Coming to Jesus
Fortifying the Foundations #4
John 1:35-52
3-21-03
Intro:
We come to a passage this morning that is full of instruction on coming to Jesus and leading others to Christ. How do we interact with people so that they can come to the Lord? How does the Lord deal with us and with others in bringing us to Himself?
What can we learn about the process of evangelism in this text?
Follow as we read: John 1:35-2:1
35The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!"
37When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.
38Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?"
They said, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?"
39"Come," he replied, "and you will see."
So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour.
40Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ). 42And he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas" (which, when translated, is Peter).
43The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me."
44Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote-Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."
46"Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked.
"Come and see," said Philip.
47When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false."
48"How do you know me?" Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you."
49Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."
50Jesus said, "You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that." 51He then added, "I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."
NIV
There in verse 35 is John the Baptist with two of his disciples. They are probably discussing the monumental events that have occurred in the last two days. John has been preaching to huge crowds. His ministry has hit an all time high. The common people hear him gladly. The religious have been coming to see what’s going on. Two days earlier a phenomenal thing happened: Jesus showed up! John saw him in the crowd and told the people, “He is here with us today. Messiah is right here!” He did not point Jesus out that day. He left them in suspense as to Who He was. But the introduction of Jesus for His public ministry had begun. Yesterday, Jesus showed up again. This time, as Jesus approached him, John knew it was time to point Him out. Verse 29-“Look, the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world.” That day every eye turned toward Jesus.
Our text tells us how five disciples came to Jesus. Do not confuse these events with those recorded in Matthew 4:18-22. Those events in Matthew occur later. Here John is telling us about how these men first came to know Jesus. This is their call to salvation, to follow Jesus as disciples. Matthew records their call to ministry, to leave their fishing occupation and serve with Jesus.[1]
First we see coming to Jesus,
I. Andrew and the Other Disciple (verses 35-40)
Here is John talking with these two disciples about Jesus, about the exciting events that had just occurred—it’s all on his mind, it’s the subject of their conversation, the Lamb of God has come. Then John glanced out of the corner of his eye, and low and behold, there is Jesus walking right past them. Verse 36 John says, “Look, the Lamb of God—there He is, right there!”
John had already taught his disciples that Jesus is the One to follow, not him. “He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie." [2]
These disciples knew exactly what to do. They seized the moment and went after Jesus. Immediately they walked away from John and followed Jesus.
There stands John all alone. He has essentially fulfilled his mission. He has prepared the way. He has pointed others to Christ. He has persuaded these followers to follow Jesus. Is this solitude of defeat? Does John stand there alone because he has in someway failed? No! This is majestic solitude. And John stands there as a majestic figure having done the will of the Father.
Jesus hears these men coming up behind Him and turns around. Verse 38 says he “saw” them. This is not a casual look.[3] Jesus fixes His eyes upon them and looks deeply into their souls. It is a look of love. Jesus understands what is happening. Humanly speaking, these men will become his closest friends. One day He will lay down His life for them. A special relationship is about to begin. Parents, do you remember the first time you laid eyes on your newborn child? You look at that baby knowing that a wonderful relationship is about to unfold. Jesus saw them in that way.
Then He asked them a comprehensive question, “What do you want?” “Why are you following Me?” Have you ever had Jesus ask you that question? What is your motive? Why are you going to church? Why are you following Jesus? It is a legitimate question, for there are many reasons people follow Jesus. Maybe it will help their reputation. Maybe it will help their business. Maybe I can make some friends--nothing wrong with making friends. But we follow Jesus for much deeper reasons. Taken more broadly, this is perhaps the most fundamental question of life—“What do you want?” What are you living for? What do you want out of life?
It’s not an easy question to answer. These disciples had no quick answer. Their answer is really a request, a request to have some time with Jesus to discuss the matter.
“Rabbi”—They are acknowledging His superiority. John the Baptist is an awesome person, anointed by God, bold in his declaration of truth. But John has told them—this is the Son of God. This is the Messiah. Perhaps they were a bit intimidated. Have you ever had a kid visit your home and see the cookies on the shelf? He asks, “Where did you get those cookies?” That’s not what he’s really asking and you know it. His real question is “Can I have a cookie.” “Where are you staying?” When I first read that I thought, what a strange answer to Jesus’ question. But it is an indirect request for some time with Him. And Jesus granted their request, “Come and you will see.”
Are you familiar with the term “quality time?” This was some quality time with Jesus. It was about the tenth hour. According to Jewish time that would be 4:00 PM. Some scholars think John was using Jewish time. Other thing he was using Roman time. Nobody knows for sure. I am prone to think John was using Roman time, which would have made it 10:00AM.[4] I think John is saying, “We got to spend the whole day with Him.” During their visit these two disciples became convinced that Jesus is the Messiah.
Later Andrew tells his brother, “We have found the Messiah.”(John 1:41)
One of these two disciples is named. Andrew is a Greek name meaning “manly.” I’m glad one of the Apostle’s names mean “manly.” It seems that religion has a strange way of effeminizing the minister. His role is to be a sweet as sugar and soft as a pillow. Andrew and Peter just didn’t fit that mold. They were rough fishermen whose lives were revolutionized by the grace of God. They were filled with the love of God—but I’m convinced they were still manly, not effeminate.
Who was the other disciple? He is not named. He is almost certainly the author of this book, John the Apostle. John avoids calling attention to himself and in chapter 21 just refers to himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” Think about the emotion John must have felt as he tells about his first encounter with Jesus. First encounters that precede long, rich relationships are very special and leave lasting impressions. When I think about the day I met Jesus I always do so with great emotion. To think how He drew me and loved me and forgave me. This is a precious story coming from John’s heart.
I remember my first conversations with Jeanie most vividly. We have had many since those early dating days. But I treasure those moments we had together because in them something very dear to me began. John is saying, “We spent the day with Him. I will never forget it. It changed my life forever!”
II. Simon Peter (verses 41-42)
Notice in verse 41 the first thing Andrew did was to find his brother, Simon. In one day Andrew became an evangelist, not by profession but by heart. He had discovered something he wanted others to have. An intimate encounter with Jesus has that effect on a person. You just want to tell someone else about Him. You want them to experience the joy and peace and love you have experienced.
Andrew begins at the logical beginning point—those closest to him. Here is an important key to evangelism: friends and family. Reach those with which you already have a relationship. But what if Simon doesn’t receive the testimony? Simon’s a pretty opinionated guy. What if he thinks I’m crazy and won’t listen to me? What if our relationship becomes strained over this testimony? These are all real possibilities but they are all overshadowed by Andrew’s desire for Simon to know Jesus. He’s willing to risk being misunderstood if his brother might come to Christ.
Jesus said, "Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”[5]
Am I more concerned about human relationships and people’s thoughts toward me than the testimony of Jesus Christ? If I am, I have fallen short of true discipleship. Anytime we share Christ we risk a negative response by the other person. We would not want to invoke that by our own arrogance or insensitivity. But, my dear friends, the subject has to be addressed for the eternal well being of those we love.[6]
Notice three steps in Andrew’s evangelism of his brother:
(1) Andrew set out to find Simon. He was very intentional about seeking him out. He did not just hope Simon would come along. He did not just pray for Simon. He went to him with a specific purpose in mind. If we are just passively available to tell others about Christ, we will not win very many. Jesus told us to “Go and make disciples…”[7] That is our mandate. It is not to wait and hope they will come. A girl returning home from Sunday School expressed disappointment with the class’s reaction after the day’s lesson. "We were taught to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations," she said, "but we just sat."[8] Andrew searches out the person he has influence with.
(2) He tells him the good news. There is a proclamation to be made. The good news must be told. His message is this, “We have found the Messiah.” I believe there was an urgency and excitement in his tone. The Greek word translated “found” is heurisko.[9]
It is the root for our English word “eureka”[10] This is better than finding gold—“Eureka” the Messiah!
(3) Verse 42—and he brought him to Jesus. I see some tenacity here. Simon is head strong and not easily led. But Andrew knows what he has set out to do and he does it.
It is probable that at the same time Andrew is bringing his brother to Jesus, John the Apostle is bringing his brother, James, to the Lord as well.[11] Perhaps John is modest enough to tell about Andrew’s success rather than his own.
Every time we see Andrew in John’s gospel he is bringing somebody to Jesus. Here he brings Peter to Jesus. In John 6 he brings the boy with the fishes and loaves to Jesus and 5000 were fed. Jin John 12 he brings the Greeks to Jesus.
Andrew is a rather obscure apostle. He is known as Simon’s brother. That’s even the way John refers to him in verse 40 of our text. He never wrote a book. He didn’t speak on the Day of Pentecost when 3000 were saved. He us usually playing second fiddle to his brother. But Andrew brought people to Jesus and one of them was Simon Peter. You don’t know what God may accomplish through the person you reach for Christ. Who is familiar with Edward Kimball? Most are not. He was an obscure Sunday School teach. But he led a teen-age boy to the Lord by the name of D.L. Moody.[12] And D.L. Moody won thousands to the Lord.
Jesus looked at Simon Peter and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas. Cephas was the Aramaic word for rock, petros in Greek, Peter.[13] Jesus not only addresses who he is but deposits vision for who he will become in Christ.
III. Philip (verses 43-46)
The next day Jesus finds Philip. What an ordinary man Philip is. His name means “lover of horses”[14]— —not “gift of God” not “manly”—just “lover of horses.” The Synoptic gospels hardly mention him. Philip is the kind of person who tends to get overlooked by others. No one ran to tell Philip about the Messiah. But the Messiah, Himself, took time to find Philip.
It’s amazing how non-spectacular and non-sensational Philip’s conversion is. Jesus simply says to him, “Follow Me” and Philip follows. What a contrast to Paul’s conversion. Jesus knocks Paul off his horse with a blinding light but to Philip He simple says, “Follow Me.” There is significant diversity in the conversion experiences of the Bible. Even in our text there is diversity. Philip comes with a simple invitation. Nathanael has to first be convinced with a supernatural revelation. We evangelicals have developed our methods of evangelism. There is nothing wrong with a method. But there is also nothing sacred about a method. I have counseled devoted Christians who struggled because their conversion experience was not dramatic or emotion-packed. That is not the test of true conversion. It is not based upon the presence or absence of emotion. It is not the precise words of a sinner’s prayer that saves a soul. It is real faith in the real Jesus. It is a sincere reliance upon Christ and His atonement. Has Jesus said to you, “Follow Me”? Then follow Him. Do not fret because your experience is different from mine. God likes you the way you are. He will deal with you according to your personality and make up. What He wants is a relationship with you as an individual.
As a movement we would do well to remember the variety in the ways these people come to Christ. We would do well to listen to the Spirit of God during the evangelistic process rather than relying too heavily upon methods that have worked in the past.
Like Andrew, Philip immediately told others about Jesus. That is a trait in new believers that I love. Philip finds Nathanael and tells him the good news. They are obviously friends. They have I’m sure spent time together discussing the coming Messiah. Verse 45-“Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote-Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." Hear the excitement in Philip’s voice. Hear the eureka. “Nathanael, Nathanael we have found Him!” Here the cynicism in Nathanael’s response,
“Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” This would be like me saying to you, “We have found Christ, the Son of God. He is in Monette![15] “Monette, do you really think the Son of God is going to show up in an insignificant place like that?” ”At least tell me He’s in Jerusalem.” Nathanael was himself from Cana, a small town near Nazareth. He was familiar with Scripture. There were prophesies about Bethlehem, but none about Nazareth. Listen to what the Pharisees told Nicodemus in John 7:52,
"Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee."
Here Philip encounters a major obstacle in his witnessing. What will he do? Will he slump his shoulders and walk away in disappointment saying, “God never uses me to lead someone to Christ?” Will he engage in an intense debate about Nazareth? No, he gives Nathanael the perfect answer, “Come and see for yourself.” Sometimes we shy away from witnessing because we’re afraid the person will raise objections we can not answer. Here is an answer for their objections. “Come and see.” Our message is simple, “We have found the One…” Our answers are simple, “Come and see for yourself.” “At least, check it out.”
IV. Nathanael (verses 47-51)
As Nathanael approaches Jesus, Jesus makes a comment about him. "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false." The word translated “false” is dolos. It originally meant “fish bait.”[16] There is nothing in this man, Nathanael, that is deceptive, unreal, or crafty. He is a true Israelite, not just in name only, but in character as well.
Do you remember when God changed Jacob’s name to Israel, Prince with God” What had his name, Jacob, meant? Supplanter or deceiver. His experience with God dealt with that. Nathanael is a man with no “Jacob” in him.[17] He is one who fulfills the true ideal of Israel. He is forthright, honest, and straightforward. We see that in his responses to Philip and Jesus. “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false.”
Nathanael is a little taken back by that comment. I thing he had come with a little bit of “attitude.” “Philip may not see through this guy, but I’ll get to the bottom of all this.” Notice what is missing in his response to Jesus in verse 48, “How did you know that about me?” In verse 38 John and Andrew began with that word “Rabbi.” But Nathanael grants no such honor. “How did you know that about me?” It was a true statement. And it was a sincere compliment. Jesus used it to disarm this critic. Perhaps when evangelizing it would be wise at times, for us to give recognition to qualities we can appreciate.
Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” There was no way humanly speaking Jesus could have known about Philip’s most private experience under the fig tree. I think something happened under that fig tree that was significant to Nathanael. I personally think he was there processing the events of the previous two days in the meetings with John the Baptist. But what really got his attention was the utter impossibility of Jesus knowing about that experience.
Many commentaries propose that Jesus was exercising His omniscience. I don’t think so. As a man full of the Holy Spirit, he is operating in the gift of knowledge.[18]
Notice how Jesus reaches this man. He does not say to him, “You dirty sinner. You need to get saved.” Nathanael is a God-fearing man. There has been considerable preparation in his heart for this meeting with Jesus. Perhaps his parents were godly people. Most likely John the Baptist had prepared the way in his life. Do you realize that these kind of people are excellent candidates for evangelism—a person who has had some seeds already sown by a parent or grandparent or maybe a Sunday School teacher. These preparations can be significant to the evangelistic process.
Jesus reaches Nathanael in a very different way from the way he reaches Andrew and John or Phillip. The operation of the supernatural gift of the Spirit, word of knowledge, is a crucial part of this man’s conversion. Some people can be reached through a traditional evangelical approach, like Philip. But others may be more difficult to convince, like Nathanael. It’s not either or, it’s both ways. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are an important source of edification for the church.[19] But the gifts of the Holy Spirit are also given for effective evangelism. Supernatural revelation, miracles, healings were all a part of Jesus’ ministry approach. The church is endued with power from on high so that she can be an effective witness of the Resurrected Christ.[20]
Nathanael does a complete turn around—not from sin as we would commonly describe it, but from unbelief! Verse 49—“ Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel." Do you remember John the Baptist’s testimony yesterday? Verse 34—“ I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God." Nathanael’s confession reflects that statement. That is Nathanael’s public acknowledge of Christ.
Was Nathanael one of the twelve apostles? We do not find that name in the lists of apostles. Instead we find Bartholomew.[21] Bartholomew is not actually a personal name. It is more like a last name. “Bar” is Aramaic for son—the son of Tolmai.[22] John calls him Nathanael. The Synoptic Gospels call him Bartholomew.
Look at the promise Jesus gives in verses 50-51 “Jesus said, "You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that." 51He then added, "I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man." There is obviously a reference to Jacob’s ladder—a story Nathanael was familiar with and perhaps considering under the fig tree. You will see heaven standing open—what heaven is Jesus referring to in verse 51? Not the clouds above, not the third heaven called paradise, but the spiritual realm that is right here in a higher dimension. Jesus is opening that spiritual realm to us and He Himself is the bridge between the tangible, natural realm and the heavenly, spiritual realm. Jesus meets Nathanael’s confession of faith with a promise of even greater things to come.
We have seen five men coming to Jesus. Jesus dealt with each one in a very personal way. He met them where they were and called them to follow Him.
This morning Jesus continues to call disciples to Himself. He calls you in perfect accord with who you are. Are you a Nathanael? He says to you, “I have seen you in your most private times. I have seen your struggles, not under a fig tree but on your bed at night. I know you inside and out. I tell you, you will see heaven open!” Are you a Philip—one who tends to be overlooked by others? Jesus has not overlooked you. He has found you today and says, “Follow Me.” Will you follow Him? I invite you to begin that journey right now.
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[1] Arthur Pink, Exposition of the Gospel of John, Vol. 1, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, p.63 John is dealing with their spiritual relationship. He probably has their writings in hand and is covering events they did not cover.
[2] John 1:27
[3] theasamenos (NT:2300). : "beheld:" looked steadfastly upon them as if studying them.(from Vincent’s Word Studies of the New Testament, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1997 by Biblesoft)
[4] Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1997 by Biblesoft & Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament. Copyright (c) 1985 by Broadman Press)
[5] Matt 10:37 NIV
[6] Rom 10:14 “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” NIV
[7] Matt 28:19 NIV
[8] Tim Zingale, “Tire-Kickers” preached Jan. 13, 2003 at St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Fort Dodge,IA
[9] NT:2147 (Biblesoft’s New Exhaustive Strong’s Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright (c) 1994, Biblesoft and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
[10] Webster’s Dictionary also Michael Deutsch message entitle “Eureka”
[11] Campbell Morgan, The Gospel of John, Revell Co., Los Angeles, p.42
[12] Paul Lee Tan, Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times, Assurance Publishers, Rockvile, Maryland, 1979, p.1319
[13] Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
[14] Philip: International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, Electronic Database Copyright (c)1996 by Biblesoft)
[15] Monette is a small town west of Springfield, MO
[16] Vincent’s Word Studies of the New Testament
[17] Leon Morris, Reflections on the Gospel of John, Baker House, Grand Rapids, 1986, p.63
[18] I Cor. 12:8 A supernatural revelation of facts that are not naturally known. Compare to Acts 9:10-18
[19] I Cor. 14:5
[20] Acts 1:7; 4:29-31
[21]Nathanael:(Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright (c)1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)
[22] Bartholomew:(Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright (c)1986, Thomas Nelson
Richard Tow
Grace Chapel Foursquare Church
Springfield, MO
www.gracechapelchurch.org
