see”
I want you to notice something.
Philip was Jewish, Nathaniel was Jewish. The Jewish people have been waiting for the one that Moses, the law and the prophets wrote about for hundreds of years - Literally these people have been waiting and waiting and waiting.
Philip is completely convinced that He had found Jesus, the real Jesus, the one who Moses and the prophets and the law all wrote about, The Son of Joseph!
and watch Nathaniel response “can anything good come out of Nazareth?
I mean Nathaniel's response to this GOOD NEWS was a nasty response -
It’s almost as if Nathaniel was laughing and smirking Phillip.
It’s a response out of bigotry and arrogance against the people of Nazareth which is in Galilee.
Here is the deal about Nazareth - It was poor - its was lower on the socio economic scale in every way - it was viewed as a corrupted place Because of the difficulty of the region - it was in Galilee ( a rough part of the area)
Basically it was on the wrong side of the tracks if ya know what I mean.
It’s like someone saying “I’m from the south side” and you think to yourself “oh you from the ghetto” or “you from the hood”
This is what Nathaniel says to Philip -
BUT watch - The invitation of Jesus is still extended through Philip to Nathaniel “Come and See”
Then Nathaniel comes to Jesus based on the invitation of Jesus extended to Philip who responded to the invitation of Jesus to “Follow me”
Watch what Jesus does and says to this very plane spoken Nathaniel
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.”
Here is what the Text says: Jesus see Nathaniel and says “behold and Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit”
Which means “well well well - Look here - and real person who knows the messiah is coming - Who speaks his mind and holds nothing back and who really doesn’t have a filter”
That is what the text says - Here is what we can see and understand jesus saying “Ah look it’s Nathaniel : I know you!
This is why in verse 48 Nathaniel says “how in the world do you know me? We have never met and yet you know me!” How is that possible?
Jesus says “I know you Because I saw you before my invitation to come and see me was extended to you through my follower Philip- I saw you under the fig tree”
Then it happens -
Nathaniel - who was invited by Jesus through his friend Philip to simply “come and see”
A person who snickered at the invitation and gave his friend a nasty response to the invitation is suddenly overwhelmed with the truth of who Jesus is and the Power of the Holy Spirit overshadowed any difficulty in his responding to the invitation of Jesus is changed and is amazed and all of his life changed in a moment.
And Nathaniel says in verse 49
Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”
You are Him!
Jesus then extends the invitation even further
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.”
Because I said “I saw you ahead of time, do you believe” Watch this is important to understand what Jesus is saying -
Because I said I saw you under the fig tree do you Believe - Do You trust?
Watch the invitation:
There is an implication that when jesus was asking this Nathaniel's Head was doing this (up and down)
Jesus says “if you trust me you will see greater things than these - You will see heaven I opened and the angels of God ascending and defending on the Son of Man”
In other words - You trust me with the rest of your life and your whole life will change and you will experience things you never through were even possible.
THE GOSPEL CONNECTION
Loved ones - This passage of scripture speaks to all of us this morning - Jesus invites everyone to “Come and see and be changed forever”
Loved ones that is Good news of Great joy.
That the Word, that was with God and was God, this Word that became flesh and dwells among us - Jesus. Who created all thing and opens the possibility that we can know the real and only God through him extends and invitation every day to “come and see”
This is the Gospel - this is good news of great joy that Jesus is God and he puts his hand out to everyone and says “Come and see and be changed”
So you may be here this morning and you are like Andrew and your really not sure what Jesus is all about and you just are curious and seeking something but not sure what -
And if Jesus asked you “what are you seeking?” You not sure you could answer fully and you might just say something shy like “i just want to know o where you stay”
Jesus hand of invitation is to you “come and see and be changed”
You might be busy and someone and not even thinking about Jesus like Peter was - and a relative of yours has been talking for years about this Jesus
and you have never been brought to Him -
His invitation is open to you “come and see and be changed for Jesus has a new name, a new Identity for you Just like Simon who was changed to Peter.
or you may be the one who always skews you mind and people over the years have said to you “I have found Him” and your response has always been a nasty dismissive one like Nathaniel “what possible good can come”
Loved one Jesus knows you and Jesus sees you and Jesus invitation is open to you “come and see and be changed”
STICKY POINT
Jesus followers:
I was confronted with a question Friday - and that question was:
“can you define in specific terms what a disciple of Jesus is?
And I thought to myself “absolutely” the definition of a disciple of Jesus is someone who “lives a life with the purposeful intention of representing Christ and making Him known to everyone everywhere”
this also speaks to who claim Christ
- Did jesus call you “come and see and be changed?” Has Jesus said “follow Me” and you followed.
OR Has some one else said to you “behold the lamb of God and you are following Him?
The this passage shows us that Jesus uses US to invite others to come to Him.
And as we are obedient to Jesus to Go and Make disciples - being used by Jesus to be the instruments of His invitation
we must know that we will meet the Andrews on our say who are seeking jesus and have no clue what they really want - We must extend the invitation of Jesus “Come and see and be changed”
We will also see people who are busy in this life doing what they are doing - Fishermen, busy fishing for fish - we must bring them to Jesus with the invitation — Come and see and be changed”
We will also encounter those who’s response to Jesu is nasty - Whose outlook is one that is so negative they respond in plain language with no filter “what good can come from this” and we must be faithful to constantly and continually be the faithful instruments of Jesus, extending His invitation to all people everywhere “come and see and be changed”
PRAYER TEAM
