Come and See

Jesus, Mission and Glory: Advent--Veiled in Flesh, the Godhead See PART VI

Rev. Edward Sirya

01 January 2017

John 1:35-50

35The next day John was there again with two of his disciples.  36When he say 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 they spent that day with him.  It was about four in the afternoon.

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 Nathaniel 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."

46Nazareth!  Can anything good come from there?"  Nathaniel asked.

"Come and see," said Philip.

47When Jesus saw Nathaniel approaching, he said of him, "Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit."

48"How do you know me?" Nathaniel asked.

Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you."

49Then Nathaniel declared, "Rabbit, 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 will see greater things than that.

WHAT DO YOU WANT? v38

--We are what we love.

--How do we orient ourselves in this world?

--What pulls on our hearts?

INVITATION v.39

--Search for truth always involves doubt.

--Andrew shares the news of the Messiah with his brother--come and see for yourself.

GREATER THINGS

--v.42 Jesus changes Peter's name because he can see what nobody else can see.

--Peter means rock because it is the foundation of the church--what Peter will become.

--Seeing Nathaniel under the fig tree could be a sign that he was seeking to know God because that is where Jews some times prayed.

Veiled in Flesh, the Godhead See

Jesus, Mission and Glory: Advent PART IV
Lessons and Carols
Re. Abraham Cho
18 December 2017

John 1:19-28
19Now this was John's testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was.  20He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, "I am not the Messiah."

21They asked him, "Then who are you?  Are you Elijah?"
He said, "I am not."
"Are you the Prophet?"
He answered, "No."

22Finally they said, "Who are you?  Give us an answer to take back those who sent us.  What do you say about yourself?"

23John 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.'"

24Now the Pharisees who had been sent 25questioned him, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, not Elijah, nor the Prophet?"

26"I baptize with water," John replied, "but among you stands one you do not know.  27He is the one who comes after me, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie."

28This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

THREAT OF CHRISTMAS
--New Christians were on the margins of society--but drawing large crowds.
--Will this upset the status quo?
--King Herod understands there can only be one king.
--Christmas means the authority over every aspect of our lives.

OFFER OF CHRISTMAS
--John was free from the need to be "The One"--thus he was able to answer more humbly.
--Liberating moment comes when we stop digging deeper into ourselves and accept that it comes from the outside.

CLAIM OF CHRISTMAS
--V.23 references Isaiah 40
--God incarnate is coming, not a prophet nor a teacher.
--Are we spiritually awake enough to receive this?