Come and See – John 1: 29 - 42
Intro: A young conservative pastor came to his first parish determined that every person in that town should be baptized. As he walked down Main Street, he came across a homeless man. He asked the man, “Do you know Jesus?” The man answered, “No.” The Pastor than asked, “Do you want to be baptized?” “Okay, I’m not sure what that is; but I’ll try it.” The Pastor walked with the man to the river, waded out into the deep with the man. He dunked the man into the river, brought him up out of the water, and asked, “Did you meet Jesus?” The homeless man answered, “No.” The young pastor dunked him again. Letting the man up he asked, “Did you meet Jesus?” The homeless man answered, “No!” Not to be undone, the young pastor pushed the man under the water again and held him down for a few seconds. The homeless man came up gasping for air. The pastor asked again, “Did you find Jesus?” The homeless man sputtered, “No, are you sure this is where you lost him?” (contributed to Sermon Central by Anne Benefield)
I Our modern world is so confusing and bewildering. People wander about not knowing where to turn or what to do. They just know that something is missing in their lives. They don’t know what it is or where to find it.
A VS. 29 – “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the SIN of the world! There is something that nearly everyone misses in this verse.
B Anyone want to guess what that is? --- “who takes away the SIN of the world.” I have missed it so many times, as I am sure you have. It is s simple thing. The word is SIN. I though it was surely a mistake in my Bible.
C It is not a mistake. I went looking at the Greek and the word is hamartia / ?µa?t?a. AND it is singular in Greek. It is literally translated as “missing the true goal and scope of life.” That is what Jesus came to change. He came to change the goal and scope of life. To change the focus of life and living of humanity.
II VS. 38 – Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”
A Jesus sees two men following him and asks them “What do you want? Jesus wants to know what they want from him. He asks them what they want. Why are you following me? What do you want from me?
B Isn’t that a good question for us as well? What do YOU want? Why are you following Jesus? Are you looking for out of life? Are you searching for something that you feel is missing in your life?
C Maybe, you are missing the true goal and scope of life. What is your focus? Have you ever asked yourself why you are working? Is your way of life fulfilling? Do you feel something is missing? If so my friend, you are not alone.
III The two men following Jesus answered his question, VS. 38b – They said, “Rabbi” (which means teacher) “where are you staying?”
A One word in that question is REALLY important to those 2 men and to us. That word is staying. It means much more than what’s your address? It means much more. It is so important that John uses that word 5 times just in VSS. 29 – 42.
B The Greek word is meno / µ???. Like many Greek words, it has various shades of meaning. It can mean “to stay / to dwell / to exist / to linger
C These guys want to spend time with Jesus. They want to get to know what makes him “tick.” What is his focus in life?
Concl: My question for you is like that of Jesus to the men who followed him. Why are you here? What are you looking for? Are you finding it here? Are you looking for wealth, power, security, prestige? If that is your desire, you’ve come to the wrong place. --- What you CAN find here is a relationship with the risen Christ. God wishes to provide a loving relationship with you. God wants that relationship to govern the way you live. God can use us as witnesses not because we fit the right profile or have the right skill set. Our actions are visible symbols of the deeper meaning of the name, Christian. Jesus says to us as he said to the two disciples of John long ago, “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”
