Finding the Messiah

(John 1:40) One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.

(41) He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which means Christ).

For the soul that comes to know Christ – that is the greatest one event in the history of that soul – to come to know Christ is the greatest single event in the life of any soul. On that day – all the past changes – for a new light is shed and the soul sees God at work, working, ever working to bring that soul to salvation. And though before that soul lived in sin, now that sin has been blotted out to be seen no more – for they are as far as the east is from the west. How great is that day, when your sins are forgiven – when you find that the raging storm of God’s wrath has been calmed, and blue skies are over you! On the day that a soul comes to Christ, what sort of change there is on that day – no longer dead, but alive – liberty, rather than slavery – heaven rather than hell – it is such a change that words are unable to express it – as trying to explain to a blind man, so it is with those of us who now know Christ – for what can we say? What can we say to the joys that we have experienced? To the happiness that comes from our Savior – from the cleanliness – the purity? Who is there that understands these things, outside those who have experienced it for themselves? Perhaps before you heard Christ exalted, and lifted up and hear men speak of how excellent He is – saying that He is all they want, all they need, more than all things – while you did not yet know Him. And you longed to have that which they had – you longed to have the thing you lacked but you did not know Him personally. Maybe you were waiting to talk with a pastor, maybe you were reading the Bible alone in your room, maybe you were on your knees crying out to God that He would reveal His Son to you – or maybe you were just going about the normal routine of your day when all of a sudden, the Man who had before been only a name was revealed to you by God as a living reality – so that you can say,

Job 42:5

“I had heard about you with my own ears, but now I have seen you with my own eyes.”

And what happened after that? After He was revealed to you – what happened?

In Acts, when Peter and John went up to the temple to pray, a lame man was begging and asked them for money, Peter said,

Act 3:6-8

(6) Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

(7) And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.

And what did that lame man do?

(8) He leaped up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

People around him who did not know him must have wondered, “what is this guy doing jumping up and down like that – what, is he crazy or something?”

Before you had heard His name spoken of, but now He is a living reality! If you had lost the use of your legs for such a long time – years, maybe your whole life – would you not be jumping up and down for joy that they were healed? Would you not jump up and praise God?

We are that lame man – we were lame before we knew Christ – Oh, how happy that day that I found Christ! How happy the day that Christ found me! When His hand reached down and took away my sickness of soul, reached down and gave me life! Do you leap with joy? Do you know of this joy? For certainly all those who have known Christ know of the joy that comes from knowing Him – Do you feel it, in the depths of your soul – do your eyes lighten up at the name of Jesus?

Did you do as Andrew did? Go and get the one closest to you – your friend, your brother, your relatives and tell them with joy in your heart, “I have found the Savior!”

When was the last time you proclaimed the name of Jesus to those around you who have no knowledge of Him? If a man has good news it is impossible for Him to keep it from those who he is closest with – do you have the good news? Do you? It is easy to tell if someone has good news – do your friends know you have the good news? Or do they see nothing? Have they heard of the good news from you? Or is what you have not good news?