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Sermon #5404

Taste and See

A Sermon on John 1:5-46

Originally preached Oct. 14, 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

What does it mean to taste and see the fruit of new life? In this sermon on John 1:45–46 titled “Taste and See,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches on what it means to know Christ and believe in His message. Many oppose Christianity because they say it asks people to abandon all reason and evidence and make a blind commitment. But this is all wrong, as Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains, because Christianity is a faith based in what God has done in time and history. It is faith grounded in the real person of Jesus Christ who came and died for sinners. When humankind abandons their pride and comes before God, they find that Christianity is a religion about relationship with God. It is about the God who loves His sinful creatures enough to send His own Son to die for them. All are called to believe in Christ and to repent of their sins; this is the only way to salvation and peace with God. This sermon brings the greatest message: the message of Christ. It calls all to believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ and to come to know the Creator and Lord.

Sermon Breakdown

Philip finds Nathaniel and tells him about Jesus of Nazareth, the one Moses and the prophets wrote about.
Nathaniel doubts anything good can come out of Nazareth. Philip tells him to come and see.
Jesus sees Nathaniel coming and says he is an Israelite without deceit. Nathaniel asks how Jesus knows him.
Jesus says he saw Nathaniel under the fig tree before Philip called him.
Nathaniel declares Jesus the Son of God and King of Israel.
Jesus says Nathaniel will see greater things, like heaven open and angels ascending and descending on the Son of Man.
The passage shows how the first disciples came to Jesus. Coming to Jesus is the most important thing.
Christianity is about coming to a person, Jesus, not theories or philosophies. Jesus is a historical figure, the Son of Joseph from Nazareth, who fulfills prophecy.
Nathaniel desired salvation and was waiting for the Messiah. No one becomes a Christian without wanting it. Some realize their need quickly, some over time. The time doesn’t matter, but you must seek the truth.
Nathaniel was without deceit, serious and coming to find the Messiah, not just argue. You must be seeking truth to find it.
Philip says “come and see” instead of arguing. You must come to Jesus to know him. You can’t know from a distance.
Coming to Jesus is not intellectual suicide. The gospel is based on facts and invites you to a historical person. It presents a rational, moral view of life.
We can’t fully understand God and spiritual truths with human reason. At some point, we must humble ourselves and trust in God.
The testimony of Christians for 2,000 years shows coming to Jesus is not irrational. Great thinkers have done so.
When you come to Jesus, you find he knows you personally and cares for you. He sees you as an individual, not just part of a crowd.
Jesus knew all about Nathaniel, even seeing him under the fig tree. Jesus knows every detail about us. We can’t hide from him.
Jesus knows our circumstances, thoughts, sins, hopes, fears, failures, and longings. But he also has compassion.
Jesus praised Nathaniel as an Israelite without deceit. He will welcome us no matter our sins if we come to him.
Seeing Jesus’ knowledge, compassion, and welcome, we can only conclude like Nathaniel that he is the Son of God and King.

Sermon Q&A

Questions and Answers about Nathaniel's Encounter with Jesus According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

What significance does Dr. Lloyd-Jones find in Philip's words "Come and see" to Nathaniel?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, "Come and see" represents an essential principle of Christian faith. He emphasizes that Christianity cannot be proven or tested from a distance - one must actually encounter Christ personally. Lloyd-Jones states, "Christianity, the Christian salvation, is not something that can be proved and tested from the outside or from a distance." He explains that while we can stand and argue about Christianity forever, we'll never progress until we actually cross over and meet Christ personally. This invitation requires commitment rather than merely intellectual consideration.

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones address the concern that committing to Christ is "intellectual suicide"?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones provides several responses to this concern: 1. The invitation is not to plunge into darkness but to commit to a concrete historical person with well-substantiated facts 2. Nothing in the gospel is inherently irrational - it presents "the most exalted view of life and the most exalted system of living that the world has ever seen" 3. When dealing with the infinite and supernatural God, human reason has natural limitations 4. He quotes Blaise Pascal that "the supreme achievement of reason is to bring us to see that there is a limit to reason" 5. He points to the testimony of great Christian intellectuals throughout history who found that faith enhanced rather than diminished their minds

What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say happens when we first come to Jesus?

According to Lloyd-Jones, when we first come to Jesus, we discover that "he knows you individually." Using Nathaniel's experience, he explains that Christ doesn't just know about us in a general way but knows us with intimate particularity. Lloyd-Jones states, "Thank God. Here somewhere where I'm dealt with myself. I'm an individual. I'm a man, I'm an entity. I'm a personality." This personal recognition stands in contrast to the way people are treated as masses or crowds in modern society. Christ is interested in us as persons, not merely in our ideas or arguments.

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain Jesus' statement about seeing Nathaniel under the fig tree?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that Jesus' statement about seeing Nathaniel under the fig tree demonstrates Christ's supernatural knowledge of Nathaniel. He notes that fig trees were private places where devout Jews would go to read Scripture, meditate and pray - a "secret chamber" where one would be alone with God. When Jesus told Nathaniel "before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee," He was revealing intimate knowledge of Nathaniel's spiritual life and private devotions. Lloyd-Jones suggests Nathaniel had likely been praying about the coming Messiah, and Jesus' knowledge of this private moment was what convinced Nathaniel of Christ's divine identity.

What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say about Jesus' knowledge of us?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that Jesus has complete knowledge of us - "There is nothing about us that is hidden from him." This knowledge includes: 1. Our sins, both public and private 2. Our thoughts, imaginations, lusts and passions 3. Our misery, sadness and tears 4. Our hopes and fears 5. Our struggles to live better lives

He cites biblical examples including David's confession in Psalm 51, the Samaritan woman, and Hebrews 4 about God's word discerning "the thoughts and intents of the heart." Lloyd-Jones suggests this complete knowledge is why some people avoid Christ - they don't want to be fully known. However, he emphasizes that Christ's knowledge of us includes understanding our needs and sufferings, not just our sins.

What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones conclude about Jesus' identity?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones concludes that the only possible explanation for Jesus is that He is both God and man. He presents a logical argument: if Jesus were only a man, He would be either a blasphemer or a lunatic for making divine claims. Yet He cannot be only God because He is "patently also a man." Lloyd-Jones notes that modern scholarship has been forced to acknowledge that Jesus cannot be explained merely as a good human teacher. After removing the supernatural elements, "you haven't a person left at all." Therefore, Nathaniel's confession - "Rabbi, thou art the Son of God. Thou art the king of Israel" - is the only rational conclusion about Jesus.

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain the process of coming to faith in Christ?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes the process of coming to faith as: 1. First recognizing your need as "an Israelite indeed" who seeks salvation 2. Being willing to "taste and see" rather than just intellectually consider 3. Committing yourself to Christ even before full understanding 4. Discovering that Christ knows you completely 5. Experiencing Christ's sympathy and welcome despite your sins 6. Coming to recognize His true identity as the Son of God

He uses the imagery from Psalm 34: "Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good." Lloyd-Jones insists we must taste first, then we will see. The order is crucial - we won't experience the reality of Christ until we take a step of commitment toward Him.

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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