THE PALESTINIAN SUN BEAT DOWN ON THE TWO FRIENDS AS THEY LISTENED TO JOHN EXHORT THE CROWDS TO REPENTANCE. FOR THE PAST FEW WEEKS THEY HAD FOLLOWED JOHN EVERY WHERE HE HAD GONE, LISTENED TO HIS MESSAGE, AND WATCHED THE CROWDS REACTION.
AT FIRST THEY WERE SURE THAT HE WAS THE ONE THAT THE PROPHETS HAD POINTED TO. THE ONE WHO WOULD DELIVER ISRAEL FROM THE HANDS OF THE ROMANS. THIS GUY EVEN LOOKED LIKE A PROPHET, THAT LONG WILD HAIR, A BEARD THAT REACHED DOWN TO THE MIDDLE OF HIS CHEST AND THE EYES, HIS EYES SHONE WITH A ZEALOTS RAGE.
BUT AS HE PREACHED HE SAID THINGS LIKE, "I AM NOT THE CHRIST", AND "After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie."
WHO WOULD IT BE, WHO COULD BE MORE POWERFUL THEN JOHN THE BAPTIST. AND THEN TODAY, A DAY THAT REALLY HAD NOTHING SPECIAL ABOUT IT JOHN SAID, "BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD". HE WAS THE ONE, THE ONE THEY HAD WAITED SO LONG FOR THE ONE WHO WAS GOING TO CHANGE THE WORLD, THE MESSIAH, THE CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD. THEY WERE SO STUNNED THAT THEY JUST TURNED AND FOLLOWED HIM, THINKING THAT HE DIDN'T LOOK SO SPECIAL AS A MATTER OF FACT JOHN LOOKED MORE LIKE A MESSIAH SHOULD LOOK THEN THIS MAN.
BUT THEY DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING THEY JUST FOLLOWED WONDERING WHAT THEY SHOULD DO NEXT, WHAT THEY SHOULD SAY, HOW THEY SHOULD APPROACH HIM. AND THEN IT HAPPENED HE TURNED AROUND AND SAW THEM FOLLOWING AND ASKED THEM POINT BLANK, "WHAT DO YOU WANT?"
THE QUESTION IS ASKED IN John1:38, AND WAS ASKED ALMOST 2000 YEARS AGO BY JESUS OF NAZARETH. BUT IT IS A QUESTION THAT IS TIMELESS. IT IS A QUESTION THAT REMAINS, THE QUESTION OF THE DAY, THE $64,000 QUESTION. THE QUESTION WHICH JESUS CHRIST STILL ASKS EVERYONE WHO SEEKS TO FOLLOWS AFTER HIM. "WHAT DO YOU WANT?" "WHAT ARE YOU AFTER."
JESUS CHRIST WANTED TO KNOW WHAT THESE TWO MEN WANTED, WHY THEY WERE FOLLOWING HIM. NOTICE THAT HE DIDN'T ASK, "WHO DO YOU WANT" BUT INSTEAD HE ASKED "WHAT DO YOU WANT?"
WERE THEY THE LEGALIST WHO WANTED TO INDULGE IN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE LAW? YOU KNOW THE PHARISEES. THEY'RE STILL AROUND TODAY. YOU KNOW THE ONES IF CHRIST RETURNED TOMORROW THEY WOULD PROUDLY TELL HIM "WE DIDN'T LET ANYONE CALL THEMSELVES A CHRISTIAN IF THEY WEREN'T WESLEYANS, OR THEY SMOKED OR DRANK, OR WORE THEIR HAIR TOO LONG OR WENT TO THE MOVIES OR DANCED, OR HAD ANY FUN AT ALL."
OR MAYBE THEY WERE JUST AMBITIOUS TIME SERVERS, THEY WERE AFTER POWER AND POSITION AND WERE JUST SEEKING TO USE GOD FOR THEIR OWN MEANS, AND THEY'D FOLLOW WHO EVER THEY HAD TO FOLLOW.
OR MAYBE THEY WERE FIERCE ZEALOTS WHO WERE LOOKING FOR A POLITICAL DEMAGOGUE OR MILITARY COMMANDER TO OVERTHROW THE PAGAN ROMANS AND RESTORE ISRAEL TO HE PROPER GREATNESS.
OR PERHAPS THEY WERE JUST HUMBLE MEN OF PRAYER LOOKING FOR A LIGHT TO POINT THEM TOWARD GOD AND THE HIGHER CALLING. OR THEN AGAIN MAYBE THEY WERE JUST PUZZLED BEWILDERED SINNERS WHO WERE STUMBLING ALONG THROUGH LIFE AND WERE LOOKING FOR A LIGHT ON THE ROAD.
WHATEVER AND WHOEVER THEY WERE CHRIST RECOGNISED ONE THING IN THEM, AND THAT WAS THE FACT THEY THAT WANTED SOMETHING. AND HOWEVER NOBLE OR BASE THEIR MOTIVES WERE THEY WERE AFTER SOMETHING.
AND AS WE COME T0 CHRIST TWO THOUSAND YEARS LATER WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THE TRUTH OF THE FACT THAT EVERYONE WHO COMES TO JESUS IS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING. GOOD, BAD OR INDIFFERENT IT DOESN'T MATTER THE FACT IS THAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING.
EVERYONE OF US IS STRIVING FOR SOMETHING AS WE PLOD THROUGH THIS LIFE, FROM DAY TO DAY, WEEK TO WEEK, MONTH TO MONTH AND YEAR TO YEAR. YOU ARE LOOKING FOR THE ONE THING THAT MAKES YOU TICK, THE THING THAT SHAKES YOUR TREE.
THERE ARE THOSE WHO SEEK SECURITY, YOU KNOW A HOUSE, A JOB, A FAMILY, AND WHEN THEIR LIFE APPROACHES THOSE TWILIGHT YEARS A PENSION. AND THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH SEEKING SECURITY BUT IT IS A LOW GOAL. A BASIC GOAL OF SURVIVAL.
OTHERS ARE LOOKING TOWARD THEIR CAREER, THE POWER, PROMISE, POSITION AND PRESTIGE. THEY POUR THERE HEART AND SOUL INTO THEIR WORK. AND IF IT IS DIRECTED TO GOOD IT CAN BE A HIGH AIM, BUT IT HAS A PRICE THAT MUST BE PAID. AND THAT PRICE IS SACRIFICING FAMILY AND ENJOYMENT, AND SOMETIMES GOD AND THEN IT BECOMES A DISTORTED AIM. AND OF COURSE IT IS LIMITED BY THE HORIZON OF TIME.
THE THING THAT MOST EVERYONE IS SEEKING IS PEACE WITH GOD, AND WHEN WE FIND THAT THEN HE DIRECTS OUR AIMS AND POINTS US IN THE RIGHT DIRECTIONS.
IF JESUS CHRIST WAS TO TAP YOU ON THE SHOULDER THIS MORNING AND ASK YOU "WHAT ARE YOU AFTER FROM ME, WHAT DO YOU WANT?" WHAT WOULD YOUR ANSWER BE?
PERHAPS IT'S TIME THAT YOU THOUGHT ABOUT IT, "WHAT DO YOU WANT?"
1) SOME WANT MATERIAL BLESSINGS FROM JESUS CHRIST. THEY HAVE COMMERCIALISED THE GOSPEL AND ARE TRYING TO MAKE A BUCK FROM IT. NOW YOU MAY THINK THAT IS A NEW PROBLEM BUT ONE OF THE REASONS THAT MARTIN LUTHER LEFT THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH WAS THEIR PRACTISE OF SELLING INDULGENCES.
AND PAUL WROTE IN Phil 1:15 (NIV) "It is true that some preach Christ out of envy. PAUL SAW THAT THERE WERE THOSE WHO PREACHED FOR THEMSELVES. AND REALLY IF WE THINK OF THOSE WHO PREACH FOR MONETARY GAIN WE DON'T HAVE TO LOOK VERY FAR TO FIND THE EXCESSES.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT WE OFTEN FOCUS ON THE MAJOR EXCESSES, BUT IF WE IGNORE THE BAKERS AND SWAGGERTS, WE DISCOVER THAT
SOME OF THOSE VERY PEOPLE WHO WERE HURLING STONES AT THE T.V. EVANGELISTS NEED TO EXAMINE THEIR OWN LIVES.
JIMMY SWAGGERT IS EARNING FIVE OR SIX TIME WHAT AN AVERAGE AUSTRALIAN FAMILY MAKES AND PROBABLY FOURTEEN OR FIFTEEN TIMES WHAT THE MAJORITY OF HIS SUPPORTERS MAKE. BUT IF YOU CAN'T ADMIRE THESE MEN FOR ANYTHING ELSE ADMIRE THEIR AMBITION AND DEDICATION TO THE TASK. IF NOTHING ELSE YOU HAVE TO ADMIT THEY PREACH WELL.
SOME OF THE POOREST PREACHERS IN THE WORLD ARE PREACHING FOR THE VERY SAME REASON THAT THE SWAGGERTS AND BAKERS WERE PREACHING FOR. AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 1.6 MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR AND SEVENTY TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS A YEAR IS MINUTE IF THE DOLLARS IS THE REASON WHY THE MAN IS PREACHING.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS NOT HOW MUCH YOU MAKE IN MARKETING JESUS, IT IS THE FACT THAT WHEN YOU PREACH TO SIMPLY MAKE A LIVING, OR BECAUSE IT'S A JOB, OR TO DRIVE A ROLLS ROYCE YOU ARE SIMPLY PAWNING THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST TO MAKE A FEW BUCKS. AND THAT APPLIES EQUALLY TO THE MILLIONAIRES AS TO THE PAUPER WHO PREACHES BECAUSE HE HAS NEITHER THE TALENT OR INCLINATION TO DO ANYTHING ELSE.
AND THIS DOESN'T JUST APPLY TO PREACHERS, THERE ARE LAY PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT ARE JUST AS GUILTY, THEY SEE CHRISTIANITY AS AN INVESTMENT. I HAD A FRIEND IN AMWAY AND YOU COULD ALWAYS TELL WHEN THE SPEAKER AT A WEEKEND RALLY HAD BEEN A CHRISTIAN BECAUSE BRUCE WAS IN CHURCH ON SUNDAY HOPING THAT THIS WAS ANOTHER STEP TO SUCCESS.
THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT SAY "WELL IF I GIVE GOD THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY THEN HE WILL DOUBLE IT." OR " IF I GO TO SUNDAY SCHOOL, MORNING WORSHIP, AND MID-WEEK SERVICES THEN GOD WILL SEE TO IT THAT I PROSPER."
WHAT DO YOU WANT, BE HONEST, IF IT'S MONEY YOU WANT THEN TELL HIM.
2) SOME WANT POWER Mark 10:37 (NIV) "They replied, "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory."" JESUS HAD JUST GOTTEN THROUGH TALKING ABOUT HIS CRUCIFIXION AND WHAT HAPPENS THE SON'S OF THUNDER WANT TO GET DIBS IN ON THE POWER AND THE INFLUENCE.
WHERE HAD THEY BEEN, HAD THEIR MINDS BEEN ON VACATION? CHRIST HAS JUST FINISHED SAYING THAT HE WOULD BE MOCKED, AND SCOURGED AND SPIT ON AND KILLED AND THEY SAY " YEAH YEAH, OH BY THE WAY WHEN YOU GET YOUR POWER CAN WE BE YOUR VICE-PRESIDENTS?" COME ON GUYS GIVE YOUR HEADS A SHAKE AND SEE IF THEY RATTLE.
TODAY THERE ARE MEN AND WOMEN WHO COME TO CHRIST BECAUSE IT IS THE POLITICAL THING TO DO. AND THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH POLITICS AND EVERYTHING TO DO WITH WHAT PEOPLE THINK.
IF THE REASON YOU COME TO CHURCH EACH SUNDAY IS BECAUSE OF WHAT PEOPLE WOULD SAY IF YOU DIDN'T THEN YOU ARE LOOKING FOR THE VERY SAME THING JAMES AND JOHN WERE LOOKING FOR.
IF YOU ARE HOPING THAT PEOPLE WILL SAY, " OH WHAT A GOOD PERSON, THEY GO TO THE WESLEYAN CHURCH" THEN YOU ARE LOOKING FOR POWER AND POSITION. IN THE LAST COMMUNITY I PASTORED THERE WAS A POLITICALLY CORRECT CHURCH, IF YOU WANTED TO BE SEEN BY THOSE WHO COUNTED THEN YOU WENT TO FIRST BAPTIST. AND THE ONLY THING A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE WANTED WAS THE POLITICAL AND SOCIAL BENEFITS THAT COULD BE REAPED FROM THE NAME OF CHRIST.
3) SOME COME TO CHRIST SEEKING ETERNAL LIFE. Luke 10:25 (NIV) "On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?""
THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO ARE TAKING JESUS CHRIST AS NOTHING MORE OR LESS THEN A FIRE ESCAPE FROM HELL. THEY DON'T WANT TO SUFFER THE TORMENT OF HELL SO THEY SAY THE MAGIC WORDS AND ALLAH KAZZAM THEY ARE ON THEIR WAY TO HEAVEN. AND ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS COME AND SIT IN CHURCH EVER SUNDAY TO KEEP THE PROMISE CURRENT.
HOLD UNTO YOUR SEATS, JESUS DIDN'T COME JUST TO SAVE YOU FROM HELL. AND JESUS DOESN'T WANT YOU TO ACCEPT HIM JUST TO ESCAPE HELL. THE SINCERITY OF THE PERSON WHO COMES TO CHRIST SIMPLY TO GET INTO HEAVEN CAN ONLY BE COMPARED TO THE CHILD WHO PERFORMS FOR HIS PARENTS SO HE CAN RECEIVE A LOLLY OR SOME OTHER TREAT.
DO YOU REMEMBER A FEW YEARS AGO WHEN ORAL ROBERTS TOLD THE WORLD THAT HE HAD A VISION WHERE GOD TOLD HIM IF HE COULDN'T RAISE EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS FOR MEDICAL MISSIONS THAT HE WAS GOING TO DIE? JIMMY SWAGGERT RESPONDED TO THAT BY SAYING "GOD IS NOT A TERRORIST."
AND YET THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO COME TO CHRIST AS HOSTAGES UNDER THE THREAT OF HELL. THERE IS NO JOY IN THEIR CHRISTIAN LIFE, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGHT THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE PROMISE OF ETERNAL LIFE THROUGH REPENTANCE AND FORGIVENESS THEY LIVE UNDER THE CONSTANT FEAR OF LOSING THAT WHICH GOD HAS GIVEN THEM. AND NO WONDER SOME CHRISTIANS ARE SO MISERABLE, THEY THINK THEY ARE PAYING A RANSOM OF THEIR FUND SO THEY CAN GET INTO HEAVEN.
IF YOUR PRIMARY REASON FOR COMING TO JESUS CHRIST IS TO ACHIEVE ETERNAL LIFE THEN YOUR AIM IS LIKE THE PERSON WHO ONLY WISHES TO BE SECURE IN THIS LIFE, NOT WRONG BUT LOW.
THERE IS MORE TO CHRISTIANITY THEN THE HELL TO BE SHUNNED AND THE HEAVEN TO BE GAINED. THERE IS A LIFE TO BE LIVED, A GOD TO BE WORSHIPED, A CHRIST TO BE SERVED, A JOY TO BE EXPRESSED.
WHAT DO YOU WANT ? ETERNAL LIFE, OK BUT THERE IS SO MUCH MORE THEN THAT.
4) SOME WANT TO LOVE JESUS. John 21:15 (NIV) "When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?" "Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you."
I DON'T KNOW WHY PETER FOLLOWED JESUS THE FIRST TIME, I REALLY DON'T. PERHAPS HE SAW AN OPPORTUNITY TO PICK UP A FEW EXTRA DINAROS, OR PERHAPS HE SAW THE OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME MORE THEN A FISHERMAN. OR MAYBE HE WAS LOOKING FOR ETERNAL LIFE.
I DON'T KNOW WHY PETER FOLLOWED JESUS THE FIRST TIME, BUT THE SECOND TIME AROUND JESUS MADE SURE THAT HIS MOTIVES WERE PURE.
IF YOU ARE IN THIS FOR THE MONEY THEN THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE THAT YOU WILL DIE BROKE, AND IF YOU'RE HERE FOR THE POWER AND POSITION DON'T BE SURPRISED IF YOU ARE HUMBLED. AND IF ETERNAL LIFE IS YOUR ONLY GOAL, WELL FEAR CAN ONLY KEEP YOU FAITHFUL FOR SO LONG.
WHEN IT COMES RIGHT DOWN TO BRASS TACKS, RIGHT DOWN TO WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD THE ONLY ANSWER TO THE QUESTION "WHAT DO YOU WANT?" CAN ONLY BE "JESUS I WANT TO LOVE YOU AND SERVE YOU." NO MORE, NO LESS.
