John 1:35-50 “Come and See”

John 1:35-50  “Come and See”

Jesus has been introduced and now people will start seeking Him out and following Him. The interaction between Jesus and the disciples tells us something for us today. First though I would like to tell you about some places.

I spent 6 years in the navy 4 of them on a destroyer. Often I had time to sit on the deck and watch the water curl off the bow or sit on the fantail and watch the water come out the screws. On sunny days the water stirred water would turn a beautiful shade of blue that was so intense. That color was so amazing; I have never seen it before and never seen it since. It is something you have to see, there are no words that can take you there, no picture or painting.

In June Don Landwehr, Tom White, Kathy and I went to climb Mt. Alice just east of Estes Park CO. We did not make the top because our trail came to giant snow cliffs that went vertical for some 500 feet and were to dangerous to go up. So we sat and had lunch in such a place that you could never get it into words or photographs.  Why do you climb a mountain? If you have to ask you would not understand the answer.

Some things you cannot explain for they must be experienced, seen, to be understood.

Jesus is just walking by when John says “look the Lamb of God” and two of John’s disciples start following Jesus. We know one is Andrew and the other is John the writer of the gospel. You can almost feel the awkward way they are following Jesus when He turns to them. Jesus simply ask “what do you want?” They have no Idea what they want so they are digging for an answer. And come up with “where are you staying?” There is no way that this is why they are following Jesus.

Jesus could have given them an answer, 21^st and main, spare room in the temple, Holliday Inn Express. But Jesus says “Come and See?” The strange thing is that John does not give an answer. He says they saw the place but does not tell us where it is. The where question is lost and now they are calling their friends.  Since the where is lost, Jesus must have meant something more when He said “Come and you will see”

Come and See

Vs 50 “You will see greater things than this”

Matthew 4:18 -22 Jesus walks past the same group of men rounding them up for a trip and just says “follow me”

Jesus can be talked about, studied in a Bible study, yet it all falls short. For us to understand Jesus we must come and see. Take part, with Jesus in the healing of a life. See Jesus truly answer prayers, to be part of the work of Jesus in the world. Jesus says to all of us walk with me and you will see amazing things. See colors that are brighter, be dwarfed by wondrous cliffs, amazed at a changed life, your life.

There is no way to read it, hear about it or even watch it from the stands, only on the field and in the game will do.

So Come and See is the challenge to us.

Come and See is also our message.

Vs 40 Andrew is so impressed with Jesus that he find his brother Peter and says “come and see”

Philip gets the come and see/ follow me call from Jesus and then runs off to find Nathanael and tells Him “Come and See” vs 46.

In John 4:29 the woman at the well says “Come and See” is this not the Messiah?

There are people who are waiting for you to invite them, not to church, not to a Bible study, but invite them to come and see.

Come see how God deals with the questions of your heart

Come and see how Jesus changes lives.

Come and see how Jesus has changed your life.

This is God’s powerful Plan to reach the world with forgiveness, not a new book, a good sermon, or wonderful song, it’s the power of an invitation first to you and then for you to give. “Come and See, and you will see greater things than you can imagine. You will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending, eyes opened, and the lame walk. Come and See.

John 1:29-34

John 1:29-34 Lamb of God

John has introduced Jesus as the WORD, as one greater than all others, and now as the Lamb. The progression is laid out in this first chapter. Jesus created the world, has left heaven and come to earth, is now with us and will become the sacrifice of Father for the sins of the world.

The lamb in the Jewish world would be well known, and John uses it with little explanation which tells us he is writing to Jews or those who would know their customs. Here before John tells of the amazing things Jesus does, he tells us Jesus’ ultimate goal. It is like John is telling us not to lose sight of this while reading what follows; Jesus is the Lamb of God. While John uses Lamb only twice in his gospel he uses it 29 times in Revelation. John is the only one who calls Jesus the “Lamb of God”

 

1.     The lamb of sacrifice

a.     Lev 4:27-33

b.     For ordinary Israelite

c.      Without spot or blemish

d.     Very personal thing

e.     Lay hands on it’s head

f.       Slaughtered by the sinner

g.      Atoned for that sin

 

2.     Gods’ Lamb

a.     Provided by God

b.     Abraham Gen 22

c.      Perfect

d.     Personal

e.     For the world forever

f.       Breaks the sin connection so we can be sanctified, transformed.

 

3.     Our lamb

a.     Making it personal

      This is my lamb, place your hands upon it and claim it

      This is my sin Father,

b.     Making it lasting

      I not only want forgiveness, I want transformation

c.      Gods’ requirement, give it away

People want to know who Jesus is and what He really did. Tell them about your lamb. Tell them about their lamb, the Lamb of God that takes away their sin, breaks the bond of sin. Behold the Lamb of God, Jesus.

John 1 15

John 1:15-28 “Greater than Me”

INTRODUCTION: John’s Gospel is flowing with meaning. Here we have John the Baptist telling us what God has instructed him to do.  Yet in this same passage if we look at we find the instructions to the church. The church of John’s time was filled with Gnostics, people who claimed that they had special knowledge from God, that in turn made them special, usually this special knowledge gave them a way around living the life of Jesus. So all trough John’s Gospel He addresses their ideas. In doing so John addresses many of the same problems that exist in the church today.

1.     John’s confession

a.     Jesus is greater than me

John somehow understood that Jesus was greater than He. He knew one greater than was coming and when Jesus comes to be baptized he knows Jesus is the one who should baptize him. John was given a great place on the world stage, yet John always knew he was number two in the parade, a supporting actor.

b.     I am unfit to even untie Jesus’ sandals

How far was there between John and Jesus? John felt unworthy to untie Jesus’ sandals. Sandals covered with the dirt from the street, the lowest servant of the household type of job.

c.      I am here to make a path for God to reach people

John’s profession was to make a highway for God, not a highway to God. John knew that his work was making a way for God to reach the people. God was the only one that would move. John called the people to repent, be baptized. Paving the way.

Busting Rocks, John was also in a constant state of battle with some people. Vs 24. John is fighting the Pharisees who thought themselves the authority of God, holders of the knowledge of God. The same kind of people who become known as Gnostics.

 

2.     Our Confession

a.     Jesus is greater than we are

The church in America and Christians in America think of Jesus as their servant. Jesus is here to give us stuff, make our life comfortable, ectt.. We even have that our own Lord’s Prayer; “My kingdom come and my will be done, for this is earth and not heaven.” And our own hymn; “have my own way, Lord” When Jesus washes the disciples feet is demonstrating what they should do, not what He was going to continue to do.

To many people have Jesus mixed up with Igor from Frankenstein, Yes Master.

We are to serve Jesus and others.

b.     We are unfit to even untie Jesus’ sandals

How far down the list are we? At our best we are unfit to touch the laces on Jesus’ sandals. Yet all too often church and worship is all about us. Worship that moves us, sermons that entertain and make us think, but not too much. Music we like. Ect.. But Worship is supposed to be all about God, and the best form of worship is to do the things God ask us to do.

 

Mic 6:8 He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly  and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

 

Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you,   brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices,  holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual  act of worship.

 

3.     Our profession

a.     Make a path, a way for God to reach people

b.     Bricks, for pavement or walls

c.      We tend to be wall builders, walls to keep people in, walls to keep people out. More concerned with our own stats than Gods’

d.     2.5 million People will die in the US, 333 of them will be in Marinette C.

e.     How many will know about Jesus?

f.       Good paving is done on your knees.

 

Conclusion: Do we know and live out our real relationship to God? Are we paving a path or building a wall?