Come and See

Believe: Gospel of John  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  34:48
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Come And See

I love to see the excitement on a kids face when they discover something new or receive something surprisingly unexpected.
They get so excited about it they want to show and tell everyone about this new thing they have.
Just this week Eden went to the dentist.
As she was leaving they gave her a balloon filled with helium.
Corrie and her went while I was at the office and when I came home for a minute, Eden said “Daddy, Look at my balloon.”
Initially, I was busy talking to Corrie so I brushed it off for a minute.
But then she insistently kept saying “Daddy, Look at my balloon. Look at my balloon. Look at my balloon.”
And she kept saying it till I acknowledged her balloon.
Later that same day the balloon was hanging on her door in her bedroom.
She grabbed my Hand
And said, “Daddy come and look at my balloon.”
The balloon was her prized possession.
And she wanted to make sure that I got to see it.
She wanted me to enjoy her balloon as much as she enjoyed her balloon.
Whether or not I cared about the balloon or not, she wanted to show it to me.
She wanted me to experience the joy of the balloon.
And this is true of all of us.
When we truly love something.
When we truly love someone.
When we truly are in awe or amazed by something, we want to tell the whole world.
Some new parents are insufferable when it comes to this, I know Corrie and I were.
When we had kids, at any chance I got, I wanted to show people all of the 3,000 pictures I had of my baby.
If they sought my attention in any way, they were going to hear about my new child.
Grandparents gush over their grand-babies.
People get excited about their new car, gun, phones, or whatever.
You get a new dog, cat, bunny, or hip and everyone hears about it.
A love struck man won’t stop talking about his new girlfriend to his friends and family.
And vice versa.
This isn’t a bad thing, but eventually the awe, wonder, and newness wears off.
And then we don’t get as excited about it.
But what if there was something or better yet someone who never lost their luster.
Someone who loved us unconditionally.
Someone who saw our faults and our failures and loved us anyway.
That each day, hour, and moment with this person was greater than the last.
We never wanted to be out of their presence and we wanted everyone we know to meet this new love of our life.
That’s what it means to share Jesus with someone.
He should consume your life.
You should be like Eden grabbing someone’s hand and saying, “Come and See this Jesus who loves you.”
And In today’s text that’s exactly what we are going to see.
We are going to read about Jesus’ first disciples.
How they came to follow, love, and trust Jesus.
Let’s read how this all begins
John 1:35–36 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!”

Never-Changing Message

You may be thinking, that we read this last week and you would be almost right.
Jn 1:29 “29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
Up until this point in John’s Gospel, John the Baptist has played a pivotal role in proclaiming Jesus as the Long-Awaited Messiah.
He is out preaching about the Savior of the world and telling any one who will listen about the fulfillment of Scripture and the Son of God.
His message never changes.
He never uses his influence to pull attention to himself.
He never uses his followers to puff himself up.
He never uses his platform to promote himself.
He was always point to Jesus.
His message never changed.
He never had to try and make Jesus more appealing.
He never had to try and convince people about Jesus.
He never softened the need for a savior.
He didn’t plead and beg people to follow Jesus.
Rather he lived out his mission, he spoke out his conviction, and people either listened to him or avoided him.
There was no room for compromise for John.
He knew his calling.
He knew his mission.
He knew the truth.
And he wanted other people to know it too.
There are many people out here who want to make the message of Jesus more palatable.
They want to soften what the Bible Teaches.
They want there to be mass appeal.
They don’t want to hurt people’s feelings.
They don’t want to offend the masses sensibilities.
They don’t want to preach and point to the truth.
Or on the other hand they want to harp on only one aspect of the gospel message.
They want to scare people into heaven.
They want to teach that as a follower of Jesus all pain and suffering will cease.
They want to claim that if you follow Jesus he will give you everything you want. Health, wealth, and prosperity.
I want put it as simply as I can.
The message of Jesus. The gospel message is that we are broken and separated from God.
So God came down to restore us into right relationship with him.
This doesn’t fix all the brokenness around us.
This doesn’t change our financial status.
This isn’t just a get out of hell free card.
This is a call to Look at Jesus and to follow him.
That means as his followers we are not to obstruct or distract from the meaning of the message.
Those who herald and proclaim the message aren’t supposed to try and usurp the person and work of Jesus.
Rather we are to be claiming and saying “Behold the Lamb of God.”
When you come to worship here in this church or in any church its important that you know that the Pastor or preacher should be trying to point you to Jesus.
They shouldn’t ask you to submit to their authority over the authority of Jesus.
They are to be humble servants that are pointing and paving the way to Jesus.
This is something that you need to be on the watch for when looking for a church.
When listening to pastors or preachers.
When letting others teach you the word of God.
That must always be point towards Jesus.
That being said.
This is my commitment.
I strive to make sure that as I preach and teach and help to disciple each of you that I am pointing past myself and to Jesus.
If you ever feel like I am or have abandoned that commitment I pray that you approach and correct me.
I am not here to build my kingdom, but to help build his through the power of the HS.
I strive to be like John the Baptist.
Behold the Lamb of God.
He is greater than I.
And I pray that as that is proclaimed you respond like some of John’s Disciples
John 1:37–39 CSB
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.

What Are You Looking For?

Here’s how much of a big deal John made of Jesus.
Two of his own disciples abandon him start following Jesus.
John had no qualms pointing them to something greater than himself.
These men had chosen to learn from John.
They had sat at his feet.
Watched him baptize people.
Observed him call others to repentance.
They were learning, growing, and being shaped to take on John’s teaching.
So no doubt they heard John claiming and proclaiming about Jesus.
And this one special day.
They heard John say as Jesus was passing by, “Behold the Lamb of God.”
And their response was to Follow Jesus.
In their culture and time if someone wanted to be a disciple they would attach themselves to a Rabbi or teacher.
The teacher didn’t go out an search for pupils.
The students weren’t assigned to a specific teacher.
You would hear their teaching and if it aligned with what you wanted to learn you would follow them.
That’s one of the amazing things about this story.
They hadn’t heard Jesus teach.
They hadn’t heard him preach.
They didn’t have anything to go on other than John’s word and John’s witness.
And that was enough for them to follow Jesus.
The only thing we really have today that is similar to this is when someone is pursuing a Doctorate Degree.
Usually they look, search, and scour information to find a Professor that is an expert in the field that they want to study.
I have heard of people moving across the country to go and be involved in a specific pastor’s ministry, but that is extremely rare.
But these men saw Jesus, heard John talk about Jesus, and followed Jesus.
Why?
B/c John paved the way to Jesus.
John was a voice crying out in the desert Behold the Lamb of God.
And John wasn’t afraid or frustrated b/c they left him to follow Jesus.
He didn’t beg them to stay.
He was willing to let God of those that he trained b/c Jesus is better.
So they left. The followed Jesus.
I just picture in my mind Jesus walking past, and just like hungry lost puppy dogs these guys start following him.
Then Jesus turns around and asks them “What are you looking for?”
What are you seeking after?
What do you desire?
What would you say in that situation?
I am sure that I would fumble and bumble my words.
This is the question that however they answer it will change their lives for ever.
It’s the same question that we have to ask ourselves.
And the reality is Jesus is asking us that same question right now.
What are you looking for?
What are you seeking?
What do you desire?
Because we are all seeking after something.
We all desire for something.
We all are looking for something.
This is a truly human question.
Are you seeking after happiness?
Do you desire riches?
Are you looking for belonging?
What do you want?
Acceptance?
Love?
Joy?
Peace?
Here’s the thing, we can chase, seek, desire, and look at the things of the is world.
We can chase after happiness.
We can seek fulfilment in relationships.
We can desire a better life.
We can desire to be a better husband, wife, father, mother, person, community member.
And can I tell you that those are good desires, and if you follow Jesus.
If you walk after Jesus then those desires will become a reality.
Because as we follow Him we become more and more like him.
Following Jesus is like playing follow the leader.
If we do the things that he is doing.
If we love the way that he loves.
If we live the way that he has designed us to live all of our desires will change to what he desires.
And if we seek after what he desires then he will meet those desires.
I want you to imagine that Jesus is looking into your eyes right now.
And he asks you this same question, “What are you looking for?”
How could you answer it.
Because there is only one truly right answer.
The only right answer is “you”
Jesus I desire you.
Jesus I am seeking you.
Jesus I am looking for you.
That’s what it means when these disciples answers the question that Jesus asks.
I always thought that their answer was weird.
“Rabbi, or teacher, Where are you staying”
This could be better rendered, where do you abide?
Most of us have heard that word in connection with John’s Gospel before.
John 15 talks alot about where we abide.
Where we take up residence and that we are abide with Jesus.
As he abides with the father.
Jesus’ very life is to stay, remain, and abide with the father.
But notice he doesn’t answer their question.
He doesn’t say, “I’m staying with such and such”
No he says “Come and you’ll see” v. 39
They were asking him where he was sleeping.
Where his home is.
He is answering not in physical way, but in a spiritual way.
Come and see all that my father will do through me.
Come and see that I am the fulfillment of the promise.
Come and see that I am all that you have longed for, prayed for, and waited for.
Come and you’ll see that I am all that your heart truly desires.
That’s Jesus’ invitation to you today.
Come and see that He is good.
Come and see that Jesus will fulfill your every desire.
Come and see that he loves you.
Come and see.
And when you follow Jesus.
When you come and see, you’ll want to be like Eden was with her balloon.
You’ll want to tell others.
You’ll want others to come and see too.
That’s what these guys did.
And Jesus welcomed the new comers too.
Because of their witness.
Do you see this pattern?
Point people to Jesus like John.
Tell people about Jesus like his two disciples.
God uses us to help people come to see who he is.
We’re about to learn who one of John’s disciples is.
He’s important, but the one he brings to Jesus plays a bigger role.
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”).

I Have Found Him

Andrew was one of John’s disciples who left John and followed Jesus.
and the first thing he did after spending some time with Jesus was go and tell his brother about Jesus.
He was excited to find the messiah.
He was so excited that he had to tell someone.
I want you to know that one of the most effective ways of telling others about Jesus is through your own personal testimony.
Telling others what Jesus has done for you.
That’s what Andrew did.
He didn’t invite him to learn about him at church.
He didn’t hope that someone else would tell him about Jesus.
He personally went to his brother and said, “We have Found the Messiah.”
We have found what we were looking for.
We have found the one who changes our hearts.
He changes our desires.
We have found the one that teaches and lives truth.
We have found Him.
I want you to find him too.
I want you to know him too.
I want you to come and see him too.
There are people in your life right now that need to know Jesus.
They are out here living in hopelessness.
They are out here lost.
They are out here seeking after the things of this world only to end up be dissatisfied.
They are empty, broken, and longing for something better.
And you have that something better.
You have the one who brought hope.
You have the one that brings peace.
You have the one who satisfies.
And you are either telling others about him or you are being selfish with him.
And you can tell someone as close as a family member or as far as a stranger.
We all have and know people in our life that are lost.
Let’s take them to Jesus.
This isn’t about building a bigger church.
Or putting more butts in these seats.
This is about Pointing people to Jesus.
You can bring them to church and they will hear the gospel message.
I will make sure to tell them about Jesus from the pulpit, but you have more influence by telling them your story.
You don’t have to have degrees.
You don’t have to have all the special training.
You don’t have to have all the right answers.
You can just tell them about your love for Jesus.
You can invite them to come and see.
So Andrew goes and tells his brother, Simon.
He brings him to Jesus.
And Jesus saw Simon.
Meaning that he looked intently at Simon.
He could see that there was something inside of Simon that is rough, but that will help spread the gospel.
And then Jesus gives Simon a name change.
He gives him a nickname.
Cephas or Peter both meaning “rock”.
It’s like Jesus calling him Rocky.
Many times in the OT God gives people name Changes to signify their important role in his story.
Abram becomes Abraham.
Jacob becomes Israel.
For just a couple of examples.
Now Peter is going to be a rock for the church.
A Rock for the disciples.
And much of this happens b/c Peter’s brother brings him to Jesus.
You never know who you are telling about Jesus.
You never know who they may become.
You never know what kind of impact they may have with God’s power.
But think about it, all of the most impact Christians in the world had to hear the gospel from someone.
In our scripture for today, 2 more come to follow Jesus.
One b/c Jesus called him and the other b/c he was brought to Jesus.
John 1:43–51 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.” 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.”

Follow Me, Then Come and See

Jesus finds Philip and tells him “Follow Me.”
Jesus reached out to Philip.
Jesus called Philip.
Now Philip knew Andrew and Peter b/c they are from the same town.
So now these hometown homies are following Jesus together.
And we’re not told this in the text, but I imagine that Philip asks Andrew and Peter how and why they started to follow Jesus.
Andrew’s like, well you know crazy John locusts and honey that John, he told me that Jesus is the Lamb of God…So I started to follow him.
Then I told Simon that Jesus is the Messiah.
And he came.
Then Jesus gave him a new name…He’s rocky now.
And we need to tell everyone that the Lamb of God, the Messiah has come.
So Philip sees a pattern of each one reaching one.
And he decides its his turn.
So he goes and tells Nathaniel.
And what does he tell him
Jn 1:45 “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.””
Those scriptures we have heard all our lives.
We sat in the synagogues and heard other Rabbi’s teach.
The one that Moses wrote about in the Torah
(in case your wondering Deut 18:15 “15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him.” Deut 18:18 “18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.”)
He’s Jesus from Nazereth.
Now Nazareth was a small town of no more than 2,000 people.
Nothing significant had come from Nazareth.
So Nathaniel’s response is like him saying “Are you sure?
Why? b/c the Messiah is prophesied as being born out of Bethlehem.
But Jesus was born in Bethlehem.
And he was Raised in Nazereth.
So he is from Nazereth.
That’s how people would know him.
Think about it this way.
I was born in Arkansas.
I lived there till I about 13.
But when people ask me where I’m from I always say Texas.
Why? b/c I spent more time living here than in AR.
I am from Texas even though I was born in Arkansas.
The same kind of thing is happening here.
The Prophecy of the savior being born in Bethlehem is true at the same time Jesus was from Nazareth.
There’s this one Christian Hip-Hop artist that I enjoy listening too and he has a song where he quotes Nathanael here
“Does anything good come out of Nazareth? The only thing Good came out of Nazareth.”
So if your friend asks is Jesus as good as you say he is
You can respond “Come and See.” just like Philip did.
Don’t believe me…Come and see.
As Philip is bringing Nathanael to Jesus, Jesus sees him and says something that can be difficult to understand
Jn 1:47 “ “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.””
What does that mean?
This is another call back to the OT.
Remember earlier we talked about Name changes.
Well Israel was the new name of Jacob.
Jacob was one full of deception in Genesis.
He deceived and tricked his brother and father.
He used deceptions and lies to get what he wanted.
But here is Nathaniel that isn’t hiding behind deception.
He doesn’t believe that anything good can come from Jesus’ home town.
and he isn’t afraid to say so.
But at the behest of his friend he comes to see Jesus.
He is willing to seek out the truth even when it Goes against his prejudices.
He is a True Israelite in that he doesn’t hide from the light, but is seeking the light.
And Jesus blesses him b/c of it.
Jesus reveals to Nathaneal his supernatural insight.
He tells Nathaneal where he was b4 he came to Jesus.
Then Nathanael believes.
How does he respond.
John 1:49 “49 “Rabbi,” Nathanael replied, “You are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel!””
Now if you are anything like me you and you have read John 1:51 before you are like what does all this mean.
Let’s read it again and hopefully I will be able to help us understand it.
It’s not as complicated as it seems.
John 1:51 “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.””
So what Jesus and John the author of the gospel is recalling here happens…you guessed it in the Old Testament.
Specifically in Genesis during the story of Jacob.
Interesting, Jesus gives us a glimpse of Jacob when he talks about an Israelite with no deceit, and now he recalls the Jacob story once again with this statement.
In Genesis 28, God gives Jacob a vision or a dream depending on what your translation says.
But God reveals something special about the land that Jacob is on.
Let’s look at it together
Genesis 28:10–17 CSB
10 Jacob left Beer-sheba and went toward Haran. 11 He reached a certain place and spent the night there because the sun had set. He took one of the stones from the place, put it there at his head, and lay down in that place. 12 And he dreamed: A stairway was set on the ground with its top reaching the sky, and God’s angels were going up and down on it. 13 The Lord was standing there beside him, saying, “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your offspring the land on which you are lying. 14 Your offspring will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out toward the west, the east, the north, and the south. All the peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. 15 Look, I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go. I will bring you back to this land, for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” 16 When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” 17 He was afraid and said, “What an awesome place this is! This is none other than the house of God. This is the gate of heaven.”

Son of Man

Jacob names the place where this happens Bethel which means “House of the Lord”
A place where heaven meets earth.
Where God Comes to be with his people.
A place where God’s Blessing flows for his people.
So what’s the big deal.
That was a cool vision that Jacob recieved.
But Jesus is saying that he is the New Bethel.
He is the house of the Lord.
He is the one that brings blessing.
He is the one that brings life.
What Jacob witnessed was simply a taste of the reality to Come.
Bethel is no longer a place, Bethel is a person.
God dwelling with his peple.
Teaching his people.
Training his people.
Training them how to live.
How to love.
How to follow after him.
How to have life and life abundantly.
Jacob’s vision. Jacob’s Dream had become a reality.
It had become a reality in Jesus.
The Son of Man.
The Lamb of God.
The Messiah.
The Greater Prophet.
The son of Joseph.
The Son of God.
The King of Israel.
Jesus came to show us that he is all those things.
That he is the fulfillment of God’s promise.
And if you haven’t given your life over to him.
What are you looking for?
What do you desire?
I want to tell you that Jesus is more than enought.
Jesus will satisfy your heart.
He will cleanse your soul.
He will make you new.
But you need to turn toward him.
YOu need to repent of your sin.
Turn from your brokenness.
Turn from your rebellion
And follow him.
If you are a follower of Jesus.
You should be like these disciples.
You should invite people to Come and See.
Love and charish.
Seek and Find Jesus.
That is our calling.
that should be our desire.
Be the light of Jesus in the darkness.
Bring the hope of Jesus to the hopeless.
Let’s pray.
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