I preached this past Sunday on Jesus’ interaction in John 1
with several men who were to become his disciples. As I prepared and then delivered, I was
struck by how the men each approached Jesus from different places in life,
different levels of faith, different dispositions of personality, etc. and yet
Jesus seemed to know how to get right to their hearts.
Three Different Men
First, one notices that when Andrew and “another disciple”
approached him after hearing John the Baptist say that Jesus is the Lamb of
God, Jesus asks them, “What do you want?” (1:38, paraphrase) In other words, he was asking them why they’d
volunteer for what He had coming to him.
Their question regarding his lodging (“Where are you staying?”) shows
they apparently have plans in place for what they’d like to see, but Jesus’
response – “Come and you will see” (1:39) – brings them right to the heart of
discipleship: Your lot, known to me, will be a mystery to you, and you must
come ready for whatever I have for you.
Then Jesus finds Simon son of Jonah, and gives him the
nickname of Cephas/Peter, which means “rock” (1:42). Peter will truly only become a rock-like
figure later, after Jesus rises again and gives Peter and the disciples His
Spirit. But Jesus’ calling Simon the
rock this early is a guarantee and promise of what Jesus is going to do in him
over the next several years. He will
change Simon so that in the end he is Peter.
This is parallel to what happens to all Christians: They receive the
righteousness of Christ, adoption, and the Holy Spirit when they believe
(Ephesians 1:14), all as a down payment on the real gift that will be given
later: bodily resurrection, salvation from all that is painful, and no more
darkness or it’s unwelcome cousins.
Finally, Jesus has an interesting encounter with
Nathaneal. Nathaneal, known elsewhere as
Bartholomew, is a skeptic. As Philip, a
committed disciple and friend of Nathaneal, tells him about Jesus, Nat famously
scoffs at the idea of a Messiah coming from lowly Nazareth (1:46). He simply doesn’t have a category for the
notion that the Messiah comes from Nazareth, and, perhaps arrogantly, dismisses
the whole notion. But 1:47 shows us that
he came anyway.
As Tim Keller has rightly said, Nathaneal’s skepticism was a
veneer covering up his real longing for redemption and for his categories to in
the end be proven untrustworthy, as they bow to something greater. So he comes.
And when Jesus welcomes him with a statement that can be taken both as a
commendation and as a sarcastic bag, Nat is curious how Jesus knows him, and
Jesus simply tells him he saw him before, “under the fig tree” (1:48). Nat is struck by this, because apparently
whatever was happening under the fig tree was discreet. But Jesus saying he knew about it elicits a
profession of faith from Nat (1:49). The
skeptic has been converted! But Jesus
interestingly cuts him off, now dismissing
him, for having a shallow faith: “Because I said I saw you, you
believe? You’ll see greater things than
this!” (1:50) Jesus then tells Nat and the other disciples that He is the
ladder to heaven from Jacob’s dream (cf. Gen. 28:12-13), and that they’ll see
him as such if they follow him.
Apparently Nathaneal was building his faith on the miracle
of Jesus’ perceived ESP. This shallow
faith would ultimately fall apart if the miracles ever ran out, not that they
ever would. But Jesus says a similar
statement to Thomas later, when he only believes because he’s seen the risen
Christ (20:28). Jesus tells him how weak
this is, making the point that he needs to believe just because of who Jesus
is. This is the point with Nathaneal –
skepticism almost kept him out, a miracle drew him in, and eventually he’d lose
it all unless he begins to see Jesus as the Ladder to Heaven. So Jesus tells him to follow until he sees
with the eyes of faith.
Three groups are represented by these disciples: Christians
(Philip, a committed disciple), seekers (Andrew, Peter, the other
disciple), and skeptics (Nathaneal).
And Jesus had an uncanny ability to not only interact meaningfully with
each of them, but to do so in a way that drew each of them into life-giving
faith in Him. He knew how to get people,
and He still does.
No One Too Far Gone
There isn’t anyone on earth who is too far gone for Jesus to
reach. He not only can reach the
Christians, but he can reach seekers and skeptics alike. Each person has idols of the heart,
dispositions of personality and interests, premade goals in seeking Jesus,
etc. But he knows how to peel back the
layers and get to the heart.
This means that wherever you are in the faith, you’re not
too far for Jesus to reach you, nor will you be, as long as you have
breath. This is why Jude said that Jesus
had the power to keep us until He returns (Jude 24). This is also why Jude told Christians to have
mercy on those who doubt – skeptics – (Jude 22): Because Jesus could still
reach them, so Christians need to not put anything in their way.
Your loved one who is walking in rebellion from Jesus their
Creator, and won’t listen, isn’t too far gone either. You just need prayer and faithfulness,
because through these, Jesus reaches people.
It remains to be seen if He will, but it doesn’t remain to be seen if He
can.
Our task is to be ambassadors (2 Cor. 5:20), and trust the rest to Him.
Deep Waters
Proverbs 20:5 says that the purpose in man’s heart is deep
waters, but the man of understanding draws it out. In other words, people are complicated, and
Gospel presentations, whether sermons or books, are not one-size-fits-all. But Jesus, the true Man of understanding,
Wisdom Personified (cf. Prov. 8:22-35, Jn. 1:14), knows how to draw out the
purpose of their heart and drive in His truth.
I suppose what I’m saying is this: If you know Jesus, don’t worry or fret about
the weakness of your faith or your loved ones’ lack thereof. If you yourself are the doubter, just come
and see. Jesus can prove Himself. But
come and see. He can reach people and
draw them to Himself (Jn. 6:44). If He
was equally accessible to Philip, Andrew, Peter, and Nathaneal alike, so that,
coming from all different places, they each became disciples, don’t we think He
can do the same today? Thus, our job as
Christians is to lift Him up in word and deed, and pray that He, through His
Spirit, will proclaim liberty to the captives.
He’s done it before, and He’s still doing it now.
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