John 1:35-51

Sermon Style Sheet

Write that down in your formation Journal

Illustration

Sermon Text

Sermon Text: Scripture

Call to Worship

Psalm 148:1–6 CSB

1 Hallelujah! Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights. 2 Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his heavenly armies. 3 Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars. 4 Praise him, highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens. 5 Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded, and they were created. 6 He set them in position forever and ever; he gave an order that will never pass away.

––––––––––––

Passage:

Formation Journal Page Number: 12:52-1:35 4:36-5:26 (with phone call) 6:29-7:08x

John 1:35–51 CSB

35 The next day, John was standing with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this and followed Jesus. 38 When Jesus turned and noticed them following him, he asked them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?” 39 “Come and you’ll see,” he replied. So they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about four in the afternoon. 40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard John and followed him. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated “the Christ”), 42 and he brought Simon to Jesus. When Jesus saw him, he said, “You are Simon, son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which is translated “Peter”). 43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. He found Philip and told him, “Follow me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the hometown of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the law (and so did the prophets): Jesus the son of Joseph, from Nazareth.” 46 “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Nathanael asked him. “Come and see,” Philip answered. 47 Then Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said about him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” 48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you,” Jesus answered. 49 “Rabbi,” Nathanael replied, “You are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel!” 50 Jesus responded to him, “Do you believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” 51 Then he said, “Truly I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

Opening Illustration:

Left out

When it comes to knowing Christ - we don’t want anyone left out

the reason for that Christ is the hope, he gives joy and peace and love he’s truth

time

Getting into the Sermon

time

John 1:35–39 CSB

35 The next day, John was standing with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this and followed Jesus. 38 When Jesus turned and noticed them following him, he asked them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?” 39 “Come and you’ll see,” he replied. So they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about four in the afternoon.

So last week we talked about how John the baptist recognized Jesus. Well, there were some of his disciples around as he was talking about Jesus and two of them heard about it and they were like why am I with this guy if he’s the messiah?

As they start following Jesus, Jesus asks them - “what are you looking for?”

What are people looking for? They are looking for hope - cynical world

They are looking for peace - the fighting world

they are looking for love - lonely world

they are looking for truth - in a fake world/ AI

No more funny animal videos

So how did they answer - they were looking for a relationship with God.

Now it’s starting to get into the afternoon - around 4pm when this conversation is happening. Now their response seems weird - because they immediately ask “where are you staying.

Essentially, though, what they are saying is that they want to get to know him. They’ve heard what John the baptist said about him and they want to follow him or at least see what he is all about.

So they go and they hand out with him. The spend some time with him. And let’s look at their response.

John 1:40–42 CSB

40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard John and followed him. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated “the Christ”), 42 and he brought Simon to Jesus. When Jesus saw him, he said, “You are Simon, son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which is translated “Peter”).

Encountering Christ creates enthusiasm.

So Andrew, is so impressed by Jesus, he is so convinced by Jesus, that he goes and he looks for his brother (peter) and tells him, “We have found the messiah.

This is a big statement. Its not some mild claim.

It’s not just sharing a funny meme, or having watched a really good movie - He’s saying this is the guy who is going to bring real change.

Now the term Messiah means “annointed one” or “Christ.” All throughout the Old Testament there was foreshadowing about someone who was going to come who was going to lead Israel into a never ending golden age. That things were going to change.

But the Jewish people had preconcieved ideas of what that what going to look like. - They had been under Roman rule for less than 100 years. It’s not that their desires were bad when they wanted freedom - they were natural desires.

what he brings is better than what we hope

We want other people to know.

People who read their bible’s regularly are 200% more likely to share their faith - why? Because they are spending more time around jesus! They are around him and they want people to know him. That’s why.

John 1:43–45 CSB

43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. He found Philip and told him, “Follow me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the hometown of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the law (and so did the prophets): Jesus the son of Joseph, from Nazareth.”

The next person who is following Jesus is Phillip. And he gets excited too! So he goes to Nathanael and he tells him - hey we have the guy we have been looking for!

Encountering christ creates enthusiasm - your story matters.

The facts you know is less important than the life you lived

experience trumps facts

What if they ask about the crusades - I don’t know they probably weren’t really christians.

What about slavery? I just had someone ask me

experience trumps facts in our culture today because people are wondering what does God have to do with someone like me?

locked and loaded with your testimony or your jesus got me through story

watch how this plays out

John 1:46 CSB

46 “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Nathanael asked him. “Come and see,” Philip answered.

He is skeptical. He doesn’t believe.

Nazareth was a frontier town. Remember it was sparsely populated and there was an effort to repopulate the area about 60 years before Christ.

Nathanel has doubts. Now there are a lot of ways that Philip could respond. He could have quoted Isaiah 9 - which we looked at. But what does he say? He says’ come and see. Experience him for yourself.

He didn’t go big a theological, he went relational.

Inviting people to church is the easiest way to start a spiritual conversation.

what could they say - yes! if they say, I’ll pick you up or I’ll meet in the parking lot.

then after - talk to them about it -don’t be offended if they critique it.

So they might say yes

or they could some form of maybe

80% of unchurched people are open to going to church if they were invited by a friend.

A person usually needs to be invited 7  times before they attend

I have this thing that I love, that I think you will love too

They might say no - That’s not my jam

But the probablem is that we think that people who don’t go to church have rejected Christ, but most of them haven’t offered.

maybe God uses you to heal someone’s church hurt becasue you cared about them as a person

People are so afraid of the no- they don’t invite

2% of christians invite an unchurched person to church in a given year. -w e think they have rejected Christ but they haven’t been offered Christ.

We want to make sure they aren’t left out

We share what we love to people we love

Come and see. Come and experience it yourself.

We can feel this burden that it’s all up to us.

John 1:47–51 CSB

47 Then Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said about him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” 48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you,” Jesus answered. 49 “Rabbi,” Nathanael replied, “You are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel!” 50 Jesus responded to him, “Do you believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” 51 Then he said, “Truly I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

It’s Jesus’ job to save.

We don’t want them left out from the invitation but we don’t seal the deal

you never what’s going to change their heart for Christ

so we invite and make sure that they aren’t left out

We invite because only jesus saves.

Jesus is the bridge between heaven and earth

Gospel

ABC’s of Repentance

Why does this matter

A Church plant is the most effective tool for reaching unchurched people.

Because we don’t have church - the church building can be a barrier.

The established church relationships can be a barrier

We are able to reach people in a way that other established churches in Winter Haven aren’t. There’s a burden, there’s a calling there, there’s an opportunity.

Listen we want to reach the people that rest of the churches can’t so let’s be doing that, let’s praying that way - pray big 666 that guy, let’s get that guy.

That’s big we need to be praying - we need to be fueling up on the word

filled with enthusiasm.

And let’s do it , together.

Let’s pray.

Lord’s Supper:

On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 

Benediction:

The LORD bless you and keep you;

the LORD makes his face shine upon you and be gracious to you:

The LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.