No Hide; All Seek, All Find

John 1:35-42

Rev. Earl E. Dunbar

January 16, 2005

I don't know about you, but, I am not one that loves bumper stickers. I was amazed, and a little bit frustrated when I saw, the other day, the return of the little stickers called "Baby on Board." Now I hadn't seen one of those in a long time. But there they were. I don't think anyone here has one. So,.it's OK. The other ones are for example are, "my son or daughter is an honor student." Ok, that's alright. I'm not sure I needed to know that as I'm behind you at the light. But that's alright, I suppose. Bumper stickers really don't say anything. During the election I saw several cars plastered with all kinds of bumper stickers. In fact, there was one day I was so interested in reading some of the bumper stickers many of them and where it were inane, that I missed the light. But here's one bumper sticker in and it's a bumper sticker that I haven't seen very often the least recently. Also I think it is on a mug. And forgive the gender exclusive language but, it still appropriate, "wise man still seek Him." That was good. See as human beings we want to make things complicated. Somehow if things can be complicated, than somehow we might be able to be well, validated. Things that are so eternal cannot be so simple. For example, those us who know the Lord, may say that the Lord exists and may know of his existence. And yet how often does he really be a part of our lives? God seems to be distant. I want to keep him in his place, thank you very much. Until such things as a crisis happens. Like the old adage, "there is no atheist in a fox hole." Than there are others who believe that a savior who came to die and rise again and the requirement is belief in him is just simply too simple. God is aloof. God is out there and if there is a God (I've heard that several times) if there is a God he/she it whoever it may be cannot simply come to earth, die and rise again for other human beings, and have that mean anything. It has to be more complicated. God is up there. He is inscrutable. He is unfathomable. But the most important question, in our life, is often left unanswered because we think the answer is too simple. The question is, who am I? Where am I going? And does somebody love me more than life itself? And is there a God and can he be found? I have some good news for all of us who sometimes question, who often want to keep God at an arm's length. All of us who sometimes wonder whether the answers are really a little too simple. Some good news and it is this. Jesus is not hiding. He is here. It is that simple. Jesus is not hiding. He is here. I would like to show you some ways through this text. That Jesus makes himself known not only to the disciples but disciples of every age. That other than the so-called gods of the world, Jesus alone, Jesus uniquely can be found.

So let's get into the text. We are in a series called "Only Jesus," hoping to get us to draw out deeper in closer to him. And last week we saw that Jesus was the complete servant. In this text, I want you to take a look. If you don't have your Bibles open, you can open them now look at it when you get home. John the gospel writer is introducing Jesus to the writers by taking us through John the Baptist. And if we see in John 1:29 he says the next day. John 1:35 he says the next day. John 1:43 he says the next day. He puts this together in three days. At the beginning of Chapter 2, it is three days later after a journey. John the gospel writer is introducing this as a very quick way of showing that Jesus has now come on the scene and things are happening very quickly. Now we are in verse 35 and we see the first way that Jesus reveals himself. That the disciples could see that Jesus could be found. And that is that Jesus remains always accessible. Jesus remains always accessible verse 35 to 37. By his own testimony John the Baptist did not know that this man who was in front of him was Jesus the Christ, until a dove comes. Until this voice comes from heaven. Then John knows for sure that this man was the one that he had preached about. The problem was his disciples, John's followers, did not hear that or did not see that or were not somehow comprehending that. The word disciple here means, somebody who followed somebody else's teaching. So there were men and women who were around John the Baptist who were waiting for the Messiah. They understood John's message. They believed John's message and they knew that that was the Messiah to come. Now let me take you through this emotionally. Have you ever had a time when you knew something to the deepest deepest recesses of your heart? You saw something. You experience something. And yet people around you would did not believe you? What happens when you see the proof? When the proof comes by, there is an excitement and there is a joy, almost willing out from your socks all the way up to the top of your head. This is what happens in the text just before verse 35 when Jesus, walk by and John exclaims and almost bubbles over, "Behold. The Lamb of God and who takes away the sin of the world." There is still problem there was a least two missing, probably some others. Verse 35 says "the next day." The next day John the Baptist brings his disciples back probably to the very same spot where Jesus had come the previous day. I want you to hear this. John the Baptist expected an encounter with Jesus and he received it. I think that's an important spiritual lesson. He expected an encounter. And he received it. Because this Jesus was accessible. Sure enough Jesus comes by and John nudges, nudges his friends - the lamb of God. They understood he was taken aback Isaiah 4:53. With the suffering servant, the spotless lamb would come and die for the sins of this world. This lamb would be the sacrifice one time for all. And there he is. He's right there. If somebody told you that the Savior was right there, what would you do? That's a question. I'm telling you that the Savior is right here. What are you going to do? We'll see in just a moment . Here's what I want you to see. As these two men begin to follow Jesus holds no requirement for them to follow. There is no test. There is no in crowd. There is no hoops that they have to jump. Jesus did not pretend he was attainable. Jesus did not hide. Jesus was not aloof. Jesus was not OZ behind the curtain. The two men followed. Jesus was accessible in the daylight. He was in the open. It could not be disguised. Jesus was unique. He was there. And he was further unique because Jesus had acted first. Unbeknownst to these two who were going to follow Jesus, Jesus had already selected them. Because he had selected humanity. He had selected humanity to love and to cherish and to go to the cross to die in to rise again. You see Jesus acted first and these two were responding. Jesus is accessible. He acted first.

My Dad worked in computers. And he worked for computers for savings and loan. In the late 70s they came out with the first ATMs in the country, in San Diego. They called it the 724 machine. In fact, if your conversation with me, I have to watch myself sometimes, because I will tell you I'm going to the 724 machine, Over the years I've gotten a host of blank looks as to what in the world you are talking about? The idea, the revolutionary concept here was that your bank was accessible seven days a week 24 hours a day. Today that seems odd that someone would proclaim that, but back in the late 70s that was a big deal. Jesus is not exactly like that. At any time, any place, anywhere, Jesus is accessible. But, there is a difference. He is accessible not as a commodity. Something that I can take in and push away as I see fit. But he is accessible to follow. He is accessible to learn. He is accessible to grow deeper with. He is accessible to allow him into every area of my heart. A great friend of mine from Minnesota told me, "Earl, I am convinced that Jesus is the perfect gentleman. Because Jesus could have had a legion of Angels barge down on the door of my soul. He could have told me to love him He could have worked the puppet strings so that I could have responded with exactly the right words he wanted. He made me. He could have done anything he wanted. But instead he waits for the invitation." He waits to be invited in to every area of our lives. He wants to forgive and to touch and to heal and to shower us with his amazing grace every single area. He wants all access . You don't need to fear. You don't need to fear that you have to have it all together or fear that you have to be perfect or fear that you have to have the right words. Jesus is accessible to follow and he is here.

Second. Jesus cuts to the bottom line verse 38 and39. Jesus cuts to the bottom line. And I want you to watch. I want you to follow, picture this in your mind. Because I believe this to be a very good illustration of what I do often and what many of us do. The two disciples had a choice. They could have run right up to Jesus. They could have run up against him. They follow from a distance. You see they follow keeping their eye on Christ understanding that he is there. That he is probably who this John the Baptist said he was. But you know what? The distance is safe. It's harder to have Jesus make a demand on me if he's got to come and get me. If I am way behind him, I can keep my eye on him just long enough to know that where he is and what he is up to, But I don't have to jump in completely. And they' re following. Can you imagine what you would have done as you are following and all of a sudden Jesus turns around, and he meets you eyeball to eyeball. Can you imagine what you would have done? And then he says, "what do you want?" In another phrase which I like a little bit better, "what do you seek?" "What do you seek?" You see Jesus is very politely but firmly calling them out. He wants to know their desire. He is asking them, are you going to stay on the periphery or are you going to be in the game? He's looking at the depth of their desire. He is asking them, are you going to stay apart or are you going to be close? Are you going to stay safe? Because it is safer to be farther away. It is safer to call on Christ when I need him. It is safer to follow when I agree that what he wants me to do is right. You see, it's all safer because I get to stay as CEO of my life. I get to stay calling the shots and answering the phones and giving all the directions and giving all the instructions. I get to stay in charge and so it is a lot more safe. This forgiveness stuff, this living for him, this saying. "no" when I really want to say, "yes. " I don't want to do that. You see his question is real. What do you seek? It is a question that is an invitation. Come seek me. The reason why I know that is because the disciples say, " Rabbi where are you staying?" The disciples want to spend time with him. And Jesus invites them to spend time. You see it is so beautiful. It is so subtle. Jesus did not make demands except, what do you want? If you want to follow me, if you want to get in the game I invite you to spend time with me. Get to know me. Understand. Spend time at my feet. Spend time at my side. Spend time following me. You see for disciples of all ages, the bottom line is to remain in him. Guess what? That was the same message Jesus said to the disciples just before he goes to the cross. I am the vine. You are the branches. Remain in me. Spend time with me. Stay connected to me. Someone was telling me last week about a sermon they heard on this text and it moved me. So I use this text as an illustration because their whole sermon was Jesus asks you today, what do you want?. If Jesus today were to come before you and ask you what do you want, how would you respond? I'm going to let that sit for a minute. How would you respond? For some it is answering questions. For some it's healing or hurt. For others it is a getting a jolt a wake-up call that that my life is going in a different direction. For others it is an instruction from him. For others it is just to reassurance that he is here. You see none of those things get answered. None of those issues get even put on the table if I am not willing to be with him. If instead I want to stay in the distance and ask questions about Him as I am lobbying paper into a trash can. Never to get anywhere Jesus wants is in the game to actually spend time with him. And to seek him. To search him. To remain in him. Because it is and he on that is all that we are looking for, all that we are longing for, all that we can ever hope to be. It does not lie in anything physically around you and lives only in Christ. Where I do not believe that is where I see the evidence of sin in my life. Because where I do not see that, I have decided to go a different direction. I have decided to do something else. You see that's why Jesus cuts to the bottom line with these disciples and with all of us who want to be his disciples. Or who claimed to be his disciples. Jesus remains always accessible. Jesus cuts to the bottom line.

And finally Jesus sees who we can become. Jesus sees who we can become. Verse 40 to 42. The disciples have had some time with Jesus. Probably there is some discussion about the hope for Israel. And we know one of them, his name is Andrew. And the other one is not named. John, the gospel writer has this out penchant for not mentioning itself it is the very humble person or he just feels like he doesn't want to insert himself into the text. For most people throughout history have guessed that the second person here is John itself it would make ends John knew what was going on John was that I witnessed let's assume that for a minute. Andrew and John now leave Jesus' presence for a minute and what does Andrew do? Andrew goes and tells somebody it is the first of three times were good to see in the Gospels the Andrew brings somebody to Jesus. Wow! Wouldn't that be your legacy? Bringing somebody to meet Jesus. Andrew brings his brother Simon. Simon comes before Jesus and Jesus meets his gaze. If fact the word means, intense gaze. Jesus is looking at him This is an uncomfortable look. I'm thinking the principle is looking at me as a shifting in your chair kind of look. Jesus as I will call you Cephas. I will call you Peter. Which means, "the rock." In those days it was common for people have two names. Because Greek was the common language. If you did not have a Greek name often people gave themselves or somebody gave them a Greek name so that you could do business in the Greek world. But this was more than that. Jesus calls Peter the rock. Now let's step back for a minute. Let's take a look at where we see right now. What he is looking at is a rugged fisherman. I don't know how long it has been since he's bathed, five o'clock shadow, stubble. It is a man is impulsive. A man who is not consistent. A man who will jump into the water and walk on water. And yet deny him. A man who can who loudly proclaims from the mountaintop that he would go to death for this Jesus and yet just a few hours later be sitting almost literally in a corner sobbing because he is denied his master three times. Let me just ask you a question. I this rock like? I don't even think this is pebble like. This is not a rock. This is quicksand. Jesus looked into the eyes of this man. And he saw not who he was. But, he saw who he would become .He saw that after the Holy Spirit would come, after he was reinstated, after his fall from grace, Peter would be as strong as ever. And the Peter that we see from the book of acts on, is the rock. He is the beginning. He is one of the movers and shakers of the early church. And he went to his death martyred for Christ. The ancient writers say it was only a few decades after his death, so people are reasonably sure that this is correct, that Peter or asked to be crucified upside down in the form of an X not T. So that no one could ever confuse him with the master. That's a rock. And Jesus looks into your eyes and he is the only one to do this. To look into your eyes and does not see what you are. He sees who you can become.

I read this story, I'm hoping it's true, because it's a wonderful story. Michelangelo was doing a carving. He was starting to cut out from the rock. And a friend of his came and watching, looking over his shoulder. And he waited for Michelangelo to stop and when he did, he said, "Excuse me Sir, what you doing?" And he looked up and he said,

" I'm releasing the angel that is imprisoned in this rock." I don't want to make it too flowery. But God wants to release you live for him. Greater is he then he that is in the world. There is no one who could defeat all the powers of sin and death except his Christ. And he asks me to follow and to watch the change. If I could not buck him, He can see who I am going to be. He forgives who I already am. And there is no one else who could ever make that claim. And there is one else, on the face of this earth, who has walked and ever will walk who could ever love you that much. And he wants us to follow him.

As I mentioned as a kid, I loved playing hide and seek. Now that the little kids are out of the room I can share the rest of the story. Because little kids play hide and seek differently than adults would play. Adolescents and adults would play hide and go seek cutthroat. They would hide under the ravine. Or they hide in the sewer grate.

But little kids, "come find me." And I play along with my son, James. I will pretend to look under the bed. "Are you here?" "No, I'm not here." I will look behind a door. "No I'm not here." And he will say, " I'm behind the couch!" Not to make it too cheap, I wonder, God doesn't play hide and seek. And he says, "I'm right here." Just like my son. He's saying, "I'm right here." You don't have to go through all the machinations. I'm right here please come and follow. Today I simply ask you this question. Do you really believe God is here? Do you really believe God can be found? Which of these ways today means the most to you? I want you to take that with you as proof. I want you to praise him this week. And I want to simply in the light of that truth to ask him this week what one thing do you want me to do? For example, if you take home today that you what I wonder remember the Jesus is always accessible. Praise him and then ask him tonight, today and just spent a few minutes with him. And simply ask Him this week, what do I need to do the Lord so that I remember and know that you are accessible. Make sense? And just follow that with the other two. Because our God has come to earth to reveal himself to love us and to take us all. And there is no better way to follow him with that assurance. Amen. Let's pray.

I want you just to sit in the presence of the Lord for one minute. If you're not sure yet who this Jesus is, admit it. That's fine, this is an open place. Free place. If you know him as your savior than follow where the Holy Spirit leads and I have given one suggestion. I want you to sit before him now in awe. Lord Jesus, thank you for asking the hard questions but the necessary ones. Do we believe you're here and what do we want? And are we going to let you focus on what we're to become? We pray Lord, your hand of blessing upon us. We pray, oh Lord we would live this week in a deeper fellowship with you. Thank you that you just move us to step on the journey and help us to move that step this week whether that's a first step or quite a few steps beyond that. Help us to serve and follow you. In Jesus precious name. And all God's people said, AMEN.