Come and See (2)

Context

Jesus just baptized by John in the river Jordan. Proclaimed to be the Son of God by the voice from heaven. The start of Jesus’ public ministry.

In our lesson today John the Baptist, who obediently baptized Jesus as Jesus’ command, also pointed to Jesus as the Expected Christ, and some of John’s disciples went to Jesus.

Text

John 1:35–42 “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. 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. 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).”

Introduction

Curious. Flea market. It’s right there, but never been. Just come and see what it was all about. Wow.

food: curry. Hot pepper symbols x 3. Taste and see: yellow, Hot!

Night surfing.

Built with curiosity. We grow by being curious. Go and see.

Are we curious spiritually? Yes. Come and See Jesus.

Exegesis 1 - John points out Jesus and the disciples follow him.

John is standing with two of his disciples.

One of the disciples is Andrew, the brother of Simon. He will become an enduring disciple of Jesus.

The other disciple is unnamed. He may have been John the Evangelist who would later write the gospel, for John often refers to himself obliquely, often as the “disciple whom Jesus loved.”

John the Baptist has been teaching his two disciples about the Messiah to come.

Then John looked and saw Jesus, that very Messiah, walking by.

On a literal level, Jesus is just passing by.

On a symbolic level, a contrast is being drawn between John the Baptist, who is standing still, and Jesus, who is on the move.

For John represents the Old Testament Law and Prophets, which has come to the end of its ministry, … as not to progress any further. …it was to stop and yield to the coming Christ and to had over its disciples to Jesus. — Desiderius Erasmus

John like the Old Testament, points to the Messiah.

Jesus is in motion for he is bringing Kingdom of heaven.

John points out Jesus and identifies Jesus as the “Lamb of God.”

In the Old Covenant, lambs were offered by man to atone for sins. But that has come to an end.

Now, in the gospel era, Jesus is the Lamb that God offers on behalf of man to atone for sins.

He is the Lamb of God “who takes away the sins of the world!”

Hearing this pronouncement from John, the two disciples leave their master and go after Jesus.

This was a great joy to John. He had promised them the Messiah, now he had pointed him out and they were going to see.

Implication 1 - See Jesus

The ministry that Jesus began long ago near Jordan has continued. Before ascending into heaven, he said go into all the world and make disciples and I will be with you.

I shall be with you. I shall be in movement among you.

The church has grown over the whole world and down through the ages because Jesus has been on the move.

Today, Jesus is still on the move.

He is walking by, as it were.

There are signs all around us, pointing him out to us.

Around the church

Ministries, I see you all engaging.

Seeing you all going to fellowship events.

Giving to the ministry of the church. The sound/sanctuary.

Teaching classes.

Behold the Lamb of God!

Events around us point to him.

good things that happen,

but also sad events.

All things can be like fingers of John pointing us to see Christ.

If we want to see him, he closer than we think. He’s passing by, just ahead of us.

We just need to be curious and GO and SEE.

Exegesis 2 - Jesus Sees the Disciples coming and engages them.

The disciples go after Jesus.

In the ancient days, the would-be disciples would seek out a rabbi and they would start following him around and listening.

In time, they would petition the rabbi to become his disciple. There would likely be some kind of examination, to discover whether the follower had the commitment and aptitude to be a worthy apprentice.

Something different happens with these disciples who start following Jesus.

Jesus sees the disciples. Surprisingly he speaks to them first. Jesus asks them, what are you seeking?

He knows what they are seeking. For he knows John the Baptist and that they are his disciples. They are seeking himself.

Jesus asks to show them welcome.

He relieves them of anxiety about a waiting period or having to prove themselves.

He immediately invites them to state their desire so he can meet it.

The disciples ask, Where are you staying?

The ancient disciples more or less lived with their rabbi. That is what they are asking. Can we attach ourselves to you…

We were disciples of John, but now we will be disciples of yours.

Without any tests or challenges, Jesus invites them to “Come and see.” Even though it was 4pm.

He could have turned them away for the day was over.

Come back tomorrow.

I’m staying over there. Rendezvous.

He does not delay or deflect. He welcomes: Come and See.

If they were willing to go with him.

Jesus invites them to get to know him right then and there.

Where did he take them…for the Son of Man has no where to lay his head. Camped out. TBD. The point was whatever the Lamb was going to do, they could be a part of it.

A relationship is immediately set into motion.

Move from hearing about Jesus to seeing Jesus and interacting with him.

Implication 2 - Be Seen By Jesus

What do you seek? Made to two disciples is made to all of us now.

When we seek out Jesus. We discover he is already looking for us.

In theological terms, we call this: Prevenient grace:

Veni, Vidi, Vici. — Caesar, “I came, I saw, I conquered.”

Veni - I came.

Pre-venient grace: grace that comes first. Before we seek God, God is already drawing us to himself.

Jesus welcomes actively and warmly. He wants us to be with him because it is God’s will for us to be with and to know him.

No one comes to me unless the Father draws him…

If we ask, Lord Jesus, where are you staying? Which is to say: I want to be with you. He will say, Come and See…

No tests, we don’t have to prove ourselves. We just have to come to him truly desiring to know him.

Jesus once compared himself to a good shepherd who seeks out the lost and straying sheep of his fold. So: How much more will he welcome those who eagerly seek him out?

Meditate that he wants to be with you…

Counter-Intuitive: If you want to be with him, that is already God working in your life and a great encouragement.

Lord where are you? = I want to be with you too!

If fearful: I have delayed or I have turned back too many times. It is okay.

The early disciples went to Jesus at the end of the day.

Jesus is glad to receive you whenever you come to him because he loves you that much and though he is the Son of God he that humble and welcoming.

Where are you staying?…We are saying: I was attached to this, now I want to attach to you. Wherever you are, that’s where I want to be.

Example: MJ and I in Rapid City.. The joy was being together.

Come and see, is a beautiful invitation. TBD. Doesn’t matter where. Just walk with me.

Exegesis 3:

So Andrew and the other disciple went with the Lord and began getting to know him.

We don’t know what Andrew and the other disciple talked about with Jesus, (and O the joy and wonder of spending a first day with Jesus!) but it convinced Andrew that Jesus was indeed the Christ.

Andrew goes to get his brother, Simon.

Simon was likely a disciple of John.

familiar with the preaching of John, as many were,

through his brother, Andrew.

But it seems Simon was eager for the Messiah to appear, for Andrew went to him with good news of the discovery:

Andrew reports that they have found the Messiah/Christ, the one John told us about.

Andrew brings Simon to Jesus.

Jesus “looks” at Simon (John 1:42). Jesus really sees Simon. Sees into Simon.

You shall be called, Cephas, or “Peter”, which means: Rock.

On the one hand Jesus is deploying a divine prerogative. To rename like this is typical of God in the OT.

God changed Abram to Abraham, and Sarai to Sarah.

God changed Jacob’s name to Israel.

Jesus says, you shall no longer be called Simon, but Peter, Rock.

On the other hand, Jesus is also making a prophecy. Simon will later be called the Rock by everyone after he confesses Jesus as the Christ and becomes the leader of the early apostles. (Matt. 16:18)

Jesus looks at Simon and he sees Peter. Peter and Jesus connect! Life changing connnection!

Implication 3: Show others to Jesus

Like Andrew long ago, as we get to know Jesus we are going to be filled with desire to share him with others who are also looking for him.

Who is looking for Jesus?

Everyone. At a deep level: Everyone needs the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Everyone wants to know God, be known by God, love God, be loved by God.

And there are those God places near us who are especially looking for him, they are ready. If we think about it, we know who they are or can be shown who they are, like Andrew knew Simon would want to know.

As ones who know Christ, we can introduce them to Christ.

Introduce them to Christ. Point them to Christ.

Sometimes we point to everything except Christ!

this issue, this opinion, argument, this challenge, this program…

Just point to Christ with genuine excitement and passion, like Andrew did.

The Son of God, sent in great love.

Our own excitement and focus on Christ is magnetic.f

Just arrange for the meeting between them and Christ.

Bring them to Christ in simple ways:

Invitation to church. Social event. Mission/service trip. Over to our house. Mentioning Jesus or church in conversation.

We can trust Jesus to do the real connection.

Someone who came to a contemplative service. Just sitting quietly. They connected with Christ. Marked a new chapter in their spiritual growth.

Hint: we’ll have events like that in Lent

It was satisfying to me to see Christ work in that person’s life directly, calling them into next steps.

As Christians — relevance? Pointing to Jesus.

It our job is just to arrange the meeting. Just come and see.

Conclusion

As Jesus is beginning his ministry we are called to be spiritually curious.

To experience him.

Jesus is among us.

He invites us to Come and See.

As we get to know him,

we invite others too also Come and See.