Series: John
Title: What Seek Ye?
Text: John 1: 35-39
Date: Nov 1, 2020
Place: SGBC, NJ
Our text shows the
beginning of the church in this gospel age. In John 1: 35-51 we see Christ call
5 of his first apostles to himself. This
time we will look at two—Andrew and John.
We think it is the apostle John because he in writing this gospel, he
never mentions his name.
John
1: 35: Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;
John the Baptist stood and
two of his disciples. These two were disciples
of John the Baptist. They were students of
John. They attended John’s preaching
faithfully. These two disciples studied
the word John preached. They were
looking for Christ who John preached
John
1: 36: And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!
JOHN’S
GOSPEL
John
the Baptist preached Christ Jesus the Lamb of God. He declared Christ to be the eternal Son of
God. John 1: 30: who coming after me is
preferred before me: for he was before me. Jesus Christ was always the eternal Son
of God—God the Son, one with the Father and the Spirit. At his birth he came forth the GodMan. But Christ did not begin to exist at his
birth. John said, “He was before me!” Christ was “eternally before John.”
John
declared Christ’s superiority over all sinners, himself included—John 1: 27:…whose
shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose.
Christ creates in his child a contrite, broken, humble heart: a
heart to behold ourselves unworthy of the least of God’s mercies; a heart to
behold Christ worthy of all honor and praise and dominion; a heart to submit to
Christ crying, “He must increase, I must decrease!”
John
declared he is God’s perfect servant in whom the Spirit abode without measure—John
1: 32: And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven
like a dove, and it abode upon him. This
declares Christ is that one God promised in the prophets. That perfect servant, that sinless servant,
that one God sent to live and die as the Head and Representative of his people
as the perfect GodMan!
John
declared Christ is the only One who quickens and saves effectually in the power
of the Holy Spirit of God—John 1: 33: And I knew him not: but he that sent
me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the
Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with
the Holy Ghost. 34: And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. John did know Christ by appearance or
face-to-face, though he was his cousin after the flesh. Christ had to be revealed to John the same as
he is to all sinners who Christ’s saves.
John saw the Spirit descend upon Christ at his baptism. He heard God speak from heaven saying this is
my only begotten Son in whom I am well-pleased, hear ye him. John declares this is the Son of God who
baptizeth with the Holy Ghost, the Son of God, the Power of God.
John
preached the same message he had preached from the beginning—“Behold the
Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world!” He is God’s Lamb; the Lamb provided
by God; the Lamb who is God. The Lord
Jesus is the spotless Lamb who became the sin-bearing Lamb,
bearing the sin of his elect Israel. He
is the Lamb that was therefore slain by God in justice in place of his people. He took away the sin of his people, redeemed
us from the curse of the law, and made us eternally righteous and holy in him. By his quickening Spirit a new holy and
righteous man is created within us by Christ our holiness and righteousness being
formed in us. Then we are as he is: complete
in him, fit for holy heaven with holy God amongst the Spirits of just men made
perfect. Do you mean that is what is declared
by that simple statement “Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of
the world?” That and much more.
That
day as John preached, Christ appeared. John 1: 36: And looking upon Jesus as
he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! 37: And the two disciples heard
him speak, and they followed Jesus. That
is what happens as the gospel is preached—Christ appears in the hearts of his
people. The Word preached points us
to Christ. The Spirit of Christ enters
the sinner and the Word says in power, “Behold the Lamb of God!” When Christ appears and quickens us by
his presence, for the first time, we hear the gospel speak: for the first time,
they really heard. The result was
they followed the Lord Jesus. John and Andrew had heard John preach Christ before
but that day they beheld Christ and followed Christ.
Brethren, when a sinner
begins to truly seek Christ it is because Christ has already sought you and
found you.
Romans 3:11: There is none that understandeth, there
is none that seeketh after God.
Isaiah 65:1: I am sought of them that asked not for
me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a
nation that was not called by my name.
The way a sinner is made to
seek Christ is by Christ seeking and finding the sinner. The reason those disciples became John’s
disciples is because Christ sought them and made them seek him. The reason they became disciples of Christ is
because Christ sought them and made them seek him. The reason they heard with spiritual ears
when John said, “Behold, the Lamb of God” is because Christ said effectually,
spiritually, into their hearts—“Behold me! Behold me!” CHRIST GETS ALL THE GLORY!
Now, with that as my introduction,
verses 38-39 will be our focus.
Proposition: Here we learn some things about seeking—may Christ
be our teacher.
John 1: 38: Then Jesus
turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said
unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest
thou? 39: He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt,
and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.
The Lord Jesus asked them, “What
Seek Ye?” After speaking with John
at his baptism, this is the first recorded word of our Savior publicly speaking
to men—What Seek Ye? What a good
question to begin with. What a good
question for Christ to begin with us. For
you and me he asks the same question—“What Seek Ye?”
WHAT SEEK YE?
What is in our heart. What are we really seeking? Most go through life having a heart only to
seek the world. They seek worldly “success”
such as careers, money, a nice home, nice cars, and materialism.
Others never have a clear
object that they seek. They live reacting
to circumstances. They are guided by fleshly
passions and desires. One moment they
are seeking one thing, the next seeking something else. There is no consistency because they have no
set object they seek.
One day we will face death
and all the things of this world will not matter. They will not even matter to us in the day we
see we are departing this life. In that day,
the only thing that will matter is being found in Christ, having his
righteousness. That is all that will
matter then and that is all that matters right now!
Others become religious seeking
vain things. They make a profession of
faith to win someone they love. They learn
doctrine, join the church but it not because they seek Christ and his
righteousness. It is to win-over someone
they love.
Some seek political,
business connections. They become religious
for connections in the community, for business or for politics and so on. There was a church in Nashville where folks
attended to make connections in the music business.
Others attend church
services and engage in religious activity to soothe a
guilty[CC1]
conscious. They make a work of their church attendance
and all their works to silence a guilty conscience. They seek to make their good works outweigh
their bad. Without faith in Christ it is
all sin.
Everything is vain seeking
except we seek him who John and Andrew were seeking.
WHAT DID JOHN AND ANDREW
SEEK?
John 1: 28…Rabbi, (which
is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?
They sought Christ himself. These two wanted to be with Christ where he
dwells. They were like David who said,
Psalm 27:4: One thing
have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house
of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to
enquire in his temple.
Christ was Job’s desire
Job 23: 3: Oh that I
knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!
This is the desire of the
church spoken of in Song of Solomon
Song of Solomon 1:7: Tell
me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock
to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of
thy companions?
John and Andrew called him “Master.” They were seeking to be taught by THE MASTER like
Mary.
Luke 10: 39…Mary,…sat
at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. [the Lord Jesus said]…42…one thing is
needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away
from her.
Have you ever sought Christ? Have you ever asked Christ to teach you? Have you ever asked Christ where he dwells? Oh, that God would convince you in your heart
that Christ is the “one thing needful!” Everything in this life shall perish: your
body, your things, this world and all things in this world. But those who have Christ have “that good
part, which shall not be taken away from you.”
WHAT DO WE REALLY NEED?
We need Wisdom. True spiritual wisdom is what we need. We need to be taught of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is Wisdom and Life.
Colossians 2:3: In
whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
The first thing God must do
for us is teach us we are ignorant. By
nature, all our thoughts of God are wrong.
All our thoughts of ourselves are wrong.
All our thoughts of how God saves sinners are wrong. But in addition many of us pick up religious
baggage that we need Christ to unload for us.
1 Corinthians 1:19: For
it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing
the understanding of the prudent.
1 Corinthians 1: 21:…the
world by wisdom knew not God,
God first must make us to
see ourselves as totally ignorant by making Christ our Wisdom, he must give us
the mind of Christ—then we will seek Christ—“Master, where dwellest thou? I want to come to you to be taught true Wisdom!” Christ our Wisdom says,
Proverbs 8:34: Blessed
is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of
my doors. 35: For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the
LORD. 36: But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate
me love death.
What do we really need to
seek? We need to seek Christ who is
Righteousness and Holiness and Redemption.
Only in Christ is free forgiveness of sins, pardon, atonement with God
by his precious blood. We need holy God to
receive us and accept us in the Beloved.
We need to be “found in him not having our own righteousness which is of
the law but that which is by the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ” (Php 3: 9).
Ask yourself, if you died this hour—right now—what
would be your case when you meet God in judgment? If you have not been made to seek and find
Christ, God has an issue with you, sinner!
Before God you are a guilty sinner and your heart is defiled and you
must and shall die! Nothing is hidden
from God. God has a record of every sin: every thought, word and deed! Without Christ you have nothing but sin and
guilt! If you leave this world
possessing everything but Christ then you leave having nothing! But having Christ we have All.
Psalm 10:4: The
wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is
not in all his thoughts.
Psalm 69:32: The
humble shall see and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God.
What God has done for you
today us exactly like John and Andrew that day.
Christ has sent the gospel to you today.
Do you behold him passing by? "Behold,
the Lamb of God!”
Acts 13: 38: Be it known unto you therefore, men and
brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39:
And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could
not be justified by the law of Moses. 40: Beware therefore, lest that come upon
you, which is spoken of in the prophets; 41: Behold, ye despisers, and wonder,
and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise
believe, though a man declare it unto you.
He alone has taken away sin
for a multitude by his one offering! Have
you sought him to ask him if he will save you? He says,
Isaiah 55: 6: Seek ye
the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the
unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will
have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Deuteronomy 4:29: if…thou shalt seek the LORD thy God,
thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
WHAT
DID THEY FIND?
John 1: 39: He saith
unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him
that day: for it was about the tenth hour.
They sought his abode and
he showed them. And they dwelt with him
that day and they never ceased. They left
all and followed Christ. They dwelt with
Christ the rest of their lives—Christ in them and they in Christ. And they are still dwelling with Christ today.
What do you seek? Do you seek Wisdom? Christ says come and see. Do you seek perfect Righteousness? Christ says
come and see. Do you seek perfection and
purity of heart before God? Christ says come and see. Do you seek understanding in trials? Christ says
come and see.
All who Christ has sought
shall seek Christ. And all who seek
Christ shall find him. And all who find
him shall dwell in him and he in them for eternity.
Amos 5: 4: Thus saith
the LORD unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live:
Matthew 7: 7: Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye
shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8: For every one that
asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it
shall be opened.
Amen!