John #5

What Do You Believe?
John #5 1:35-42
June 28th 2009
Pastor Ben Fleming

I just began to learn how to use Facebook. I got connected with Pastor Greg and Nancy Langley in San Bernardino. He was my senior pastor during seminary. Nancy recommended a fantastic book for us “A Symphony in the Dark” – it is a story similar to the one our Ben and Becky are going through. I thought Facebook was the new thing to follow people but I went to Twitter and it advertizes itself as staying connected with quick answers to the question “what are you doing?” People follow people all the time. I catch myself reading anything about this guy (PHOTO) Tiger Woods – I want to know how he is doing coming back from his knee surgery (BLANK) I like to read anything about what how this guy is doing? (PHOTO) Lance Armstrong??? Did you know he is going to ride in the Tour De France after having a broken collar bone? I admire his bicycle riding but despise his inability to be committed to marriage. (BLANK) (PHOTO) It is best to follow someone worth following and I have yet to go wrong following the writings and teaching of John Piper. His character matches what he writes and preaches. (BLANK)

Some people follow movie stars, some people follow music groups. There is something that is in us that causes us to follow. People will follow religious figures --- (PHOTO) Joel Olsten --- (PHOTO) Joyce Myers --- we follow who we like and who makes us feel good about ourselves regardless of what they teach or how they live. (BLANK)

Turn in your bibles back to the gospel of John. Today we are going to start reading from verse 35 in chapter one. Why would someone follow Jesus? Why are you following Jesus? What does it take to follow Jesus? If you remember two weeks ago the religious leaders came from Jerusalem to the Jordan river to see for themselves what was all this talk about. Do you remember where that is in relation to Jerusalem? (MAP) (BLANK) If you would go over to the Jordan River today – (PHOTO) you would see a tourist spot where you could get baptized and say that you were baptized in the same place as Jesus was. (BLANK) I believe that this photo shows what it perhaps looked like (PHOTO). Now just imagine that you are standing along those banks. You are there for a few days and then John the Baptist comes again and you are following John the Baptist and he stops and he sees someone and points and says again the words “Look, the Lamb of God” – you turn around and take off and follow Him. (BLANK) You ought to have found the text by now – PLEASE STAND AS WE READ GOD’S WORD
John 1:35 - 43 35The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” 37When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” They said, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39“Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour. 40Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). 42And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter£).
Let us pray:

What was it that caused these men to follow Jesus? Was it just because their leader John the Baptist said “Look the Lamb of God” or did they see something in him???? Notice that they did not say anything to Jesus ------- they did not run up to him and ask him to do anything for them – they did not even touch him thinking they would get healed from something. They just followed him. Take out your outline and instead of examining these two disciples of John the Baptist I want you to examine with me what was it about Jesus that caused men to follow him? Why are you?

Why would anyone follow Jesus?

1. Jesus draws men. (Vs. 37 - 38) “When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.” Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” They said, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “Where are you staying?”

From verse 40 we know that these two men were Andrew and John. They were not disciples of Jesus but disciples of John the Baptist. John the Baptist said, – “Look the Lamb of God.” When John said this – they followed Jesus. The bible does not say if they are right next to him or if they were following at a distance – but the bible does say what Jesus did – he turned and spoke to them – “what do you want?” He was not annoyed with them ---- it was not a sarcastic question. Jesus simply met them half way. Jesus made it easier for them – you might say “he opened the door so they might come in”. Jesus Christ has the highest treasure that any man can seek. He does not hide it from man – he does not make it difficult for man to find and possess.

In the book of Acts Paul put it this way in (17:27) God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 28‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ There is an important spiritual principle that each of us must understand:

(slide) GOD ALWAYS TAKES THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS MAN

When a human begins to long for and takes steps to seek out God – it is God who causes that longing and seeking --- He does not leave us to ourselves to search and search until we think we have found Him – NO -------- God comes to man. Saint Augustine wrote, “we could not even begin to seek for God unless He had already found us.” Does that not agree with Paul’s words in Romans 3 “there is no one who one who seeks God.” The Jews did not like what Jesus was saying and look on your outline how Jesus responds to them:John 6:43 - 44 “Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.” God draws those who are His to Him. It is like this photo (PHOTO) – in the old days you went to a well to draw water. You would let a bucket down to the water below and then bring up the water – it was called drawing water. (BLANK) The Greek word that is translated to draw means to compel by irresistible authority. When God draws a person to him --- he does so with irresistible authority. Most of you remember that I used to guide white water rafts. (PHOTO) I mostly did it down the New River in West Virginia – there was one rapid called Iron Ring Falls --- it was a 12 foot waterfall but on the left side of the river was a shoot that you had to hit or you would go over the falls. I remember time and time again as the captain yelling out draw left draw left draw left – you picked up your paddle and reached out and drew the water to the side of the raft to pull the raft to the left. (BLANK) In both examples I gave you ----- man is doing the drawing ------in the bible ---- in God’s economy ---- it is God who does the drawing.

Notice how Jesus responds to these two men: “What are you looking for?” He does not say whom are you looking for – but what are you looking for? They called him teacher and then asked him where he was staying. During the time of Christ men were looking for many things. Some were looking for power – some were looking for position – kind of the same thing today ----- you had the scribes – the Pharisees and the Saducees. But maybe these men were simply looking for forgiveness and light at the end of the road in their lives. Regardless of what they were looking for we know that Jesus already knew their hearts and their desires. THINK ABOUT IT WITH ME………..

Would it not be a good practice to ask ourselves what are we looking for? What is my aim and what is my goal in life? What are you really trying to get out life? People are looking for many things:

* Security Most people want a position in life where they will have plenty of money and material security to take the worry out life. Movie stars and professional athletes and politicians have that security but we read of how many of them are lost and failures.

* Career Some are looking for a career and direction in what they are going to do in life. Most people want to use their talents in the best way possible. It is amazing how many people you read about that find a career but continue to wander – changing career after career

* Peace Some are searching for peace within themselves. They try all sorts of avenues to find that peace but real peace can only come through knowing Jesus Christ. John and Andrew asked Jesus where He was staying. They had already been staying somewhere else – so we know they were not simply searching for a place to spend the night. #1 Jesus draws men.

2. Jesus commands men. (Vs. 39) “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” “So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour.” They asked Jesus where he was staying and Jesus commands the men to come and see for themselves. So they go with Jesus to the place where He was staying. The tenth hour was 4 pm in the afternoon - so that also means that most likely Jesus provided a place for them to sleep that night – the bible says they spent the day with him – 24 hours. They were too far from his hometown – the bible does not tell us some things. It does not tell us if he fed them dinner. His culture would have dictated it. Can you imagine the conversation that night and the next morning with Jesus they might have had that the bible does not tell us? We know that the apostle John was the one writing this because no one else could have known that it was 4 pm in the afternoon when Jesus commanded them to come. Jesus not only drew these two men – but He commanded them to come to Him ---- come to my home --- come to the place where I am staying and spend time with me. There must have been much more people surrounding Jesus but he speaks to these two men and tells them to come.

Later in John – Jesus explains this: John 6:65 “He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him.” That still troubles the free will independent man today. But to the masses look what Jesus says in chapter 7….. on your outline: John 7:37 “On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” So the call to come to Jesus is a wide spread call. Whoever believes in Him – from Jesus streams of living water flow…….. Now we know that not all come and not all respond to the command of Jesus. In this past year I have come to the conclusion that I firmly believe that there will me more children in heaven than adults. The call to come to Jesus is heard and obeyed by more children than adults. Listen to the words of Jesus in Luke 18…. Luke 18:16 “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” ----------- what does it take to come to Jesus? Do I have to have my act together? Do I come to Jesus just like I am? Do I come to Jesus now or do I put it off? Or to the believer……. Do I come to Jesus just one time? Look on your outline at what Jesus said in

Matthew 11:28 - 30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Jesus says to come weary and burdened. Come as your are. Come with your addictions. Come with your anger – come with your cussing – come with your lust – come with your fears. He says take your yoke off and put His on – His yoke is easy and His burden is light. So --- John and Andrew came to Jesus just like they were --- they came to Jesus with their sin ---- they came to Jesus with their burdens ---- their worries and their pain. Maybe this why children have an easier time coming to Christ - they come without pride. They are not afraid to come just like they are. One of the reasons you come back to church every Sunday and why you open the bible and read God’s Word is a continual action of obedience in the life of a believer to come to Jesus. Coming to Jesus is a daily event for the follower of Christ. Jesus draws men……. #2 Jesus commands men and

3. Jesus changes men (Vs.42) “ And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter.) In New Testament times most people had two names – Greek was the universal language, and most people had a name in their own native tongue by which they were known by their friends and family – my family in West Virginia calls me Benny. Well Peter was the his Greek name and Cephas was his name in Aramaic which means rock.

In the Old Testament – a change of name indicated a changed relationship with God. In Genesis 32 Jacob became Israel and in Genesis 17, Abram became Abraham. When a person began a new relationship with God – it was as if life began all over again and that person became new so a new name was needed. In 2 Corinthians 5:17 Paul wrote, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come.” A better way of saying that is if you are in Christ – you have a new life and that old life is passing away and a new life is emerging. You cannot be in Christ and not see changes in your life. You cannot be in Christ and not experience new attitudes and new actions in your life. Paul wrote to the church at Roman – be transformed by the renewing of your mind. When your mind is being renewed – it changes how you think --- it changes how you react to people. Jesus changes men and women. Jesus changes boys and girls. Jesus changes old men and old women.

The great thing about this event between Peter – John – Andrew and Jesus is that it tells us how Jesus looks at us. He does not only see you for who you are --- he sees you and me for who we can become. He just does not just see us how we actually are --- he sees the possibilities in us. Jesus looked at Peter and saw a dirty – uneducated smelly fisherman – but he also saw him for who he could become if he fully gave his life to him.

Story: Someone once came to Michelangelo chipping away with his chisel at huge shapeless piece of rock. He asked him what he was doing. Michel responded, “I am releasing the angel imprisoned in this marble.”………… Jesus is the one who sees you and can release the hidden potential in your life. Would you let him today? What are the changes that Jesus is wanting to do in you? Philippians tells us “He who began a good work in you will complete until the day of Christ Jesus.” Are you willing to cooperate with Jesus as he chisels away at you?

Let us pray: Draw – Command – Change

To the Christian – what changes in your life does God want to make?

To the non believer – “Do not delay in trusting Christ. Do not entertain a hope that it will ever be easier to truth Jesus than it is now. Do not think that you will ever be in a state for coming to him than you are in now. The best state for washing is to be filthy; the best state in all the world to obtain help from a doctor is to be terribly sick; the best state for asking for alms is to be a begger. Do not try to patch up those rags nor to improve your character, nor to make yourself better before you come to Christ. Come in all your poverty and vileness, come just as your are and say to him My Lord and My God.”