Jesus Calls His First Disciples: Part 3

Redeeming Grace Church iconRedeeming Grace Church

0 views

0 comments

Jesus Calls His First Disciples: Part 4

00:00
Continue our study in the gospel of John, the gospel of John, the fourth gospel.
00:06
And we're looking at Jesus calls his first disciples. Jesus calls his first disciples.
00:13
This will be part three. God willing, I can easily see that we're going to make two more parts out of this.
00:25
I like to break it up a little bit. There's much here. But our scripture text this morning is in John chapter 1.
00:38
As we're going through John chapter 1, we're very close. Like I said, in a couple of Lord's days, we'll be embarking on chapter 2.
00:48
And as you know, chapter 2 is, we come to the wonderful wedding feast in Canaan of Galilee.
00:59
And we see our Lord's first miracle, and there's a great reason why he chose this particular miracle.
01:08
And it has great depth to it. So we're heading in that direction. But as of right now, we're in chapter 1, verse today.
01:16
I'd like to read to you verse 43 through 51.
01:23
Verse 43 through 51. He that has ears to hear let him hear what the
01:34
Word of the Living God says. The following day
01:40
Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and he found Philip and said to him, follow me.
01:47
Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found
01:53
Nathanael and said to him, we have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote,
02:00
Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. And Nathanael said to him, can anything good come out of Nazareth?
02:11
And Philip said to him, come and see. Jesus saw
02:16
Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, behold an Israelite indeed in whom is no deceit.
02:25
Nathanael said to him, how do you know me? And Jesus answered and said to him, before Philip called you when you were under the fig tree,
02:35
I saw you. Nathanael answered and said to him, rabbi, you are the
02:41
Son of God. You are the King of Israel. Jesus answered and said to him, because I said to you,
02:50
I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.
02:58
And he said to him, Moses, surely I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the
03:07
Son of Man. Let's stop right there and let's pray.
03:15
Our Father and our great God, our prayer this morning as the author of Psalm 119 prays, deal bountifully with your servant,
03:31
O Lord, that I may live and keep your word. Lord, open our eyes that I may see wondrous things from your law.
03:45
Lord, this vessel is weak. I just pray just use my voice to echo the voice which is greater than all voices and that's your voice.
03:55
Mighty is your voice. Great is your voice. For it is your word,
04:01
Lord, wherein lies the great power to revive us, to regenerate us, to make us new.
04:11
It is living and it's powerful. It endures forever and we thank you for it this morning.
04:18
And Lord, we pray within this hour that Jesus Christ would have the preeminence.
04:25
And not only within this hour, Lord, but all of our lives and our entire life.
04:32
But Lord, this is what redeeming grace church, this is what every church should be about is the Lordship of Jesus Christ, that Jesus Christ is
04:39
Lord. We thank you for this and Father, we ask this in his name and for your honor and glory.
04:48
Amen and amen. Here within these verses we see
04:56
Jesus really calling the first disciples. We saw in verse 35 to 42 as John the
05:08
Baptist pointed toward the Lamb of God and when he said behold the
05:14
Lamb of God in verse 36 the two disciples heard him speak and those two disciples was none other than John the
05:22
Apostle who's not named but he's speaking of himself and Andrew and they follow
05:30
Jesus. So we know that already we have
05:36
John the Apostle and Andrew the very first disciples of Christ and follow
05:45
Christ. It was a transition. They were actually the disciples of John the
05:50
Baptist, but they follow Jesus Christ. Rightly so.
05:58
Now here we have the call of Philip. The call of Philip. I like to just this
06:03
Lord's Day just look at Philip's calling and then we'll pick it up God willing next week to Nathanael.
06:10
There's a lot here, but the call of Philip happens very quickly in verse 43 and 44 and then the rest of the chapter is devoted much to the focus of the call of Nathanael which is initiated by Philip in verse 45 and again, like I said,
06:38
I would like to do is divide this into two segments two more parts. I love this about expository preaching because we can get much out of it and divide it up more so.
06:50
So we can get the most out of it. So in this series of discipleship of the first disciples we will have a total of five parts.
07:04
Verse 43 to verse 51 is a section here actually that introduces the fourth day.
07:14
The fourth day. The fourth day since the beginning of John the Baptist's witness which is found in verses 19, 29 and verse 35.
07:25
We saw last Lord's Day how in the calls of Andrew and Peter both being brothers and the other disciple who is
07:37
John the Apostle the theme is actually of the testimony that emerged and that theme continues here in this paragraph.
07:48
But another theme is added to it. As we look at this paragraph more closely today with God's help the theme and that's why
07:58
I like to focus the theme in which we see emerge here is that God brings more than we imagine from less we expected.
08:09
Or turned the other way around in order to see it in our text that we see God uses less than we expected to bring about more than could ever imagine.
08:22
In other words like the old wonderful hymn says little is much when God's in it. There's a lot here even though it's very simple it's very personal, it's very warm, but we can learn much about evangelism and discipleship within these texts within these verses.
08:46
So as we look at our text today and and see by God's help and only as we just saw the
08:53
Holy Spirit will open up our eyes and and cut our ears on to listen very carefully what the
08:59
Lord is speaking to us. At least we will see two ways that pattern this pattern develops in our passage and we will ask how that pattern relates to us personally within the context of this scripture.
09:19
I love what Stephen Lawson said I want to just say this as a footnote in expository preaching in which he is a firm believer in and I amen that all the way.
09:30
Once you hear expository preaching you won't go back to topical preaching. It's so much in the expository exposition of God's Word But he says content and the meaning of what the text is saying not what we think is saying but what
09:44
God is saying is first and foremost. But with even with all that if there's no application of how we can apply that to our practical living then everything else is in vain.
09:57
So we must have the whole and that's what I like to do by God's help is take us into this and look at the meaning of what the text is saying as much
10:06
I won't be able to exhaust it so Lord willing we'll pick up some more details next
10:12
Lord's Day as We look into this study. There's much here. So as a whole, but I'd like to focus on those those emphasis so within these within these verses today verse 43 to 45 our
10:27
Focus will really our focus is always Jesus, right? He is our main focus
10:32
He's what the text is all about But we'll be looking at Philip's discovery and Witness of Jesus Christ the
10:40
Messiah by which by the way was unmistakable It was absolutely unmistakable.
10:46
So Jesus was the one that's prophesied in the scriptures and He was the one that's promised as the promised
10:55
Messiah to come So here's my little outline. I basically just wrote together
11:03
First we will observe Philip's experience Philip's experience and Following Christ in verse 43 and 44 and second and we observe
11:16
Philip's first concern To his friend Nathanael in verse 45
11:24
And then third we will observe Philip's conviction That Jesus was and is the one prophesied is the coming
11:34
Messiah so that's just a simple outline that I Scratched together here.
11:43
So the text reads in verse 43 and 44 notice with me The following day
11:51
Jesus wanted to go to Galilee and he found Philip and said to him Follow me now
12:02
Philip was from Bethsaida in the city of Andrew and Peter and That's pretty much what the text tells us in verse 43 and 44
12:14
The following day the following day or as some translation says the next day that next day is now the fourth day the fourth day in The week of Jesus's early ministry.
12:29
He selected He selected Here here is selected by the evangelist the
12:36
Apostle John Jesus wanted or Jesus decided and I have read some commentators that The name
12:47
Jesus is not in the original Greek in the original here, so is some say that it's
12:56
Andrew that wanted to go but It doesn't really make sense,
13:03
I believe it is Jesus's desire To go it's one possible way to say it that Jesus decided
13:10
Jesus wanted to go Here to To Galilee It's apparent that Philip was also in the wilderness with John the
13:25
Baptist and Before returning to Galilee Jesus then sought him out and Invited him to join the other disciples.
13:34
Yeah, I don't you love that Jesus seeks him out Now according to the text we have seen that Peter Andrew and John and Likely James even though James is not mentioned and more than likely he is he is part of the crowd as well as As as as had more or less found
13:58
Jesus Now to be precise, let me say this off the offset in the introduction of this message
14:07
They had been directed to him by John the Baptist as we've seen So this is the first time we actually read that Jesus himself
14:19
Actually sought and found one of them And No mistake about it.
14:27
I like what John MacArthur Comments in the wonderful book that's based upon the twelve here
14:35
Twelve ordinary men if you don't have that book, it's a great book He really gives it wonderful wonderful details of each of these
14:45
Men that followed the Lord or Jesus chose This is what MacArthur observes about this and I like to insert this here because it's so important he says quote
14:58
That is not to say he didn't Sovereignly seek and call the rest
15:05
In fact, we know that he had chosen them all before the foundation of the world
15:12
In John 15 16 Jesus told them you did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you
15:21
But in the description of how they first encountered Christ This language is unique to the call of Philip He is the first one whom
15:34
Jesus physically sought out and The first one to whom
15:41
Jesus actually said follow me MacArthur goes on to explain this it is interesting
15:49
Incidentally to note that at the end of his earthly ministry Jesus had to say follow me to Peter in John 21 verse 19 and verse 22
16:06
So Peter apparently still needed encouragement after his failure on the night of Jesus betrayal
16:14
But Philip was the first to hear and obey those words from the outset
16:21
Jesus actively sought Philip he found him he invited him to follow and He found in Philip and eager and willing
16:37
Disciple in quote that is put so wonderful and a man
16:43
Every bit of that of what MacArthur says so in finding Philip Jesus actually called him by saying those two powerful
16:54
Simple words of invitation follow me Follow me
17:02
Follow me. That's the call to discipleship To be a follower of Jesus Christ, so Jesus himself went forth
17:13
He sought out Philip He found Philip Philip was not seeking
17:20
Jesus. It was Christ seeking him Don't you love that?
17:26
The initiative came from Jesus entirely so Jesus made the move
17:35
To find Philip and enlist him in the miss mission by saying follow me.
17:41
It's actually always the case It is the Lord that seeks us out
17:47
No man seeks God No one is that you even people say yeah, but they're seeking
17:54
God no, not really it's God that seeks them out No one seeks
17:59
God because within us and our depraved hearts before we come to regeneration It is
18:05
God that always takes the initiative. He's the seeker Actually Jesus's practice of calling his followers can counter the contemporary practice of That day whereby disciples opted to attach themselves to a rabbi of their choice that was the practice of that day usually the
18:30
Disciples would attach themselves to a rabbi But even though Philip was not the kind of leader among the disciples that Peter turned out to be
18:41
Jesus still called him to follow him and included him in the apostolic circle
18:48
He was actually the leader of a second group of the disciples Peter was the leader of the first group that The actually the intimate group
18:58
Peter James and John you always see them the inner circle but one factor may have been that here that Philip like Andrew And Peter was from the town of Bethsaida Bethsaida so that Jesus could build an and all on a already existing relationship
19:20
This is the wisdom of Christ and Christ knew exactly whom he was to choose here he chose actually
19:29
Very ordinary men fishermen blue -collar workers
19:35
Verse 44 says now Philip was from Bethsaida and the city of Andrew and Peter Interested to note here also that while mark chapter 1 verse 21 and verse 29 locates
19:49
Peter's house in Capernaum John here relates that he was from Bethsaida Bethsaida the fact that Peter and Andrew most likely grew up in Bethsaida and Then later they relocated to Capernaum in the same way that Jesus was consistently identified with his hometown of Nazareth Though he lived elsewhere later
20:18
So now we observed we observe here from the text that Philip has a
20:27
Seeking heart after the Lord and that it is very evident and how He responded to Jesus he had a seeking heart and he responds and He's very receptive
20:43
Now, let's look at the second point. The second is that Philip's first concern is
20:53
Nathaniel Nathaniel We see Philip is a soul winner very much like Andrew Notice Andrew, who does he go to after he?
21:08
Founds Christ he goes to the one nearest to him his own brother Peter So we don't know anything here in the text that Philip has
21:20
Brothers, I don't know We don't know that but we do know that Philip had a very good friend here
21:30
He had a very good friend and his name is Nathaniel verse 45 says
21:36
Philip found Nathaniel and said to him and you can almost in the text in this sentence
21:44
Hear and feel the excitement Philip found Nathaniel said to him we have found him of whom
21:52
Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote He studied
21:58
God's Word Jesus of Nazareth the son of Joseph That's interesting
22:05
He says he's the son of Joseph and Joseph, you know, and from the verses of Scripture, you know is basically a carpenter
22:12
He's a nobody Philip found Nathaniel or Another translation would say he went to get
22:21
Nathaniel This indicates a purpose a very purposeful act of looking for and going to that person
22:30
You notice in the text here There's not a mass of people
22:36
It's one -on -one That I really do believe that that it that evangelism is most effective one to one one -on -one
22:48
It's not necessarily the masses It's personable It's person to person
22:56
So the pattern is exactly again as I mentioned is the same in verse 41 as we saw
23:02
Andrew and When he went first found his own brother Simon who's
23:07
Peter and said to him We have found the Messiah which is translated the Christ He goes to the one that is nearest to him to his family
23:19
That's what the text actually is speaking to us. We're to go to our family and tell people about the
23:24
Lord Go to our brothers go to her sisters go to our parents if they're living and tell them about Christ now
23:35
Philip goes to Nathaniel and I would say he's considering is a very good friend of his maybe his best friend.
23:42
I don't know but he goes to his friend and As far as Philip was concerned he had found the
23:50
Messiah rather than being found by him That's as far as he sees it on his view, but here we see the
24:00
The the classic tension once again, don't we what's that classic tension? the sovereign election of God and human choice
24:11
How often do you hear this controversy brought up within? churches and among God's people
24:18
Keep in mind by the way these two tensions Exist in perfect harmony
24:26
This is basically what MacArthur says and I got that from him. I'm paraphrasing it. There's no contradiction as People would like to think with God's sovereignty and man's responsibility and man's choice
24:40
They do not oppose each other and matter of fact as MacArthur says they run parallel together
24:45
We can't figure that out, but don't try to because you won't
24:52
But God's in charge and man is Man is basically has in a sense
25:00
He within himself. Let me say this as you well known. He does not have a Will to choose because his will like Luther says is in bondage to sin
25:10
Not until grace ignites it and gives light to it. But there's another book also that Jonathan Edwards wrote the freedom of the will
25:20
Jonathan Edwards Who by the way to was it? 284 years ago.
25:26
I Think brother Keith and brother Ben mentioned to me that he preached Edwards preached that awesome sermon to sinners in the hands of an angry
25:32
God Exactly yesterday 284 years ago, I believe One of the most powerful sermons ever given in America Edwards wrote a whole
25:45
Uh, it's like a thesis on the freedom of the will that in a sense we do have a choice
25:53
But Luther says I think Edwards comes from a different angle than Luther But at the same time a lot a lot of times we can get bogged down in those things
26:05
But know this as you well know these these two actually are run together parallel Side -by -side they form a biblical perspective.
26:14
We know that God's choice is Really the determinative one and it's the one that overrides man's will
26:20
I? Like what even R. C. Sproul Which is you well knows it was a staunch
26:27
Calvinist He says God doesn't bring people to the foot of the cross kicking and screaming he brings them gently
26:39
But he causes a change within them In other words, what he's saying is man does not have the power to choose
26:46
God really God has all power Irresistible graces is it called to bring people to Christ?
26:55
That's why Christ is in John 1516 I'll repeat again. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you this is after he picked the disciples hand -picked and prayed for them and even the first disciples
27:11
That sought Jesus out supposedly from the text But ultimately it's
27:17
God that took the initiative, right? Well yet from a human perspective here from Phillips point of view as we see
27:27
This was the end of his search You know all of us come to the kingdom like that.
27:34
Don't we we first see we come seeking the Lord's we think We found
27:40
Christ, right I felt that way when I first came into the kingdom
27:45
I Praise God. I found the Lord Jesus Christ But all along it's he it wasn't me that was seeking him
27:54
It was him seeking me and it wasn't me that found him It's he that found me and until you start reading the scriptures more and more and more and I started to see when
28:07
I When God first revealed this to me I saw the sovereignty of God on every page of Scripture It's wonderful, isn't it?
28:16
but what was as we first come to know the Lord in a very simple way and Jesus says follow me and Even though the preacher
28:24
I heard preached this he preached the gospel But he says you need to seek the Lord while he may be found and that is some truth to that But it's actually
28:33
God that takes the initiative aren't you glad if he didn't none of us would be saved
28:39
We'd all be lost and doomed to hell He found us But here from Phillips viewpoint, he goes to Nathaniel his searches ended.
28:48
He says he found the Messiah We found him We know by God's grace.
28:56
He has faithful seekers How do we know this how do we know this
29:05
Had the only reason now we know this is the text tells us God's Word tells us
29:11
I think that's sufficient God's Word sufficient if the text tells us that it is sufficient.
29:19
It's sufficient notice what Philip says We have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote
29:28
Jesus of Nazareth the son of Joseph Philip not only had a seeking heart
29:36
But Philip was also a personal evangelist he he had that kind of heart and that was
29:45
God's grace and How did God and how did God give him that grace through the scriptures?
29:53
through the scriptures He's telling this great news to Nathaniel who is his best friend
30:00
So his first concern here is that he desires to tell Nathaniel about Christ About him now we saw earlier that Andrew again sought out
30:11
Peter and told him about Jesus Now we see Philip to sought out Nathaniel and he tells him about Jesus again
30:22
Andrew and Peter were brothers, but here we see friends friends. I think this is very significant
30:28
I think we should reach out to our friends to tell them about Jesus our friends
30:42
Friendship provided the fertile soul for evangelism. That's what
30:48
MacArthur says in his book 12 ordinary men friendship is a fertile soul fertile fertile dirt
30:59
Because when Christ is introduced into a relationship of friendship that's based on love and trust and You have things in common
31:10
There's already have been established that effect and their response is always
31:17
Powerful, isn't it? Much more powerful much more receptive than we were to tell it to an enemy much more
31:27
So go tell your friends go tell your family go tell your friends And notice this how the kingdom of God is built
31:37
How's it built? Notice that one by one
31:44
One by one. This is how God builds his church. This is how Christ builds its church.
31:50
It's brother to brother friend to friend Notice also third my third point
31:57
Phillips conviction As Jesus was the one prophesied in verse 45
32:04
Once again, he's excited. He's zealous He's very passionate and actually he should be
32:11
It's Christ that he's speaking of we should be passionate. We should be or there's an urgency here in Him telling
32:20
Nathanael and Philip is telling his friend Nathanael now Interesting.
32:25
Let me mention just very quickly as Nathanael was introduced in our text here. He's not mentioned in the synoptic
32:32
Gospels Matthew Mark Luke, but he is He's only mentioned by another name
32:39
Only John the Apostle refers to him as Nathanael only John calls him Nathanael It's likely that This was his personal name
32:49
Bartholomew Bartholomew Bartholomew is linked with Philip all in all three synoptic synoptic of apostolic lists
33:00
You see this if you read Matthew 10 3 mark 3 18 Luke 614 you see the list of the
33:09
Apostles and you see Philip Bartholomew Philip Bartholomew So was known by another name.
33:16
So he's he's basically is known by another name. It could say it's probably a nickname
33:21
We don't know but exactly but we do Philip so Philip witnesses to his friend Nathanael who is
33:27
Bartholomew We have found him of Whom Moses and the law and also the prophets wrote that's this this is where the foundation is
33:39
This is where Philip got his heart Is in the
33:44
Scriptures God opened up his eyes of his heart right there reading the Scriptures Jesus of Nazareth and notice what he says
33:56
Son of he didn't say son of God did he he said son of Joseph Son of Joseph's, you know, this tells us that Philip had come to believe that Jesus was the
34:07
Messiah foretold in the Scriptures both in the law If you turn quickly with me to Deuteronomy 18
34:19
We see this prophesied by Moses in the law and this is I am sure
34:24
Was in the scroll at that time that Philip read
34:31
Deuteronomy 18 look at verse 15 to 18 The Lord your
34:37
God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your mist from your brethren
34:42
Him shall you hear? According to all you desired of the of the
34:48
Lord your God and horrid in the day of the assembly saying let me not hear again, the voice of the
34:54
Lord my God nor let me see this great fire anymore list I die and the
34:59
Lord said to me what they have have spoken is good and Here's the verse right here in verse 18.
35:07
I will raise up for them a prophet speaking of Christ here folks like you
35:14
From among their brethren and I will put my words in his mouth and he shall speak to them all that I command
35:23
Him That is actually the law in which
35:30
Philip was speaking of Now the prophets there are so many prophecies concerning Jesus So I just chose a few to read to you from Isaiah if you go to Isaiah chapter 9
35:44
If you flip there, you see, you know the law and the prophets and there's many more.
35:51
There's Jeremiah There's Daniel There's the Psalms are loaded with it so in Isaiah chapter 9
36:01
Very familiar portion of verses here Look at 1 through 7
36:11
Nevertheless, the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed and when at first he lightly esteemed in the land of Zebulun and the land of Nathelite and Afterward more heavenly oppressed her by the way of the sea beyond the
36:24
Jordan and the Galilee of the Gentiles The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light
36:31
Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death upon them a light has shined
36:37
You have multiplied the nation increased its joy They rejoice before you according to the joy of harvest and men rejoice when they divide the spoil
36:47
For you have broken the yoke of his burden and the staff of his shoulder the rod of his oppressor as in the day of Median and Every warrior's sandal from the noisy battle and garments rolled in blood will be used for burning and fuel of fire and in verse 6 for unto us a child is born unto us a son is given and The government will be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called wonderful counselor
37:14
Mighty God the Everlasting Father the Prince of Peace of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end and upon the throne of David and over his kingdom to order it and to Establish it and with judgment and justice and from that time forward even forever
37:32
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this there you had the prophecy actually of the first advent and the second advent as Usually you see from the prophets they didn't understand the time frame but God gives them basically the
37:51
Prophecy through the Holy Spirit as God was breathing upon them of the coming of Jesus Christ and his speaking of a second coming
37:59
Glorious, isn't it? If you go to Isaiah 11 You see a little bit more here
38:08
Isaiah 11 Look at 1 through 5 More prophecy giving of Jesus There shall come forth a rod from the stem of Jesse and that a branch shall grow out of his roots the spirit of the
38:24
Lord shall rest upon him and the spirit of wisdom and Understanding and the spirit of counsel and might and the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the
38:32
Lord His delight is in the fear of the Lord and he shall not judge by the sight of his eyes
38:40
Nor decide by the hearing of his ears but with righteousness he shall judge the poor and decide with equity for the meek of the earth and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth and With the breadth of his lips.
38:54
He shall slay the wicked righteousness shall be the belt of his loins and Faithfulness the belt of his waist
39:03
Look at verse 10 and 12 and In that day there shall be a root of Jesse who shall stand at the banner to the to the people
39:13
And for the Gentile shall seek him and his resting place shall be glorious It shall come to pass in that day that the
39:20
Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people who are left from Assyria and Egypt from Petros and Cush and from Elam and Shinar from Hamath and the islands of the sea
39:39
And so One more verse he will set up a banner for the nations
39:45
He will assemble the outcast of Israel and gather together the disperse of Judah from the four corners of the earth again
39:54
You you kind of see a mix of the first advent and the second advent
39:59
And of course in your devotional time you can read Isaiah the whole chapter 52 and Isaiah 53
40:08
Constant prophecies in detail about the coming of Messiah the suffering servant in Isaiah 53 that he will come as God's servant the
40:18
Lamb as we have already seen of God So here in our text
40:24
Jesus is said to be from Nazareth from Nazareth the son of Joseph Though born in Bethlehem Jesus grew up in Nazareth So that he could probably be said that he is from Nazareth because that's where he grew up Yet he was born in Bethlehem yet people knew him as the son of Joseph a nobody now
40:52
We know that his birth came through the incarnation of The Virgin and we know that he is the
41:00
Son of God who became the Son of Man Go with me very quickly to Luke and we see a little detail of this and we've seen this a lot
41:07
I believe brother Keith is drawn from this at times in our opening, but Luke chapter 4 is very significant here
41:15
Because it gives us some details a little bit Look at verse 14.
41:21
We don't kind of get the whole picture here. So I'm gonna start at verse 14 Then Jesus returned at the power of the
41:29
Spirit to Galilee This is after his temptation after he overcame those three
41:36
Incredible temptations in the wilderness From the devil himself and the scripture says he goes he returned in the power of the
41:50
Spirit to Galilee and News of him went out through all the surrounding region
41:57
And he taught in the synagogues being glorified by all In verse 16 and he came to Nazareth there.
42:06
There's his hometown Where he grew up Where he had been brought up scripture tells us doesn't this is where he's been brought up And as his custom was he went into the synagogue on the
42:18
Sabbath day and stood up to read Don't you love this and he hand and he was handed the book of the prophet
42:25
Isaiah And when he had opened the book he found the place where it was written
42:33
In our chapter in verses is basically chapter 60. I believe is that correct?
42:41
I think so Let me check just to make sure I don't want miss quote you
42:49
This is very significant because I believe it's chapter 60 no chapter 61
42:58
Yes chapter 61 my mistake So in our chapter in verses is chapter 61, but then it was just a reading of the scroll
43:13
Spirit of the Lord is upon me. This is he had handed the book given to him and he found the place where He Read this and the
43:22
Spirit of Lord is upon me and because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted
43:28
To proclaim liberty to the captives and the recovery of the sight to the blind. This is Jesus's ministry
43:35
To set at liberty those who are oppressed to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.
43:40
He stopped right there He did not read further because it basically goes into the day of vengeance of our
43:45
God I heard one preacher put it this way when he comes back at a second coming
43:51
He's going to pick up the book and finish that sermon The day of vengeance, but right now it's the day of grace
43:59
Jesus brings grace and truth and then he closed the book
44:08
And he gave it back to the attendant and he sat down you could just sit since this he sat down Didn't say a word
44:18
He Just read those simple verses from Isaiah 61 and he began to say to them today
44:24
This scripture is fulfilled in your hearing now that got their attention Verse 22 so all bore witness to him and marveled at the gracious words, which proceeded out of his mouth
44:37
And notice what they said and they said is this not Joseph's son? Is this not
44:44
Joseph's son? He said to them and now The wisdom the perfect wisdom of Jesus is in Engaged folks.
44:54
He engages his wisdom and this is what he says. You will surely say this proverb to me
45:02
Position heal yourself now, he's got a point to make listen to what he says Whatever we have done here in Capernaum do also here in your country
45:13
And then he said surely I say to you no prophets accepted in his own country But I tell you truly many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah When the heaven was shut up three years and six months and there was great famine throughout all the land
45:31
And brother Keith spoke about that this morning But to none of them was Elijah sent except Zareph in the region of Sidon to a woman who was a widow and Many lepers listen when he says many lepers were in Israel in that time of Elisha the prophet
45:51
And none of them was cleansed except name in the Syrian. He stops right there
45:59
Look at verse 28. So all those in the synagogue When they heard these things were filled with wrath.
46:07
They got the point They rose up and thrust out
46:13
Thrust him out of the city They led him to the brow of the hill
46:19
Of which the city was built that they might throw him down over the cliff to kill him
46:25
They were enraged But then passing through the midst of them
46:31
He went his way in other words He basically escaped by the sovereign plan of God for this was not his moment to die
46:38
Actually his purpose of dying and God kept him step by step until he went to Golgotha Calvary's cross to die as the
46:45
Lamb of God But here you notice how they said the first thing they asked is not this
46:52
Joseph's son in Nazareth In Nazareth Known as Joseph's son, but we know that Jesus is greater than Joseph's son because he technically
47:08
By seed is not Joseph's son Right. We know where he comes.
47:13
He created all things They don't realize who and how great a one that's in their midst
47:19
Jesus has been conceived in Mary's womb the virgin through the Holy Spirit He existed with God the
47:25
Father from all eternity He created the world Now he's here in flesh he's pitched his tent
47:35
And they say he's Joseph's son. He's a nobody Yet truly this was the
47:42
Son of God Now it's interested that Philip tells Nathanael in this an assignment, but he he basically
47:50
We don't know exactly what all that was said To Philip in between because John Jesus calls him to follow me.
47:59
I'm sure there was conversation that was going on just like Jesus came alongside the road of the two the two
48:09
On the road of Emmaus the two disciples, right? Cleophas I think was one the other ones not named
48:15
But Jesus reveals himself and he he reveals himself through the scriptures and I really believe that this is what
48:22
Jesus did During that time as he was with Philip That Jesus opened up the scriptures.
48:29
This is how Philip came to know Christ about the
48:35
Messiah that was foretold in In the law and the prophets notice with me in verse 46
48:41
Nathanael's response This is interesting and Nathanael said to him can anything good come out of Nazareth?
48:49
Look at that question What do you get out of that we get a skeptic he he's very set skeptical he's cynical he
49:00
Something very ironic here, though Yeah, he's prejudiced Nathanael himself came from a small village himself in Canaan a
49:09
Galilee. He here he is Saying it can anything come out of Nazareth and Canaan was very small insignificant, too
49:21
Isn't that so ironic He takes one to know one they say right
49:28
Well You you can read in John 21 2 and John 2 1 through 11 about here about Canaan but here the disciple is
49:38
He Nathanael was very prejudiced against the insignificant Galilee in town
49:46
Isn't he we can name this here Philip the evangelist and Nathanael the skeptic
49:54
He's very skeptical, but his friend, but he's a friend
50:01
Nathanael Now let me in closing here as we point go toward our closing and application
50:10
Just a few more things to say here Why the skepticism? Why the skepticism?
50:21
first I Like to say there was a Nazareth was very insignificant and small
50:28
He was skeptic because of that and like I said He's one to speak right
50:34
Because Canaan was insignificant as well Nazareth was a small town of basically no more than 2 ,000 people at that time and located about three and a half miles southeast of the regional capital of Xer -
50:51
Xerophis That's the first reason the second reason was not only was
50:57
Nazareth insignificant, but also people did not envision the Messiah As coming from Galilee a third reason would be some also think that there was rivalry
51:12
Between the small cities which could be very well so what? Jewish historians basically picked that up and commentator
51:24
Morris Between the small cities of Nazareth said that and in Canaan So they could be it since they were two small towns it would kind of rival rivals and Finally Nathanael Unlike some of Jesus's other followers probably had not benefited from John the
51:44
Baptist testimony I didn't think about that, but that's so true one commentator says Which would make that a huge difference wouldn't it?
51:54
Philip you know he No, I'm sorry Nathanael did not benefit from that Like some of the others
52:02
Well Nathanael's feature It's it's interesting is in this gospel, and he's a type of the skeptical
52:13
But just one thing I want you to notice Even though we disagree with the skeptic we have to we have to Put our hats off so to speak to the skeptic because they're honest
52:31
There's honesty here Don't you love that about skeptics? You can always find something good most people most people that are skeptical are very honest and Nathanael is an honest man
52:48
Actually Jesus later on we will see this Lord willing next Lord's Day But if you look within the text
52:57
He has no guile In other words no deceit that doesn't mean he's perfect By no means only
53:04
Jesus is perfect, but basically what Jesus is saying he's honest There's some integrity here
53:12
He has a heart that he wants to see things for himself Some somewhat like Thomas you see
53:21
Thomas a lot you know I've heard preachers preach that text from Thomas and after Jesus's resurrection and after eight days and First thing
53:30
Jesus appears to his disciples, but Thomas was it there you know the story he missed out on that didn't he and What happens?
53:40
well Thomas comes back, and they tell him the disciples him the Lord appeared right here in the room
53:48
Thomas said I would not believe until I see the Lord for myself. He was skeptical
53:53
I you know a Lot of preachers throw
53:59
Thomas underneath the bus there, but we have to put our hats off to Thomas. It's kind of like Nathanael Even though the skeptic they want to see for themselves praise
54:09
God I Appreciate that don't you Amen a beret
54:17
They want to search the scriptures they want to see Christ for themselves They want to put he said that he said unless I see him for myself my own eyes and lay my hands right in his
54:28
Nail scar and Jesus you think he was it there at the time, but Jesus heard everything he said and when
54:33
Jesus appeared again Jesus says Thomas Behold me look
54:40
Now put your hands in my nail scar and in my wounded side, and what was his answer my
54:46
Lord and my God? And he fell and he worshipped Hallelujah praise
54:52
God We have to give We have to give some kind of credit here to this skeptic
54:59
Nathanael Unlike some of Jesus's older just followers probably again.
55:05
He what he didn't benefit from John the Baptist his testimony, but Here in any case
55:10
Nathanael features. He wants to see for himself. He's a man with no deceit. He's blunt.
55:16
He's honest He's transparent Has He has a willingness to examine for himself the claims
55:24
That's being made about Jesus as the Messiah. He wants to see Christ for himself and just not
55:35
Just Taking it from his good friend Philip which
55:40
Philip was a really good evangelist And we're gonna see how he responds to Nathanael, but Nathanael here proves to have an honest seeking heart without deceit
55:49
He's applied as Jesus applied this to him in verse 47 Lord willing. We'll look at this next
55:55
Lord's Day Nathanael basically wanted to see for himself who
56:00
Jesus is Skeptic yes honest.
56:06
Yes Can anything good come out of Nazareth how does
56:11
Philip reply this is wisdom folks they always You know when
56:17
I went when I've been told this and you know this as well you never argue with a skeptic
56:24
You give the reason thought for the hope that's within you You don't argue have you do you notice here and the way he answers he does not argue with his friend
56:37
He just says come and see Come and see for yourself Don't you love that?
56:44
Though Philip may be Able to answer
56:53
Nathanael's skeptical question, but he's more wise and extensive in the needed correction and Instruction which is coming to Jesus from Jesus in verse 50 and 51.
57:06
We'll see that But what is more? Here we learned something from Philip the evangelist that that Proceeds to answer
57:17
Nathanael's question even more extensively he gives the invitation and I really believe he gets it from the master because the
57:24
Lord said this Earlier doesn't he
57:32
He says come and see to the first John and Andrew And he's being like the
57:40
Lord he gives the invitation kind of like Stephen when
57:46
Stephen was Being stoned to death. What is he? What does he pray to those that was stoning them to death?
57:53
He says father forgive them don't lay this sin to their charge and we'll talk about mean Hearthearted ugly nasty religious
58:02
Pharisees and he prays father. Do not lay this sin to their charge Here I really do believe that Philip is imitating his master the master himself come and see he gives him an invitation
58:17
Isn't this what we should be doing to our friends You don't argue if they're not believers in Christ that they're skeptical.
58:24
Don't push it. Don't argue Just give a gracious invitation you come and see
58:31
Come and see Extended grace extended truth and love and a reminder of the gospel then as well as now that this
58:44
Underscores the great importance of eyewitness accounts a testimony of the firsthand knowledge of the personal
58:52
Relationship with Jesus Christ and that's what really matters folks Come and see come and say implies an offer to go and find out together
59:03
Philip the soul winner like Andrew Andrew tells his brother closest to him
59:10
Philip tells his best friend closest to him Telling others about Jesus isn't this what this is why we exist our first reason for existing as We saw last
59:23
Lord's Day in the Sunday school class from Burt Parsons About worship we
59:28
God created us to worship him toes are put it this way God redeemed rebels to make us worshipers
59:37
Amen that is wonderful. He takes the rebel and makes us worshipers That's the purpose of our life and our existence but the reason why
59:46
God keeps us here on this earth next to that is the reason to evangelize and tell people about Jesus folks the older I get the more
59:56
I see I worship God those two things are paramount Love the
01:00:02
Lord thy God with all your heart soul mind and strength. That's vertical, right? Horizontal love thy neighbor as a self
01:00:10
Jesus says you could take that and hang all the law and the prophets and you have fulfilled everything that's pleasing to God if you do those things, that's the great the great commandment and The Great Commission is fulfilled by the great command invite people
01:00:28
Come and see come and see Let me close just with a few verses because my times up I say 55 just to I Was going to go to Matthew 11
01:00:46
But you know that one very well are the words of our Lord and Savior himself says come unto me all your labor and heavy laden
01:00:53
I'll give you rest He gives the invitation doesn't he to those that are heavy and burdened down trodden from the law of God here
01:01:00
Isaiah the prophet gives the invitation to abundant life. He says ho Everyone who thirsts come to the waters and you and you who have no money come and buy me yes, come and buy wine and milk without money and without price and do not spend money for what is not bread and Your wages for what does not satisfy?
01:01:25
Listen carefully to me. Listen to what God says listen carefully to me and eat
01:01:30
What is good and let your soul delight in itself in abundance? Incline your ear and come to me
01:01:43
Here in your soul shall live. I Will make an everlasting covenant with you the sure mercies of David Indeed I have given him as a witness to the people a leader and the commander for the people surely you shall call a nation
01:01:57
You do not know and a nay and nations who do not Who do not know you shall run to you because the of the
01:02:06
Lord your God and the Holy One of Israel For he has glorified you Seek the
01:02:12
Lord while he may be found Call upon him while he is near Let the wicked forsake his way and his and the unrighteous man his thoughts.
01:02:23
Let him return to the Lord There's repentance in Such goodness God invites, but there must be repentance
01:02:33
And then he says let him return to the Lord and he will have mercy on him and to our
01:02:39
God for he will abundantly Pardon and that beautiful. That's a promise of God Beautiful promise one more one more
01:02:51
Turn with me to Revelation 22 the closing words and Revelation is an invitation to all
01:02:59
Before the canon of Scripture was actually closed out no more revelation after this, right?
01:03:07
This is the revelation these 66 books was stamped right here and closure locked
01:03:15
No, man, if anybody adds to it or takes away from it guy says right here for I testify to everyone in verse 18
01:03:21
Here's the words of the prophecy of this book If anyone adds to these things God will add to him the plagues are written in this book
01:03:28
And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy God shall take away his part from the book of life and the
01:03:34
Holy City and from the things which are written in this book But back up with me
01:03:43
You know, the Bible is very clear if a person wants to desire to live filthy and wicked
01:03:50
Basically says go ahead But there is an invitation though pastor, what do you get that right here?
01:04:01
Notice right here Verse 9 then he said to me see that you do not Do that basically the angel was saying don't worship me for I'm your fellow
01:04:10
Servant and your brethren the prophets and those who keep the words of this book worship God And he said to me do not steal the words of the prophecy of this book for the time is at hand
01:04:21
He who is unjust Let him be unjust if he who is filthy.
01:04:28
Let him be filthy still Only God can change the heart right?
01:04:35
He who is righteous let him be righteous still he who is holy let him be holy still the question is what do we desire?
01:04:46
Where is our heart? Jesus says and behold, I'm coming quickly
01:04:53
And my reward is with me to give everyone according to his work. That is that scripture right there just Puts fire down in me, but it puts conviction in me because I'm thinking he's going to give everyone according to his work
01:05:08
We're not going to be judged Because of our sin and the sins because we're covered because of Jesus Christ and his blood and his righteousness
01:05:16
But we will be judged according to our works Tozer put it this he says you basically say but your own probation
01:05:27
That's the truth Jesus says I am the
01:05:32
Alpha and Omega the beginning in the end the first and the last and listen what he says Blessed are those who do his commandments
01:05:40
There's a blessing to those who obey Blessed are those who do his commandments and they that they may have right to the tree of life
01:05:51
How's that happen? To as many as received him to them to them. He gave the right to become children of God It gives the authority the right
01:06:01
The right to the tree of life the tree of life comes Calvary's cows comes from Calvary's cross.
01:06:07
That's the tree of life And may enter through the gates into the city that's the only way to enter in No other way, right?
01:06:18
No other way, but Jesus No other way People really fuss about that.
01:06:23
Don't they why why is it? Why is it there a lot of ways? But hey, man, why why is there one way but there is one way
01:06:37
Jesus is the way the truth And the life verse 15 but outside our dogs listen to this outside of this city dogs the nature the nature of a dog filthy sorcerers
01:06:57
The list is here. Listen, it's sexually immoral in murderers and idolaters and whoever loves and practices a lie
01:07:09
How many people in this world loves and practices lying? That's why
01:07:15
Jesus said the gate is wide the wide and broad Many there will go in that way.
01:07:21
There's only two way two ways actually Ravenhill put it this way. There's a Thousands millions of roads to hell but not one road out, but there's only one road that leads
01:07:35
To heaven and that's the way of the cross the way of the cross leads home
01:07:40
I Jesus he says in verse 16 have sent my angel to testify to you these things in the churches
01:07:48
I am the root and the offspring of David the bright and morning star. That's our Lord himself And then it says in verse 17 this gracious gracious invitation
01:08:01
You can almost sense God's heart right here folks. And he says and the Spirit and the bride say come and Let him who hears
01:08:15
Hears We must hear him, right? Say come the bride the
01:08:25
Spirit and the bride says come the invitation Notice what it says Holy Spirit and the church
01:08:33
He who hears come and let him who first come And whoever desires let him take the water of life free
01:08:44
Amen Amen, let's pray the
01:08:51
Father in heaven These are such gracious words to us today We pray
01:08:58
Lord and we look forward to the great day in which Your son will come back in great glory with all the
01:09:06
Holy Angels. Hallelujah That great day the glorious day when
01:09:12
Christ Jesus will come And Lord, we long to look upon his face our
01:09:18
King our Lord Lord we get so tired at times living in this sin cursed world
01:09:27
But Lord you have held us up and preserved us For yourself and Sanctified us and keep sanctified us in your grace
01:09:41
To keep us from this world But at the same time
01:09:47
Lord, we are the messenger to this world Lord we hasten the day.
01:09:55
Oh Lord when kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of the world of This world will become the kingdom of our
01:10:03
Lord and your Christ And he shall reign forever and ever and we will reign with him
01:10:15
Lord, please burn this within our hearts that we may go forth Be a burning and a shining light as John the
01:10:23
Baptist was That we will be removed Jesus be glorified and be preeminent
01:10:30
Our cries with the closing words of the Revelation Lord with the
01:10:37
Apostle Come Lord Jesus come Defeat the enemies
01:10:42
Lord that plot against you for Jesus judge this world in righteousness and come
01:10:54
Bring us bring us safety safely in your presence in The meantime, may we stretch forth our hands and grace and truth and not compromise but be gracious and Pointing people to Jesus Christ and him crucified
01:11:11
Lord. We long to see this day come as Jesus said
01:11:19
Your kingdom come that will be done in earth as it is in heaven We pray this in the name of the