These words are only the third recorded utterance of the Lord Jesus. The first came from a 12-year-old boy: “Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” Oh, how I wish that all 12-year-olds would say – and mean – such words. If I had said those words when I was 12-years-old where might I have been at 20 or 25? Then again, I wish 30-year-olds, and 40-year-olds, 50s and 70-year-olds were this diligent and spiritual. The second thing which the Lord said was in regard to His baptism. “Suffer it to be so now, for thus it becometh us to fulril all righteousness.” This was Jesus’ third recorded sentence. I am certain that there were many, many other things which Jesus said, and many of them would be very interesting. But there hasn’t been very much recorded for us to examine today. But this was. And if it was important enough to be recorded in the pages of the Word of God, then it is important enough to study. Why did the Lord ask? What was the recorded answer? Is He also asking me? How do I answer?
Think about the people to whom the Lord was speaking.
One was Andrew as we see in verse 40. Andrew was one most diligent disciples of John the Baptist. But after he started following Christ, he couldn’t compare with some of the others. He was just one of the disciples – one of the disciples like us perhaps. He was not there on the Mount of Transfiguration with John, James and Peter. In the Garden of Gethsemane, he fell asleep out by road. But it was Andrew who brought to Jesus the lad with the five barley loaves and two fish. And Andrew was a soul-winner in the sense that he brought his brother Peter to Christ. There is nothing more necessary than common people, bringing other common people to Christ. This world needs great pioneer missionaries, preachers, writers of good books, and so on. But there are not going be missionaries, preachers and theologians until people are brought to Christ. Children need to be brought to the Lord; teens; young adults; people in mid-life, and seniors – need the Saviour. It is the Andrews of the Lord who say, “Peter, come with me: we have found the Messiah.” The just-redeemed sinful woman at the well said: “Come see a man that told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?” This is the greatest need that the world has today – not deeper theologians, not better gospel singers. The world doesn’t need more worthy politicians or solutions to the national debt. Our greatest need is not honest lawyers and judges; not cleaner air; not more positive attitudes. We need an army of Christians who care whether men live eternally or die without Christ. We need people who are willing to invite their neighbors to come with them to a church where Christ might be found. Andrew was one of those people.
The other person in our scripture is not named, although it was very likely the Apostle John. The fact that he is not named is significant. It is as though God wanted us to insert our names in that spot. Although Christ wanted His question to hit those two men, it was also meant for the next generation and the next, until it came down to us.
Now, think about the implications and events involved here. Jesus had recently been immersed by the Baptist. Some people had seen the descent of the Holy Spirit, and they heard the voice of God. Then Christ disappeared for few days, which we know as the time of His temptation by Satan. The Baptist had pointed out Jesus Christ and said that He is the sin bearer – the sacrifice. “Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.” It was as though he was actually encouraging his disciples to follow Jesus. “Forget about me. I’m only the forerunner. It is Christ that you really need. Follow Him.” John and Andrew were among the first to listen to their old teacher. At first they were trying not to be seen and questioned by the Lord. But Christ Jesus is always aware of everything – He learns nothing by discovery, observation or rumor. He didn’t look to see that you were here tonight. He knew from eternity. In fact it was pre-ordained that you be here this evening. It is God’s will that you hear this message, for whatever it is worth. And we see here that Jesus didn’t wait for them to speak – He initiated the conversation.
Then there was that question itself: “What seek ye?” It could have been asked in anger or annoyance, but it wasn’t. Some people might have asked it in fear. This time it was asked in the way that a doctor asks about someone’s symptoms. Notice that the question was “WHAT seek ye” and not “whom seek ye?” The “whom” was obvious, but the real question was why or for what were they looking? Some of their neighbors were looking for the Messiah for political reasons. They hated the Romans. Others were wanting seeking for Christ’s miracles – such as free food and free health care. It is possible to come to Christ for the wrong reasons, so the question was appropriate. “What seek ye?”
I suppose that we could dwell on the fact that there was a veiled promise contained here. “What do you want? If it is proper, I’ll give it to you.” “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” “Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name that will I give you.” The whole situation seems say, “Soul, if you need Christ, He is available.” Jesus’ “come and see” is a call to first-hand and intimate acquaintance with Him.
Then we must consider the response of the two disciples.
Like most people, these two couldn’t immediately answer. “Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, where dwellest thou?” The answer they gave sounds like a plea for more time to come up with a better answer. “Ah, ah, where dwellest thou?” It doesn’t sound like an answer to Jesus’ question. That was the answer to a question which they had BEFORE Christ turned to speak. Why do people attend church? Why do they follow along ten yards behind Christ? For a lot of people, they might not really be able to answer that question well. Maybe for some people, it is because of you that they come. But for many, it doesn’t appear to be Christ at all. Because, if the Lord Jesus is in the auditorium on Sunday morning, then He should be here Sunday evening and again on Wednesday. Don’t people need Christ when it is dark? Why do we attend church? Habit? Entertainment? Family rules? Pride and appearance?
Perhaps John and Andrew wanted to watch for while – find where Christ lived, then when the time was right in their minds they’d approach the Lord more directly. That might have been the plan. But we need the Lord Jesus today, not some day down in the future. “Bbehold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day …” The Lord’s question implies, “It’s time quit fooling around and get to business.” These are the last days; there is work to be done.
There are a couple things to consider here. The disciples DID want to know more about Christ. Amen to that! Don’t you want to know more about the God of the Universe? More about the one who shall judge the quick and the dead – including us? Don’t you want study the one who knows your every thought? They called Jesus “Rabbi” – at least at this point – the word means “Master” or “teacher.” In other words, John’s testimony of the Saviour was important enough to warrant further study. But then there was Jesus’ invitation to come closer for a better view.
There are a couple of principles to think about here. First, don’t come to conclusions about Christ until you’ve made some proper investigation. Don’t base your opinion upon the opinions of others, no matter how worthy those people might be. There are people who wouldn’t visit Calvary Baptist Church, if brought in a coffin. They’ve heard rumors and listened to some lies. They’ve gotten false impressions from some members’ sinful habits. But to fear the gospel or the Word of God is as ridiculous as a superstitious fear of a light bulb. Second, remember that you can’t taste the roast by smelling it from the street corner. To learn of Christ you have go into the house and sink your teeth into the meat of Word.
John and Andrew were not seeking mere human leadership.
They already had a human leader in John the Baptist. There are people who are members of churches only because of the man who is the pastor there. Sometimes it is the personality of the preacher who draws them; his charisma; his funny accent; his antics. Sometimes its merely the fact that he was a former priest, a bishop, a rabbi, or a former mafia boss.
Whatever it is, if it is a human reason – it is wrong. Our selection of a church shouldn’t be based on location, color, numbers, socials, or personalities. We obligated to attend and support the church where the Bible is an open book; where the pastor points out our need of Christ. We need to be in the place where we are warned to flee the wrath to come. We should seek human leaders who will say, “Behold the lamb of God which taketh away the sin of world” We need to find the church of Christ and plant our self there producing fruit for the glory of the Lord. John and Andrew already had a good pastor – they were not in need of a new one, just for a change.
And they weren’t merely interested in the best that the world had to offer.
This world has a lot of enticing stuff to fill our days and our Sunday nights. Some of them are pretty fine and others are terrible. Some people won’t attend a church which doesn’t have professional music and Starbucks in every service. Such things may make a congregation modern, but they don’t make it one of the Lord’s churches.
Do you recall Jesus’ opinion of the Baptist? Luke 7:28 – “I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist.” There had not been to that point in time a greater child of Adam than John the Baptist. That was the estimation of the Son of God, who never uttered lie or was ever mistake. In other words John and Andrew were turning their backs on the best that the world had to offer. But what the world offers can’t be compared to what the Lord has to offer. “What profit is there if man gain the whole world and loose own soul?”
That must ever be the desire of thoughtful souls – it must be. Would you choose brass if you could have gold? Would you select a mansion on a hill-top today, over a mansion in heaven tomorrow? Out of all that Heaven and earth have to offer; we must choose carefully. Because “all that is in the world, lust of eyes, flesh and pride life is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”
What John and Andrew were seeking was Christ.
“Tell us where you live, Lord, because we want you.” “Take the world, but give us Jesus.” “We desire a sacrifice to permanently wash away our sins. All our lambs, and our vows, and festivals have been useless — save us Lord. We seek favour with God, eternal Life and deliverance from Hell – we desire You.”
And then Master – Teacher – tell us how to live, give us direction. “King of our lives, we crown thee now, thine may the glory be.” Christianity is not merely salvation from sin; it is a new life to be lived both on earth now and in Heaven for eternity. And the key is Christ Himself – it is always about Christ. John and Andrew wanted the Lord Jesus, and they were willing to give up everything to have Him. They are examples to us.