Coming To Jesus

Thesis: Coming to Jesus requires a personal moment of decision.

Intro.:

1. One of the fundamental truths of the gospel is that when one comes to Christ one does not remain the same (2 Cor. 5:17).

a. How else could you explain radical change in Peter/Paul?

b. Christ still changes people!

c. Therefore, the most important thing we could ever do is come to Jesus ourselves and bring others to him.

2. What does it mean to come to Jesus? What does it involve? We ask that question this AM--turn to John 1 for an answer.

a. Story of 2 men and how they met Jesus.

b. One of them is Andrew (Simon Peter's bro.); other is un-named, but is most likely John himself, the author of this gospel.

I. COMING TO JESUS IS NOT SOMETHING YOU DO ON YOUR OWN (35-36).

A. You do not come to Jesus on your own!

1. Others must help you and point out the way (cf. John).

2. God has always used people to bring others to Christ (cf. examples of conversion in Acts).

3. If folks are going to come to Jesus someone must help them do it.

B. To bring others to Jesus one must do two things (v. 36):

1. Be willing to point beyond self (1:36; 3:30).

2. Be willing to point beyond self with the message of the gospel (1:36; 1:29-30).

II. COMING TO JESUS IS SOMETHING YOU DO ON YOUR OWN (37-39).

A. Coming to Jesus is an intensely personal thing.

1. Involves making a personal decision (37).

2. Involves examining one's motives (38).

3. Involves going without knowing--essence of faith (39a).

B. "It was about the tenth hour" (39b).

1. Why is this bit of information a part of this story?

a. Is it merely raw historical data?

b. Or is John the un-named disciple and remembers this as a moment of great significance!

2. Illust. Every life has "watershed moments." Crucial moments after which life was never the same! Maybe it was the moment you first set eyes on your beloved. 12-07-41; 11-22-63. Life is never the same again!

3. Can you point to a moment like that in your life?

a. A "tenth hour" in which you met Jesus?

b. If not, why not come to Jesus this morning?

III. COMING TO JESUS MEANS BRINGING OTHERS TO HIM (40-42a).

A. This is "the first thing" Andrew did!

1. Only 3 pictures of Andrew in the gospels--all of them in John and all of them depict him bringing someone to

Jesus (1:40-42; 6:8-9; 12:22).

2. Have you brought someone to Jesus?

B. Andrew makes it look easy!

1. Simply goes up to Simon Peter and declares, "We have found the Messiah!"

2. Bold, simple, direct.

Conclusion:

1. The last part of verse 42 brings us all the way back to the point at which we began--Jesus changes people!

a. You are Simon, son of John (rude, crude, Galilean fisherman with unflattering past).

b. You will be called Cephas--a stone!

c. Jesus sees us not so much as what we are, but as what we can become--in him! (cf. 2 Cor. 5:17).

2. This AM, would you come to Jesus ....