1 00:00:09,540 --> 00:00:15,930 Welcome to Moore in the Word, a podcast of Moore Theological College in Sydney, Australia, that seeks 2 00:00:15,930 --> 00:00:22,025 to glorify God through biblically sound, thought-provoking and challenging talks and interviews. 3 00:00:22,744 --> 00:00:29,975 In this episode, from a chapel service held on Friday the 4th of April, 2025, Mark Thompson, Principal 4 00:00:29,975 --> 00:00:37,925 of Moore Theological College, speaks on John 1:35-51 and the calling of Jesus' first disciples. 5 00:00:38,815 --> 00:00:44,005 Mark reminds us that the invitation extended to them is the same as it is for us. 6 00:00:44,455 --> 00:00:47,005 Come and see who Jesus is and follow him. 7 00:00:47,755 --> 00:00:53,575 Jesus is the Christ, the one we've been waiting for, the fulfillment of all God's promises in the Old Testament. 8 00:00:54,175 --> 00:00:55,495 So come and see. 9 00:00:56,605 --> 00:00:58,075 We hope you find the episode helpful. 10 00:01:01,615 --> 00:01:04,735 Heavenly Father, we are so grateful that you have given us your word. 11 00:01:05,660 --> 00:01:08,270 We thank you for the way your word encourages us. 12 00:01:08,510 --> 00:01:11,090 We thank you for the way your word challenges us. 13 00:01:11,930 --> 00:01:18,320 We thank you that through your word and by your spirit, you are shaping us into the image of Jesus. 14 00:01:18,830 --> 00:01:25,760 And we pray, father, that as we listen this morning, you might take all distractions from us and help us to hear your voice. 15 00:01:26,150 --> 00:01:29,690 For this, we ask in Jesus' name, amen. 16 00:01:30,950 --> 00:01:34,370 So John, chapter one and uh, beginning at verse 19. 17 00:01:36,420 --> 00:01:38,010 Sorry, beginning at verse 35. 18 00:01:38,070 --> 00:01:39,090 That was last week, wasn't it? 19 00:01:41,010 --> 00:01:46,500 The next day, John, again was standing with two of his disciples and seeing Jesus walk by. 20 00:01:46,500 --> 00:01:48,720 He said, behold the lamb of God. 21 00:01:49,650 --> 00:01:52,560 And two of his disciples heard what he was saying and followed Jesus. 22 00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:55,620 Jesus turned and saw them following and said, what do you want? 23 00:01:56,580 --> 00:02:02,040 And they said to him, rabbi, which is translated as teacher, where are you staying? 24 00:02:02,970 --> 00:02:03,900 And he said to them. 25 00:02:04,605 --> 00:02:05,295 Come and see. 26 00:02:06,435 --> 00:02:09,764 Then they went and saw where he was staying and remained with him that day. 27 00:02:09,764 --> 00:02:10,995 It was the 10th hour. 28 00:02:11,955 --> 00:02:15,945 One of the two who had heard John and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 29 00:02:16,815 --> 00:02:23,325 He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, we have found the Messiah, which is translated as Christ. 30 00:02:24,290 --> 00:02:27,795 He took him to Jesus, seeing him. 31 00:02:27,975 --> 00:02:30,915 Jesus said, you are Simon, the son of John. 32 00:02:31,485 --> 00:02:32,954 You'll be called Kfa. 33 00:02:33,495 --> 00:02:34,905 Which is translated as Peter. 34 00:02:36,315 --> 00:02:43,155 The next day he wanted to go out into Galilee and find Philip, and Jesus said to him, follow me. 35 00:02:44,325 --> 00:02:50,055 And Philip was from beside the city of Andrew and Peter Philip found Nathaniel and 36 00:02:50,055 --> 00:02:54,255 said to him, we found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law and the prophets. 37 00:02:54,644 --> 00:02:56,984 Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth. 38 00:02:57,945 --> 00:03:00,614 And Nathaniel said to him, can anything good come outta Nazareth? 39 00:03:01,935 --> 00:03:02,984 And Philip said to him. 40 00:03:03,674 --> 00:03:04,364 Come and see. 41 00:03:05,834 --> 00:03:11,834 Jesus saw Nathaniel coming towards him and said about him, behold a true Israelite in whom there's no deceit. 42 00:03:12,765 --> 00:03:14,565 Nathaniel said to him, how do you know me? 43 00:03:15,825 --> 00:03:21,075 And Jesus said to him, I saw you before Philip called you while you were under the fig tree. 44 00:03:22,334 --> 00:03:23,535 Nathaniel answered him. 45 00:03:24,105 --> 00:03:25,635 Rabbi, you are the son of God. 46 00:03:25,635 --> 00:03:26,834 You are the king of Israel. 47 00:03:27,795 --> 00:03:33,255 Jesus answering said to him, do you believe because I said to you that I saw you under the fig tree? 48 00:03:34,065 --> 00:03:35,805 You'll see greater things than these. 49 00:03:36,645 --> 00:03:44,565 And he said to him, you all will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the son of man. 50 00:03:46,575 --> 00:03:54,225 Well, in the marvelous providence of God, we arrive at this passage in John's gospel on the Friday before we all head out to mission. 51 00:03:54,975 --> 00:03:59,805 What a wonderful part of God's word for us to be hearing and thinking about this morning. 52 00:04:00,704 --> 00:04:09,525 The first pillars of a new community are being built as first two, then another, then another, and yet another start the journey of discipleship. 53 00:04:10,605 --> 00:04:18,045 Andrew and his unnamed friend count to peanuts and John, then Andrew's brother, Simon. 54 00:04:19,094 --> 00:04:19,815 Then Philip. 55 00:04:20,475 --> 00:04:26,865 Nathaniel at the beginning of this passage, Jesus walked by John the Baptist alone, 56 00:04:28,125 --> 00:04:31,695 and at the end of it, he has five disciples who'll become five of the apostles. 57 00:04:32,925 --> 00:04:36,735 It's one of those passages that just gets richer the more you read it. 58 00:04:36,735 --> 00:04:45,495 It's delightfully simple and just as delightfully rich and encouraging, come and see. 59 00:04:47,100 --> 00:04:50,100 The invitation extended in both halves of the passage. 60 00:04:50,820 --> 00:04:59,400 Come and see finding the one who is the answer to all the Old Testament promises from every section of the Old Testament. 61 00:04:59,610 --> 00:05:04,200 If we had time to trace them back one piled upon another in these paragraphs. 62 00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:14,310 The Lamb of God, the teacher, the Messiah, the one Moses wrote about The son of Joseph, the son of God, the King of Israel, the son of man. 63 00:05:15,750 --> 00:05:19,470 Then simply bringing people to Jesus. 64 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:25,080 The most important thing Andrew ever did is summed up in five words. 65 00:05:25,080 --> 00:05:29,190 In verse 42, he brought him to Jesus. 66 00:05:30,270 --> 00:05:34,140 That's all he needed to do to be part of changing the world. 67 00:05:35,130 --> 00:05:36,630 He brought him to Jesus. 68 00:05:38,460 --> 00:05:44,225 Well, let's take a little closer look at these two paragraphs and then zoom back a bit to think about why it is. 69 00:05:44,789 --> 00:05:49,770 Apart from the sheer excitement of the story, why it is, we need to hear what happened that day. 70 00:05:50,729 --> 00:05:54,599 Well, these events are anchored in history, real live history. 71 00:05:55,500 --> 00:05:58,080 If you'd been there that day, you would've seen it happen. 72 00:05:59,190 --> 00:06:04,770 Yet the eyewitness testimony to these events is recorded as part of a gospel. 73 00:06:05,340 --> 00:06:09,780 The entire purpose of which we read in chapter 20 verse 31, is. 74 00:06:10,380 --> 00:06:18,510 That we might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and believing we might have faith in his name, 75 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:26,940 might have life in his name, real history, but more than real history, a testimony that calls for a response. 76 00:06:27,840 --> 00:06:30,090 So let's start with Andrew, his mate and his brother. 77 00:06:32,025 --> 00:06:36,015 When we left off last time, we were still in the first week of Jesus' public ministry. 78 00:06:36,555 --> 00:06:38,085 We just heard John the Baptist. 79 00:06:38,085 --> 00:06:39,495 Remarkable testimony. 80 00:06:39,735 --> 00:06:43,845 Behold the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. 81 00:06:45,135 --> 00:06:51,975 The answer to the longest standing promise of God concerning the one who will deal with sin. 82 00:06:53,280 --> 00:06:58,950 Sin, the root cause of all our frustrations and shame and guilt. 83 00:06:58,950 --> 00:07:02,670 We might not call it sin, but we all know there's something wrong. 84 00:07:04,110 --> 00:07:09,690 The one God promised would come and deal with that forever was here at last. 85 00:07:10,980 --> 00:07:15,600 And with that testimony, uh, John has completed the task that was assigned to him. 86 00:07:16,935 --> 00:07:21,045 The reason John had stepped out into public ministry in the first place, as he himself 87 00:07:21,045 --> 00:07:26,625 announced in verse 31, was so that this Lamb of God might be revealed to Israel. 88 00:07:27,825 --> 00:07:31,485 Everything about John was tied to this testimony. 89 00:07:32,415 --> 00:07:38,025 It was the reason for the strange close, so reminiscent of the prophet Elijah in two kings, one. 90 00:07:38,595 --> 00:07:47,205 The strange diet, the repeated calls to repentance, the baptizing of those who wanted to repent, making a noise in the wilderness. 91 00:07:47,205 --> 00:07:56,355 All the things recorded about John in the other gospel, it's all about this, all part of the preparation for the one who would come after him. 92 00:07:57,555 --> 00:08:04,275 And the climax of all that preparation was this testimony, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. 93 00:08:05,565 --> 00:08:12,810 I. It was a testimony that John gave on more than one occasion, and I can't imagine for a moment that he was mumbling into his beard as he gave it. 94 00:08:15,299 --> 00:08:19,799 When Andrew and his unnamed companion heard it, they knew it was not something they could ignore. 95 00:08:21,059 --> 00:08:25,919 We don't know how long they'd been with John the Baptist, how much he'd prepared them privately. 96 00:08:25,924 --> 00:08:28,469 For this moment, we don't know because we're not told. 97 00:08:29,940 --> 00:08:35,010 But when they heard John testify, they left him and followed Jesus. 98 00:08:36,360 --> 00:08:39,960 There's not the slightest sign that John is miffed by this. 99 00:08:40,830 --> 00:08:46,110 He didn't spit the dummy like Prince Harry complaining that he's the spare overshadowed by his big brother. 100 00:08:47,820 --> 00:08:53,070 He didn't resent their abandonment of him to attach themselves to this new teacher. 101 00:08:54,330 --> 00:08:57,330 This was after all what he had been preparing them for. 102 00:08:58,890 --> 00:09:00,449 Pointing people to Jesus. 103 00:09:00,449 --> 00:09:04,140 Remember, that's what John was all about. 104 00:09:05,819 --> 00:09:09,660 John wasn't fazed by the departure of these two men, but neither was Jesus. 105 00:09:09,660 --> 00:09:13,500 When he asked them what they wanted and they told him they wanted to know where 106 00:09:13,500 --> 00:09:18,329 he was staying, he doesn't brush them off or tell 'em to stop bothering him. 107 00:09:19,170 --> 00:09:20,970 Instead, he issued to these two men. 108 00:09:20,970 --> 00:09:24,360 The most wonderful of invitations, come and see. 109 00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:27,270 It's just brilliant, isn't it? 110 00:09:28,170 --> 00:09:28,920 Come and see. 111 00:09:29,910 --> 00:09:30,750 So simple. 112 00:09:30,750 --> 00:09:34,439 You get a window into the compassion of Jesus at this moment. 113 00:09:35,939 --> 00:09:40,230 Come and see, and they don't just come and see where he's staying. 114 00:09:40,590 --> 00:09:41,939 But yes, they did do that. 115 00:09:42,900 --> 00:09:46,620 They get to come and see him and stay with him. 116 00:09:47,730 --> 00:09:53,880 These words are going to be used again, uh, in a little while, but this first time they're on the lips of Jesus. 117 00:09:54,480 --> 00:09:56,730 The invitation comes first from him. 118 00:09:58,245 --> 00:10:02,535 Those who want to follow him don't ever have to be afraid of rejection. 119 00:10:03,615 --> 00:10:07,935 His invitation is extended in this, this simple and direct way. 120 00:10:09,135 --> 00:10:10,155 Come, come and see. 121 00:10:11,954 --> 00:10:15,255 Matthew would put it a little differently on a very different occasion. 122 00:10:15,255 --> 00:10:23,895 He records Jesus saying, come to me all you who labor and are carrying burdens and I will refresh you. 123 00:10:26,430 --> 00:10:35,490 We are going on mission, and I hope you have the opportunity to invite people to come, to come and see Jesus, to come and follow Jesus. 124 00:10:35,490 --> 00:10:47,040 To come and stay with Jesus, to find out for themselves who he is, what he's like, what he's done to see and hear Him in the gospel testimony to him. 125 00:10:48,210 --> 00:10:50,850 But in the first instance, the invitation comes from him. 126 00:10:52,830 --> 00:10:53,880 Come and see. 127 00:10:54,930 --> 00:11:02,040 It's that simple, not fill out this form in triplicate and wait your place on the queue, not pass the test. 128 00:11:02,040 --> 00:11:03,630 And then you'll be ready to come. 129 00:11:04,290 --> 00:11:07,829 Not prove you are ready and fully prepared or worthy. 130 00:11:08,520 --> 00:11:11,339 Just come, come and see. 131 00:11:12,900 --> 00:11:14,579 Now of course, this is a unique moment. 132 00:11:14,579 --> 00:11:16,500 Uh, two disciples of the forerunner. 133 00:11:16,845 --> 00:11:25,694 Now following Jesus, they physically heard those words of Jesus and they saw where he was saying and they saw him. 134 00:11:27,045 --> 00:11:31,875 But the invitation is basically the same to all those who ask questions today. 135 00:11:33,255 --> 00:11:33,826 Come and see. 136 00:11:37,064 --> 00:11:41,564 Yet the best part of the scene, at least in my mind, is what comes next, isn't it? 137 00:11:43,425 --> 00:11:45,010 Andrew left to find his brother. 138 00:11:46,185 --> 00:11:51,915 He first found his brother, his brother, Simon, and he told him, we have found the Messiah. 139 00:11:52,545 --> 00:11:59,385 We've found the anointed deliverer, the Promised King, the one we've been waiting for and hoping for for so long. 140 00:12:00,555 --> 00:12:07,125 Andrew had come and he'd seen, and he knew that John's testimony was true, and now he couldn't contain it. 141 00:12:08,505 --> 00:12:10,125 He knew he must share it with his brother. 142 00:12:10,605 --> 00:12:13,425 Simon couldn't just keep this news. 143 00:12:13,515 --> 00:12:14,445 News this good. 144 00:12:16,515 --> 00:12:17,005 Himself. 145 00:12:17,010 --> 00:12:18,360 This wasn't just for him. 146 00:12:19,080 --> 00:12:27,720 Simon needs to come and see too, and in those precious words, he took him to Jesus. 147 00:12:29,340 --> 00:12:32,130 Seems that Andrew was always taking people to Jesus. 148 00:12:33,240 --> 00:12:34,770 First here, his brother Simon. 149 00:12:35,400 --> 00:12:39,690 Then the boy with the loaves and the fish in front of the vast crowd of 5,000 people. 150 00:12:40,350 --> 00:12:43,860 Then together with Philip, he brought the Greeks who wanted to see Jesus. 151 00:12:44,130 --> 00:12:45,120 He was always doing it. 152 00:12:45,840 --> 00:12:48,240 It was a habit, almost a a reflex action. 153 00:12:48,870 --> 00:12:51,270 Everybody needs to come to Jesus. 154 00:12:51,810 --> 00:12:55,140 He knew that and he brought them to Jesus. 155 00:12:57,300 --> 00:13:00,420 But as far as we can tell, Andrew was just an ordinary man. 156 00:13:01,980 --> 00:13:02,640 A fisherman. 157 00:13:03,360 --> 00:13:06,300 Nothing out of the box, nothing spectacular. 158 00:13:07,410 --> 00:13:16,050 But his enthusiasm and his testimony were the instruments that God used to bring Simon and many others to Jesus. 159 00:13:17,340 --> 00:13:20,220 So here, I think, is the first piece of encouragement from the passage. 160 00:13:21,360 --> 00:13:24,900 It is Jesus who calls people to himself, come and see. 161 00:13:26,594 --> 00:13:34,454 He did it then and still does it today through very ordinary people like me, like you. 162 00:13:36,405 --> 00:13:38,895 But there's something else taught in this passage. 163 00:13:39,645 --> 00:13:43,844 Don't expect that when you do come to Jesus, everything will stay the same. 164 00:13:45,074 --> 00:13:48,525 When Simon came with his brother, Jesus renamed him. 165 00:13:49,785 --> 00:13:50,599 Uh, that might sound. 166 00:13:52,095 --> 00:13:54,765 Quite a trivial and insignificant thing to do. 167 00:13:55,275 --> 00:14:01,485 Give the man a new name, a nickname, Tomo gmo, the Orange Dog. 168 00:14:05,775 --> 00:14:07,814 That one was made up by Chase, Toon, by the way. 169 00:14:09,345 --> 00:14:15,555 All just a little bit of fun, meaningless, but on this occasion, it was not meaningless. 170 00:14:16,605 --> 00:14:17,745 It was not trivial. 171 00:14:18,495 --> 00:14:20,295 It was indeed very significant. 172 00:14:20,295 --> 00:14:28,725 Simon's life was going to be different from that point on, radically different, and Jesus told him this in front of his brother. 173 00:14:28,725 --> 00:14:30,585 Things were gonna be different there as well. 174 00:14:30,915 --> 00:14:33,555 The change in Simon would impact his brother too. 175 00:14:35,085 --> 00:14:39,795 Now, of course, coming to Jesus won't always lead to a name change, but it will mean a change 176 00:14:40,545 --> 00:14:46,365 because following Jesus is not just an extension of the life you've been living up to now. 177 00:14:47,415 --> 00:14:52,095 It's something new and exciting and transformative. 178 00:14:53,025 --> 00:15:02,205 Not always easy or smooth sailing that's not promised, but new and exciting and transformative. 179 00:15:03,135 --> 00:15:05,260 The one who bought you with his blood, 180 00:15:07,574 --> 00:15:09,310 is it work crafting and shaping? 181 00:15:10,410 --> 00:15:16,140 Growing you into the disciple who is ready to do what he has for you to do. 182 00:15:17,940 --> 00:15:23,460 So the simplest of patterns in Andrew's evangelism, when you think about it, seeking out his 183 00:15:23,460 --> 00:15:31,320 brother, the testimony we found, the Messiah, he is the one, the invitation come and see. 184 00:15:32,850 --> 00:15:38,160 And Jesus, who stands behind that invitation, does his work in the lives of those he calls. 185 00:15:39,510 --> 00:15:42,300 Now, isn't that an encouragement as we go out for a week of mission? 186 00:15:44,550 --> 00:15:46,950 But first we should look at the other scene in the story. 187 00:15:48,270 --> 00:15:52,920 In the very first verse of the second paragraph, we're reminded that whatever else is 188 00:15:52,920 --> 00:15:59,040 happening in these two scenes, it is Jesus that is directing the action from the start. 189 00:15:59,820 --> 00:16:02,010 He wanted to go to Galilee. 190 00:16:03,300 --> 00:16:05,520 He wanted to find Philip. 191 00:16:06,945 --> 00:16:10,095 There's actually quite a lot of finding in these two stories. 192 00:16:10,785 --> 00:16:13,755 Andrew and his friend found the Messiah. 193 00:16:14,505 --> 00:16:16,755 Andrew finds his brother Simon. 194 00:16:17,475 --> 00:16:19,245 Philip finds Nathaniel. 195 00:16:20,085 --> 00:16:29,325 He tells him he's found the one Moses wrote about in the law, but only once are we told that Jesus himself did the finding and it's here. 196 00:16:29,955 --> 00:16:31,725 Jesus found Philip. 197 00:16:32,505 --> 00:16:43,065 Verse 43 tells us he went there to Galilee in order to find this man and most of important of all to say to him, follow me. 198 00:16:44,985 --> 00:16:49,785 Certainly he was behind the other findings, but it is his invitation that is offered. 199 00:16:49,785 --> 00:16:50,475 Come and see. 200 00:16:50,475 --> 00:16:52,905 Yes, but this time it's different. 201 00:16:54,300 --> 00:16:58,740 Once again, there's nothing special about Philip, just an ordinary man. 202 00:16:59,370 --> 00:17:02,910 He's not even going to appear very much in from this point on in the gospel. 203 00:17:03,510 --> 00:17:06,000 He was there too, at the feeding of the 5,000. 204 00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:10,170 He's actually the one Jesus asked about how we're gonna feed these people. 205 00:17:11,339 --> 00:17:15,720 He was the one who brought the Greeks to Andrew, and then with Andrew, took them to Jesus. 206 00:17:16,635 --> 00:17:18,525 He was the one in the upper room on the night. 207 00:17:18,525 --> 00:17:24,075 Jesus would be betrayed who said to Jesus, Lord, show us the Father and it is enough for us. 208 00:17:26,205 --> 00:17:31,785 But unlike Andrew and his friend, Philip had not been at the river listening to the testimony of John Anish. 209 00:17:31,785 --> 00:17:33,705 Not when Jesus had walked past. 210 00:17:34,125 --> 00:17:42,705 He'd been up in Galilee on the other side of the Samaritan Strip, but when he was called, he could not hold it in. 211 00:17:43,965 --> 00:17:48,675 He'd come face to face with something, someone he had been learning about ever since 212 00:17:48,675 --> 00:17:55,515 Torah school, the one Moses wrote about, the one the prophets had written about. 213 00:17:56,835 --> 00:18:03,285 So Philip rushes off to find his friend Nathaniel, and though he might not have known it, we who'd been reading 214 00:18:03,285 --> 00:18:11,085 John's gospel up to this point, know that he echoes the words of Jesus when he invites Nathaniel to come and see. 215 00:18:12,885 --> 00:18:21,554 Nathaniel almost cannot get beyond the absurd thought that such a significant person would come outta such an insignificant place as Nazareth. 216 00:18:21,554 --> 00:18:25,365 It's the suggestion's almost enough to keep him from listening any further. 217 00:18:25,365 --> 00:18:33,915 Can anything good come out of Nazareth, such a hick town so far from Jerusalem, or anything of consequence? 218 00:18:33,945 --> 00:18:35,895 No sophistication, no importance. 219 00:18:37,139 --> 00:18:43,530 But immediately after Nathaniel asks that cynical question, the invitation is issued. 220 00:18:44,399 --> 00:18:45,389 Come and see. 221 00:18:46,590 --> 00:18:48,480 And once again, the approach is so simple. 222 00:18:49,440 --> 00:18:54,300 Forget about his birthplace or any other measure by which others might choose to assess him. 223 00:18:54,990 --> 00:18:56,250 Just come and see. 224 00:18:57,450 --> 00:19:00,510 Find out for yourself by coming to him. 225 00:19:02,085 --> 00:19:09,555 The great shock for Nathaniel is that Jesus' interest in him and knowledge in him stretches way back before they were introduced by Philip. 226 00:19:10,725 --> 00:19:16,875 Jesus knew who he was, knew his character, he knew him, and it blew Philip's mind. 227 00:19:17,415 --> 00:19:18,855 Rabbi, you are the son of God. 228 00:19:19,485 --> 00:19:20,715 You are the king of Israel. 229 00:19:21,675 --> 00:19:25,095 At first glance, this might seem like something of an overreaction. 230 00:19:25,725 --> 00:19:34,815 The kind of things my daughters say to me, mockingly as they take the television remote for my hands, my old man hands. 231 00:19:36,165 --> 00:19:45,435 But Nathaniel had grasped the fact that if Jesus had known who he was and how he was, his character could 232 00:19:45,435 --> 00:19:51,405 even know his heart and knew that long before they'd ever met him without any input from others who knew him. 233 00:19:52,305 --> 00:19:53,715 This was not just another teacher. 234 00:19:55,740 --> 00:19:57,540 Jesus tells him this is just the beginning. 235 00:19:57,660 --> 00:20:00,300 Is that why you believe he asked Nathaniel? 236 00:20:01,020 --> 00:20:04,740 Well, you and all of you, there's a move from the singular to the plural. 237 00:20:04,740 --> 00:20:11,701 You might have noticed if you're looking at the Greek text and you, all of you are gonna see much more, much, much more. 238 00:20:12,135 --> 00:20:19,110 I. You'll see heaven opened and you'll see the angels ascending and descending upon the son of man. 239 00:20:19,110 --> 00:20:24,899 You'll see Jacob's dream of Genesis 28, realized the connection between heaven 240 00:20:24,899 --> 00:20:29,520 and earth focused on him and that moment we'll put this one in the shade. 241 00:20:30,420 --> 00:20:39,960 All those titles and roles and promises realized and fulfilled at last and focusing in on this one person, you're gonna see great things Nathaniel. 242 00:20:39,960 --> 00:20:40,740 Strap yourself in. 243 00:20:40,740 --> 00:20:41,910 It's gonna be a wild ride. 244 00:20:42,300 --> 00:20:43,350 You ain't seen nothing yet. 245 00:20:45,630 --> 00:20:51,060 Fringe is a great part of God's word to hear and think about just before mission, isn't it? 246 00:20:52,950 --> 00:20:54,630 But why has it been given to us? 247 00:20:56,400 --> 00:21:00,660 It's more than just a history lesson, but it certainly is that it anchors the 248 00:21:00,660 --> 00:21:06,780 testimony of Jesus in John's Gospel to these facts recorded by these eyewitnesses. 249 00:21:07,440 --> 00:21:08,160 We know why. 250 00:21:08,160 --> 00:21:09,540 We trust the gospels. 251 00:21:09,885 --> 00:21:16,905 Because here in these testimonies is the fulfillment of the entire Old Testament story and every story within 252 00:21:16,905 --> 00:21:26,160 it, our confidence is strengthened because we know that those giving these testimonies were there with Jesus. 253 00:21:26,910 --> 00:21:30,800 They saw what he did, they heard what he said. 254 00:21:31,600 --> 00:21:34,695 They became acquainted with his person and his character. 255 00:21:35,505 --> 00:21:39,285 And these real historical events can be relied upon. 256 00:21:39,765 --> 00:21:41,505 On the basis of their testimony. 257 00:21:42,735 --> 00:21:47,415 So these verses feed our faith and grow our confidence. 258 00:21:48,075 --> 00:21:55,125 They help us see what the whole of John's gospel wants us to see that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. 259 00:21:57,405 --> 00:22:02,145 But I don't think that the great purpose of God laid bare in this early part of the gospel 260 00:22:02,145 --> 00:22:08,955 should keep us from noticing the other reason we're given this record of these particular events. 261 00:22:10,005 --> 00:22:19,905 For these encounters really are the greatest encouragement to us to get moving with sharing the invitation and bringing people to Jesus. 262 00:22:20,985 --> 00:22:22,155 Come and see. 263 00:22:23,115 --> 00:22:29,205 Jesus said to the disciples of John who wanted to know more, come and see Philip 264 00:22:29,205 --> 00:22:34,905 said to the skeptic when his expectations did not match the testimony he had heard. 265 00:22:35,985 --> 00:22:37,575 Not really very complicated at all. 266 00:22:37,575 --> 00:22:37,845 Is it? 267 00:22:39,150 --> 00:22:40,380 Sharing what we found. 268 00:22:41,130 --> 00:22:49,200 Or rather, as Nathaniel quickly realized, who has found us inviting others to come and see taking them 269 00:22:49,200 --> 00:22:55,410 to Jesus, that Jesus made known to us in the testimony of those who are actually there beside him. 270 00:22:57,240 --> 00:23:01,170 It is a great passage to read and to think about before we go on mission together. 271 00:23:02,460 --> 00:23:09,990 It's a great passage to read and think about before we share this symbolic meal together, which as much as anything else 272 00:23:10,410 --> 00:23:20,430 reminds us that the one who issues this remarkable invitation really is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. 273 00:23:22,590 --> 00:23:23,130 Shall we pray, 274 00:23:27,300 --> 00:23:27,960 father, we do. 275 00:23:27,960 --> 00:23:30,270 Thank you for the invitation. 276 00:23:30,855 --> 00:23:42,435 Extended to us to come and see, and that you drawing us to yourself have made us your own thinking on what your word has to say. 277 00:23:43,725 --> 00:23:50,055 Would you please give us the courage and encouragement to move forward in taking our own 278 00:23:50,055 --> 00:23:57,735 part in this great mission that many others might come and see and they might find Jesus. 279 00:23:58,679 --> 00:23:59,970 And this we ask in his name. 280 00:24:00,960 --> 00:24:01,169 Amen. 281 00:24:09,120 --> 00:24:13,830 Thank you for listening to Moore in the Word, a podcast of Moore Theological College. 282 00:24:14,429 --> 00:24:19,080 Our vision as a College is to see God glorified by men and women living for 283 00:24:19,080 --> 00:24:23,745 and proclaiming Jesus Christ, growing healthy churches, and reaching the lost. 284 00:24:24,225 --> 00:24:29,565 We invite you to attend any of our upcoming events, including this one from the Centre for Global Mission. 285 00:24:30,015 --> 00:24:36,135 Since New Testament times, some of those motivated with a passion for sharing the good news of Jesus, have 286 00:24:36,135 --> 00:24:42,795 embraced ministry in very hard places, struggling with stony ground and with little or no obvious gospel fruit. 287 00:24:43,575 --> 00:24:50,285 For hundreds of years and in many places around the world, this has also been the experience of some cross cultural mission workers. 288 00:24:50,945 --> 00:24:52,095 But what does God think? 289 00:24:52,500 --> 00:24:59,370 Whether in a local church or in a missionary location, how does someone decide between struggling on faithfully, despite the lack of 290 00:24:59,370 --> 00:25:06,820 visible gospel fruit, or moving to more fertile ground where God's Spirit is more obviously working and where fruit is more available? 291 00:25:07,815 --> 00:25:14,625 To help us think through these types of questions, join us for our next Centre for Global Mission event, when Richard Chin, National 292 00:25:14,625 --> 00:25:21,765 Director of the Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students, will help us examine the Bible, and David Williams, Director of Training 293 00:25:21,765 --> 00:25:28,215 and Development at the Church Missionary Society Australia, will give us insights from the history and practice of global mission. 294 00:25:29,175 --> 00:25:31,965 Find out more and register on the Moore College website. 295 00:25:32,295 --> 00:25:36,185 That's moore: M-O-O-R-E.edu.au. 296 00:25:36,750 --> 00:25:39,070 That's moore.edu.au. 297 00:25:45,090 --> 00:25:49,940 You can find out more and register by going to the Moore College website: moore.edu.au. 298 00:25:50,040 --> 00:25:53,399 That's moore.edu.au. 299 00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:58,169 If you have not already done so, we encourage you to subscribe to our podcast 300 00:25:58,169 --> 00:26:02,070 through your favourite podcast platform so that you'll never miss an episode. 301 00:26:02,790 --> 00:26:07,800 For past episodes, further resources and to make a tax deductible donation to support 302 00:26:07,800 --> 00:26:15,639 the work of the College and its mission, please visit our website at moore.edu.au. 303 00:26:16,905 --> 00:26:22,665 If you found this episode helpful, please share it with a friend and leave a review on your platform of choice. 304 00:26:23,504 --> 00:26:31,705 We always benefit from feedback from our listeners, so if you'd like to get in touch, you can email us at comms@moore.edu.au. 305 00:26:33,054 --> 00:26:41,095 The Moore in the Word Podcast was edited and produced by me, Karen Beilharz, and the Communications Team at Moore Theological College. 306 00:26:41,635 --> 00:26:45,435 The music for our podcast was provided by MarkJuly from PixaBay. 307 00:26:46,225 --> 00:26:47,125 Until next time.