Equipped 2024 - "Why People Came To Jesus" by Dan Winkler

April 19, 2024 - Friday 8:00 AM Auditorium Speaker

 

Speaker: Dan Winkler

 

Why People Came To Jesus  -  John 20: 30-31

Why did people come to see Jesus? Was he the Son of God? Was he proving himself to be the Son of God?

There are 4 different groups that came to seek out Jesus and Jesus responded:

1. Studious – Learned

Ch 3 Nicodemus comes to address Jesus as Rabbi/Teacher

The teacher comes to the Teacher

V3 – notice Jesus’ declaration, there is no introduction to Nicodemus; no “hello” etc.

V4 – Question from Nicodemus

V5 – Explanation by Jesus

V8 – an illustration to help Nicodemus understand

V9-21 – application – Not being born a Jew but being born again. With application Jesus gave Nicodemus hope with the example of old testament Moses.

Application for us: are there not individuals who are extremely studious and want to know what the Bible says? There are people today, esp Gen Z who want to study to prove themselves right with God. Are we ready to help these folks? Can you give answers with gentleness and respect? Are we content to give same ol stale stuff from years past? Are we relevant to the times in society? Jesus gave Nicodemus, the studious, hope. Do we have a “good news” message for this studious generation or are we “Christian Bullies”?

 

2. Sinful – the lost

John 4:4 ex the Samaritan woman

Jesus went to her first. He did not have to go thru Samaria on the route to where he was headed but chose to. He met the woman at the well.

V16 Jesus interacted with his woman, implied her life was not as it should be

V25---V26 I am He

V29 Come and see ----- they come to him

Jesus interacted with her by offering her living water, hope

Lk 15:1-2 the sinful came. What do we offer the sinful? Do we offer them hope, grace? Or do we offer judgment?

Comments like “I already feel bad about myself shy would I want to go to church?” should hurt our hearts

Are we such that we embrace the sinful, not in acceptance of lifestyle/sin, but in a way that graciously leads them to change. It is our God given mission to have a heart to reach out to the sinful. Luke 17:1-3

 

3. The Suffering

Ch 5, Luke 7:21-23

Matt 25

Everywhere we look there are those whose lives are broken. Are they coming to us? Are we going to them?

 

4. The Subverters – they came to undermine His authority

Ch 7 and Ch 11-18

The Pharisees – disconnected from Jesus and an explicit effort was made by them to see to his execution

They subverted his message Lk 5:30, 6:2-7

They first complained about all that He did

Asked him to explain himself/questioned Him

Then watched to see if they could trip Him up

THEY ARE STILL OUT THERE

Jesus ignored them – He did not extend hope them

Be alert and ready. Recognize those who are trying to subvert Christ and His message

Phil 2:15

Gal 5- party-ism – Division in society as well as the church

 

 

Respond as Jesus did. You and I will never invest in people’s destiny until we invest in their humanity.

 

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4z4SkesNls

 

Duration 42:16