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John’s Gospel

John 1:43-51: Lost and found.

John 1:43-51: Lost and found.

43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, ‘Follow me.’44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 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.’46 ‘Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?’ Nathanael asked.‘Come and see,’ said Philip.47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, ‘Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.’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.’49 Then Nathanael declared, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.’50 Jesus said, ‘You believe[a] because I told you I saw you under the fig-tree. You will see greater things than that.’ 51 He then added, ‘Very truly I tell you, you will see “heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on”the Son of Man.’ NIV

As I read today’s passage I thought about a U2 song: ‘I still haven’t found what I’m looking for.’ That wasn’t the case though with Simon and Andrew and Philip.

‘Finding Philip…We have found…’ (43, 45). Considered from one angle, it is true that we find Christ. That is our testimony. But the deeper – indeed deepest – truth is that He finds us. And the cross is central to this being found (verses 50, 51 seem to allude to ‘Jacob’s ladder’ – Jesus is the ‘Ladder’ between heaven and earth, God and man). 

Somebody observed, ‘The process of one lighted torch lighting another goes on.’ Here is a further example of personal evangelism. The gospel invitation simply says, ‘Come and see’ ‘ Come and check this out for yourself.’ ‘Come with me to church.’ ‘Come with me to a course.’ ‘I know you have your prejudices, but try to put them to one side and honestly examine the claims of Christ. Come and see.’ I read some years ago that the majority of people who attend church for the first time do so because of a friend’s invitation. Most do not just walk through the door. I also heard about some research that suggested that a significant number of people would attend a church service if just asked. So why am I so timid?                                                                                                                                                     And here are some random further thoughts on today’s passage:

God works in unlikely places (46). He is ‘the God of surprises’.

There was no false modesty in Nathanael (47, 48). This bears out the truth of (2:25) that Jesus knew what was in a man.

A decision to leave one place for another can be difficult (43). There is no hint in the text that it was for Jesus, but sometimes it can be for us. But we should nonetheless prepare ourselves for fruitful service in a new setting. Who knows? There may be ‘Philip’s’ to meet and serve.

Prayer: Lord, as I go through this week place place people in my pathway to ‘invite’ and please give me the courage to ask them to ‘Come and see’.

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John 1: 35-42: Bowled over!

John 1: 35-42

35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God!’37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning round, 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 they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (that is, the Christ). 42 And 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).NIV

‘The next day John was there again…’ (35).

For a preacher, there is something important about consistency – that you keep turning up, faithfully doing the job you’ve been given (35), and preaching the same Biblical Gospel (36). As with a bowler on a cricket team, who consistently keeps to a good line and length, there is likely to be a breakthrough at some point. Just keep on ‘putting the ball in the right place’. It will happen. It may not necessarily involve big numbers, but it’s the reality of the conversions that matters – and the further waves made by them.

Here, then, is the power of preaching: John ‘picked up a couple of wickets’ (37). As a result of John’s ‘sermon’ these two began to personally relate to Jesus (38, 39). It was all that John wanted. A sermon does not need to be long to be effective, but it does need to have sound content. There is no greater theme than Christ crucified.

Someone said about Andrew’s action (41, 42), ‘It was as great a service for the church as anyone ever did.’ Here you see some of the potential ‘knock-on’ effects of a sermon.

Preaching is ultimately about pointing to Jesus and getting people to Him. He then does the work of transformation on them (42). The changing of Peter’s name indicated Jesus’ authority over him. Under the Lordship of Jesus, the ‘reed’ would become the ‘rock’.

Don’t ever under-estimate the importance of consistency/dependability in a preacher – the being ‘there again’. He may not be the greatest preacher in the world. Or, he may be having an off day. He may be low in the spirits. Things may not appear to be going too well in the church. Perhaps he’s feeling below par. But he’s there. Others may be bunking off church. Some may forsake the assembling with other Christians on a regular basis. But he’s there – at his post. He’s there with the eternal gospel in his heart and on his lips. And although he may keenly feel his weakness and lack confidence; though he may be feeling depressed and thinking of many others who can ‘do it better’, God’s Word is ‘mighty, releasing captives’. That Word does the work.

Preacher, you have the greatest job in the world. Don’t lose heart. Stay on duty.

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John 1:29-34: ‘I came…that he might be revealed…’ (31).

John 1:29-34: ‘I came…that he might be revealed…’

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming towards him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, “A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.” 31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptising with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.’32 Then John gave this testimony: ‘I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33 And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptise with water told me, “The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptise with the Holy Spirit.” 34 I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.’ NIV

The first thing I want to underline is that Jesus moves towards us before we move in His direction (29). He takes the initiative. He is the ‘Prime Mover’ in our salvation. No-one will become a witness for Christ, or a preacher of the gospel without this starting point of a God-initiated meeting with the Lord. There is great power in preaching where we not only ‘testify’ to the truth, but can also say ‘I have seen and I testify…’ (34). As a preacher, always seek to ‘see’ that which you ‘testify’ to; to experience what you preach about. Obviously, it is important to preach salvation as a saved person; as a genuine believer in Jesus, ‘the Son of God’.

John the Baptist stands before us as a ‘model’ preacher. He was Christ-centred and Cross-centred. He said:

‘Look’ – look at Jesus; look to Jesus, to take away your sin. There was none of the platform strutting, ego parading ‘look at me’ mentality on display; nothing of the peacock preacher. John knew that Jesus is the answer and he was not. His ministry was all about Jesus (31b). He was humble. He freely confessed his ignorance apart from divine revelation: ‘I would not have known him, except…’ (33).

I heard Alec Passmore speak on verse 29 and 2 Corinthians 3:18. His theme was ‘a saving look’ and a ‘sanctifying gaze’. It takes a moment to look to Jesus and be forgiven; but it then takes a lifetime of gazing on Him, in adoration, to be made like Him. 2 Corinthians 3:18 speaks about our being ‘transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory’ as we ‘behold’ or ‘contemplate’ ‘the Lord’s glory’. (The word used can also mean ‘reflect’)

John preached the SACRIFICIAL death of Jesus – Jesus as ‘the lamb’ – the fulfilment of the Old Testament sacrificial system (29).

John preached the SUPREMACY of Jesus (30). In terms of time, John was born first; but in terms of eternity, Jesus existed before John. He superseded His cousin – He was pre-existent. John knew his place, bent low at the feet of Jesus and at the foot of His cross.

John preached the SPIRIT- anointed/SPIRIT- imparting Jesus. We need this double emphasis on the Cross and the Holy Spirit in our preaching today. Proclaim Jesus as Saviour and Sanctifier. He both forgives sin and frees from its power. He changes us; makes us different. ‘He breaks the power of cancelled sin…’ Let us seek the ‘something more’ of the Holy Spirit and preach that ‘something more’.

There can be such a temptation to make Christian ministry about us. It is NEVER about us. The preacher’s work is to lift up Christ alone. God the Holy Spirit will greatly bless a ministry where the focus is on Christ crucified.

As Jesus said, ‘He will glorify me…’

Prayer: Lord, please give me a heart like John’s – a grand obsession with Jesus.

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John 1:19-28: Public Confession.

John 1:19-28: Public Confession

“19 Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leader  in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Messiah.’21 They asked him, ‘Then who are you? Are you Elijah?’He said, ‘I am not.’‘Are you the Prophet?’He answered, ‘No.’22 Finally they said, ‘Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?’23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, ‘I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, “Make straight the way for the Lord.”’ 24 Now the Pharisees who had been sent 25 questioned him, ‘Why then do you baptise if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?’26 ‘I baptise with water,’ John replied, ‘but among you stands one you do not know. 27 He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.’28 This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptising.” NIV

‘He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely…’ (20).  These words dig into me because at times I have failed to confess. I have missed opportunities to identify myself with Jesus.

Help me Lord to confess you with my life. I can’t always be speaking about you verbally, but if I obey you I dare to believe that others will see you in me. If I walk in your steps, my life will silently speak volumes. Let me carry your fragrance Lord Jesus; may I ‘smell’ of you. I don’t want to put a ‘lid’ on my testimony; I don’t want to position my candle under a bucket.

Help me to confess with my lips. Forgive me for any sense of cowardice or embarrassment. Fill me with boldness. Enable me to give a reason for my hope in you, when I’m asked. I want to SAY that I am a Christian, and tell what that means, in appropriate ways and at the right time.

And help me please, dear Lord Jesus, to never fail to confess that you are the greatest, and it’s all about you.

This is my prayer today.

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The Gospel of John 1:6-14

John 1: 6-14

“6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognise him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” NIV

‘The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighbourhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish’ (14, The Message).

We move quickly from the God who became man (1-5,14), to ‘a man sent from God’ (6). John Baptist was not God. He knew He was not God. But God gave him an important job to do. He was a signpost, pointing to Jesus. He didn’t stand in the spotlight. He never confused his role with the Lord’s. He consistently pointed away from himself to Christ. So he stands as an example to all Christian witnesses:

‘He came to show everyone where to look, who to believe in. John was not himself the Light; he was there to show the way to the Light’ (8, The Message).

Although Jesus made the world, when He came into it He was not, by and large, recognised.

When He came to His own people – the Jewish race – a people uniquely prepared by God for the coming of their Messiah – they showed Him the door. The put out the ‘unwelcome’ mat.

But here and there were people who did receive Jesus. When they did so they became children of God. And that’s why John kept on pointing to Jesus, because only He can bring folks into God’s family. We are not all children of God by birth, but we become such by new birth, when we trust in Jesus.

Remember, ‘You cannot at one and the same time demonstrate that you are a great preacher and Jesus is a great Saviour.’

Take your cue from John. Lift up Jesus!

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The Gospel of John 1:1-5

John 1:1-5, Theology singing

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” NIV

This is one of the best known parts of the Bible. It is so important; so significant.

It is theology.

It is (it seems to me) poetry.

It is theology set to music; theology singing.

Think what BIG things it says about Jesus:

He is God;

Yet He is distinct from God;

He is the creator of all things;

The ‘light’ in every person – the light of conscience – the light of spiritual understanding – is actually the ‘life’ of Jesus alive in them – whether they recognise Him or not. His life animates everyone and everything.

And how about this for a barnstorming statement of truth? ‘The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness; the darkness couldn’t put it out’ (5, The Message).

Still today, in many ways, the darkness huffs and puffs at the light and tries to extinguish it. The fact is it will never succeed. Sometimes it will appear to, but in reality our ‘Good Friday’s’ will always be eclipsed by His ‘Easter Sundays’.

Prayer: Thank you Lord for the beauty of truth; for its poetic, melodic, rhapsodic quality. It makes my heart sing. I love you Lord Jesus Christ, and I worship you.

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