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?

Lamentations 3:17-26

Lamentations 3:17-26

It is 575 BC when Jeremiah writes this poem. It is a sad song like one written for a great tragic event. It is a World Trade center, Sandy Hook, Colorado fire or Moore Ok, kind of poem. Yet in the midst of it is this little bit of faith and trust in God. It is ironic that from a book of sorrow comes one of the great hymns of hope, “Great is Thy Faithfulness”

1. Context
               Jeremiah has just witnessed one of the worst sieges in history. Starvation, cannibalism, the slaughter of the people, the burning of the town. It is to much.
Jeremiah has been beaten, arrested, his words burned, disregarded, imprisoned, thrown down a well, and now leaves for Egypt watching the city he fought to save burn.
Even as he leaves and is proven right, the people, the nobles, the King, do not apologize, repent, say “I am sorry Jeremiah for our actions.

2. Perhaps you have been in the same place?
Outcast by your family, society, the school click, a spouse, or at work.
It could be a physical loss, a parent, a child, a friend, or part of your own physical abilities.
Anger and outrage give way to mourning, to a Lament.
aware of what has happened vs 17-20 Jeremiah has not forgotten.

3. Hope
vs 21 This I call to mind and I have hope
Vs 22 Because of God great Love We are not consumed
His compassions never fail
His love is new every morning
Great is His faithfulness
The Lord is my portion, (Good enough)

I am like Jeremiah, angry, broken, hostile biting at others, often the wrong people, only seeing injustice. For this I am sorry.
Our church is like Jeremiah, we hurt because of those who have died, and changes that have come. We have won great battles, yet carry the stress. Some are quick to find fault and few repent of their actions.
I must find a way to vs 21 -24, to forgive, to forget, to stop complaining about what has happened to allow God to bring a new day.
We as a church need to stop picking at each other, stop finding faults so we can experience Gods’ compassion, His healing.

What will we experance as a church, as individuals, exile and mourning? Or will we find a way to:

 

Because of the LORD'S great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.   They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Jeremiah 52:1-5 "God has Spoken"

Jeremiah 52:1-5

We have come to the end of Jeremiah. All throughout the book i looked for hopeful things. God’s saving of the remnant, hope for those who repent, looks forward to the return and even the coming of Jesus. Yet here in the end what God has said does happen. What God has spoken about judgment has become reality. The end of Jeremiah reminds us that God is not safe. While loving and offering forgiveness, God angry, vengeful and not afraid to bring destruction to those who do not repent.

1. The certainty of judgment
            a. Psalm 33:12-19 “a horse is a vain hope”
            b. Jeremiah 8:5-7 “no one repents”
            c. Jeremiah 38:14-15 “if I tell you the truth you will kill me”
            d. Matthew 23:27-36
            e. Jeremiah 52:8-11

2. False hope
            a. Jenn and drugs
            b. Jason with mental and physical strength
            c. Phil and her money
            d. Mayson and political power
            e. Hide under the rocks revelation 6:15-17
                        fallout shelters, tornado shelters

3. A sure hope
            a. John 1:11-12
            b. John 3:15-17
            d. Don’t push God off to the side of your life
            e. Pray for the lost around you

Judgment is coming, God is angry, we must listen to the words of Jeremiah and avoid the mistakes of Zedekiah, for God has spoken, and it will come to pass.

Jeremiah 50:31-34 "A Strong Redeemer"

Prayers for Fran Wood family, Sally Swanson family, Marion Hutson, Barb Boettcher, Connie Olf, Ken Van Camp Family, Kay Parker Family, Fay Carlsen’s brother Francis Steininger family, Dorothy Hotzel family, Bill Gustin’s brother died.

Jeremiah 50:31-34  A Strong Redeemer

In this last month we have seen many families dealing with loss, we have watched news of fires, tornadoes, and war.  Who can overcome this? This is the question of Israel and Judah. Babylon has been ruthless in it’s attack, defeat, and treatment of Israel and Judah. Though directed by God to take over the land, God is angry with the manor in which it has been done. It is a classic case of doing the right thing in the wrong way. (a wrong way to kill a rattle snake)

1. The Arrogant one
               a. Babylon then
               b. Babylon to come Rev 14:8, 16:19, 17:5
               c. A government, or world system, that is the base for the Antichrist and Satan

2. The Judgment of Babylon
               a. Vs. 31-33
               b. Daniel 5:25-31
               c. Rev 18:2-10

3. The strong Redeemer
               a. Movies and Books, the could, should and might work
               b. For Israel, the Medes and Persians, who let them return
               c. Revelation God sets the world right
               d. We have a strong redeemer
               e. no matter our life situation
               f. John 3:16, 1 John 1:9, Revelation 3:20

You have a strong Redeemer, one who died to save you, one who can cast away all the sin that oppresses you. Not a might work, could work, should work, it will work, God’s guarantee.

Jeremiah 33:1-5

This week has been one of watching the rubble that was More Ok. On TV. Heroic stories of people holding their child by their hair to save them and teachers putting their arms around frightened children, even a woman in the OR of the hospital who opened her eyes to see the side of the building gone. If you could put yourself in their place you would have some idea of where Jeremiah finds himself. His prophesies of destruction have come true. The people are angry with God so they lash out at Jeremiah and his warnings. Soon he will be in prison, his words burned, then tossed down a dry well.

1. Where Jeremiah is at.
            a. Jeremiah personally, house arrest, words rejected, prison, Cistern
            b. Jerusalem in ruins, starvation, destruction, siege works and swords
            c. Our life, people around us, our nation
            D. The rubble of life and spiritual starvation

2. The word God gives.
            a. “I will tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know
            b.  Vs 6
            C. It sounds to fantastic, unrealistic, how can God ever break through this?
            d. Yet God will bring His blessing, the people return, and vs 15 Jesus comes

3. The coming blessing
            a. Memorial Day
            b. our own broken Jerusalem
                        friendships, marriages, finical, jobs, health
            c. God’s promise of blessing
                        it seems great, unsearchable, unknowable, unrealistic, fantastic, impossible.
                        Yet it will come to be
                        Live to bring faith and hope to those who will follow us
                        Live through the troubles of today because God’s blessing will come

The great, unsearchable, and unknowable blessing of God is coming, and we live for it.