What Are You Seeking? (John 1:29-42)

Introduction

What are you seeking?

This is a simple question that packs much force.

Are you seeking fame? Fortune? Love? Acceptance?

Could you be looking for recognition? Do you desire affirmation?

Is your seeking of a worldly nature?

The lust for gold spans all eras, races, and nationalities. To possess any amount of gold seems to ignite an insatiable desire to obtain more.

Through the centuries, this passion gave rise to the enduring tale of a city of gold.

It even caused a man of dignity and notoriety to put the place on the map. It is a place that does not exist but Sir Walter Raleigh was the one who put this nonexistent place on the map. That place was El Dorado, a legendary city of gold that was said to be located in what is now Venezuela.

Now, El Dorado has become a loose, seductive metaphor for the riches that might still lie undiscovered in the vast northern lands of South America.

It even cause Edgar Allen Poe to write a poem about it.

Gaily bedight,

A gallant knight,

In sunshine and in shadow,

Had journeyed long, The man searched hard and long for nothing.

Singing a song,

In search of Eldorado.

But he grew old—

This knight so bold— He grew old and weary seeking a false dream.

And o’er his heart a shadow—

Fell as he found

No spot of ground

That looked like Eldorado. It was a delusion that only existed in his mind.

And, as his strength

Failed him at length,

He met a pilgrim shadow—

‘Shadow,’ said he,

‘Where can it be—

This land of Eldorado?’

‘Over the Mountains

Of the Moon, He comes across a fake phantom and is told the gold is in a mythical place.

Down the Valley of the Shadow,

Ride, boldly ride,’

The shade replied,—

‘If you seek for Eldorado!’

We are all seeking to find something and we almost always think that something of the material world will fix the longing or desire we have.

All the world will give us is a misappropriation of what is right and true.

Theologian Donald Grey Barnhouse tells of a group of boys in London who “all whistled out of tune as they went about their work. It was talked about and someone suggested that it was because the bells of Westminster were slightly out of tune. Something had gone wrong with the chimes and they were discordant. The boys did not know there was anything wrong with the peals, and quite unconsciously they had copied their pitch.”

He further states, “So we tend to copy the people with whom we associate; we borrow thoughts from the books we read and the programs to which we listen, almost without knowing it. God has given us His Word which is the absolute pitch of life and living. If we learn to sing by it, we shall easily detect the false in all of the music of the world.”

What we gather around is what we tend to imitate. We will desire worldly items and desires over other better items if we only have worldly influences.

If we do not find those influences that push a heavenly mindset, a mind set on things above lifestyle, then we will always have our attention on the world.

In the Scripture under study today we see a man who was heavenly minded. A man who was not certain of the one to come but had committed his life to having Him revealed.

He went out and sought to lead many to Him even though he did not know Him or when He would come.

He says that he did this to reveal Him and not himself. He wanted the man who comes after him but who Ranks above him because He was before him to be revealed.

He wants Christ known to the world because the Messiah is the only way to get the world humming the correct tune. John the Baptist cannot do this, only the Messiah can.

This is what we see in John 1:29-42

John 1:29–42 ESV

29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.” 35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 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?” 39 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. 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). 42 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).

The first thing we see in this is

Is He First in Your Life? (29-34)

John the Baptist makes it clear that even though he was performing ministry first that Jesus is before him.

He knows that he is only a mouthpiece, a man used mightily by God to make the way for Jesus, but he is not the one to be first.

He makes this clear here and in a later chapter saying that Christ must increase and himself decrease.

He knew he had a purpose but that his purpose was not above that of the one who was coming.

He made known that the Messiah the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, was to come and that He is the Son of God.

He is the one who will deliver the nation of Israel if they accept Him.. He is the one who will take away the sins of all people.

He is the lamb that they do not need to provide as the sacrifice because God is sending the lamb for them.

Just as He sent the sheep to Abraham for the sacrifice instead of Isaac being sacrificed.

John knew that Jesus was so much more than he was. He knew that He was the one that all must be looking to, not himself.

John is willingly tel;ling all who hear that the one he had baptized a few days earlier was the Messiah.

He is the one they need to look to. He is the one they need to follow. He knows that his authority is nothing compared to that of Christ.

He willingly removes himself from any sphere of power. He steps back instead of placing himself first.

How often do we place ourselves above the Lord? Do we think that we need more or need to be known more above making Him known?

There are many in ministry today who seek and desire to have a name known to the whole world. They want fame and success and will do anything to receive this.

Take for example this list of names. After hearing them ask yourself if you Recognize any of them: Owen D. Young, Pierre Laval, Hugh S. Johnson, James F. Byrnes, Mohammed Mossadegh, Harlow Curtis? Do you? You should according to Time magazine, because these are all people who have been designated as "Man of the Year" by Time, indicating they had the greatest impact in that year of all persons living on Earth. The celebrity of today is all but forgotten tomorrow.

Whatever we may think we are we are nothing. We are here for a purpose and a time and we need to make the best of that time just as John did. He made the way for Jesus and said He was a rank above him and more than he in all respects.

John stepped aside and made sure Jesus was exalted. He does this again and again. We see it when he points Christ out again to his own disciples and they leave him to follow Jesus. They leave because they want to follow Him.

Will You Follow Him? (35-39)

John made Christ known and he pointed his own disciples to Him.

They left right away and went to Christ.

They followed Him because they wanted to go where He was going.

Here is the question just as Jesus asked them, “What Are You Seeking?”

Are you seeking a man who will make your suffering go away?

Are you seeking a man who will heal your illness?

Are you seeking a man who can overthrow the oppression of the world?

Are you seeking a man who can give you love?

Or are you seeking this man because you want to be with Him regardless what happens because in Him you find life?

The disciples of John answered that they wanted to know where He dwelt. They were not seeking a revolutionary leader, or one to overthrow oppression, they were seeking to know if He was the Messiah as John had said.

They wanted Jesus and what He was there for. They wanted to know Him and spend their time with Him.

He told them to “come and you will see.” Jesus does that for us all.

When we follow Him He removes the blinders we may have on.

He removes the obstructions we have before us. He gives us clarity of sight and desire.

He came for us and so we can have life. He did not come so we can have fame and fortune or any other earthly desire like that.

Sure that may come along and be something we get blessed with but the worldly desires many have are not what He came to show us or give us.

You see when we have our desires set on the worldly items and when they are removed we will struggle and falter.

We will become weak and despise God because He did not fulfill what we expected of Him.

We place things on Him that He did not come to give.

He did come to give us life and life abundantly, but ask yourself,

“Is the abundant life all about money and wealth and any other earthly desire I have, or could it be about the life free from worry because regardless what happens I have Jesus Christ and will be with Him for eternity?”

That is the question we need to ask when we ask what are you seeking?

Are we seeking Jesus or Jesus tacked onto what we want?

These disciples of John had heard the right music from John and they went to Jesus and wanted to be where He was.

They wanted Him and what He truly was, The Savior of the World.

This is what they got. After they asked and He said to come and see they were delighted and spent the day and night with Him.

I can only speculate as to what they heard that day and night but it must have been fascinating and amazing.

They willingly left out anything they were going to do because being with Jesus was more to them than whatever they were going to do.

They were seeking something more than this world and they found it. They found what their hearts desired.

They found what they were seeking and they did as we should.

Will You Boldly Go Get Others? (40-42)

Andrew immediately went and got his brother.

He did not tarry or make excuses.

He had found the Messiah and had to let His brother know.

His response was to immediately go and share.

He did not think about it and wonder the best approach.

He did not take a class on how to share Christ with others.

He did not think man I wish everyone knew Jesus like I do.

No! He went straightaway and told his brother.

I bet he went with excitement and joy and would not take no for an answer from his brother.

He did not go sheepishly and seem beat down while sharing.

First thing he went and found him and said we have found the Messiah.

What a great message We Have Found the Messiah.

Not we have found a man who will change the government. Not we have found a man who will overthrow the system.

Not we have found a man who will give us our country back.

No, but the Messiah.

The Messiah is worth more than all that. He is the one who gives life because He will, and has, taken the sins of the world on Himself so we can be forgiven.

He is the one who will give us everlasting life in glory forever.

Jesus the Messiah. Come now Peter leave the nets and come with me to where He is.

Come now before you cannot. Come now because He is the Messiah and we can be with Him.

Jesus is still offering for you to “Come and you will see.”

Are you seeking that or are you seeking something else for you?

Are you seeking life or something that others have distorted and called life?

Jesus is the lamb of God and He has suffered and given all for you.

In Him is found life and that life is a life that is worthy of you going and sharing with others.

We need to be like John and place Jesus above us because He is the Messiah and He ranks before us.

He is Lord and He is the savior of the world if the world will believe.

But we need to do more than believe to have a life that is right. We need to seek Him daily and seek Him in all things. He is the one who is worthy of all of our lives.

We need to abandon all for Him if that is what is asked by Him.

Have you sought Him and left the nets to be with Him?

Or are you still clinging to what this world offers thinking it is good and better than what Jesus has said to you, “Come and you will see.”?

The Messiah has come and will come again but right now you can have this amazing forgiveness in Him if you will just place your faith in Him.

Jesus gives you so much more than this fallen world can offer.

He is more than a rodeo.

He is more than a sporting event.

He is more than hunting.

He is more than a job.

He is more than your family.

He is more than friends.

He is worthy of everything because He is everything to those who are His.

Conclusion

The captain of the ship looked into the dark night and saw faint lights in the distance. Immediately he told his signalman to send a message" "Alter your course 10 degrees south." Promptly a return message was received: "Alter your course 10 degrees north."

The captain was angered; his command had been ignored. So he sent a second message: "Alter your course 10 degrees south--I am the captain!" Soon another message was received: "Alter your course 10 degrees north--I am seaman third class Jones." Immediately the captain sent a third message, knowing the fear it would evoke: "Alter your course 10 degrees south--I am a battleship." Then the reply came "Alter your course 10 degrees north--I am a lighthouse."

In the midst of our dark and foggy times, all sorts of voices are shouting orders into the night, telling us what to do, how to adjust our lives. Out of the darkness, one voice signals something quite opposite to the rest--something almost absurd. But the voice happens to be the Light of the World, and we ignore it at our our peril.

Jesus beckons you to seek Him and follow Him. Will you ignore this and continue on your course singing out of tune because the world is still resonating in your ears or will you alter your course and embrace Him and the light He gives?

What Are You Seeking?

Life or Death.

In Him is life in the world is Death only.

What Are You Seeking?