Come And See

1. There are many today who have heard about Jesus, and yet they fail to put their faith in Him. (TV, relatives, friends, Sunday school as a child)

2. There were many in Jesus’ day that had heard Him, seen His miracles etc. and the Bible records in John 12:37, “yet they believed not on Him.”

-It is not because of a lack of evidence? (John 20:30-31)

-It is not because, you don’t have the opportunity?

A. Many have a shallow faith, that is bound to change.

1. The Jews believed on Jesus when He cleansed the temple. (John 2)

-In John 2:23 it is recorded that, “Many believed on His name, beholding His signs which He did”

-The people were caught up in the excitement, and forgot to look at the true meaning behind the wonderful works.

2. These Jerusalem Jews show how fickle their belief was.

-As the climax of the conflict arose between the Jews and Jesus, and the Jews were being pressured by their leaders, they were ready to destroy Jesus.

-These “so called” believing Jews were ready to ask for the life of Jesus based on the accusation that he was a traitor, guilty of the highest treason.

-Finally, when Jesus was on trial before Pilate, these Jews were moved to cry out, “Away with him, away with Him, crucify Him!” (John 19:15)

-Jesus was then crucified. What happened?

B. The Jews had, and perhaps we have a belief that is shallow.

1. This belief is based on the sensational.

-When the excitement is present, there is conviction.

-When the excitement is past, the conviction dies.

*New Christians lose their zeal, and go back to the world

*Truth seekers are in search of an emotional experience.

*All are disappointed, who look for the sensational.

2. These individuals fail to look for the firm truth.

-Interested in the signs and wonders, but not in their meaning.

-They were waiting for a sensational arrival of the Messiah.

-It is penned in John 7:25-27, “Then said some of them of Jerusalem, Is not this He, whom they seek to kill? But, lo, He speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto Him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ?”

-You almost want to say, “Good! Now you’re getting it”, but they slip up and say, “Howbeit we know this man whence He is: but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence He is.”

-This belief was so based on the sensational that verse 31 says, “And many of the people believed on Him, and said, ‘When Christ cometh, will He do more miracles than these which this man hath done?’”

-Many believed, but obviously didn’t believe. They saw a miracle worker, and should have seen the Messiah, the Son of God.

3. Many today have this same belief.

-Today many are caught up in the sensational; The spectacular appeals to the multitude and attracts the shallow-minded.

-People say, “Jesus is too dull” , but He still urges everyone to come and obey by hearing the truth of the Bible.

-In Isaiah 42:2, it is said of Jesus that, “He shall not cry aloud, neither shall his voice be heard in the street.”

-Jesus indeed did many works to show who He was, but He was not trying to obtain power by means of appeals to the emotions.

-Jesus rejected the sword as a way to establish and further His spiritual kingdom, and He made no appeals on the grounds of greatness.

-Jesus wanted all to know who He truly was (the Son of God), and follow and obey Him faithfully on that claim.

A. Many fail to fully comprehend the spiritual nature of Christ.

1. When Jesus fed the multitudes this was an issue (John 6)

-The Bible says of the multitudes, that, “they would come and take Him by force to make Him king” (John 6:15)

-They wanted this Jesus to be their political King.

-Jesus would not accept this political kingship, but went on to teach about the true nature of His kingdom.

-Jesus was trying the disciples with a lesson on the bread of life

-This discourse was designed to help them see the spiritual nature of the kingdom, and of the Lord’s reign.

- The people could not perceive this truth.

-The words that they spoke were, “This is a hard saying; who can hear it?” (John 6:60)

-Then we are told in John 6:66 that, “Upon this many of His disciples went back, and walked no more with Him”

-They believed, but did they really believe?

2. Nicodemus a ruler of the Jews had this struggle (John 3)

-Though he was well versed in the Law, he never understood the true nature of the kingdom of God.

-As time went on, he had grown to a point of understanding these things. (John 7:50-51; 19:38-40).

-We do not know how Nicodemus ended up in His walk with the Lord, but you can see how a lack of spiritual perception can be misleading.

3. Intimacy can also cause one to make spiritual things physical

-Jesus brother’s who were raised with Him, seemed to only consider Him as a “big brother”.

-This hindered them from letting go of the physical, to be able to see the true nature of their brother and His kingdom.

-The report in the gospel of John says, “For even His brethren did not believe on Him.” (John 7:5)

A. Many were fearful of belief in Jesus for invalid reasons.

1. Those who really wanted to see Jesus were afraid to ask for Him (John 7:13)

-When Jesus was at the feast of tabernacles some had a desire to find Him.

-Fear made them timid about seeking Jesus and asking about Him.

2. The man born blind, had parents that would not show their faith because of fear. (John 9)

-Their words were, “how he now seeth, we know not; or who opened his eyes, we know not: ask him; he is of age; he shall speak for himself. These things said his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man should confess Him to be Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.” (John 9:21-22)

-Instead of having a firm faith, they denied Jesus and allowed their son to be put out of the synagogue. (John 9:35-38)

-Fear made them think that they could not afford to believe

-One cannot be true to their conscience and convictions when they have this fear.

3. Pilate serves as one who was a moral coward.

-Many fail to stand against the opposition when it comes to their faith.

-Pilate when he had Jesus on trial leaves us an example. (John 19)

-Pilate heard both the claims of the people, and the claims of Jesus and knew that there was no crime in Jesus (John 18:38)

-He not only stated the innocence of Jesus once, but three times.

-Pilate thought that if he gave them a choice for a release…Jesus or Barabbas, they would choose Jesus.

-But, when they chose Jesus to be put to death, instead of standing for the truth, he gave them Jesus to be crucified (John 19:6)

B. Many were, and some are still afraid to follow Jesus, for several invalid reasons of fear.

1.Some fear what other will think of them.

-Too many will put friends and other activities before their relationship with the Lord, because of what others think.

-I won’t be able to hang out there, dress or talk like that, even be around some of them that I am with.

-What is truly important to you?

*Your friends who make fun of your convictions

*or the “friend” (John 15:13-14)who died for you.

2. Some fear an attitude taken toward them

-Some contend that if I obey the gospel, my parents will treat me differently.

-They feel like an outcast, when they have become a child of God. They have become a part of the most wonderful family ever; that is God’s family.

-You cannot love those around you more than the Lord (Matthew 10:35-38)

-Yes, all will stumble from time to time, but they need to remember that God forgives if we repent, and turn to Him, changing our life.

-Some put off being a Christian and try to live the life of a Christian. (John 15:5-10)

-We must be faithful, and it will be difficult, but God is always faithful. (I John 1:9)

4. Some fear the cost of discipleship

-Many say that they cannot be faithful and make all of the necessary changes in their life.

-God has not asked us to do something that is impossible.

-The strength that we have is from the Lord (Philippians 4:13)

-God will help us to overcome the temptations of life (I Corinthians 10:13)

-This weakness has hindered many from accepting truth about Jesus and making the confession of their faith in Him.

-It takes courage to live a life for the one who’s whole purpose is standing for truth and relying on spiritual power.

A. Many had their love in the wrong place.

1. Some lacked the love of God in their hearts.

-In John 5:41, Jesus said, “I receive not glory from men”

-Jesus had His love in the right place…to God (John 15:10)

-Jesus then said in John 5:42, “But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in yourselves.”

-Would Jesus say that of you? Consider the following question:

-These had a misplaced love, and Jesus asked them, “How can ye believe, who receive glory one of another, and the glory that cometh from the only God ye seek not?”

-How can we believe if we will not seek the glory of God?

-Where is your love tonight? Will you believe in Jesus?

2. Others had a love of darkness

-Jesus taught, “He that believeth not hath been judged already, because he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:18)

-There must be a reason for their unbelief, and certainly for the judgment of condemnation.

-Jesus revealed the answer in John 3:19-20, as it is written, “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.”

-This is a misplaced love, because God loved us enough that He gave His Son to die, that we might be saved. (John 3:15-17)

3. Some love the glory of men.

-Jesus had made a remarkable impact on the people when He taught, and performed miracles.

-This impact is recorded in John 12:42-43 that, “Even of the rulers, many believed on Him; (pay close attention) but because of the Pharisees they did not confess it, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: for they loved the glory that is of men, more than the glory that is of God”

-How many are like that today?

-If confessing Jesus were popular, would they have confessed?

-If the Pharisees said it was permitted, would they have confessed? Yes

-They had a misplaced love?

-How many are like these rulers today?

*If I become a Christian, they won’t be my friend

*If I obey the gospel people will think I am a fanatic.

-We need to realize that our love should be for God. (Acts 5:29)

4. Many have a love of self and material possessions.

-In this scenario, self and things are placed above truth

-So many will not seek those things which are above, and lay up treasures their (Colossians 3:1-4; Matthew 6:19-21)

-Many are stuck on this physical life (Luke 12:15-21)

-Jesus warned about losing our soul because of the world (Matthew 16:26)

-Remember Judas? What caused him to betray the Lord…thirty pieces of silver…as Jesus warned in Matthew 6:24, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon (riches)”

-Where is your love? Is it misplaced?

-Let us all love the Lord, who loved us (I John 4:10, 19)

B. Repent and return to your first love, if your love is misplaced. (Revelation 2:4-5)

A. Many will not believe because of a preconceived disposition of heart

1. Some are set against the truth, before considering all of it.

-Some fail to give an honest evaluation of the teachings in the Bible.

-The Jews were of this number, as the Bible says, “He hath blinded their eyes, and He hardened their heart; Lest they should see with their eyes, and perceive with their heart, and should turn.” (John 12:37-40)

-The words of Psalm 95:7-9, apply here: “Today, oh that ye would hear His voice! Harden not your heart, as at Meribah, As in the days of Massah in the wilderness; When your fathers tempted Me, Proved Me, and saw my work.”

-The Hebrew writer used this same thought to apply to those under the Law of Christ, to show that we can fall after the same example of unbelief. (Hebrews 3:7-19)

2. Some who crucified Jesus were hardened by brutality.

-Even after He taught the multitudes the truth, Jesus was crucified for His claims, and put to shame.

-The soldiers slapped Him, beat Him, parted His garments, mocked Him, and nailed Him to a cross, and He humbly complied.

-Although these men were hardened, the gospel of Mark tells us of a centurion that looked on Jesus and said, “Truly this man was the Son of God” (Mark 15:39).

-We can be like one who is prejudice and will not honestly consider truth, or we will accept Jesus as the Son of God.

3. The Jews and Pharisees missed all of truth being hardened by traditions

-When Jesus healed a lame man of 38 years, the Jews looked beyond the wonderful work and complained about breaking tradition. (John 5:15-16)

-When the Jews should have seen the power of God, and that a fellow man was made whole, useful in society again, they only expressed their hardness of heart.

-This same thing happened in John 9 as Jesus healed a man born blind. (John 9:14-16)

-This young man who was healed confessed Jesus to be a prophet, and was willing to suffer exclusion from the synagogue for His cause.

-The Bible tells us the problem with both Jew and Pharisee:

“Jesus said, ‘For judgment I am come into the world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.”

-The man born blind (physically), was made to see (spiritually), those who could see (physically), could not see (spiritually)

-The Pharisee asked in John 9:40, “Are we blind also?”

-Jesus responded, “If ye were blind ye should have no sin: but now ye say We see; therefore your sin remains” (vs. 41)

-This man received a command, obeyed the Lord, and was healed, then was cast out for his faith.

-Will you be like the one with the hardened heart, or the one with the obedient heart?

B. Many are hardened by prejudice today?

1. Without coming to the scriptures with an open and honest heart, one cannot deal fairly with the evidence. (ex. jury duty)

-Those of Jesus day said, “for this man doeth many signs” (John 11:47), yet they still sought to put Him to death.

-Many today have “complete” evidence in the Bible, but still seek to put Jesus to death, denying the truth.

2. Ask yourself, “Have I honestly taken the time to give a fair consideration to the truth concerning Jesus?”

-If you have NOT, then do it today!

-If you need to trust in the Lord, don’t delay!

A. Many would not trust in Jesus because of the intellectual pride

1. The Pharisaic rulers questioned the officers who went to arrest Jesus. (John 7)

-Those who were rulers were upset at the officers for not bringing Jesus (John 7:45)

-When the officers said, “Never man spake like this man”, they were moved to respond, “Are ye also deceived? Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on Him?” (John 7:46-48)

-If the ruler had not believed, they were not supposed to believe

-This is where intellectual pride causes a weak faith

-The Bible records in John 12:42-43, that some of the rulers did believe, yet would not confess Him.

-Their pride stood in the way of true faith.

2. Some would not care to consider Jesus, and are indifferent.

-Indeed, while some believed, and others were briefly entertained by wonders, signs and profound teaching, there were others that simply could care less.

-Those who sought from the beginning to destroy Jesus, could have cared less about His claims and efforts to make them.

B. Many today, are full of pride and indifference.

1. Some cannot let go of their pride to humbly obey the Lord.

-Job positions, homes, cars and other possessions, take first place.

-Some say that their reputation will be lost if they follow Jesus, yet they don’t see that their soul is lost if they don’t

2. Others have a difficult time caring about the Lord and His cause.

-How many people today just shrug their shoulders and say, “So what”?

-How many have been indifferent in their choice to follow Jesus, not realizing that they are already following the devil. (Romans 6:16-18)

-Do not be indifferent, but different and follow the one who died for you.

-HEAR John 12:48

-BELIEVE John 8:24

-REPENT Luke 13:3,5

-CONFESS Matthew 10:32-33

-BAPTIZED Mark 16:16

-FAITHFUL Matthew 24:13

3. If you are a Christian and need to repent of some sin, let us pray with you and for you (I John 1:9)

4. Don’t let it be said of you, after seeing the truth, “Yet they believed not on Him” (John 12:37)

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Last modified: 05/02/08

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