JESUS CHRIST: THE SON OF GOD
JOHN 1:35-51
NEXT WEEK I INTEND TO START A SERIES OF MESSAGES ENTITLED “JESUS THE WORD”. WE WILL SEE THAT JESUS IS THE FINAL REVELATION, OR LAST WORD OF GOD TO MAN, AND THEN LOOK AT SOME OF JESUS’ FIRST STATEMENTS IN MINISTRY.
TODAY THOUGH, I WANT TO LOOK AT THE INITIATION OF JESUS’ MINISTRY BY EXAMINING THE CALLING OF THE FIRST DISCIPLES. WHAT DID THEY SEE IN HIM? WHAT MADE THEM FOLLOW HIM? PERHAPS IN THE PROCESS YOU MIGHT EVEN DARE TO EXAMINE WHAT MADE YOU CHOOSE TO FOLLOW CHRIST.
CONTEXT:
JOHN’S GOSPEL IS DIFFERENT FROM THE GOSPELS OF MATTHEW, MARK AND LUKE. HE INCLUDES NO GENEOLOGY OR BIRTH NARRATIVES. THERE ARE NO ACCOUNTS OF HIS BOYHOOD, THE TEMPTATIONS, NO MOUNT OF TRANSFIGURATION AND NO GETHSEMENE.
JOHN, THE WRITER OF THE FOURTH GOSPEL, LEAVES NO DOUBT THAT HIS MOTIVE FOR WRITING THE GOSPEL IS TO CONVINCE PEOPLE THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THE SON OF GOD. IN FACT, JOHN SELECTED ONLY SEVEN GREAT SIGNS, MIRACLES, WONDERS AND ILLUSTRATIONS, UNDER THE LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, TO CONVINCE PEOPLE OF THAT FACT, AND SHOW HIM WORTHY OF THEIR CONFIDENCE.
1. THE TURNING OF WATER INTO WINE (JOHN 2:1-11)
2. THE HEALING OF THE NOBLEMAN’S SON (JOHN 4:46-54)
3. THE HEALING OF THE LAME MAN (JOHN 5:1-6)
4. THE FEEDING OF THE FIVE THOUSAND (JOHN 6:1-14)
5. WALKING ON THE SEA (JOHN 6:15-21)
6. THE HEALING OF THE MAN BORN BLIND (JOHN 9)
7. THE RAISING OF LAZARUS (JOHN 11:1-54)
JOHN 20:30-31:
JESUS PERFORMED MANY OTHER SIGNS IN THE PRESENCE OF HIS DISCIPLES, WHICH ARE NOT RECORDED IN THIS BOOK. 31 BUT THESE ARE WRITTEN THAT YOU MAY BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS THE MESSIAH, THE SON OF GOD, AND THAT BY BELIEVING YOU MAY HAVE LIFE IN HIS NAME
JOHN THE EVANGELIST LIVED A LONG LIFE, DYING OF NATURAL CAUSES AT THE AGE OF NINETY. HE WROTE SIX BOOKS OF THE BIBLE I, II, AND III JOHN, THE GOSPEL OF JOHN, THE BOOKS OF JUDE AND REVELATION. HE WROTE THE GOSPEL OF JOHN WHEN HE WAS EIGHTY, HAVING ALREADY READ THE OTHER GOSPELS AND KNOWING WHAT THEY CONTAINED, HE CHOSE TO CONCENTRATE ON THE DIETY OF CHRIST.
JOHN THE EVANGELIST WAS FACED WITH THE PROBLEM OF DEALING WITH FALSE TEACHERS. HE PROVIDED INFORMATION TO HELP COMBAT THE VARIOUS FALSE TEACHINGS DENYING THE DIETY OF CHRIST.
LET ME ILLUSTRATE:
WHEN POLICE OFFICIALS ARE TRAINING OFFICERS TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN REAL MONEY AND COUNTERFEIT, THEY WOULD ALWAYS USE AUTHENTIC DOLLAR BILLS. OFFICERS WOULD LEARN THE FEEL OF THE BILLS, SPECIAL MARKS THAT THEY CONTAIN, EVEN HOW TO CHECK THE INK OF THE AUTHENTIC ARTICLE. THERE IS ONLY ONE AUTHENTIC ARTICLE, BUT THERE ARE MANY FORMS OF COUNTERFEIT MONEY AND EACH OF THEM HAVE THEIR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES. IF YOU KNOW THE REAL THING THOUGH, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE.
THE SAME IS TRUE IN MATTERS OF FAITH. YOU MUST KNOW THE AUTHENTIC TEACHINGS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN AUTHENTIC AND FALSE TEACHINGS, AS THEY RELATE TO JESUS AND HIS DIETY.
ALL RELIGIONS BELIEVE IN A GOD OF SOME KIND. SOME PEOPLE WITH NO RELIGIOUS BACKGROUND AT ALL STILL BELIEVE IN A GOD OF SOME FORM.
THE BATTLEFIELD OF FAITH RESIDES IN WHAT PEOPLE BELIEVE ABOUT JESUS CHRIST. CHRISTIANITY IS THE ONLY RELIGION THAT PROCLAIMS THE DIETY OF CHRIST. JOHN’S BOOK DEFENDS HIS DIETY AND CLEARLY PROCLAIMS THAT THE ONLY WAY TO A SAVING RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD IS THROUGH JESUS.
JOHN 14:6-7:
JESUS ANSWERED, “I AM THE WAY AND THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE. NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME. 7 IF YOU REALLY KNOW ME, YOU WILL KNOW MY FATHER AS WELL. FROM NOW ON, YOU DO KNOW HIM AND HAVE SEEN HIM.”
THE EVENTS OF OUR PASSAGE OCCURS AFTER THE BAPTISM AND TEMPTATIONS OF JESUS. JOHN THE BAPTIST HAS CONTINUED HIS MINISTRY AND WAS CALLED BEFORE THE PRIESTS AND RELIGIOUS LEADERS TO EXPLAIN WHO HE WAS. IT IS HERE THAT JOHN THE BAPTIZER IS ABLE TO DENY ANYONE’S CLAIM THAT HE IS THE MESSIAH.
THOSE INVOLVED ARE: JOHN THE BAPTIZER
ANDREW
A DISCIPLE (JOHN THE EVANGELIST)
SIMON (PETER)
PHILIP
NATHANAEL (BARTHOLOMEW)
IT TAKES PLACE IN BETHSAIDA A SMALL FISHING VILLAGE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE SEA OF GALILEE. IT WAS THE HOME OF MANY DISCIPLES AND THE SITE OF A NUMBER OF MIRACLES INCLUDING:
A) JESUS WALKING ON THE WATER (MARK 6:45-51)
B) JESUS CURING A BLIND MAN (MARK 8:22-25)
C) THE FEEDING OF THE FIVE THOUSAND (LUKE 9:12-17)
THE WRITER JOHN, EVER THE EVANGELIST WANTS US TO REALIZE THAT GOD SPEAKS TO US AND CALLS US IN MANY WAYS. TO SOME IT’S A STILL SMALL VOICE, TO OTHERS IT’S A MAJOR EVENT SUCH AS A HEALTH OR FAMILY CRISIS IN WHICH THERE IS A MIRACULOUS INTERVENTION. WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT THE WAY GOD CALLED THESE MEN TO HELP US IDENTIFY WHEN GOD IS CALLING US TO MINISTRY.
POINT ONE: GOD CALLS BY MIGHTY ACTS
JOHN THE BAPTIZER WAS RELATED TO JESUS. BORN CLOSE TOGETHER THEY KNEW EACH OTHER WELL. JOHN THE BAPTIZER KNEW HIS ROLE IN THE GOSPEL, WHICH WAS TO PREPARE THE WAY FOR THE LORD. HE WAS A POPULAR PUBLIC FIGURE AT THE TIME OF JESUS’ BAPTISM, BAPTIZING INDIVIDUALS FOR THE REMISSION OF SIN. HE WAS NOT AWARE OF JESUS DIVINE NATURE UNTIL THE TIME OF JESUS’ BAPTISM.
GOD SPOKE TO JOHN IN THIS CASE BY A PROPHETIC SIGN. THE GOSPELS ALL INDICATE THAT AT JESUS’ BAPTISM THE SPIRIT CAME DOWN IN THE FORM OF A DOVE AND LIGHTED ON HIM. WHAT ONLY JOHN RELATES TO US IS WHY THIS HAPPENS.
WE NEED ALL OF THE GOSPELS TO GET AS MUCH OF THE STORY OF JESUS’ BAPTISM AS POSSIBLE. EACH ADDS SOME DETAIL TO IT. MATTHEW TELLS US THAT INITIALLY JOHN DID NOT WANT TO BAPTIZE JESUS. I’VE ALWAYS THOUGHT THIS WAS BECAUSE HE KNEW JESUS WAS THE MESSIAH. JOHN HOWEVER TEACHES US THAT THIS KNOWLEDGE DID NOT COME TO THE BAPTIZER UNTIL AFTER THE BAPTISM.
JOHN 1:33: AND I MYSELF DID NOT KNOW HIM, BUT THE ONE WHO SENT ME TO BAPTIZE WITH WATER TOLD ME, ‘THE MAN ON WHOM YOU SEE THE SPIRIT COME DOWN AND REMAIN IS THE ONE WHO WILL BAPTIZE WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT.
ALL OF THE GOSPELS DECLARE THAT THE DOVE, OR WHAT LOOKED LIKE A DOVE, DOES NOT COME DOWN AND LIGHT ON JESUS UNTIL AFTER HIS BAPTISM.
MATTHEW 3:16: AS SOON AS JESUS WAS BAPTIZED, HE WENT UP OUT OF THE WATER. AT THAT MOMENT HEAVEN WAS OPENED, AND HE SAW THE SPIRIT OF GOD DESCENDING LIKE A DOVE AND ALIGHTING ON HIM.
SO GOD SPOKE TO JOHN THE BAPTIZER THROUGH A PROPHETIC SIGN. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW SURPRISED AND EXCITED JOHN FELT WHEN THIS HAPPENED. NOT ONLY DID HE NOW KNOW THAT THE MESSIAH WAS PRESENT IN BODILY FORM, HE WAS RELATED TO HIM. THAT WOULD BE BETTER THAN BEING RELATED TO CONNOR McDAVID. `
GOD CAN AND DOES SPEAK THROUGH PROPHETIC SIGNS TODAY. ONE THING IS CLEAR. THOSE WHO GOD HAS SPOKEN TO THROUGH A PROPHETIC SIGN WILL BE VERY COMMITTED AND DEDICATED IN THEIR FAITH. ANOTHER THING CLEAR IS THAT THE SIGN IS CHOSEN BY GOD AND NOT THE PERSON.
POINT TWO: GOD CALLS BY PERSONAL ACTS
THE SCRIPTURE TELLS US THAT JOHN WENT BACK THE NEXT DAY AND SAW JESUS COMING. HE IDENTIFIES JESUS AS “THE LAMB OF GOD.” THIS TITLE HAS A NUMBER OF OLD TESTAMENT REFERENCES IN WHICH LAMBS WERE USED AS SACRIFICIAL ANIMALS. HERE ARE TWO EXAMPLES.
AN OBVIOUS CONNECTION TO THE TITLE “LAMB OF GOD” IS THE PASSOVER AND GOD’S PROVISION FOR PROTECTING THE ISRAELITES. THE SACRIFICE OF THE PASSOVER LAMB WAS RELATED TO THEI DELIVERANCE FROM SLAVERY. JESUS DEATH ON THE CROSS PROVIDED THE MEANS BY WHICH WE CAN BE FREED FROM THE SLAVERY OF SIN. CHRIST BECAME OUR PASSOVER LAMB AND SAVED US FROM ETERNAL DEATH THE SAME WAY THE BLOOD OF THE PASSOVER LAMB SAVED THE INHABITANTS OF THE HOUSE.
ONE LAST INSTANCE INVOLVING THE ONGOING SACRIFICE OF LAMBS WAS THE TWICE DAILY (MORNING AND EVENING) SACRIFICIAL OFFERING OF A YEARLING LAMB. THIS SACRIFICE WOULD OCCUR DAILY AT 9:00 A.M. AND 3:00 P.M. MARK 15:25 TELLS US THAT JESUS WAS NAILED TO THE CROSS AT 9:00 A.M. AND MATTHEW 27:46 TELLS US THAT HE DIED AT 3:00 P.M.
THE MESSAGE THAT JOHN THE BAPTIZER WAS PASSING TO ANDREW AND JOHN THE EVANGELIST WAS THAT HE BELIEVED JESUS WAS THE MESSIAH. WHAT WOULD LEAD THEM TO BELIEVE?
JESUS CHALLENGES THE DISCIPLES IN VERSE 39 TO HAVE A MEETING WITH HIM, WHICH THEY ACCEPT. HE INVITES THEIR QUESTIONS AND ALLOWS THEM TO MAKE UP THEIR OWN MINDS. THIS CHALLENGE IS SIMILAR TO A FAMILIAR ONE IN PSALM 34:8.
PSALM 34:8: TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD IS GOOD; BLESSED IS THE ONE WHO TAKES REFUGE IN HIM.
THE CULTURE OF JUDIASM HAD IT’S CORE IN WORDS, LISTENING AND CONNECTING. ERNIE ARNOLD STATES:
“TO THE JEW THE LORD COMMUNICATED THROUGH WORDS AND NOT CONNECT. THROUGH VISUAL SYMBOLS. GOD SPEAKS. HIS WORD CREATES. HE COMMANDS. HE INVITES. HE CALLS. GOD USES WORDS. WORDS THAT NEED TO BE HEARD. WORDS THAT CREATE DEEP AND LASTING RELATIONSHIPS. THAT IS WHY TO THE JEW THE MOST IMPORTANT AND HIGHEST SACRED ACT IS THAT OF LISTENING.” THESE MEN WERE WORSHIPPING AS THEY LISTENED TO JESUS ALL DAY.
DEUTERONOMY 6:4-9:
HEAR, O ISRAEL: THE LORD OUR GOD, THE LORD IS ONE. Y 5 LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH. 6 THESE COMMANDMENTS THAT I GIVE YOU TODAY ARE TO BE ON YOUR HEARTS. 7 IMPRESS THEM ON YOUR CHILDREN. TALK ABOUT THEM WHEN YOU SIT AT HOME AND WHEN YOU WALK ALONG THE ROAD, WHEN YOU LIE DOWN AND WHEN YOU GET UP. 8 TIE THEM AS SYMBOLS ON YOUR HANDS AND BIND THEM ON YOUR FOREHEADS. 9 WRITE THEM ON THE DOORFRAMES OF YOUR HOUSES AND ON YOUR GATES.
THE BIBLE DOES GIVE US AN INDICATION OF HOW THIS CONVERSATION MAY HAVE WENT, BY ANOTHER CONVERSATION JESUS HAD WITH A COUPLE OF MEN WHILE WALKING TO EMMAUS. WE FIND THE ACCOUNT IN LUKE 24:13-35. LOOK AT THESE SPECIFIC VERSES THOUGH:
LUKE 24:25-27,32:
HE SAID TO THEM, “HOW FOOLISH YOU ARE, AND HOW SLOW TO BELIEVE ALL THAT THE PROPHETS HAVE SPOKEN! 26 DID NOT THE MESSIAH HAVE TO SUFFER THESE THINGS AND THEN ENTER HIS GLORY?” 27 AND BEGINNING WITH MOSES AND ALL THE PROPHETS, HE EXPLAINED TO THEM WHAT WAS SAID IN ALL THE SCRIPTURES CONCERNING HIMSELF.
32 THEY ASKED EACH OTHER, “WERE NOT OUR HEARTS BURNING WITHIN US WHILE HE TALKED WITH US ON THE ROAD AND OPENED THE SCRIPTURES TO US?”
THE THING TO NOTE HERE IS THAT THEIR EYES WERE OPENED AT THE TABLE WITH JESUS, BUT THEIR HEARTS BURNED WHILE IN CONVERSATION WITH HIM WHILE WALKING ON THE ROAD.
I BELIEVE THE SAME THING HAPPENED HERE. JESUS ANSWERED THEIR QUESTIONS. HE REMINDED THEM OF OLD TESTAMENT PASSAGES. HE EXCITED AND REACHED THEM WITH HIS WORDS, AND THEY ALONG WITH SIMON BELIVED JESUS TO BE THE MESSIAH.
JESUS REACHS MANY PEOPLE TODAY THROUGH THE USE OF WORDS. STRONG BIBLICAL PREACHING WILL POINT PEOPLE TO CHRIST.
ACTS 19:8: PAUL ENTERED THE SYNAGOGUE AND SPOKE BOLDLY THERE FOR THREE MONTHS, ARGUING PERSUASIVELY ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
POINT THREE: GOD CALLS BY SUPERNATURAL ACTS:
GOD SPOKE TO JOHN THE BAPTIZER THROUGH PROPHETIC SIGN, AND TO ANDREW, SIMON, AND PETER, THROUGH PERSUASION BY CHRIST. NOW WE WILL SEE ONE MORE WAY THAT GOD CALLS MEN TO HIMSELF. THIS WAY IS THE USE OF MIRACLES AND WONDERS.
WE ARE TOLD THAT JESUS APPROACHES PHILIP AND SIMPLY SAYS FOLLOW ME. IT WOULD APPEAR THAT PHILIP ALREADY HAD AN ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS, AND HE WAS LOOKING FOR PHILIP BECAUSE HE WAS LEAVING. PERHAPS HE LOOKED FOR THE OTHERS AS WELL. THE INTERESTING ENCOUNTER HERE IS NOT WITH PHILP, BUT NATHANAEL.
NATHANAEL IS FROM CANA, A GALILEAN TOWN JUST TO THE NORTH OF NAZARETH. HE MAY ALSO HAVE BEEN KNOWN AS BARTHOLOMEW.
MATTHEW 10:3: PHILIP AND BARTHOLOMEW; THOMAS AND MATTHEW THE TAX COLLECTOR; JAMES SON OF ALPHAEUS, AND THADDAEUS; 4 SIMON THE ZEALOT AND JUDAS ISCARIOT, WHO BETRAYED HIM.
NAZARETH WAS A VERY SMALL TOWN IN THE SURROUNDING HILLS. IT WAS SEEN AS A LOWLY PLACE OF LITTLE IMPORTANCE. THERE WAS MUCH ANIMOSITY BETWEEN PEOPLE FROM GALILEE AND NAZARETH.
NATHANAEL WOULD BE EXCITED TO SEE THE MESSIAH, UNTIL HE HEARD THAT JESUS WAS FROM NAZARETH. HE WAS NOT IMPRESSED BY JESUS VISUALLY. JESUS LOOKED JUST LIKE ANY OTHER CARPENTER.
PHILIP ISSUED THAT SAME CHALLENGE THAT ANDREW, JOHN AND PETER HEARD “COME AND SEE”. COME AND MAKE UP YOUR OWN MIND. IT WAS A CHALLENGE TO COME AND CONNECT WITH JESUS, TO EXPERIENCE THIS MAN OF NAZARETH.
IT IS IN ANSWER TO NATHANAEL THAT JESUS REVEALS A BIT OF HIS DIVINE AUTHORITY, SHARING A BIT OF NATHANAEL’S PERSONAL LIFE. JESUS BEGINS WITH AN INTRODUCTION THAT IS BOTH NON-CONFRONTATIONAL AND ENCOURAGING, QUOTING FROM PSALM 32:2.
PSALM 32:2: BLESSED IS THE ONE WHOSE SIN THE LORD DOES NOT COUNT AGAINST THEM AND IN WHOSE SPIRIT IS NO DECEIT.
NATHANAEL WANTED TO KNOW HOW JESUS KNEW ABOUT HIS PRIVATE LIFE. HOW DID HE KNOW?
JESUS ANSWER WAS DEFINITELY SUPERNATURAL, AND WHEN NATHAN COMBINES THIS SUPERNATURAL OCCURANCE WITH THE PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE OF THE OTHERS, HE TOO CONCLUDED THAT JESUS WAS THE MESSIAH, THE SON OF GOD.
FOR NATHANAEL THERE WERE NO THUNDER BOLTS AND NO GREAT SIGNS OTHER THAN JESUS WORDS –LISTENING, HEARING, CONNECTING AND FOLLOWING.
CONCLUSION:
THE COMMON ELEMENT IN ALL THESE CASES IS THAT THE MEN LISTENED WHEN GOD SPOKE TO THEM. LISTENING MEANS CONNECTION AND LOVE. THE MORE WE HEAR GOD AND LISTEN TO GOD AND FOLLOW HIM, THE BETTER WE ARE LISTENING TO OUR FRIENDS, RELATIVES, AND OTHERS.
TRUE LISTENING TAKES TIME AND ENERGY. IT REQUIRES OUR TOTAL FOCUS TO ANOTHER’S VOICE. LISTENING AND HEARING ONE ANOTHER ALLOWS US TO GROW CLOSER AND TO BE ONE WITH ONE ANOTHER.
THESE MEN WERE TRANSFORMED BECAUSE THEY LISTENED TO THE CALL OF CHRIST AT THE BAPTISM, WHERE JESUS WAS STAYING, AND WHEN JESUS SAUGHT THEM OUT.
HAVE YOU HAD YOUR ENCOUNTER WITH THE LAMB OF GOD? HAVE YOU HEARD HIS CALL ON YOUR LIFE? TODAY MAY BE THE DAY THAT THE GREAT INVITATION IS GIVEN TO MAKE A PERSONAL CONNECTION WITH JESUS CHRIST AS YOUR LORD AND SAVIOR. TO YOU I WOULD SAY JUST ONE THING.
COME AND SEE.
