John 1:35-42 "Behold Jesus! Come and Follow."

1:05Have you ever made a prank call? Right? And then people go around the group, say yes or no? Have you ever colored your hair a crazy color? I think back to the days of high school baseball where you put, I put sun in in my hair and then put a hat on, went to baseball, come home, and it's orange. Have you ever sent a text? To the wrong person. And we're thinking about the text, right? Have you ever had a public wardrobe malfunction?

1:43Well, the beauty and often absurdity of these questions is they beg for explanation. And this is where you do the get-to-knowing each other. Because as people go around the group and you answer the questions, you're just dying for more details. Well, while many of these are silly, some are quite serious. And in a much more serious way, recently, it was almost as if God were inviting me to consider this very question as I was reading John 1.

2:16Have you ever? Maybe today in John 1, God will meet you in a similar way. Have you ever considered the simple beauty of John 1? Well, obviously, we can't cover all of it today. And Brianna read a little more than we will be covering, just to give some context. But this morning, I believe that God, through John, wants us to behold Jesus, His chosen one, and in seeing Him that we would come to Him and follow Him.

2:50Behold Jesus, God's chosen one. And in seeing Him, that we would come to Him and follow Him. So, whether you're familiar with Jesus or Maybe you've been following him for some time. Maybe much of this will be new to you, brothers and sisters, dear friend. I believe that there is life in these words. So maybe all find it. So, two things I want to highlight. Real simple. First of all, see Jesus. Second of all, to follow him.

3:24So let's consider our text now. Quickly, we get a sense of what's happening here. John the Evangelist, there's two Johns, the Evangelist and the Baptist. John the Evangelist is writing, and I love John's gospel for many reasons. I love the great clarity that he offers. In a sense, he really puts things on the bottom shelf. You know what I mean? Like, keeps it really simple. And so in chapter 20, he provides this purpose statement that's wonderful. John chapter 20, 30 to 31. Now, Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. And by believing, you may have life in his name. Now, I'm a bottom shelf kind of guy. Maybe you are too. So this is really helpful. This is what John's talking about in his writing. So here at the outset, we learn that John the Baptist is preparing the way for Jesus. Are a little bit confused. Maybe one of those reasons is he's a little bit strange.

4:35But that's good news for you and me because we're a little bit strange, and so we can relate. But secondly, people are coming to him and they're asking him, Are you the promised one? We've been waiting. And John, with great clarity, says, No, I am sent to prepare the way for the one. You're looking for another. And so we have this number of scenes here at the beginning of the book, these succession of days where the evangelist is recounting for us the first encounters with Jesus. And so the day that we're looking at goes something like this. The Baptist is with two of his disciples. He looks and he sees Jesus walking by.

5:24Now contrast this with what we see in earlier in the chapter, verse 29, and it says that Jesus was coming to him. In other words, Jesus is walking by because he's on the move. He's begun the mission to redeem humanity for God. The Baptist exclaims, Behold, the Lamb of God. And upon hearing and seeing, the disciples go and they follow Jesus. Now, I want you to think about this for a second. The humble clarity that the Baptist has. There doesn't seem to be any confusion in his mind as to the mission, the purpose that God has given him. He's not the one, he's pointing people to the one.

6:20And so, Jesus shows up and he gladly reveals, helps to reveal Jesus to the disciples. My friends, could that be said of us? Are we seeking a following for ourselves, or are we trying to point people to the one? I think it's a good question to consider. Well, Jesus notices that they're following, obviously, and he asks the question: What are you seeking? What do you want? They respond, Teacher, where are you staying? And what do they do? I'm sorry, Jesus invites them to come and see.

7:07And what do they do? They go to be with Jesus. And after being with Jesus, after they've seen him, we learn that one of the disciples, Andrew, responds by going to find his brother and sharing the news. Okay, so that's the summary. Make sense? We can kind of see what's happening here. Okay, so with that understanding, The first thing that we learn is that God wants us to see Jesus, His chosen one. More specifically, we are invited to see the one who sees us.

7:42Let me show you. So, in our text, the evangelist wants us to see Jesus. The Baptist wants us to see Jesus. He's literally devoted his entire life to preparing the way for Jesus. Yes, Jesus was a man. He was even a gifted teacher and rabbi, but he was so much more. And so, the title that John uses is Lamb of God. Lamb of God. And the essence of this phrase, this title given to Jesus, points to the fact that Jesus is God's ultimate provision for the brokenness of humanity.

8:21So, here's the big idea: God is perfectly holy, and as those who were created in his image and likeness, we are meant to reflect him in holiness. Be holy as I am holy, we are called. But we have not done so. And we have not done so in at least two ways. First, we're not holy in our nature. That is, in the most fundamental, the most basic level, we are bent away from God. We are bent toward sin. And this means that our natural, our inherent, hardwired, Tendency is to want to do things our own way, to disregard God's leadership of our lives. To say it another way, rebellion comes more naturally than submission.

9:15The brokenness as a result of sin has infected every part of our lives. Maybe a few examples. Do you usually believe the best or the worst about others? Be honest, often believe the worst. When wronged, are you more likely to forgive or to seek revenge? When faced with the opportunity to tell the truth even at great cost, are we more likely to do so with joy or to shrink in fear? Seek to protect. Something in us is broken.

10:00Maybe you think of other examples, maybe better examples. But the big summary of the Bible is: God has said, this is the good life. Let me show you the good life, God says. And in our being, everything in us says, I kind of doubt it. I think I can do better. I don't think I'm going to do that. We're broken in our nature. But not only that, we are not holy, we are broken in our choices. By both the things that we have done that we shouldn't have done and the things we should have done that we do not do, we have failed to live up to God's standard of righteousness and goodness.

10:58Okay, so this highlights the problem. And you can see how that affects every part of us, and we see the effects of it every day. This is the problem behind every other problem in our lives. Well, you might say that's terrible, and I would say you're right. That is terrible. What is the way in which God has prescribed for humanity to be restored, to be redeemed? In a phrase, life for life. Life for life. So this is serious. Whether big or small, whether you think big or small, any offense, any sin, any act of rebellion against God is worthy of judgment. Do you see why?

11:53But friends, don't miss the glory of God, though His judgments are just. He doesn't want any to perish. He doesn't desire that any would be separated from him because of their sin. And how do we know that? Because he made a way. He made a way. He made a way for the priest of old to sacrifice a perfect, spotless lamb in the place of and for the sins of the people, that their sins might be atoned for and removed, that righteousness would be restored.

12:36Yet, this sacrificial could never finally and fully take away sin. This is what the author of Hebrews tells us. Wonderful summary of the Old Testament. If you find the Old Testament a bit confusing, read the book of Hebrews. It's wonderful. A bit of a commentary on what God has done in the Old Testament. So, what then was the forever and final solution? God's own Son, His perfect Son, the Lamb of God. Through His perfect life, His sacrificial death, His resurrection from the dead, and His ascension to the Father, He became sin, satisfying God's wrath that we might go free.

13:29In our place, For our sin. And now, Jesus sits at the right hand of God because the work is finished. There's nothing to be done. He has done it. And all that look to him, all that see him for who God made him to be and trust in his work will be saved from the brokenness within and the brokenness without. So as the evangelist is describing Jesus, as the Baptist arrives on the scene, both are very clear that he's more than meets the eye. Sure, he's a human carpenter, but he's the word made flesh. While fully human, he's God in the flesh. And he comes to the very people he created.

14:21He is the life and light of men. Friends, this is what the Baptist is testifying to. And so as this anticipation has been building, you feel it as you read the Old Testament and then into the New Testament. There's this anticipation. Is he the one? Is he here yet? Is the one who was promised, is he here to save us, to rescue us from all that is wrong and all that is broken? That anticipation. And yet, he wouldn't be the kind of Savior that. Anyone expected. He's not a conquering king, he's a suffering servant. And so you can imagine, we've read it already, the Baptist's response, right? He's known these things dimly. He's known about them, that God was going to do something and he believed God. But he hadn't quite understood. And so finally he sees. It all finally lines up. In verse 29 and chapter 1, this is his response. Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the whole world.

15:39Do you see how all of this is building? And so the title, Lamb of God, this is what God, through John, wants us to see, the Lamb of God. But don't miss this. There's more. It's quite miraculous. We see it throughout the scriptures and we see it later in John chapter 1. I'll show you. But one other reference, Hagar, one of my favorite stories, even though it's heartbreaking, because it highlights the character of God. You probably remember that Hagar is a servant of Sarah, Abraham's wife, and they haven't been able to have children. So Sarah invites her servant to be with her husband that they might conceive. Well, they do. They conceive. But because they've sought to take matters into their own hands and disobey God, this blessing becomes a sort of curse.

16:39And though Hagar does everything she's ordered to do, she does everything she's ordered to do. Sarah's jealousy, her envy overcomes her, and she takes out all her hurt, all her pain, all her frustration, all her disappointment on Hagar, the one who did everything she asked. We find Hagar broken and in despair. The scene is just, it's remarkable. Genesis 16: when God, the angel of the Lord, finds her. In kindness, in gentleness, he lifts her head and listened to her response.

17:26So Hagar called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, You are a God of seeing. For she said, Truly here, I have seen him who looks after me. Get the sense? Okay, look a little bit later in John 1, verse 47. I'll show it to you again. Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, and he said, Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit. Nathanael said to him, How do you know me? Jesus answered him, before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.

18:14The evangelist wants us to see Jesus who sees us. And friends, this matters because God, because seeing Christ as God has made him means that we will come to better see ourselves for who God has made us to be. Seeing Christ as God has made him means that we will better come to see who God has made us to be. So John announces Jesus. His disciples begin to follow. And then it's as if the scene stops. Maybe you caught this at the first reading.

18:56The scene stops, and Jesus turns and he says, What are you seeking? While on the surface, Jesus probably means very simply and obviously, you're following me. What do you want from me? It seems as though something more is happening at the same time. As they're beginning to see and understand who he is, Jesus is asking them to think more deeply about who they are. Are about what they're truly wanting from him and what they're wanting in their lives.

19:39So, what are you wanting? What are you looking for? What are you hoping for? My friends, have you considered this text? God inspired John to write these words that we might see Jesus, God's provision for our greatest needs. And in seeing the one who sees us, we better see ourselves. And we'll say more about that in just a moment. I want to show you the second thing. Secondly, we see the call to follow Jesus. So, first, see Jesus. Second, follow Jesus. What does it mean to follow Jesus? I see at least three things here. I'm going to borrow some language from John Mark Comer. First of all, following Jesus means being with Jesus. So, at first, the disciples' question threw me off. Maybe it threw you off. Likely, you're smarter. You probably got it. But let's talk about it anyways.

20:48So, Jesus says, What do you want? And they respond, Where are you staying? What? Here's what I think it is. I think it's absolutely the right response. How do we know? Because Jesus doesn't turn them away. He says, come and see. Come and see. Here's the translation. What do you want? The disciples, rabbi, teacher, that's a term of honor and respect. Where are you staying? Translation. Where are you going to be staying? Because we want to be with you that we might learn more. You are our leader now.

21:35Totally makes sense. The simplicity of the invitation, there's nothing to do to prepare. There's no getting better. There's no trying harder. There's no, if you would just give me a second, I need to fix some things up and then I'll come, okay. It's a simple invitation. See, come, follow, be with Jesus. Notice, response is required. He says, come and see. They have a choice. It's an invitation that requires a response. They would never be with him and learn from him if they didn't respond to his invitation. Invitation if they didn't come and see.

22:33So, following Jesus is being with Jesus. The next two, later, starting in verse 39, following Jesus means becoming like Jesus. Quite simply, the goal of being with Jesus is so that we might become more like him. Now, while this may not show up fully in the text, I think we find other clues throughout Scripture. For one, we literally bear God's image in our humanity, it's how we were made, and so becoming more godly is becoming more human and reversing the curse in a way as we live into this life of faith in Christ. Secondly, we're called to be holy as God is holy. So, as those who reflect Him in our being, we're called to reflect Him in our actions, becoming more like Him.

23:28And then, as we've been learning about in the book of Romans, the overarching purpose of our lives in the good and in the hard is growth in godliness. This word sanctification, it couldn't be more clear than 1 Thessalonians 4. For this is the will of God, your sanctification. This means that God has not left us to wonder what it might be like to grow in godliness. To grow increasingly into his image and likeness, we have Christ, God in the flesh, that we might know exactly what we are to become and who we are to become like. And then the indwelling Spirit helps to transform us, to make us all that we were meant to be.

24:24So the call to follow Jesus means being with Jesus, to become like Jesus. And the last thing, following Jesus means that we live a life that reflects that we are His. Let me ask you: what do you do when you find treasure? What do you do when you find treasure? No. I'm not talking about pirates and ships and gold on the seashore. That's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about anything that is of value to you. I'm talking about that gadget, guys, gals.

25:09I'm talking about your favorite local food spot. I'm talking about maybe a relationship, a promotion, or a job. I'm talking about being pregnant. I'm talking about a new car, a new home. What do you do when you find treasure? You share it. What do those who are dead but have been brought to life do? What do those who were once lost but have been found do? What do those who have been freed from the slavery of sin do?

25:54What do those who were once slaved to materialism, that unrelenting pull to do more and acquire more? What do those who have been freed from that do? What do those who are once blind but now see do? My friends, they share the treasure that they have found. Isn't this exactly what Andrew does? He goes, he finds his own brother, Simon Peter. He says, we have found Christ, the Messiah. And he brings him to Jesus. Because when you see him, when you are with him, you become like him. And you can't help but share with others.

26:52This, my friends, is the most simple yet profound way in which God Intends to reach the world for Christ. And while there's more that we could say here about the changing of Peter's name, it seems as though John's point for the reader is to see Jesus who sees his people. I think Don Carson gets it right. He says, Jesus not only sees into us, but he so calls us that he might make us into what he calls us to be. Isn't that fabulous? Only God.

27:37So have you ever seen the beauty and wonder of John 1? My friends, very simply, as we walk into summer and our brains are spent from all the obligations and responsibility. May these simple truths encourage and help us to see this wonderful reality that this is what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. I've intentionally not used that word until now because I think in a way, I know it's true for me. It feels like we've overcomplicated some things.

28:22This whole idea of following Jesus. But I think that's the beauty of John 1. This is what it means. means this is what it looks like to become a student, a follower of Jesus, to practice the way of Jesus, to see him as he is, is to rightly see ourselves and who he's made us to be, to respond to his invitation to come and to follow him, to be with him, that we might become like him, and then live our lives to make much of him.

28:58I think this is what John is trying to show us. This is what John wants us to see. So very practically, as we close, maybe this is helpful. I'm going to take each of these things in succession. First of all, see him. What you and I most need most is not some God of this world, not some God of our imagination that's powerless to deliver us and save. We need the ancient of days. Haven't you tried everything else?

29:40Haven't you tried everything else? What you need is not more of that. We need the ancient of days. You and I were made for another. To say what has already been said, I believe Augustine says, God has made us for himself. Our hearts will be restless. Until they rest in him. Seeing Jesus means that we must see God, see him as God has revealed, not how we've made him out to be. He is the Lamb of God. And in John's Gospel alone, we find these other titles. I want to mention them to you, but there's so much more. In John's Gospel alone, we find Messiah, prophet, one who baptizes with the Spirit, chosen Son of God, anointed one, son of Joseph, Nazarene, Son of God, King of Israel, Son of Man. My friends, the invitation, my encouragement to you, is to open God's Word to you to see and to learn who God has made Jesus to be for you.

30:53Prince of peace, healer, deliverer. That's what you will find. What we need is Jesus the Christ, the one God made, not some God of our imagination. So see him. Number two, see yourself. In seeing him, you'll have to wrestle with this question. What do you really want? What are you really longing for? What do you really desire out of life? Here are some questions behind those questions. What is it that you love? I know we've messed up that word.

31:40We love everything, and so we love nothing because we love torchies and we love that movie. And, you know, fill in the blank. You're thinking about them now. So we've messed up that word. But what do you value most? How does that show up in your life and in your actions? That's where your heart is. Number two, where are you investing? That which you give your life to is where your heart is. That is what you love. What do you want? What do you desire? What are you longing for? And have you made Jesus a means to your ends? Has he simply become a means to your ends?

32:31To borrow from another author, I want to encourage you and challenge you to be curious about the wants and desires of your life, of your heart. The patterns that you see emerging through your actions, brothers and sisters, these can be road maps that will show you what's in your heart. So be curious. God will show you. See him, see yourself. Number three, come. It's not enough just to see and to know in your head. You must come to him for the first time or for the thousandth time.

33:19It never ends. That's the beauty. God's inviting us. Turn from your own way. Turn to him. He sees you. And he's inviting you to draw near. Did you notice? The disciples pursue. And what does Jesus do? He turns. They pursue. They turn to follow. And he turns to them in love. He says, come, be with me. It's very personal, this pursuit. How will you respond? Last one, follow. Maybe you feel like you've lost your way. Maybe, as I said, you feel like it's all a bit too complicated. All this talk about discipleship and quiet times, I don't really know what does that mean.

34:21Maybe today we could be re-envisioned and re-energized with joy and desire to be with him, that we might become. Like him in order to make him known. It's much more personal and relational, much less mechanical. That's what I'm saying. While there's much grace in our pursuit of Jesus, I want to offer just a little practical wisdom on discipleship. Just a warning: this is all old, nothing is new. So, this is fairly unimpressive, but I think and hope you will be helped. Being with Jesus, two things: focus your time and energy in the Word and in the disciplines. I hesitate to even mention titles, but I'm going to leave these up so you can look at them. These are my books. If you take them, that means you needed it more, but these are just for you to look at so you can get your own.

35:25I think these may be helpful as you think about what it means to practice the way of Jesus. The spectrum of these authors is pretty great, but I think there's something to learn from all of them. Here's the thing I learned a long time ago: if I keep doing the same thing, I'll keep getting the same result. And so sometimes I kind of feel bogged down. And these resources have helped me to change things up in my walk. Okay? Gary Thomas, Sacred Pathways, great. Lots of good examples on how you might change things up, break out of. The slump that you're in as you pursue Jesus. Second one, Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer. I mentioned this earlier. Also helpful. I think there's lots here. You're welcome to come look at these after. Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Don Whitney. This is a classic you've probably read before. We've gone through it before, but focus your time and energy on God's Word and the disciplines. If you're having trouble opening your Bible, listen to it, listen to it on your drive, listen to it on your walk. I know this is pretty basic.

36:40How can we practice being with Jesus that we might become Him? That's the goal. Okay, second, becoming like Him. We could say much more here, and this is going to be beating a dead horse. But, my friends, apart from the family of God, you will be stunted in your growth. I can't articulate to you the changes that God has brought in my life and the lives of others as we've been walking with Jesus together for 16 years.

37:23This is the way that God has made for us to grow in godliness as we become like Jesus. So, prioritize the body of Christ. Maybe it's not new life. But dive in. Get connected somewhere. Be all in there. They need you. You need them. Becoming like Jesus. Finally, making much of Jesus. Hardest thing, hardest thing in my life. Maybe you too. Sharing the good news. It should be easy. It's obvious, as we learn from the text. I don't know why. Here's what I've learned: be faithful where God's placed you.

38:11Ask God to give you eyes to see what He's doing, more importantly, who is around you. Seek to befriend those around you, build relationships of trust so that when they find themselves in need, they know exactly who to turn to. Can I tell you, much of the way that I've seen God open people's eyes due to my witness in their life has taken forever. I don't think you should expect much different. Some of you are gifted, and you'll be in the line at Subway, and you'll be looking at the things in front of you, the ingredients, and you'll say to the guy who's serving you, like, you know, Jesus talked about bread. He said he was the bread of life. Like, maybe some of you are gifted like that, not me. So just know much of this happens over a long period of time, but befriend, and they will know who to turn to in time of need. So, friends, maybe it's pretty basic, but may seeing God's Word in John 1, may it re-energize you to behold Jesus. He's calling you to come and to follow. Be with him, that you might become like him, so that you can make much of him. Let's pray.

39:53Father, thank you for making so much so clear. Thank you for the simple beauty of this passage. Through your word, your people, and the world you created, help us to see your glory and majesty. Help us to see your loving pursuit in the person and work of Christ. I pray for faith, and I pray for freedom. That truly and increasingly, the longing of our hearts and the living of our lives would be focused on knowing you, learning to be with you, that we might become like you, personal, not mechanical.

40:53God, give us boldness to share all that we've so graciously received. Help turn our duty into delight. We pray and ask for your help in all these ways. In Jesus' name, amen. Thank you for listening to the sermon audio from New Life Baptist Church in College Station, Texas. For more information or to support our ministry, visit us online at newlifecs.net.