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Sermon #5403

Face to Face with Christ

A Sermon on John 1:5-46

Originally preached Oct. 7, 1956

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Scripture

John 1:5-46 ESV KJV

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear … The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; God the only Son, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known. And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing. The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.” The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter). The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” (ESV)

5And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

6¶ There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8He was not …

5And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

6¶ There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. 10He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

15¶ John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. 16And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. 17For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. 18No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

19¶ And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? 20And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. 21And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. 22Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? 23He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias. 24And they which were sent were of the Pharisees. 25And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet? 26John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; 27He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose. 28These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.

29¶ The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. 30This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. 31And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. 32And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. 33And 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. 34And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.

35¶ Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; 36And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! 37And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38Then 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? 39He 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. 40One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. 42And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.

43¶ The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me. 44Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. 46And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.

Sermon Description

Many believe Christianity is merely another political viewpoint or just another lifestyle option. In this sermon on John 1:5–46 titled “Face to Face with Christ,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones states that this is a complete misunderstanding of christianity. While there are many moral philosophies that seek to make the world a better place through education and political lobbying organizations, these fail to bring true change to the human heart. The heart of Christianity is Jesus Christ who was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, and died a sinner’s death on the cross, later to be raised from the grave. All this was foretold in the law of Moses and the prophets. When Jesus came, those who knew the Scriptures recognized Him as the long-awaited Messiah who would deliver Israel and bring about the kingdom of God. Those who reject God and Jesus Christ do not do so because they are rational and unbiased, for there is evidence of the identity of Christ in Scripture. They do so because they are sinners blinded by darkness. It is only by the grace of God that this blindness can be dispelled.

Sermon Breakdown

The purpose of preaching and the church is to present Jesus Christ to people, just as Philip presented Jesus to Nathanael.
Many people have a false view of Christianity. Some see it as just a philosophy or teaching. Others see it as just living a moral life. Others see it as just an experience.
The essence of Christianity is coming face to face with the person of Jesus Christ.
We must go back to the Scriptures to understand who Jesus really is. The Old Testament points to Jesus as the Messiah.
Moses spoke of Jesus as the prophet God would raise up, the seed of the woman who would crush the serpent, the seed of Abraham through whom all nations would be blessed, the sacrifices that point to Jesus as the Lamb of God, etc.
The prophets also spoke of Jesus' virgin birth, birth in Bethlehem, triumphal entry, suffering and death, etc.
John the Baptist summed it up by calling Jesus the "Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."
Nathanael had a hard time accepting Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah since Nazareth is not mentioned in the prophecies. But he was willing to "come and see."
Jesus saw Nathanael as an "Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit." He was a sincere seeker of truth.
We must seek Jesus sincerely and without guile, willing to face difficulties and come to Him as we are.
Coming to Jesus means reading the Gospels, listening to His teaching, praying for revelation, and yielding to Him.
If we come to Jesus sincerely, we will confess Him as the Son of God, as Nathanael did.
Jesus came to die on the cross as the Lamb of God to take away our sins. He alone can forgive sins, give new life, and open the way to eternity.
The question for each person is: Have you come face to face with Jesus Christ? Have you considered Him? Come and see!

Sermon Q&A

Questions and Answers from Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on John 1:45-46

What is the central message of Christianity according to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the central message of Christianity is first and foremost about encountering the person of Jesus Christ. He emphasizes that many people approach Christianity wrongly by focusing on teachings, ethics, or experiences without first confronting Christ Himself. As he states: "Christianity starts with him. You see, before you begin to discuss theories about anything or ways of life and of living, we are just facing this fact that there has been in this world this Jesus, this person who lived in Nazareth." The sermon stresses that true Christianity begins with meeting Jesus personally, not with philosophies or attitudes.

How does Philip present Jesus to Nathanael in John 1:45-46?

Philip presents Jesus to Nathanael by saying, "We have found him of whom Moses in the law and the prophets did write, Jesus, the son of Joseph of Nazareth." Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that Philip doesn't try to convince Nathanael by talking about an experience or a feeling, but rather presents Jesus as the fulfillment of Scripture. Philip points to Jesus as the one prophesied throughout the Old Testament, making a claim about His identity as the Messiah, and then simply invites Nathanael to "come and see" for himself.

What common misconceptions do people have about Christianity according to the sermon?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, common misconceptions about Christianity include: 1. That it's primarily a philosophy or point of view about various issues 2. That it's merely a moral or ethical way of living 3. That it's just about having a certain kind of emotional experience or finding happiness 4. That it's a teaching among many teachings offering solutions to life's problems

He states: "Their whole conception of Christianity is that it is a particular teaching... It's a point of view. It's an attitude which you take up with regard to particular subjects." The sermon emphasizes that these approaches miss the essential nature of Christianity as an encounter with the person of Christ.

How does the Old Testament point to Jesus according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that the Old Testament points to Jesus in multiple ways: 1. Through direct prophecies (Isaiah's virgin birth prophecy, Micah's prediction of Bethlehem as birthplace) 2. Through early promises (Genesis 3 - the seed of the woman bruising the serpent's head) 3. Through the Abrahamic covenant (blessing all nations through Abraham's seed) 4. Through the sacrificial system (prefiguring Christ as the ultimate sacrifice) 5. Through specific prophecies about the timing of His coming (Daniel) 6. Through prophecies about His suffering (Isaiah 53)

He summarizes: "John the Baptist, in the statement that he made to his disciples was just summarizing the whole of this prophetic teaching. When he said, behold the lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the whole world."

What does it mean that Nathanael was "an Israelite indeed in whom is no guile"?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, this statement from Jesus about Nathanael has two important aspects: 1. "An Israelite indeed" means Nathanael was a true seeker of the Messiah: "An Israelite, a true Israelite, was a man who was looking for the Messiah." He was genuinely waiting and hoping for the promised one. 2. "In whom is no guile" means he was completely sincere and honest in his seeking: "Without Guile means this. There was no cunning, there was no deception, there was no concern about personal advantage, there was no employment of trickery for selfish advantage."

Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that Nathanael wasn't coming to argue or to show his cleverness, but with genuine desire to know the truth, despite his initial doubts about Nazareth.

What does "Come and see" mean for people seeking Christ today?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones interprets the invitation to "come and see" as a practical approach for seekers today: 1. Don't reject Christ simply because of intellectual difficulties 2. Come to Him just as you are, with all your doubts and questions 3. Encounter Him directly in the Gospel accounts: "Look at him. Explain him if you can. Explain the impact he's had upon the whole world ever since his coming." 4. Ask Him in simple prayer to reveal Himself to you by the Holy Spirit 5. Be sincere and honest in your seeking

He emphasizes this approach is for those who are genuinely seeking: "If with all your heart you truly seek him, you shall surely find him. But if you're not a true seeker, well, then I hold out no hope for you."

Why is personal encounter with Christ essential to Christianity?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that a personal encounter with Christ is essential because Christianity is fundamentally about a relationship with a person, not adherence to a system. He says, "There is nothing which is so easy, it seems to me, in this world, as to think of Christianity even without Christ." The sermon emphasizes that the ethical teachings, experiences, and worldview of Christianity only have their true meaning and power when they flow from a personal relationship with Jesus. This is what distinguished the apostles and explains their transformed lives: "What is this knowledge of Jesus Christ? The question I'm asking is, have we all got this? Do we possess it? Do we find that our relationship to Jesus Christ transforms our life, changes it completely, revolutionizes everything?"

What was Nathanael's objection to Philip's message about Jesus?

Nathanael's objection was summarized in his question: "Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?" Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that this wasn't merely a prejudice against Nazareth as an insignificant town, but rather a theological objection based on Nathanael's knowledge of Scripture: "There is nothing in the Old Testament scriptures that associate the messiah with Nazareth. If you'd said Bethlehem, it would have been all right. But you're saying Nazareth." Nathanael, as someone who knew the prophetic writings, was pointing out that no prophecy had identified Nazareth as the Messiah's hometown, creating a legitimate difficulty for him in accepting Philip's claim.

The Book of John

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.

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