2 Йоан - Повече отколкото можеш да очакваш (бележки)

Повече отколкото можеш да очакваш

John 1:35–51

Introduction

How many of you have children? When you got your children did they come with an instruction manual? I always thought that children should come with an instruction manual for new parents.

When your child cries for 24 hours without stopping you should….
Chapter two … How do you feed the child and actually get more food in his mouth than on the floor….

Many people also look for an instruction manual for life. This is life’s instruction manual (the Bible). However, the problem is that the instructions are not always exactly as we expect.

When we serve others we receive a blessing… we think the opposite.
Backwards bolt… not read the manual… men

What do you want? (John 1:35-39)

John 1:35-39 35 На следния ден Иоан пак стоеше с двама от учениците си. 36 И като съгледа Исуса когато минаваше каза: Ето Божият Агнец! 37 И двамата ученика го чуха да говори така, и отидоха подир Исуса. 38 И като се обърна Исус и видя, че идат подире Му, казва им: Що търсите? А те Му рекоха: Равви, (което значи, Учителю), где живееш? 39 Казва им: Дойдете и ще видите. Дойдоха, прочее, и видяха где живее, и останаха при Него тоя ден. Беше около десетият час.

These are the first words of Jesus in this Gospel, “What do you want?” [Що търсите?]

The other gospels tell about history, Jesus’ childhood, temptations, struggles, but John cuts right to the chase.
“It is the first question which must be addressed to anyone who comes to Jesus, the first thing about which he must be clear”

Perhaps Jesus was also asking, “What are you seeking in life?” * For these first followers of Jesus:

Were they theologians (legalists) wanting only religious conversations?
Were they ambitious, looking for position and power through religion (like the Sadducees)?
Were they nationalists looking for a political demagogue and a military commander who would smash the occupying power of Rome like the Zealots?
Were they humble men of prayer looking for God and for his will?
Everyone is searching for something:

Some are searching for security.
Some are searching for what they would call a career
Some are searching for some kind of peace

[Tи, Що търсиш?] What are we really searching for in life? It’s an uncomfortable question. It’s the kind of question that cuts to our soul? What is the point of life?
What we see in the Gospel is it is always God who takes the first step. He met them halfway. The disciples started following Jesus, but the minute they did Jesus offered an invitation.

He did not say, “Що търсите?” as a rebuke, but as an invitation.
When God prompts your soul and asks you, (Що търсиш?) He is inviting you to follow Him.

Jesus’ reply to the disciples, “Come and see.” You just might find what you are looking for.
Let’s see if these men found what they were looking for…

What do you know? (John 1:40-46)

John 1:40-46 40 Единият от двамата, които чуха от Иоана за Него и Го последваха, беше Андрей, брат на Симона Петра. 41 Той първо намира своя брат Симона и му казва: Намерихме Месия (което значи Христос). 42 Като го заведе при Исуса, Исус се вгледа в него и рече: Ти си Симон, син Ионов; ти ще се наричаш Кифа, (което значи Петър). 43 На другия ден Исус възнамери да отиде в Галилея; и намира Филипа и му казва: Дойди след Мене. 44 А Филип беше от Витсаида, от града на Андрея и Петра. 45 Филип намира Натанаила и му казва: Намерихме Онзи, за Когото писа Моисей в закона, и за Когото писаха пророците, Исуса, Иосифовия син, Който е от Назарет. 46 Натанаил му рече: От Назарет може ли да произлезе нещо добро? Филип му каза: Дойди и виж.

All of us are searching for something. We all ask the question, “What do I want out of life?” But often it is hard to believe that there can be something more.
We want something more out of life. NO, we know there must be more, but we are so skeptical that we give up looking for something better.
Last week we saw John the Baptist pointing the way to Jesus. In a few weeks we will look at the religious leader Nicodemus [Никодим] who knows that Jesus is from God, but is afraid of what other people will think if he follows Jesus.
In this passage I really like Nathanael. [“gift of God”] He is a skeptic, but with an honest heart. The problem for Nathanael is that Jesus does not meet his expectations.
We see how Nathanael’s expectations at first were also an obstacle for him to believe in Jesus.
He says, “От Назарет може ли да произлезе нещо добро?”

1:46. Nazareth seems to have been a very traditional, orthodox town; priests later considered it ritually clean enough to move there. But Nazareth was relatively small and obscure, with about sixteen hundred to two thousand inhabitants.
Nazareth was a small town on the road to nowhere. Important things happen in big cities, but important things can’t happen in little towns.
Tim, you should live in Sofia.
Nathanael had the same attitude. The Messiah is an important figure and important things only happen in big cities.

There were various traditions about where the Messiah will come from.

Bethlehem (Micah 5:2)
No one will know where he is from.
But he was not looking for a humble man from Nazareth, but a mighty king!

Philip’s reply to the Nathanael, “Come and see.” Your expectations might be different than reality.

What will you see? (John 1:47-51)

John 1:47-51 47 Исус видя Натанаила да дохожда към Него, и казва за него: Ето истински израилтянин, у когото няма лукавщина. 48 Натанаил му каза: Отгде ме познаваш? Исус в отговор му рече: Преди да те повика Филип, видях те като беше под смоковницата. 49 Натанаил му отговори: Учителю, Ти си Божи Син, Ти си Израилев цар. 50 Исус в отговор му каза: Понеже ти рекох видях те под смоковницата, вярваш ли? Повече от това ще видиш. 51 И рече му: Истина, истина ви казвам, [Отсега] ще видите небето отворено, и Божиите ангели да възлизат и слизат над Човешкия Син.

Twice in this passage the words “Come and see” are repeated. Every time someone is hesitant about Jesus there is not an instant answer, but an invitation. “Come and see.” So, what does Jesus say that they will see?
I think that there are two important things we see happening here:

48 Натанаил му каза: Отгде ме познаваш? Исус в отговор му рече: Преди да те повика Филип, видях те като беше под смоковницата. 49 Натанаил му отговори: Учителю, Ти си Божи Син, Ти си Израилев цар
We don’t know what Philip was doing under that tree. But it’s not important we know. What is important is that Jesus knew.
We have the invitation “Come and See.” What will you see if you follow Jesus? First of all, someone who knows all about you.

Where you go, and what you do.
Your heart’s desire and your dreams.
Your hopes and fears.

Jesus knows us intimately. When you follow Jesus you follow someone who knows the core of our soul and has laid his life down for us.
Jesus also said:

ще видите небето отворено, и Божиите ангели да възлизат и слизат над Човешкия Син.
In the Old Testament (Genesis 28:12-14) Jacob had a dream of a ladder between Heaven and Earth. That there could be direct contact between people and God.
Jesus here is saying that He is the fulfillment of this promise. There is no other way to get to God except through Him. Jesus is the connection between heaven and earth.

What will you see, Nathanael? What you have been waiting for your whole life.

Conclusion

We see in this passage the first people who start following Jesus. And we see that for them it was not always easy. They had a difficult time when Jesus did not live up to there preconceived notions of who he should be.
What is the answer to their hesitation? “Come and see”
What did Jesus promise that they will see? More than they ever hope for.
I have studied theology for over ten years. I have two master’s degrees in theology, but I cannot prove to you that Jesus is the Messiah. I can only say like Philip, “Come and see?”
Come see that he is добър и благ. He can be your best friend and fulfill the desires of your heart, if you put aside your expectations and just follow Him.
Come and see