What do you seek?

The following is a sermon I have written on John 1:35-42.

"John (the baptist) was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as He walked, and said, 'Behold, the Lamb of God!' The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. And Jesus turned and saw them following, and said to them, 'what do you seek?'"

I find it quite interesting that Jesus would ask these men "what" they seek, rather than "whom". Keeping in mind that Jesus knows the hearts of all people (John 2:24-25), why do you think Jesus would ask these disciples of John the baptist "what" they seek? Curiously enough, it says that Jesus turned and saw them following Him; which intimates that they were at a distance from Him. Were they attempting to observe the Messiah for a time before they approached Him? I wonder if their hearts weren't so raptured in curiosity and excitement that they thought it best to wait a short time before going directly to Him. The Lord, as He does with us, initiates the relationship with His question.

Whom they sought.
Jesus knew well that they sought Messiah; that John had pointed these men to Jesus. So, asking them "what" they are seeking is to ask them "why are you seeking Me?" "What is it you hope to find in this seeking?" This gets to the point. Friend, ask yourself the same: If you are in any way seeking Jesus, what do you seek? More than the fact that they were, at the least, professing followers of the truth, Jesus knew intimately that these men were truly "saints by calling" (1 Corinthians 1:2). In other words, they were not holy men for any other reason than that God Himself had called them. How do I know this? Christ Himself, to these same men, and others, says in another place: "You did not choose Me but I chose you, and I appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would last" (John 15:16). Jesus chose these men; and thus they sought Him because He first sought them! So then, though you may be truly called of God, this question still beckons your answer: In your seeking Christ as His child, what do you seek?

Asking the Christian
In other places it is told us that the disciples, following common Jewish understanding, believed that when Messiah arrived He would establish His earthly Kingdom, and immediately eradicate the forces of evil in the world. Therefore, without question, these men sought Christ as King. We should as well. How we do this though must be governed by a proper understanding of all that Messiah is to His people. Jesus is not simply King, but also our Prophet, and Priest. He holds these three unique roles, and we should never seek Him in an imbalanced way, which places one of them above the others.

It would appear Christ's Kingship wasn't their primary focus. Notice their response: "Rabbi, where are You staying?" Calling Him Rabbi tells us they sought Him as their Prophet- as the One who would speak the very words of God to them, and likewise explain the truths of Sacred Writ for their understanding. They followed Him to hear the words of Life. They sought Him to learn the Scriptures rightly. They submitted to His authority as prophet, and teacher. Whether or not they hoped Messiah would reign physically on the earth, their seeking Him as King was clearly balanced by their humble desire to learn and be taught of Him. In the same way, though we may be overcome at times with angst for Christ's return, we are called to search out His will in Scripture, and to submit ourselves to His role as our Prophet and Teacher.

Secondly, they also sought to spend time with Jesus. "Where are You staying?" was their question. They wanted to be with Jesus. They wanted to know Him. So much of the experience of the saint is wrapped up in this. We will never be any more spiritual than our time of solitude with God produces in us. The measure of a Christian's spiritual progress is not summed up in how many years one spends studying in Bible schools; it's not evidenced in how often one speaks of the Gospel to others; it isn't shown in how well one can communicate the Word of God, nor in how many hours one volunteers in charitable service; the sum of a Christian's spirituality is found in what their time of solitude with God consists of. No person's growth in holiness, degree of contentment, passion for God's glory, love for neighbor, or happiness in Christ, will ever exceed the degree to which they commune alone with Christ.

One Thing Is Needed
This reminds me of "the greater part" Jesus announced that Mary sought, in contrast to her sister's service. The two sisters had the Lord over to their house; Mary sat at Jesus' feet to learn of Him and know Him better, while Martha prepared things and grew frustrated that her sister left her all the work! Jesus commended Mary for not being preoccupied with lesser things while in His presence. Oh! and what a lesson for us to learn! There is no purpose in service and ministry if we neglect what Jesus called "the greater part" and "the one thing needed" (Luke 10:38-42). Scripture gives us no means of improving upon our strength, holiness, and faith, more effective than communion with Him. So then, in your seeking, are you seeking the one thing needed? And if you claim you are, are you seeking it in a manner suitable to the worth of knowing Christ? Think of this: For a small treasure a man is moved to labor, that he might attain it; and for the heart of a girl he loves, a man is willing to sacrifice much; so how much sacrifice and devotion, then, is the attainment of intimate solitude with Christ worthy of? Our labors to this end must be suitable to the worthiness of Christ. Anything less only mocks His worth, and produces in us an ever-increasing carelessness to its significance.

True and False Converts Manifest
It is here that the saints are distinguished from the false converts: in that they love his fellowship with Jesus more than life. Our hearts ever say to Him, "Rabbi, I wish to be near You, and to learn from You." Similarly the Apostle Peter's confession, after the multitudes had left Jesus offended at His preaching, was "Lord we have nowhere else to go, for You have the Words of Life" (John 6:52-71). When the world denies Christ, and is offended by the blunt edges of the Gospel, then it is that the saints do shine forth; for to them, more than anything on the earth, it is the teachings of Christ which they cling to; and without which they'd rather die.

Asking the Unconverted
Those who only outwardly profess faith, though they love the world more than Christ (1 John 2:15), as well as those who do sincerely seek to know God but are not assured they're saved yet; if they, in some way do seek Christ, they also must ask the question: "what do I seek in my seeking Christ?" When following Christ costs a person nothing, which is then only outward show, a person can content themselves with seeking Christ for the wrong reasons. People might seek the Messiah for security, help, friend's or family's sake; to stay out of hell (or so they assume), or because they admire good morals; they may see it socially acceptable, or it may soothe their conscience; or they may seek Him simply because it's all they've ever known- they were raised in the church atmosphere.

All of these reasons must make a person blush with shame when seen in the light of the only reason acceptable before God- to know Him: to obey, love, glorify, and enjoy Him! The individual who seeks "things" in their seeking Christ, does not seek Christ in the only manner acceptable to Him. Jesus demands everything from us (Luke 14:33); and the one who thinks half-hearted, self-centered worship, and/or religion, is going to please Him, know that your very reasoning demeans the worth of Christ. Such lukewarmness is vile to Him; and will only provoke Him to vomit you into damnation, just as He has promised (Revelation 3:16).

"Come, and you will see" (vs. 39)
The only way to attain the "one thing needed" is to "come" as Jesus commands. A seeking Christ in the mind only will not suffice. A (supposed) desire to know Christ only will not suffice. Many seem to have wonderful intentions. Many will tell you with great clarity that what they lack in life is a commitment to knowing God. They claim they seek to have a relationship with Christ- but the fruit of their lives does not bear this out. God does not desire a love that never manifests itself outwardly; nor does He want us to only love Him with our heart and mind. Jesus said the Father requires we love Him with all of our heart, mind, AND strength (Matthew 22:37-38). Loving God with our strength necessitates our exerting ourselves in our worship. Exerting what you may ask? Exerting energy, strength, fervency, diligence, and earnestness. It requires we not merely feel love for God, but also that this be carried out through our will and determination. Here again, though, we must hearken back to the exhortation of Christ: for Martha exerted herself in a way that neglected the one thing needed. She served Christ, but Mary, who Christ commended mind you, exerted herself through a diligent, fiery drive to sit by Him, listen to Him, talk with Him, and drink in His love and wisdom. Strength of will and determination and obedience in this matter must be exerted.

What prevents a person from carrying out their desire to commune in solitude with Christ? Nothing, I say, besides their own will and determination. If we do not commune with Him it is because we do not value communion with Him as we should. Nothing outside of ourselves prevents us. We are too easily carried away with vanities; too quickly preoccupied with the basest of concerns. This coming to Him in communion is within our reach saints. It's within our reach because Christ has purchased our sanctification: "(Christ) who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption" (1 Corinthians 1:30)! It's within our reach because the Holy Spirit has been commissioned to the end that we would enjoy the benefits of this purchase! We must love God with all of our heart, mind, and strength. Imperfectly as it be, our seeking Him must be suitable to the magnitude of His worth. Christ said, "Come, and you will see". If you never come, you will never see. Christian, if you desire to seek Him properly, you must "come" to Him, and thus commune with Him in solitude.

"One of the two who...followed Him...found His brother Simon and said to him, 'We have found the Messiah'. And he brought him to Jesus" (vs. 40-41).

The soul that finds contentment in Christ, who experiences the unique wonder of knowing His presence, is the soul that searches out others to know Him the same. Pleading with the lost comes natural to the person who spends their free time in solitude with Christ. And the opposite is true of the one who is too busy to commune in private with Him. If we neglect consistency in our communing with God, our depth of compassion for the lost, and zeal to see the Gospel preached, will prove too shallow to bear fruit. Mere conversation with men may raise us a little above indifference in our passion for the perishing; but if it is not accompanied by conversation with Christ, our passion will evaporate just as quickly as it descended upon us. Nothing can produce a sustained preoccupation with the lost, and seeing God glorified through discipleship, but solitude with God. Only their can our souls be fitted for Gospel labor.

The likelihood of your casting aside the trifles of this temporal sphere, in order to further the Kingdom of Christ, is dependent upon the consistency with which you commune with Christ in private. The battle to obey the Great Commission is won or lost in the prayer closet. Those who make much of solitude with God will make much of seeing sinners saved. Those who do not make much of solitude with God, will make much of stupid entertainments of flesh.

If you are seeking Jesus, I exhort you to, as the two disciples, seek Him in a manner suitable to His majestic, perfect nature. If you are seeking to know Him, do so as seeking One who is of infinite worth!

Thomas Karrer