John 1:35-42

What Are You Seeking?

Introduction

Prologue

John’s witness

Greatness and superiority of Christ

Main points

[1] Following Christ (vv. 35-37)

[2] Seeking Christ (vv. 38-39)

[3] Finding Christ (vv. 40-42)

[1] Following Christ (vv. 35-37)

Next day

Now the third day of this narrative

Climactic handoff from JtB to Jesus

“disciple”

pupil, apprentice

engaging in instruction from another

Elaborated further

Mark 1:16–20 “Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.”

Two of the disciples

Andrew is named, the other is not

Possibly John since he never refers to himself except as “the one whom Jesus loved”

John makes sense with the eyewitness account

Plus the “two or more witnesses” from OT

Followed

“The verb “followed” is in the tense appropriate for once-for-all action, which may indicate that they cast in their lot with Jesus”

Has two senses, general and specific

Both in mind

General = literally following

Specific = following as a disciple

To be a Christian is to follow Jesus

Straightforward Christianity

No gimmicks

Seeing Jesus as the Savior that God has sent and following Him

Requires a personal relationship

Legitimate faith-filled trust

Trust in His sufficiency to save

Romans 5:8–11 “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”

Saving from our sins

Saving from God’s wrath

Requires an acknowledgement of Christ’s Lordship

John 20:28 “Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!””

Acts 2:36 “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.””

Acts 10:36 “As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all),”

Romans 10:9 “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Requires becoming a disciple

What is it to be a disciple of Christ?

To be subjected to His Word and teachings

Account in Luke 24, Road to Emmaus

Romans 10:17 “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”

To be subjected to His ways

Beatitudes

Being meek, humble (v. 5)

Hungering and thirsting for righteousness (v. 6)

Being merciful (v. 7)

Pure in heart (v. 8)

Philippians 2:1–5 “So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,”

To be subjected to His suffering

Romans 8:16–17 “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”

James 1:2–4 “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

Are you trusting in Christ as Lord?

Two options which are set against each other

Life / death

Even as a Christian, are you trusting Him as Lord?

Cannot doubt His promises

[2] Seeking Christ (vv. 38-39)

Seeking

To look for something that has been lost

To seek something implies it is worth finding

Used of the crowds searching for Christ in John 6.

John 6:24 “So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.”

John 6:26 “Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.”

Content of their seeking, filled

Used of the errors of Pharisees

John 7:34–36 “You will seek me and you will not find me. Where I am you cannot come.” The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we will not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? What does he mean by saying, ‘You will seek me and you will not find me,’ and, ‘Where I am you cannot come’?””

Unable to seek Him

Use here, to devote serious effort to realize one’s desire or objective, strive for, aim (at), try to obtain, desire, wish (for)

Striving to see the Christ

Our behavior should be reciprocated even as Christians

Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Colossians 3:1 “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.”

Profound nature of seeking Christ

None of us are actually seeking him

Romans 3:10–11 “as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.”

Need to be born again, John 3.

Purpose of Jesus parables

Matthew 13:13–14 “This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “ ‘ “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.””

Our nature as sinners

Titus 3:3 “For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.”

Profound nature of Christ seeking us

Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.””

Mark 10:45 “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.””

Remembering that He chose us first

John 15:16 “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”

Marvelousness of our Savior

Seeking sinners

Seeking enemies

“Once your enemy, now seated at your table”

Seeking God haters

Seeking rebels

Glorious Gospel

[3] Finding Christ (vv. 40-42)

Rabbi (vv. 40-42)

Recognizing Jesus Christ as a teacher

Common understanding amongst all

Many found him to be merely a good teacher

John 3:1–2 “Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.””

Mark 1:22 “And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.”

Extended far beyond that

He was the author of His own teachings

Did not come from him

Relying upon the sufficiency of Christ’s teachings

We seek Him for salvation and we seek Him for truth

John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Road to Emmaus with disciples

Relying upon Christ’s teachings gives us greater love for the Triune God

Made himself known to us

Relying upon Christ’s teachings gives us greater love for our neighbor

Highlighting this point in Gospels

Relying upon Christ’s teachings gives us great comfort

Matthew 11:28–30 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.””

Relying upon Christ’s teachings gives us greater evangelistic zeal

Preaching to the downcast/outcast, etc.

Finding Christ

Have you ever found something you lost?

Reaction and joy of finding it

Luke 15, three findings (brief turn)

Greater joy in finding Christ

“we have found the Messiah”

Messiah = long awaited in OT

The Gen 3.15 redeemer

“you shall be called Cephas”

Means “head”

Renaming had huge implications in Scripture

Abram to Abraham

Jacob to Israel

Peter’s purpose as apostolic witness to the Jews

Not papal authority

Matthew 16:16–18 “Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

The “rock” of which Jesus speaks about is the confession of Peter

Christ’s church is built upon the mystery now revealed

Colossians 1:26–29 “the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.”

1 Corinthians 2:7–14 ..

Christ renames His people

Saints of God

Not relegated to RCC mysticism, unverifiable “miracles”, great acts, etc.

1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

Renamed from sinner to saint

Renamed from sinner to beloved

Renamed from sinner to son

Holding fast to the truth of Christ